If you spend any time around American whiskey, you will quickly run into Heaven Hill Distillery. Not because it dominates headlines, but because it sits quietly behind a huge portion of what people actually drink. From dependable everyday bourbons to some of the most sought-after limited releases in the category, Heaven Hill has built a portfolio that rewards curiosity.
Founded by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill remains entirely family-owned and is now widely regarded as the largest single-site whiskey distillery in America. This bourbon-making powerhouse produces a wide range of brands, most of which are built from just a handful of core mash bills.
So if you have ever wondered which of your favorite whiskeys might come out of Heaven Hill, this guide breaks down every major label in the portfolio, brand by brand.
Let’s start with the name on the door.
Heaven Hill
The name on the door appears less often than you might expect, but when it does, it tends to signal something intentional. These releases showcase different sides of Heaven Hill Distillery, from traditional bottled-in-bond bourbon to more experimental and ultra-aged expressions.
Current Releases:
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond (7 Year Old)
This is the most straightforward expression of the distillery’s style. Aged seven years and bottled at 100 proof, it delivers classic notes of vanilla, caramel, honey, and oak. It is structured without being heavy, and sits comfortably as an everyday bourbon with a bit more depth.
Grain to Glass Series
An annual release focused on transparency. Each edition highlights mash bill, grain varietal, and production details. Typically released as bourbon, wheated bourbon, and rye, these are limited and aimed at enthusiasts who enjoy understanding how whiskey is made as much as drinking it.
Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel Series
A newer extension that explores the impact of different oak types and barrel treatments. Early releases use Chinquapin oak, adding extra spice and richness. Limited and harder to find.
Heritage Collection
The most premium line under the Heaven Hill name. These are annual releases of extra-aged whiskeys, often well over 15 years old, bottled at high proof. Rich, complex, and firmly in collector territory.
Heaven Hill as a label covers a wide range, from a reliable bonded bourbon to some of the oldest whiskey in the warehouses, all under the same name.
Evan Williams
Evan Williams is the workhorse of the Heaven Hill portfolio. Introduced in 1957, it has become one of the best-selling bourbons in the world and serves as the entry point for many drinkers. The focus here is value and consistency, with a range that steps up gradually in quality and complexity.
Current Releases:
Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon (Black Label)
The baseline. Light, approachable, and built for versatility. Expect vanilla, caramel, and a touch of oak. This is an everyday bourbon, whether neat or mixed.
Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch
A step up in depth, made from a smaller selection of barrels. Slightly richer with more oak and a rounder texture, but still firmly in the affordable range.
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage
Each bottle is drawn from a single barrel and marked with a vintage year. More variation from bottle to bottle, with added spice and structure. Increasingly harder to find in some markets.
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Bottled at 100 proof and aged at least four years, this brings more intensity and spice than the Black Label. A strong value option for those who want a bit more punch.
Evan Williams is all about reliability. It may not generate the same hype as other brands in the portfolio, but it consistently delivers solid bourbon at every level.
Elijah Craig
Elijah Craig sits at the heart of the Heaven Hill portfolio. Introduced in 1986, it helped define the idea of small batch bourbon and remains one of the distillery’s most recognisable names. The range covers everything from an accessible core bourbon to some of the most sought-after releases Heaven Hill produces.
Releases Include:
- Elijah Craig Small Batch
- Elijah Craig Rye
- Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
- Elijah Craig Toasted Rye
- Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
- Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye
- Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel
This is a broad lineup, but a few stand out.
Small Batch is the foundation. Bottled at 94 proof, it delivers a balanced mix of vanilla, sweet fruit, spice, and toasted oak. It is widely available and often where people start with the brand.
Barrel Proof has become one of the most talked-about releases in American whiskey. Released three times a year, each batch comes at full proof. The profile is richer, deeper, and more intense, and many drinkers enjoy comparing batches.
Toasted Barrel takes the Small Batch bourbon and finishes it in a second toasted barrel, adding extra sweetness and oak influence.
At the top end, the 18-Year-Old Single Barrel is firmly a collector bottle. Long aging brings heavier oak, leather, and spice, with a more focused, drier profile.
