Heaven Hill Executive Chairman Max Shapira created the idea of Heaven Hill’s Grain to Glass series in the mid-2010s. The concept revolves around the company working with Beck’s Hybrids out of Indiana to “hand select a unique corn seed varietal that has specific attributes desirable for Heaven Hill Grain to Glass, one of which is choosing seed which is best suited for growth in Central Kentucky.” From there, Heaven Hill works with Peterson Farms to grow the corn on one of two sites in Nelson County, Kentucky. Of note, both Beck’s Hybrids and Peterson Farms are also family-owned, and lead companies much like Heaven Hill itself.

‍‍The company states the whiskey was distilled in 2018, aged for 6 years, and released in 2025. Heaven Hill stresses transparency for this release and provides a lot of specific data for each whiskey. The corn seed varietal used for this edition was Beck’s 6225, which is prominently displayed on the front of the bottle. Additionally, the rickhouse where the whiskey was aged was Cox’s Creek at rickhouses W5 and W6, floors 3, 4, and 5.

The whiskey opens with a set of scents resting on a hint of youthfulness. Spiced nuts and ballpark peanuts mix with new oak, while heavy baking spices and light dried apricot add to the mix. A layer of ethanol rounds things out. While it lacks any truly standout scents, it’s a fine opening to the sip.

The bourbon's high rye percentage becomes incredibly evident at the midpoint as a swirl of various spices vie for your attention. Rye spice, white peppercorn spice, and baking spices battle it out and compete for dominance the longer you explore. Balancing the spice notes out are cinnamon stick and a prominent tannic oak note. Additionally, a grilled glazed peach flavor provides a pleasing contrast to the spice and oak note.

A dash of brown sugar sweetness appears before quickly being overrun by spice and drier flavors. Bold rye spice rushes forward, joining notes of peppery oak and a hint of leather. A light cinnamon spice note pops before fading away, revealing dry lingering spice that provides a building heat. It’s a dry and spicy finish that lingers, providing a very satisfying way to cap off the sip.

The introduction of the Grain to Glass series in 2024 was an interesting proposition by Heaven Hill. Here is a large Kentucky distillery trying to partially replicate what some craft estate distilleries have always been doing. The concept of grain-to-glass isn’t new, but it indeed isn’t widely adopted by well-established Kentucky distilleries either. While Heaven Hill may not grow the grain themselves, partnering with another family-owned business to cultivate the main seed and working with a local family farm does bring them one step closer to trying to replicate what distilleries like Corbin Cash and Minden Mills do.

When the company released its first Grain to Glass Bourbon in 2024, it served as a base for what consumers might expect from the series going forward. The question being, how much does the corn varietal used change the overall flavor profile? I found the initial release to be pleasing enough, but it didn’t stand out compared to other innovative releases from 2024. What did stand out, however, was the spiciness of the pour, thanks to Heaven Hill employing an incredibly high rye mashbill for one of their bourbons. While it’s not a new mashbill and was used in Square 6 Bourbon, it’s rare to see the company use it.

Compared to last year’s release, this second edition contains similar flavor notes, yet offers different ones as well. In particular, spice plays a prominent role in the overall structure of both whiskeys. Where they differ is in the type of spice and supporting sweet notes that appear, however, it’s not enough to make a meaningful difference. Instead, the series offers a very nuanced comparison of corn seed varietals that only diehard whiskey geeks will appreciate. This isn’t to undermine what Heaven Hill is trying to accomplish, as it’s always great to see entrenched Kentucky distilleries try new experiments like this. Moreover, it’s an acknowledgement that while this is a unique bourbon due to many aspects, it takes an appreciation of the brand and their standard mashbills, along with enjoying more nuanced details of the distillation chain, to acknowledge and appreciate what Heaven Hill is accomplishing with this series.

Heaven Hill held the price firm from the inaugural release last year to this year. Coming in at $100 for a 6 year old Kentucky bourbon is a hard sell for many. The fact of the matter is, consumers have been trained that younger Kentucky bourbon by major distilleries is usually priced at $50 or under. On the flip side, consumers now expect more for their money. While limited editions have skyrocketed in price over the last few years, they also usually come with a unique barrel finish, high age, or high proof to justify their exorbitant price.

While interesting to those who are passionate about whiskey, such as hobbyists who will enjoy trying a new corn varietal; the majority of consumers will be comparing this against the company’s other more affordable offerings, such as Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Evan Williams. All of them are excellent offerings for less. Additionally, other craft estate distilleries, such as Frey Ranch and Hillrock Estate Distillery who distill all their own grains, sell for much less by comparison. At the end of the day, it’s a hard justification to say that Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Bourbon is worth its asking price in its current state.

The second edition of Heaven Hill Grain to Glass is similar to the first, both in concept and in taste. It’s nice to see a large Kentucky distillery take on new experiments, however minor the impact may be on the end product. Much like last year’s release, the most interesting aspect is the high rye mashbill used for this bourbon and the differentiated flavor profile it produces compared to other brands the company owns. While the whiskey comes with a lopsided price, the sip is interesting nevertheless and will appeal to those who prefer a more spice-forward bourbon. With two releases under their belt, it will be interesting to see how this series evolves over time and if there will be more subtle variations or if we’ll start to see drastic differences between corn varieties in years to come.