
Henry McKenna arrived to America from Ireland in the late 1830s. About 20 years later he started distilling whiskey with his countryman Patrick Sweeney.
Business thrived and in 1883 McKenna built new distillery and within the next several years his whiskey was being sold nationwide. According to The Nelson County Record form the late 19th Century McKenna Distillery was the only one in Kentucky that refused to sell its whiskey until it had been aged for at least three years. The distillery closed shortly before prohibition, reopened in 1934 and a few years later was acquired by Seagram and closed for good in 1943. Since 1976 McKenna brand has been produced at Heaven Hill Distillery and shares mashbill (75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley) with other Heaven Hill bourbons.
Nose: light, vanilla, grilled corn, caramel, cloves, pepper, hints of aniseed, hay and toasted oak.
Palate: vanilla, caramel, maple syrup, pepper, allspice, touch of mint, hints of leather and toasted oak.
Finish: medium long, with notes of vanilla, caramel, mixed spice and oak.