Black Maple Hill Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
95 proof (47.5% ABV) | No age statement | Kentucky straight bourbon | Limited revival release — the red-label core of the comeback: Black Maple Hill Small Batch is the no-age-statement anchor of Rare Character Whiskey Co.'s 2026 revival, bottled at the original 95 proof alongside the age-stated 11 Year and 16 Year. Same storied label, same Kentucky roots, same proof — the entry point to the legend's return.
Introduced in 2000 and beloved through the 2000s for long-aged, wheated-style releases, Black Maple Hill spent its Oregon era (2014–2026) away from its spiritual home before Rare Character — founded 2020 by Pablo Moix and Peter Nevenglosky — restored it to Kentucky with an official relaunch in July 2026. Reviewers of the revival small batch report soft citrus and orange zest, caramel and vanilla bean, toasted oak and light florals, a buttery palate of brown sugar, honey, roasted almonds and stone fruit, and a long clean finish of sweet oak, soft pepper, and fading caramel — a gentler, more approachable bourbon than the age-stated siblings, and every bit as collectible — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Tasting notes
Per reviewer reports of the 2026 revival: soft citrus, orange zest, caramel, vanilla bean, toasted oak, light floral; buttery caramel, brown sugar, honey, roasted almonds, stone fruit, gentle baking spices; long clean finish, sweet oak, soft pepper, fading caramel.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 95 proof, bottled "as originally bottled" — the revival honors the classic spec
- The core of the 2026 comeback — red-label Small Batch, NAS, alongside the 11 and 16 Year
- Kentucky-sourced whiskey from Rare Character, one of bourbon's hottest independent bottlers
- Limited, allocated relaunch — the comeback release of the year for bourbon collectors
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Neat or over one cube — at 95 proof this is an easy, elegant sipper. Makes a superb old fashioned, too, where the citrus and caramel notes shine.
Frequently asked questions
Is this different from the Black Maple Hill 11 Year?
Yes — the Small Batch (red label) carries no age statement; the 11 Year is age-stated. Both are 95 proof and both are part of the 2026 Rare Character revival. We carry both.
What size is the bottle?
The historic Black Maple Hill small batch was 750ml; at least one reviewer of the 2026 revival reports 700ml — verify the bottle photo on this page for the exact fill.
Who bottles Black Maple Hill now?
Rare Character Whiskey Co., the independent bottler that revived the label in July 2026, from premium Kentucky whiskey.