No one cared about Early Times until Sazerac (Buffalo Trace Distillery) bought it from Brown-Forman (Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve). Dont drink and drive. Were just sayin. ABV: 43% Here's the rub. Pappy Van Winkle, in his infinite wisdom, allegedly chose wheat in his recipe because he felt is matured more quickly, and bourbon could be moved to market at a younger age. The 15 YO version is similar but far richer and complex. It's a whisky I could drink any time and not get bored with and the 92 proof makes it a prime candidate for cocktails. Maker's Mark Cask . ABV: 43% Jeffersons has released a few wheaters in their Presidential Select lineupthat were great, as did Parkers Heritage. ABV: 40% Flavor Profile: Spicy & Smoky His son, Eddie Russell, took over as Wild Turkeys Master Distiller in 2015, after 35 years with the company. It made my Top 5. The whiskey is based on a mash bill of 62% corn, 28% rye and 10% malted barley. We relied on one of the most-esteemed bourbon experts in America, Fred Minnick. and all are worth seeking out. Tasting notes include monkey bread aroma and Texas-style Dublin Dr. Pepper, making for one interesting palate. In fact, ones named after a bourbon legend while the other has that legends visage on its label. A touch of water brings out more sweetness. If they land in my lap at MSRP, like some have, Ill bite. Makers is my flagship wheated bourbon. Evan William's Black Label is hard to beat for the money. The 6 year age statement is now gone and replaced with just the number 6 on the handle, but they bourbon is indeed at least 4 years old. Its just that one of them was in the right spot in the rickhouse and deemed tasty enough not to be blended with other barrels. Division 1: Old Grand-Dad Bonded (Whiskey 1) vs Larceny (Whiskey 2) Pre-Reveal Thoughts: Both noses are sweet, but Whiskey 2 is showing a bit more graininess. Larceny is a bourbon produced by the Heaven Hill distillery made from a mash bill that is 20 percent wheat. Type above and press Enter to search. ABV: 46% Distiller Score: 82. A pioneering brand, it was originally released as an exclusively bottled 90 proof bourbon whisky. My personal opinion is a little different. It is 115 proof and reminiscent of the style of bourbon distilled by the brand during the prohibition era. This treasure from Buffalo Traces Antique collection does its namesake a service, representing some of the worlds best wheated bourbon, a style Weller himself pioneered. The juice is a throwback to Colonel Blanton who expanded the distillery in the 20th century and used to handpick barrels for his personal stash in warehouse H. The bottle in-and-of-itself has become a collectors item with the small horse on each cork varying slightly. Nice to see it make your list. Like plain Rebel Yell for the polical incorrectness of it. Production started on Ezra Brooks around the 1950s by the Medley Distillery. The result is bottled at 93 proof. Additionally, it was aged at least 4 years under government supervision, and it is bottled at 50% ABV. Old Forester 86 Proof Bourbon Review . I'd say this is a bit of a draw on the nose. The barrels that go into each batch are aged anywhere from 6 to 10 years. Today, Evan Williams Bourbon is distilled only blocks from the site of his original distillery. Entry proof is 125 proof/62.5 percent. That leaves lots of expressions of excellent bourbon, many made by those same national producers, which are available only on a regional basis or have limited distribution. It bears no age statement and is bottled at 92 proof. I bought this bottle for $23 at a local big box store. Wheres the thirsty modern man, farmer or otherwise, to begin? I have not had the VW 23, VW 20, and VSOF12. And the little factors between bottles do matter. On the flip side, expensive bourbon isnt always as refined as it seems. Old Forester Signature Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 50% ABV, is the oldest bourbon brand in the US and the first bourbon to be sold in bottle. The label launched with just two bourbons in its portfolio: the two-year Colonel James B. Beam and the more premium Jacobs Well. Thanks in advance. It doesn't sport a fancy age statement, but neither do most Old Forester brands. Old Forester is one of the oldest whisky houses in America (yes, they spell whisky without the "e"). The NAS version would be better with a little more age and at a higher proof. This is a NAS Straight bourbon, so it is at least four years old. Buy as much as you can as this price isnt going to last. I like it. It is based on a mash bill of 77% corn, 10% rye and 13% malted barley. They were right. We're breaking down the varieties of rum, from sugarcane to bottle. Buy a case. Production is limited to 8,600 bottles nationwide, and it sells for $250.Pappy Van Winkle 2022 Lineup: No list of the best bourbons is complete without a mention of Pappy Van Winkle. But what are the best wheated bourbons out there? Price Range: $20 to $30. Old Forester 1870's name refers to the year that Brown-Forman founder George Garvin Brown began batching whiskey from three different distilleries (Atherton in Bardstown, Mattingly in Marion and Mellwood in Louisville) to ensure a consistent product. Dread River Master Series by Eboni Major: Eboni Major is one of the rising stars of the bourbon world. Now, she's struck out on her own, and in the tail-end of 2022 she debuted her first independent effort a tribute to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama put out by the city's upstart distillery, Dread River. The Old Forester is one of the bourbons that's helped make Kentucky the capital of bourbon. Retail - $55; Secondary - $90+ Evan Williams 23 Year Old Bourbon - T2. Many of these regional brands were ones gobbled up by the big distillers in the consolidation that followed Prohibition in the US or they are expressions that were left out of the marketing campaigns that created the big national brands. Foundation For Advancing Alcohol Responsibility. And its a bartenders dream for its mixability. Head on over to Distiller, or download the app for iOS and Android today! Its not complex, but the sweetness is really nice the way it hits the palate. Mouth: Caramel, black tea, vanilla, clove and cinnamon. Proof: 100. You can have five different notes hitting at once. Been there, done that, feel silly never again. Flavor Profile: Vanilla & Sweet Its 100 proof retains a full body and mixes bonafides without lighting your mouth on fire. The latter is a blend of a 16-year-old bourbon and a 15-year-old high-rye bourbon that pays tribute to the familys first distiller, Jacob Beam, and its said to be some of the best bourbon being produced at the busy distillery. Bottled and sealed, his signature guaranteed quality. Unfortunately, the surging popularity of bourbon has made most any wheater over 6 years old nearly impossible to find. Medley Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 51% ABV. The end is rich with a note of toffee and a whisper of salted caramel. The bourbon is believed to be approximately 6 YO. If you want craft bourbon, we love New Riff's dedication to Bottled-in-Bond whiskey-making and rich flavor profiles. You might notice there isnt a price, proof, tasting notes or distillery information listed on this pick. Got your Mash? Old Forester released the "Whiskey Row" line in late 2014 to celebrate the distillery's history. Weller Special reserve has much in common with its more famous cousins, but sells, at least officially, at an average price of around $30a fraction of the cost of the Pappy expressions. If you get a chance to visit Loretto, pick up a bottle of the Makers 46 Cask Strength sometime. I admit I have gotten extremely lucky obtaining a few of these bottles. And its the best cocktail bourbon out there. Four Roses is a highly regarded distillery, with a high-rye mash bill that produces an extra spiciness to go along with its fruity and floral notes, and a concentration on yeast that has been eye-opening for the bourbon world. I bought two. It was very, very nice bourbon, he says, wistfully. He has conducted various bourbon and whiskey tastings in cities across the country, and consulted for multiple national labels. The brand has been on the shelves for over 150 consecutive years. Luxcos Old Ezra line could be one of the best-kept secrets in whiskey. I had always found an over-oaked note here. Hope I can find some of them here in the Pac-NW. But if I get back to Loretto, Im not leaving without the Makers 101. Will be looking to sample some others on your list particularly the Makers Cask Strength. Retail - $250; . Get This Headphone Stand, Complete Guide to Buying Boots This Season, You've Never Heard of 2022's Most-Awarded Whiskey, Tasting WhistlePig's New 21-Year-Old Single Malt, The Best New Whiskey Releases of 2023 (So Far), Psst, Pappy Van Winkle Is Doubling Production, How to Build Your Own Bottle of Whiskey Online, Is Fireball Whiskey? Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Purchase Info: $24.99 for a 750 mL bottle, Total Wine, Burnsville, MN Details: 50% ABV. Ive had or have everything on the easy list. Theres a light, floral fruitiness upfront with a wisp of tobacco, flourishes of mint, and plenty of vanilla. As it turns out, it came in my top 10. It won my American Whiskey of the Year award [in 2018] in a blind tasting, Minnick says. Today we tasted Larceny and Old Forester, watch and see which one we liked best On the palate, the whiskey is smooth and sweet, with vanilla and caramel and a little dried fruit. I drink so much Makers with BBQ, he says. 2) Sazerac 18 Year Straight Rye This is going to be a controversial choice, but let's talk this through. And in Division Two we have Old Forester Signature 100 proof up against Wild Turkey 101. The 15 YO, and possibly the NAS version, are distilled at the Bernheim distillery, now owned by Heaven Hill, and matured in the Stitzel-Weller warehouses