Heaven’s Door “Ascension” Straight Bourbon Whiskey Southern

92 Proof (46% ABV), 750 ml

Review from the Whiskey Wash: “Bob Dylan’s whiskey brand, Heaven’s Door, recently announced the release of its new “Ascension” Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

A statement from Heaven’s Door explained that the inclusion of a Kentucky bourbon is a significant milestone for Heaven’s Door, as the brand opens its new distillery in Pleasureville, Kentucky. A new brand center is coming to Louisville, Kentucky, later in the fall.

The distiller noted that Heaven’s Door Ascension is a blend of two Kentucky straight bourbons, featuring the company’s own distillate made at the Heaven’s Door Distillery at Six Mile Creek.

This expression is a non-chill filtered bourbon, and it’s aged more than five years before being blended in small batches. It clocks in at 92 proof, and the distiller’s notes show the bourbon to have an aroma of baked bread, buttered popcorn, and dried fruit. On the palate, it features notes of caramel and vanilla with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper.

“Our commitment to crafting award-winning whiskey is evident in every step of our process, from grain selection to distillation to the barrels we use for blending,” said Alex Moore, master blender for Heaven’s Door. “For this exceptional Kentucky bourbon, we meticulously blend each small batch to create its distinctive flavor profile.”

He said they’re excited to add their own Kentucky bourbon to Heaven’s Door’s permanent collection. It, along with their Tennessee bourbon, feature similar mash bills, are aged for the same amount of time and are bottled at the same proof. “But result in two very different bourbon expressions,” Moore added.

And for something a little different, Ascension will see new bottle graphics featuring the iron metalworks of music legend and artist Bob Dylan.

Al Vallejo, chief creative officer at Heaven’s Door, said that as their new packaging design honors the artistry of Bob Dylan, and it does so “by elegantly framing his iconic gate artwork, with greater intricacy. Each expression in the Heaven’s Door portfolio features a different one of Dylan’s iron gates in a scale that allows for more of each piece of artwork to be seen in its entirety.”

Bob Dylan, along with the Heaven’s Door team, have given a name to each of the core expressions that embodies the character or essence of each, which build on Dylan’s desire to create a collection of whiskeys that “tell their own story,” the artist and icon noted.”