Description
This 2025 release from Hirsch brings Kentucky bourbon together with French cognac casks. The whiskey spent five years and eight months maturing as Kentucky straight bourbon, then a further year and ten months in rare 30-Year-Old HINE Cognac XO barrels at Bardstown, KY. Its mash bill runs 72% corn, 13% rye and 15% barley, giving the cognac-cask finish plenty to work with.
Ten single barrels were drawn for the bottling, arriving at four separate proofs: 116, 115, 114 and 112. The nose leans toward plum and deep baking spice, while the palate carries caramel cherry, soft vanilla, mild cinnamon and muscat grape over a rich mouthfeel. Peach rings, cedar and fig close things out with a light tannic grip. Total output came to 345 cases, bottled at 750 ml and 63.5% ABV.
