Usually, I am not too intrigued by celebrity-owned or -endorsed brands. For example, I always liked Becks as a player. But I have not yet bought a bottle of that grain whisky, whose – admittedly good looking – face he is. With Heaven’s Door Whiskey it is slightly different. After all, this is Bob Dylan’s brand and that name bears some extra serious weight! Don’t get me wrong, I would admittedly exaggerate a little if I called myself a super-fan of the much-lauded songwriter, singer and poet. Yet, I got a few LPs at home that I enjoy to spin from time to time. And, more importantly, I believe that someone like Bob Dylan, who remained immensely influential and relevant for more than six decades, would not tie his name, work and creativity to something that he does not fully believe in.

Of the differing Heaven’s Door expressions available on the market, the Double Barrel is the first I got to try. It impressed me a lot! This well-crafted blend is made from three carefully sourced American whiskeys, the exact origins of which are undisclosed. The spirit got matured in heavily charred American white oak bourbon barrels and finished in hand toasted new American oak barrels. It entered the bottle with an elevated strength of 50 per cent ABV (100 proof). Heaven’s Door Double Barrel is rich, strong, pleasing, versatile and captivating. If I was to create a cheesy marketing claim for it, I would probably call it “poetry in a bottle”. But I am just writing a wee review for it, so I simply say: This is one mighty fine American whiskey!

by Tobi

Eye: Rich, shimmering brown.
Nose: Aptly balanced and masterly composed with lots of rich, intense fruits: sour cherries, squeezy oranges, ripe plums, squashed brambles, crunchy pears and baked bananas. There is also lots of sweetness from pastry, toffee and hard candy. With time, the sweet notes become more chewy and more dominant. Yet, they still get bolstered by the underlying fragrences of grain, spice and straw.
Palate: The 50 per cent ABV packs a good punch. But at the same time, the whiskey also feels softened and rounded. It starts sweet and then gets more peppery. Other notes that chime in are gingerbread, grapefruit peel, mint leaves, fresh oak and candied almonds. Also heavy-on-cocoa milk chocolate. I really enjoy the Heaven’s Door’s diverse flavor profile and milky complexion. To me, this drop presents itself as an all-out American whiskey that has its own character, that has its own appeal and, most importantly, that has its own soul.
Finish: A lengthy and spicy finale! Roasted walnuts and oatmeal cookies slowly but surely make place for a lasting spearmint freshness. Underneath, some sweeter notes make themselves known, too. Just like a good song, this whiskey screams for a much-deserved repeat. So when the glass is empty, chances are high that you will push the “play” button right away.

Type: American Whiskey
Region: United States of America
Age: NAS
Alc. volume: 50 per cent
Bottle size: 0.75 litres
Price: 75.00 Euro
More info: https://www.heavensdoor.com/ (Whiskey) ; https://www.schlumberger.de/ (Importer)

*** My wife won the bottle in an online raffle. ***