Back at it again. I’m sure if you follow me via social, you’re by now waaaay over how much I love my Red Wing Iron Rangers - the boots in the photo - and are probably tired of hearing about the marvels of cobbler craftsmanship. Don’t fret, for this article’s focus is not on the beautiful patinas, brilliant threading and leather wear, or macro shots of laces and stress points. No, today we’re talking about the bottle in the middle, the absolutely infamous “Best Bourbon in the world” of 2019, we’re talking about McKenna 10.
Henry McKenna 10 BiB
Louisville, KY
$34.99
50% / 100 Proof
Nose - Sweet dreams are made of these, Granny Smith apples and perfectly ripe pears, following a strong granular white sugar note and citrus, peeling back into vanilla, then a field of toasted oak and caramel food in. The nosing experience is surprisingly vibrant for a 100 proof bourbon, particularly with the lack of sting.
Palette - Just a full-on caramel and vanilla flavor train that’s headed to bourbon town. The flavors, especially in the proof, are heavy and overbearing. If that sounds like a good thing to you, then you’re gonna love it. The McKenna 10 has an opportunity here (and probably a reason it won a prestigious award) to stand above the rest of the competition, proving even more stable than some of the big boys, like my personal darling bourbon, Turkey 101.
Finish - The finish is another highlight for the HMK10, moving down smoothly and subtly with little burn or variance. The flavors stay, they don’t change, they simply mellow down, like turning off the bedroom lights with a slider switch.
Thoughts - Let’s first approach some of the terminology and interesting tidbits of the Henry McKenna 10. First of all, it’s aged for 10 years. 10 Freakin’ years, for a single barrel bourbon; that means you’re not getting jerked around - like some other fancy local producers who give age statements of 2-10 years, putting a drop of 10 years to a barrel of 2 years and getting by legally - when you’re wanting a vintage bottle. Second, HMK prides itself on being Bottled in Bond, or BiB for short. This means that only one master distiller was present during the distilling, barreling, and bottling of the whiskey. There are a few other very nitpicky requirements to meet bottled in bond, all overseen by government regulators and observers, so you’ve got to have a pretty clean operation to put it on your bottle. Does Bottled in Bond change the flavor of the whiskey? Not at all, but it does add some character to what you’re buying. Now that we have those little pieces out of the way, my thoughts of the McKenna 10 are this: It is the single best bourbon you can buy for the price. There are better bourbons, to be sure, but this is a bottle that could easily compete with the $85 price range of top-shelf products and stand it’s ground. The HMK10 is a mainstay- in my cabinet for its classic flavor, bold delivery, decade aged charm, and the glamour that comes with the Best Whiskey in the World 2019.
7/10, but always on my shelf.
p.s.
Here’s some great shots of my Red Wing Iron Ranger 8085’s. Daily wear for 2 years running.
