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When I was new to bourbon and didn’t know anything yet, there was one bottle I desperately wanted for my collection: IW Harper 15 Year Bourbon. I think it had to do with the photographs I saw of it where the bottle had this sort of vintage coolness to it. The tiny raised glass pyramid structure on the surface is stuck in the 1950’s and was totally captivating. I had to have it.
The Legacy of IW Harper
IW Harper was very popular brand of bourbon for many decades. After getting its start in the late 1800’s, it was sold to spirits giant Schenley shortly after Prohibition. It was sold again to United Distillers in the 1980’s. Unfortunately, sales were slow (just like all bourbon sales were at the time) and United Distillers decided to cease selling it in the United States in the 1990’s. They shifted sales primarily to Japan where it enjoyed considerable success.
From all accounts, IW Harper was never a powerhouse bourbon. In its most usual form, it rang in at a low-ish 86 proof. It also used a mash bill that was high on corn and low on rye (86% corn, 6% rye and 8% malted barley). This negated the impact of the rye spice that was more common in other bourbon brands like Wild Turkey, Four Roses and Old Forester. It was also believed to be heavily filtered which left a lighter, cleaner taste.
When United Distillers morphed into what would become modern-day Diageo, it sold off the Bernheim Distillery to Heaven Hill in 1999. Since this was the location where IW Harper had been made for decades, Diageo included a condition in the contract that Heaven Hill would continue to produce the same mash bill (and using the same yeast) so that they could continue to sell IW Harper worldwide.
IW Harper comes back to the United States
15 years after the sale of Bernheim Distillery to Heaven Hill, Diageo announced the release of two new labels that would see US Distribution for the first time since the brand was pulled out in the 1990’s. They would be known as IW Harper Bourbon (82 proof, non-aged stated) and IW Harper 15 Year Bourbon (86 proof). Perplexingly, they both used different mash bills. And while the bargain-basement version of IW Harper had a higher rye content, it was given middling reviews. Conversely, the 15-year-old version received decent reviews.
When it comes to the 15 year version, it seems to be released in waves. The local stores in Indiana seem to get a small allotment about once per year. Even though they’re rare, they’re also never really coveted. Therefore, they have no secondary value. This doesn’t mean that stores don’t try to raise the prices, though. I’ve seen retail prices vary from as low as $80 all the way up to $125.
There are rumblings that the flavor profile of IW Harper has changed over the years. Enthusiasts have noted that what was once a distinctly light, fruity and vanilla-forward bourbon has begun to taste more like a nutty, caramel-forward Heaven Hill product. Some people have speculated that the original yeast that Diageo provided is being slowly contaminated with the traditional Heaven Hill yeast that occupies the fermentation tanks of New Bernheim for most of the year.
Today’s bottle I’m reviewing has a laser code indicating that it was bottled in 2020, so I’m wondering if I’ll be able to notice any sort of similarities to a low-proofed Heaven Hill product like Evan Williams or Heaven Hill Green Label. There’s only one way to find out – let’s go in for a taste. I sampled this neat in a glencairn.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Without drinking anything prior to this, I find the nose to be delightfully light, but full of character. Fruit notes surprise me with blueberries, raspberries and cherries. Light oak notes hint to the tannins this would likely possess if it was bottled at a higher proof. Plus, there are lots of sweet vanilla crepes scents to indulge in. I’m impressed!
Palate: Fruitcake and berries immediately hit my tongue. Oddly, for only 6% rye in the mash bill, I’m finding a hint of licorice. There are light amounts of antiqued and dry oak that give this dram more character than I was expecting. I can also taste a hint of leather. Sweeter notes comes across like vanilla wafers and honeycomb. I can’t find much fault with anything I tasted here aside from the fact the proof was so low.
Finish: Short to moderate in length, but still enjoyable. The lingering berry compote and drying oak is a treat. A bit of tobacco leaf and graham cracker pie crust add additional depth while ground cinnamon and a touch of cardamom adds uniqueness. Yum!
Score: 7.9/10
Over the last few years, I’ve had a chance to sip this bottle twice. In one instance, I found it to be sweet and full of fruit. In another instance, I thought I tasted some Heaven Hill nuttiness begin to intrude. Thankfully, after I bought this bottle, I was pleased to find the former. This is such a fantastic bottle for the proof, it may just be my most favorite bourbon under 90 proof that I own, and that’s saying a lot.
If you’ve ever passed by this bottle in a store and have been skeptical, I’m here to tell you that it’s worth it. I think everyone should have this on hand even if they don’t intend to drink it. One of the main purposes I can see myself using it for is to pour for my non-bourbon drinking friends who are cautious of bourbon being too hot or spicy. This should calm anyone’s fears at first sip. It’s also the perfect bourbon to start a night of sampling other high-aged whiskies. There is so much potential here.
Final Thoughts
The more I sat and pondered this bottle, the more it began to make sense. The price had always turned me off in the past, but I suppose in the context of its age, it’s actually quite a steal. Yes, I realize the low proof is likely the reason they can charge less than the somewhat-standard $10-per-year-aged on this stuff, but I’m also convinced this might be one of the best values in non-barrel proof bourbons today.
After my experience with IW Harper 15 Year, I can honestly say I’ll be buying the next bottle I see. Suddenly, so many ideas are coming to mind with how to use it. It could be a gift for a person who is new to bourbon but has enjoyed it so far. It can be a centerpiece for a growing collection on your shelf since it looks and drinks like a very premium bourbon. It just has so much going for it. Stay tuned for a future review where I try to get a different bottling year to see the consistency between batches!
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