I.W. Harper 12 Year

Distillery:		Probably Four Roses
Age:		12 Years
Proof:		90 (45% ABV)
Price:		JPY 5000

I.W. Harper is a storied brand of bourbon, first becoming popular in the late 19th century. For about the last 20 years, however, the I.W. Harper brand was only available in Japan. Recently, however, Diageo (the owner of the I.W. Harper brand) has again started to use the I.W. Harper brand in the U.S.

There are two I.W. Harper expression in Japan: I.W. Harper Gold Medal and I.W. Harper 12 Year. This review is of the 12-year-old expression (not the 15-year-old expression released in America in 2015). Because Diageo doesn't operate any bourbon distilleries, there is some question as to where I.W. Harper comes from. The best guess is that I.W. Harper, like Bulleit, is distilled under contract by Four Roses. The mashbill is likely the high rye (OBS_) Four Roses mash bills and therefore has a much higher rye content than most other bourbons.

As you can see, the 12-year expression comes in a nice decanter bottle, reminiscent of the bottle in which I.W. Harper 15 Year was released in the U.S. I believe the main difference is the screw top.

The nose has notes of melon (and other fruit), as well as vanilla, pepper and honey. Melon (or another green fruit) and pepper are again evident on the tongue along with leather and dry wood. There is a nice honeysuckle finish.

This bourbon is very balanced with a spicy, sophisticated flavor. It lacks some of the sweetness of other bourbons, but I think this is also true of many of Four Roses' offering.

Verdict: It's age-stated Four Roses in a beautiful bottle; if you like Four Roses buy it.

Bourbons

Below is an incomplete list of bourbons that are only available in Japan. The list concentrates on brands that were continuously produced and not limited edition or one-off bottlings.

Links to each bourbon reviewed are arranged by brand below. Within each brand, the various expressions are arranged, for the most part, by price.


Ancient Age

• Ancient Ancient Age 8 Year

A.H. Hirsch

• A.H. Hirsch 16 Year

Blanton's

• Blanton's Green
• Blanton's Black
• Blanton's Silver
• Blanton's Gold
• Blanton's Straight from the Barrel

Evan Williams

• Evan Williams 12 Year

Early Times

• Early Times Yellow Label
• Early Times Black Label

Four Roses

• Four Roses Black Label
• Four Roses Premium

I.W. Harper

• I.W. Harper Gold Medal
• I.W. Harper 12 Year

Old Ezra

• Old Ezra 15

Olde St. Nick

• Very Olde St. Nick Summer Rye

Virgin Bourbon

• Virgin Bourbon 10 Year

Wild Turkey

• Wild Turkey 1855 Reserve
• Wild Turkey 8 Year
• Wild Turkey 12 Year
• Wild Turkey 13 Year

Yellow Rose of Texas

• Yellow Rose of Texas 8 Year (Green Label)
• Yellow Rose of Texas 12 Year (Brown Label)
• Yellow Rose of Texas 15 Year (Red Label)

I.W. Harper

I.W. Harper, owned by Diageo, is a storied brand of bourbon that has all but vanished from the U.S. market. Nevertheless, this brand remains very popular in Japan with both the "Gold Medal" and "12 Year" varieties being widely available.

The brand I.W. Harper was originally owned by Abraham Hoffheimer, a Cincinnati resident. Bernheim Bros. (later Bernheim Distillery), located in Louisville, KY, purchased the trademark in 1879 and began producing I.W. Harper around 1880. It won a gold medal at New Orleans Exposition in 1885 and at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, thus establishing itself as a world-class whiskey.  Aside from I.W. Harper, Bernheim also produced Old Charter and Belmont.

Despite Prohibition, Bernheim Distillery continued its production of whiskey uninterrupted by obtaining a license to produce medicinal whiskey. In 1933, following the end of Prohibition, Leo Gerngross and Emil Schwarzhaupt purchased Bernheim Distillery. This was quickly followed, in 1937, by a sale to Schenley Industries. Schenley Industries had amassed a large portfolio of bourbon brands, including Ancient Age, Old Quaker and  Old Stagg, among which I.W. Harper was only one. In 1987, Schenley Industries, along with the brand I.W. Harper, was acquired by Guinness, and, in 1991, merged into Glenmore to create United Distillers.

At this time, America's bourbon market was declining, but, lucky for United Distillers, Japan had become a hot market for bourbon. Previously, I.W. Harper had been positioned as a "budget" bourbon in Japan, but, due to boom era pricing, was still selling at a premium to its U.S. retail price. Many entrepreneurs, aided by Japan's less restrictive liquor laws, were purchasing I.W. Harper in the United States and reselling it in  Japan at a mark-up (known as "grey market" importation). United Distillers, riding the surging popularity of bourbon, decided to convert I.W. Harper into a premium product in Japan. At the same time, United Distillers slowly ceased distribution in the U.S. in order to avoid grey market imports, thus removing I.W. Harper from the U.S. market. In 2015, I.W. Harper returned to the US.

In 1997, Guinness merged with Grand Metropolitan to create Diageo, the current owner of the I.W. Harper brand.

Today, I.W. Harper remains a premium product in Japan with the 12 Year, along with Blanton's, being one of the most widely available premium bourbons.