Matured in barrel up to the time of their bottling at 16 and 20 years of age (considerably longer than most bottlings), these whiskies show the benefits traditional cask aging gives to Bourbon. Hirsch Reserve stands in the class of top-flight single malt Scotch Whisky and Grand Champagne Cognac. Hirsch Reserve whiskies offer a unique taste experience showing silky smooth texture and perfectly balanced flavors of sweet oak, maple, and spice. The aftertaste is round, rich, very long and mellow. A. H. Hirsch 16-year-old bourbon is pungent, spicy, and resinous, while A. H. Hirsch 20-year-old bourbon is a bit oakier and strongly suggestive of maple syrup. Very soon, they'll both be gone. According to Henry Preiss, who owns the 20-year-old stocks outright and is the exclusive distributor for both whiskies, only about 200 cases of the older Hirsch remain, while the 16-year-old hovers at about 5,000 cases. This doesn't include what's already in stores. "At the current rate of sales the 20-year-old could be gone by the end of the year," said Preiss, noting that the brand has been given an updated label. "The 16-year-old has got a few years yet, but when you think about it, 5,000 cases is like a week's sales for a big name Bourbon." Prices for the Hirsch whiskies will likely rise as stocks dwindle.
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