in Shively, Kentucky. The sip leans more into the caramel apples on the end and skips the citrus yet stays warm and mellow. The whiskey inside Early Times' wicked affordable Bottled-in-Bond expression is Brown-Forman-made, though, and it has that sweet-and-smooth Basil Hayden's thing going on, just more a more solid boozy backbone with a recurring note of caramel corn throughout. Four Roses has two separate mash bills it uses for its bourbons. But its so much cheaper that who cares? On the nose, there is a distinctive sweetness, along with ripe apple, caramel and a little vanilla. Its mash bill consists of corn, rye, and malted barley. You can often find this for $9.99 on sale. Evan Williams Bottled in Bond Weve already talked about how Weller and Pappy are the same wheated bourbon, so lets give Heaven Hills wheated bourbons some love. To learn more about responsible consumption, please visit, Sign up for the Distiller Newsletter for new bottle & feature updates, Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon 90 Proof, Very Old Barton 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Evan Williams White Label Bottled in Bond Bourbon. It is available everywhere and thus resistant to the price gouging associated with brands like Buffalo Trace. // < ! Sour mash and bottled-in-bond, non-distiller-producers and high-ryes. Entry proof is 125 proof/62.5 percent. It's probably a mixture of under-valued and underrated but Larceny is excellent bourbon for close to $25. There are a variety of Very Old Barton bourbons on the market including an 80 proof, an 86 proof and a 90 proof. Ninety-nine percent of Dickel products are officially Tennessee Whisky, not bourbon. Just bought a bottle of Larceny and the more I get into the bottle the more Iike it. You can get two of these for the price of one Woodford. Yes. Today the brand is owned by Luxco. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at [emailprotected]. The latter is a blend of a 16-year-old bourbon and a 15-year-old high-rye bourbon that pays tribute to the family's first distiller, Jacob Beam, and it's said to be some of the best bourbon being produced at the busy distillery. At times our old standbys can be tough to findand when we do, they are triple the standard price. Unfortunately, for Old Fo, I was not. So no Jim Beam Soft Red Wheat, none of the individual Willett bottlings, none of the Michters 10 year bottlings that were(or were reported to be) wheaters, and none of the Buffalo Trace Single Oak or experimental releases that were wheated. Distiller Score: 84, This Kentucky straight bourbon is the entry-level bourbon for the brand. // < ! Proof: The percentage of alcohol, displayed as double that of the alcohol percentage. No, this isnt a single barrel expression. This mash bill leans more heavily into the rye, creating a solid base for two very closely related bourbons. These became known as the Fitzgerald Barrels. Larceny is a wheated bourbon made from a blend of selected barrels made in honor of this legend. I am looking forward to trying Old Fitzgerald. If you're making drinks, we prefer the light and spicy Four Roses bourbon. On the palate, there is sweetness, candied orange zest, semisweet chocolate, along with cinnamon and cloves. Oh, and it's sold in liters. Really looking forward to the release of the RY 10 Single Barrel. With time, the spirit may seem more balanced. Don't tell your bourbon-drinking friends, but Russell's spicy-caramel-and-vanilla-tasting Reserve 10-year-old bourbon is one of the best values in the bourbon world. This juice is hand-selected to be small batched to match a six-year-old age profile. First released in 2021, Dickel 8-Year Bourbon is the company's first official foray into bourbon whiskey, and it's a value-driven powerhouse. So funky, so rich with cornbread and a honey butter, the only reason it did not win this tasting was it lacked the finish of the winner. This juice is. That works out to 1.75 barrels of bourbon per resident or over 500 bottles of whiskey per capita. So, I added it. That lower entry proof lends to more flavor from the mash bill (corn, rye and malted barley). Simply put, Minnick knows bourbon better than almost anyone in America. ABV: 40% All of the Weller expressions share the same mash bill. I realize you wrote this article a few years back, however it is still relevant. One of the comparisons I did was a side-by-side review of two Bottled-in-Bond bottlings: Old Forester's 1897 BiB versus Old Grand Dad BiB. 2020 ModernThirst. This is Buffalo Traces higher-rye bourbon mash bill even though its not that high comparatively. Old Forester 1920 celebrates the Distillery history since 1920 was the year . Where we have full reviews, scores, or tasting notes, I have included links: // < ! A rich leather note, along with some pepper, emerges at the end and lingers. But it goes into the barrel a 114 proof instead of 125 proof. The sip leans into the toffee with a subtle dose of cinnamon spice