Elijah Craig covers a wide spectrum. You can pick up a reliable everyday bourbon or go deep into limited releases without ever leaving the brand.
Larceny
Larceny is Heaven Hill’s modern take on wheated bourbon, launched in 2012 as a more accessible counterpart to Old Fitzgerald. By swapping rye for wheat in the mash bill, the profile is softer, sweeter, and a little rounder.
Current Releases:
Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon
The core expression. Bottled at 92 proof, it brings notes of caramel, honey, and baked bread with a gentle spice. Easy to drink and widely available, this is a solid everyday wheated bourbon.
Larceny Barrel Proof
Released three times a year, this is the same wheated recipe at full strength. Richer, more textured, and more intense, with deeper notes of molasses, cinnamon, and toasted oak. These batches are limited and often sought after.
Larceny offers a clear contrast within the Heaven Hill lineup. Where brands like Elijah Craig carry more spice, Larceny focuses on softness and sweetness, with the Barrel Proof releases showing just how much depth that style can reach.
Old Fitzgerald
Old Fitzgerald is one of the oldest names in the Heaven Hill portfolio and the foundation for its wheated bourbon style. Today, the brand is split between a more accessible core release and a series that has become one of the most collectible in American whiskey.
Current Releases:
Old Fitzgerald 7-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond
This is the modern flagship. Aged seven years and bottled at 100 proof, it delivers classic wheated notes of honey, brown sugar, soft oak, and baking spice. It is designed to be approachable and actually findable, offering a way into the Old Fitzgerald profile without chasing limited releases.
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series
Released twice a year in spring and fall, each edition comes in a distinctive decanter and carries its own age statement, often ranging well into double digits. These are limited, highly allocated, and closely followed by collectors. Flavor profiles vary by release, but typically show richer oak, deeper sweetness, and more layered spice.
Old Fitzgerald sits in an interesting place. One foot in everyday drinking, the other firmly in collector territory, with the decanter series driving much of the attention.
Henry McKenna 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Bottled-in-Bond
Henry McKenna is one of the more understated names in the Heaven Hill portfolio, but it has built a strong following over time. The brand traces its roots back to the 19th century, though today it is defined almost entirely by a single expression.
This is one of the only extra-aged, bottled-in-bond single barrel bourbon produced at scale. Each bottle comes from an individual barrel, so there is natural variation, but the general profile leans toward vanilla, caramel, oak, and a touch of spice.
After winning Best in Show at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, demand jumped significantly, and it has been harder to find ever since.
Bernheim
Bernheim stands apart from most of the Heaven Hill lineup. This is a wheat whiskey, with wheat as the dominant grain. First released in 2005, it was one of the first new American whiskey styles introduced in decades.
Current Releases:
Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey
Aged seven years and bottled at 90 proof. Soft, slightly sweet, and easy to drink. Expect honey, vanilla, light toffee, and gentle oak. A good everyday option that often flies under the radar.
Bernheim Barrel Proof
Released in batches twice a year. Bottled at full strength, with more weight and intensity. Caramel, spice, and toasted oak come through more clearly, with a thicker texture. Limited and harder to find.
Bernheim offers a different angle within the portfolio. Less spice, more focus on grain and sweetness.
Rittenhouse Rye
Rittenhouse Rye is one of the most dependable ryes in the Heaven Hill lineup. First introduced in the 1930s and later acquired by Heaven Hill, it has become a staple behind the bar.
Aged at least four years and bottled at 100 proof. This is a classic Kentucky-style rye, so the spice is present but balanced by sweetness. Think dried fruit, toffee, baking spice, and a touch of citrus.
It is widely used in cocktails, especially Manhattans and Sazeracs, where the higher proof helps it hold its shape.
Rittenhouse is all about reliability. Easy to find, well-priced, and consistently good, whether you are mixing or drinking it neat.
Pikesville Rye
Pikesville Rye has older roots than most of the Heaven Hill lineup. Dating back to the late 1800s, Pikesville was born of the once-booming Maryland rye industry. It was shuttered during Prohibition, and revived in its current form in 2015 as a higher-proof, more premium rye.
