Heaven Hill Distillery has announced the inaugural release of its new Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel Series — an extension of its acclaimed Grain to Glass range.

The new series builds on the longstanding tradition of quality, sustainability, and craftsmanship that has defined the family-owned distillery since 1935, while showcasing the artistry involved in barrel selection and maturation.

The 2025 Specialty Barrel Series comprises three Kentucky whiskeys:

• Kentucky Straight Bourbon (52.5% ABV)
  Mashbill: 52% Corn, 35% Rye, 13% Malt
• Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon (52.5% ABV)
  Mashbill: 52% Corn, 35% Wheat, 13% Malt
• Kentucky Straight Rye (53.5% ABV)
  Mashbill: 63% Rye, 24% Corn, 13% Malt

Each whiskey has been fully matured for six years in Chinquapin Oak barrels, hand-selected by Heaven Hill’s distilling team in collaboration with the Independent Stave Company.

The Grain to Glass journey begins with a single seed. Each year, Heaven Hill partners with Beck’s Hybrids — a family-owned seed company based in Indiana — to identify a corn varietal ideally suited to the soils of central Kentucky. For the 2025 release, Beck’s 6225 was chosen and grown by multi-generational, family-run Peterson Farms in Nelson County, Kentucky — located just across the road from Heaven Hill’s Bardstown campus.

Unlike the traditional Grain to Glass releases, which are aged in No. 3 char white oak barrels, the Specialty Barrel Series explores new dimensions of maturation. For this first release, the whiskeys were fully aged in Chinquapin Oak — a distinct species of American white oak native to central and eastern North America. Known for its higher vanillin content, Chinquapin Oak imparts rich notes of butterscotch, crème brûlée, toasted nuts, chocolate, and coffee, delivering a bold mouthfeel and a layered, lingering finish.

Commenting on the launch, Conor O’Driscoll, Heaven Hill Master Distiller, said: “Selecting Chinquapin Oak for the first Specialty Barrel Series was an exciting opportunity to deepen our exploration of wood and whiskey. These barrels highlight the interplay between grain and oak in a way that elevates the mashbills, allowing each whiskey’s character to shine at barrel proof.”

The 2025 Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel Series will be available in limited quantities across the United States from November, for a RRP of $129.99 per bottle.