lingering in the background with more of that honeyed corn. For being the same brand as the Small Batch, they taste very different. Each release represents a historical year for the distillery. This whiskey is much better known then the expressions cited above. It was thick, and the coating of the glass left a thin crown that dropped tiny, slow-moving tears. Its so fucking amazing., Have Apple's AirPods Max? I W Harper Kentucky Trail Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 41% ABV, is based on a mash bill of 73% corn, 18% rye and 9% malted barley. Additionally, Four Roses uses up to five different yeast strains for its bourbons, and all are used here. Name: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Whisky Age: NAS Proof: 115 Proof (57.5% abv) Type: Straight bourbon whiskey Mashbill: 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley Producer: Brown-Forman Corporation Website: https://www.oldforester.com/products/old-forester-1910-old-fine-whisky/ Glassware: Glencairn Review No need to wait for a special occasion, these are great for any day of the week. If you find it, buy it. ABV: 46.5% It's dynamic and well worth the $55 sticker price. If God gave birth to a bourbon child, this is what it would taste like, Minnick says. ModernThirst's Comparison Reviews of Wheated Bourbons: 2020 ModernThirst. Though it shares DNA with other Heaven Hill bourbons like Evan Williams and Henry McKenna, Elijah Craig Small Batch is balanced, with extra maltiness. Evan Williams White Label Bottled in Bond Bourbon is produced with a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malt. The 2021 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is bold, spicy, and fruit forward. Now, thanks to rising whiskey prices and a consistently strong product, the brand shortened to OGD by fans has a cult following. This bourbon may benefit from some airtime. They deserve to be on every Best Everyday Bourbon list for their massive fan base alone. [CDATA[ On the nose, there are faint notes of vanilla, and cooked corn, along with some caramel and oak notes. Old Grand-Dad Bonded Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 50% ABV, was the nickname of a distiller named Basil Hayden. Whats really frustrating is that living in KY just an hour or so from all these distillers you can hardly find some of these choices, and theyre ridiculously expensive if you do. This is not a new phenomenon and it plays a large role in blended bourbons. I want to really sit there and think about it when Im drinking it, Minnick says. Additionally, BIB whiskey must be bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof). Despite the increasing demand (and price) for much-hyped bottles, bourbon is an every-person drink. After being somewhat underwhelmed by Blantons and Basil Hayden, Ibe come to the conclusion that my tastes lean towards the Wheated bourbons. Cheap bourbon isnt always as bottom-shelf as it seems. Im not ranking single barrel releases, or one-time releases. McKenna has a classic bourbon nose of caramel, vanilla and charred oak. Ive tasted vw 10 @$45 for a dbl in savannah. The current distiller is rumored to be Heaven Hill. 46% ABV, is a small batch bourbon assembled from 200 barrels or less, handpicked by Heaven Hills master distiller. [CDATA[ Bourbon with an age statement and available at barrel strength for a good price? Rye based bourbons aged longer than 12 years, in most cases, become far too woody, and they begin to become overpowered by the barrel flavors. But the truth is, in a pinch, this is a great sipper. Average Price: $20. Roughly 1,000 are currently active. This whiskey is also BIB and is bottled at 50% ABV. Simply, this is Heaven Hills famous wheated bourbon thats aged for nine years and bottled-in-bond. Yes. The bourbon category has never been more popular than it is right now. Flavor Profile: Rich & Full Bodied If I tasted this flight again, theres a very good chance Id have different results. But if they arent regularly released with a wheated mash bill as a rule, theyre one-offs, and not on the list. Each of its releases makes clear what went into it distillery location, whiskey age, proof, etc. If you love cinnamon notes, youll love this, Minnick says. The name Old Forester was allegedly chosen in honor of a doctor named Forrester, who regularly prescribed the bourbon to his patients at a time when it was still sold in pharmacies for medicinal purposes. However, the signature for which this bourbon gets its name and which is displayed on each bottle, is the founder of the brand, George Garvin Brown. But thats not to say that all of those bourbons taste exactly the same. This is a nice mixing bourbon that works just as well on the rocks. Theyve also led the way in transparency. Average Price: $12. Its price, proof and age suggest it could be your next home bar staple. Weller, and to a lesser extent Old Fitzgerald, has been caught up in the cult frenzy that now surrounds Pappy Van Winkle.