Aged six years and bottled at 110 proof. Fuller and more intense than Rittenhouse, with notes of cocoa, honey, baking spice, and oak. The higher proof gives it more weight, whether you drink it neat or in a cocktail.
Pikesville sits a step above Rittenhouse. Same general style, but with more depth and concentration.
Parker’s Heritage Collection
Parker’s Heritage Collection is Heaven Hill’s annual limited release, created as a tribute to longtime master distiller Parker Beam.
Each edition is different. The style of whiskey, proof, age, and finish all vary from year to year, which keeps collectors on their toes. Some releases focus on older stock, others explore more unusual directions, and a few do both.
The current release, the 19th Edition, is an 11-year-old American Kentucky straight whiskey bottled at 61.25% ABV. It blends 15-year-old wheated bourbon, 11-year-old corn whiskey, and a 12-year-old two-grain whiskey made from rye and malt. Each component was aged in different rickhouses and floors before being married together, resulting in a layered, mixed-grain profile.
Previous releases have included a 14-year-old malt whiskey finished in heavily toasted Cognac barrels in 2024 and a Double Barreled Blend Bourbon in 2022, which gives a good sense of how varied this series can be.
These are always limited and tend to sell out quickly. Over time, many have become highly collectible.
Mellow Corn
Mellow Corn is one of the more unusual bottles in the Heaven Hill lineup. First introduced in 1945, it has built a quiet cult following over the years.
Made with at least 80% corn and bottled at 100 proof. Unlike bourbon, it is aged in used barrels, which gives it a lighter, more grain-forward profile. Expect soft sweetness, vanilla, and a gentle spice.
Mellow Corn is simple, affordable, and a bit different. It has become a favorite among bartenders and enthusiasts who appreciate it for exactly that.
Heaven Hill Mash Bills Explained
One thing that helps make sense of the Heaven Hill Distillery portfolio is how much comes back to a small set of core mash bills. Most of the brands above are built from just a handful of recipes.
- Bourbon (“HH Reg”): 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye
Used in Evan Williams, Elijah Craig Bourbon, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond, and Henry McKenna
- Wheated Bourbon: 68% corn, 12% malted barley, 20% wheat
Used in Old Fitzgerald and Larceny
- Rye Whiskey: 51% rye, 35% corn, 14% malted barley
Used in Rittenhouse, Pikesville, and Elijah Craig Rye
- Wheat Whiskey: 51% wheat, 37% corn, 12% malted barley
Used in Bernheim
- Corn Whiskey: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Used in Mellow Corn
- Malt Whiskey: 65% malted barley, 35% corn
Used in select Parker’s Heritage releases
Most of Heaven Hill’s range comes from these recipes, with variation coming from age, proof, and barrel. Some newer releases, like the Grain to Glass Specialty Series, go further by experimenting with grain varietals.
Where to Start and What to Look For
Heaven Hill’s portfolio can feel wide at first, but it becomes easier to navigate once you know where to look.
If you want something easy to find and easy to enjoy, bottles like Evan Williams Black Label, Elijah Craig Small Batch, Rittenhouse Rye, and Larceny Small Batch are a good place to start. They are consistent, well-priced, and widely available.
Step up a level and you start to see more variation. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Larceny Barrel Proof, and Henry McKenna 10-Year-Old offer more intensity and character, though they can be a little harder to track down depending on where you are.
Then there are the bottles that people actively chase. Old Fitzgerald’s decanter releases, the Grain to Glass series, Parker’s Heritage Collection, and the Heaven Hill Heritage Collection all fall into this category. These are limited, often allocated, and tend to attract collectors as much as drinkers.
What ties everything together is a consistent approach. A small number of mash bills, used in different ways, across different ages, proofs, and barrels. Once you understand that, the whole portfolio starts to make sense.
What is your favorite whiskey in Heaven Hill’s portfolio? Let us know in the comments below.
Read the full article at Every Whiskey Made by Heaven Hill Distillery: The Complete Guide
