Heaven’s Door Double Barrel Whiskey Review
Today’s project is a Heaven’s Door Double Barrel Whiskey review. I picked this up because of the cool bottle design and it’s affiliation with Bob Dylan.
Heaven’s Door Spirits is a unique collaboration between legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and Spirits Investment Partnership (SIP). This partnership marks Bob Dylan’s first and only brand collaboration, as he aims to create an ever-evolving portfolio of handcrafted whiskeys. The first releases included Double Barrel Whiskey, Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and Straight Rye Whiskey.
Heaven’s Door Double Barrel is a blended whiskey comprised of two Tennessee whiskeys and a straight rye whiskey, all of which have a 6-year age statement. All three whiskeys also underwent the Lincoln County Process before aging. They were then blended and aged for an additional year in alligator charred American oak barrels.
Classification: Blended Whiskey
Finished in: Toasted Oak Barrels
Age: 6 years
Proof: 100
Proof Designation: na
Filtered Status: Chill Filtered
Mash bill: Undisclosed blend of 2 Tennessee whiskeys and 1 Straight Rye
Barrel Char Level: ??
Barrel Entry Proof: ??
Distillate Source: ??
Distillery: Undisclosed
Company: Heaven’s Door Spirits
Bottled By: Heaven’s Door Spirits
Distilled/Aging Location: Columbia, Tennessee
Master Distiller: Ryan Perry and master Jordan Via
Release Date: Ongoing
MSRP: $50 (2024)
Secondary Market: na
Availability: Available
Heaven’s Door Double Barrel Whiskey Review
My tasting reviews are unique in that I include the notes of several well-known whiskey critics. The hope is that this format will help me and others to explore and expand their tasting experience. After you have taken your own tasting notes, read the reviews and see if there is a flavor note that others discerned that now you can detect as well.
For this tasting: Fresh crack, Glencairn Glass, Neat, Room Temp, Breathe: 2 hours
Legs
Beads began to form on the crown at about 5 seconds, then as the legs were trying to form the crown became thicker as legs began to form but bled into the crown instead. The first legs started to fall at about 26 seconds and finally reached the bowl at about 52 seconds. The legs did merge together near the crown so the rather than being many closely streaming tears, they merged and resulted in legs that were farther apart.
Nose
The nose is lightly perfumed with caramel, maple, caramel corn, toasted oak, and a hint of rye grain. Ethanol is also very apparent.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Rickhouse Ramblings: Mike: This whiskey emits charming aromas of brown sugar and tobacco, later transitioning to clove spice. Initially, as I nose this whiskey from the glass, it presents fruity with a very sweet wine-must quality. A second pass reveals notes of honeysuckle… then easing into processed pears that have been dusted with cinnamon.
Bottle Raiders: The proof bump is noticeable and welcome (the rest of the portfolio is 45-46 proof). Brown sugar, maple, fresh buttered rolls, some toffee and light pepper.
Adventures in Whiskey: Hints of toffee, sweet corn, and slight minerality. A bit of orange essence pops up in the background.
Palate
The flavors are light in taste and intensity, rather than dark or potent. Light caramel or toffee, sweet oak, some muted baking spices, a hint of apple pie, and a sour dough bread note. Overall, just simple flavors…not complex.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Rickhouse Ramblings: Mike: My first sip of Heaven’s Door Double Barrel is light and crisp upfront. A semi-dry mouthfeel is detected mid-palate, reminiscent of a Brut champagne. A second sip offers excessively sweetened apple pie filling with the tiniest suggestion of cinnamon and apples. Soft hints of grapefruit and mulling spices appear late.
Rating: 3.125 out of 5
Bottle Raiders: Rich on the palate, sweet and easy drinking. Honey, toffee, rich cream and butter. Toffee, orange peel, peppery.
Rating: 6 out of 10
Adventures in Whiskey: The palate is very reminiscent of an Old Fashioned, with caramel and spice followed by orange peel and dried fruit. The back palate sees some herbs and more oak spice, which is slightly amplified thanks to the higher proof.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Finish
The finish is medium-long. It starts off sweet with light caramel, transitions to a dry, slightly bitter oaky note, and ends with a hint of peanuts and oak.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Rickhouse Ramblings: Mike: There’s a medium to long finish on this double barrel whiskey from Heaven’s Door. There is an agreeable bite of rye spice on the back of the throat followed by a more than soothing cinder that prolongs down into the mid-chest area. There is an oakiness that lingers on the palate with a subtle hint of stone fruit.
Bottle Raiders: Long finish. A bit bitter, the proof is apparent here. A bit hot, though there’s plenty of butter cream, honey, orange peel, white cracked pepper and a hint of floral sweetness.
Adventures in Whiskey: The finish is long and a touch dry, with hints of spiced caramel followed by slightly astringent oak.
Mouthfeel
(Thin – Watery | Silken – smooth & slippery, but not mouth coating | Creamy – coats the tongue like heavy cream does. | Rich or Unctuous – coats the entire palate like olive oil)
The mouthfeel is almost silky but still relatively light.
The Burn
3 out of 5. This means that the burn from the alcohol is about what I would expect it to be for a 100 proof whiskey.
Tasting Summary
The Heaven’s Door Double Barrel does not meet the expectation of what other double-barreled (double-oaked) products have to offer. The flavor profile is weak, light, lacking in intensity and complexity…boring. For instance, Woodford Double Oaked kicks the crap out of this.
It is simple to sip (because it’s boring!), a nice hot summer day sipper. But better used as a mixer or a gift to a bourbon newbie.
My Rating
The higher the score the better the whiskey is in my opinion. For reference, my best rated bottle so far is the George T. Stagg 2022 (138.7p) with a score of 9.7.
See our ratings breakdown.
| Score Type | Score | Examples |
| Likability Score | 6.5 | 1.0 – 10.0 |
| Availability Score | 4 | 1-Rare, 2-Hard to Find, 3-A Little Hunting, 4-Easy to Find |
My Tasting Notes
A blank version of this tasting notes wheel is available in both a color and a black & white version in the member’s area.
Notes and History
The Heaven’s Door line of whiskeys is developed in partnership with various master distillers. This allows for a diverse range of expressions that showcase different styles and flavor profiles. The goal is to bring Bob Dylan’s artistic vision to the world of premium whiskey, creating a brand that is as distinctive and timeless as the musician himself.
Each bottle of Heaven’s Door whiskey features Dylan’s unique ironwork sculptures, further cementing the brand’s connection to the artist’s creative legacy. As an ever-evolving collection, whiskey enthusiasts can expect new and exciting releases from Heaven’s Door in the years to come, each one a reflection of Bob Dylan’s enduring artistic spirit.
Heaven’s Door Double Barrel Whiskey is a unique and complex spirit that combines three distinct whiskeys, each with its own character and flavor profile. This blend is then finished in hand-toasted new American oak barrels for an additional year, resulting in a whiskey that is both smooth and full-bodied.
The creation of Heaven’s Door Double Barrel Whiskey was a collaborative effort between Ryan Perry of Heaven’s Door Spirits and master distiller Jordan Via, formerly from Breckenridge Distillery. By carefully selecting and blending the three whiskeys, they were able to create a harmonious and well-balanced final product.
The extra year of aging in the hand-toasted oak barrels adds depth and complexity to the whiskey, imparting notes of vanilla, caramel, and a subtle oakiness that complement the existing flavors. This meticulous process results in a whiskey that is both approachable and sophisticated, making it an excellent choice for sipping or mixing in classic cocktails.
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