Black Maple Hill was introduced in 2000 by Paul Joseph of CVI Brands, a non-distiller producer based in California, and it has never operated a distillery. The label buys mature whiskey, selects and bottles it, and sells it under its own name. Its early releases became benchmarks of the modern bourbon era, and they carried age statements — sometimes very high ones. As the older stock behind those bottles thinned, the statements came off, and the small batch is the expression that resulted: the same presentation, the same 95 proof, the same white oak language, without a number. Ownership and supply have both changed over the label's life, and on 9 July 2026 Rare Character Whiskey Co. of Lexington announced its acquisition and reintroduction of the brand, returning it to Kentucky sourcing at the original 95-proof presentation. In the revived range this small batch sits below the eleven-year and sixteen-year, assembled by evaluating each barrel for depth, structure and presence rather than to an age target. It states 95 proof and an edition mark on the front label, describes itself as handmade sour mash aged in select white oak casks, and comes as a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey in a 700 mL bottle.

Every bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authentic, sealed product and inspected before it ships. Orders are packed with padded, glass-rated handling and require an adult signature (21+) on delivery; we do not ship to anyone unable to verify legal drinking age. For our full sourcing and handling protocols, see our editorial and authentication standards.

Does Black Maple Hill Small Batch have an age statement?

No. The front label reads only that the bourbon was aged in select white oak casks, with no number. The batch is assembled by barrel selection rather than to an age target, which is what separates it from the label's age-stated releases. Black Maple Hill made its name on age-stated bottles and dropped the statements as older stock became scarce, so a no-age-statement small batch is the brand on the other side of that change.

Who distills Black Maple Hill?

Black Maple Hill is a non-distiller label rather than a distillery, introduced in 2000 by Paul Joseph of CVI Brands and relaunched in July 2026 by Rare Character Whiskey Co. of Lexington. Rare Character sources Kentucky barrels, selects them for depth and structure, and bottles them under the Black Maple Hill name, which is how the label has always worked.

What proof is the small batch?

It is bottled at 95 proof, or 47.5% ABV, in a 700 mL bottle — the presentation strength the label has carried across its releases, age-stated or not. The figure is printed on the front label above the brand name.