This is an easy drinking whiskey with a classic bourbon nose and taste and a smooth mouthfeel. 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. But that is why I taste blind: I dont want to be influenced by brand name. Let me share a funny story. 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. This spirit seems to drink higher than 104 proof due to overwhelming spice. I walk in and find 15 year old Pappy in a red velvet sack sitting on the shelf for about sixty dollars a bottle. But what are the best wheated bourbons out there? I am looking forward to trying Old Fitzgerald. If you get a chance to visit Loretto, pick up a bottle of the Makers 46 Cask Strength sometime. This is all about the sweetness.. Some expressions have a characteristic leather aroma, although this is not true of all of the bottlings. Bourbon drinkers who enjoy spice and dark fruit will be fans of this release. Wheaters are my favorites, but I like ryes too. 4. I'd say this is a bit of a draw on the nose. Kentuckys population is 4.3 million people. With tasting notes that include butterscotch, toffee, caramel and honey, this is one for the sweet tooths. Every product is carefully selected by our editors. He has contributed frequently to our bourbon coverage over the years and is someone we regard as a friend. Yes. At the very least, this experiment is a good way to see how much luck and refinement go into making expensive bourbons worth the price when you can quite literally compare them to the cheaper expressions of the exact same juice. All the Makers versions, and Larceny should sate your wheater crave. ABV: 45.2% I presume you could ask em how much their CEO makes and theyd tell you, Minnick says. We don't believe there is one "best" bourbon, but there are bottles that are best for certain moments. This is a classic bourbon thats been around for a long time. Distiller Score: 82. It is available everywhere and thus resistant to the price gouging associated with brands like Buffalo Trace. ABV: 50% Old Forester 100 proof. It is based on a mash bill of 77% corn, 10% rye and 13% malted barley. Fortunately, we can still fall back on some tried and true value bourbons. As it turns out, it came in my top 10. I admit I have gotten extremely lucky obtaining a few of these bottles. Simply put, Minnick knows bourbon better than almost anyone in America. For this reason, I started selecting a Best Everyday Bourbon. Medley Brothers bourbon is made by the father and son team of Charles and Sam Medley. 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. On the palate, the Old Forester 86 has a decent body showing a medium texture. Old Forester was one of the six distilleries to hold a medicinal whiskey permit during prohibition. Fred Minnick is a longtime American whiskey writer and author of multiple bourbon books. Am looking forward to trying some of the others you listed. Larceny and Maker's Mark can be viewed as offshoot descendants of that distillery due to the connections the labels have with those original three or connections the distillers had with the principal players in that distillery. Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Purchase Info: $24.99 for a 750 mL bottle, Total Wine, Burnsville, MN Details: 50% ABV. Milk & Honey Distillery: Single Malt Made in Tel Aviv, Discussing the advantages and challenges of producing whisky in Israel. Please be responsible. Really enjoyed reading it and appreciated your message. In my early review days, I wanted to compare anything and everything that seemed similar. Ninety-five percent of all of the bourbon distilled in the US is made in Kentucky. Yet, it always sort of baffles me when people go on about Evan Williams (which is the same mash bill as Elijah Craig at Heaven Hill) but not this. 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. Futile efforts to obtain any of the 2nd list has been a waste of time. But thats not to say that all of those bourbons taste exactly the same. The Controversy Explained, Love Buffalo Trace Bourbon? Sometimes even exactly the same. Try These Whiskeys, The Complete Buying Guide to Buffalo Trace Whiskey, The Most Exciting New Bourbon and Whiskeys of 2022, Another Female Whiskey Blender Has Gone Solo, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon, Barrell Craft Spirits 15 Year Old Bourbon. Its a good, inexpensive, wheated everyday sipper.. Buy a case. Press Esc to cancel. I have always found a peanut butter note in this bourbon, and that can be incredibly enticing during a blind tasting. At retail prices between $20 and $30, it is among the best priced wheated bourbon currently available. So, I switched it to Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, a very widely distributed bourbon from Heaven Hill. It's dynamic and well worth the $55 sticker price. Knob Creek 12 Year Price: ~$75 Proof: 100 Tasting Notes: Oak, vanilla, marshmallow Distillery: Jim Beam 1870 Original Batch is also blended by Marianne Barnes, the protg of Brown-Forman's master Maybe even one day I will get to try some Pappy!! ABV: 50% Old Elk Single Barrel Wheated Bourbon . Charles is a 50-year veteran of the Kentucky distilling industry and his familys history is closely intertwined with Kentucky bourbon. Sign up for his free drinks newsletter. 72 percent corn, 18 percent rye, ten percent malted barley. After being somewhat underwhelmed by Blantons and Basil Hayden, Ibe come to the conclusion that my tastes lean towards the Wheated bourbons. 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. The whiskey has already won an impressive array of awards. The Bourbon After a pour I found my glass had a dark, rusty amber liquid. Sounds like a pretty good reason the move to Kentucky. Old Forester packs a banana note that I thought could dominate the competition if I happened to be in a banana mood.. Pick up *several* bottles of 46 Cask Strength! My favorite by far of the standard production you mentioned is Larceny. This whiskey is much better known then the expressions cited above. The Main Differences Between Larceny Bourbon vs Maker's Mark The main differences between Larceny Bourbon vs Maker's Mark are: Larceny's distiller is Heaven Hill, whereas Maker's Mark is Beam Suntory. The history of Old Forester bourbon is as rich and colourful as the company and family that have been producing it for almost 150 years. Similar to the straight version, it is smoother, with a little more citrus on the nose and palate and a little dried peach on the finish. As Bourbon Heritage Month rolls on, were taking a look at some expensive bottles of bourbon to see if we can find some cheaper bourbon counterparts from the exact same mash bill, barrel char, and barrel proof. Flavor Profile: Vanilla & Sweet Its also the recipe Pappy Van Winkle bought during prohibition. Medley Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 51% ABV. 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. A store near me does private barrel selections of OWA and they are outstanding. There are a variety of Very Old Barton bourbons on the market including an 80 proof, an 86 proof and a 90 proof. Distillery: Brown Forman Distillery in Shively, KY (Brown-Forman) But its so much cheaper that who cares? Perhaps thats why it was in the running to win it all. Additionally, it was aged at least 4 years under government supervision, and it is bottled at 50% ABV. It has a suggested MSRP of $150, and Reserve Bar is your best bet for snagging a bottle.Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon: Every year for the past eight years, Texas-based distillery Garrison Brothers has released their fan-favorite Cowboy Bourbon: an uncut and unfiltered straight bourbon thats produced in limited numbers. It can be a blend of multiple straight bourbon whiskeys as long as they're all produced in the same state. Distiller Score: 80. One of the best new whiskeys of recent memory, Stellum is a more affordable Barrell Bourbon. Average Price: $45. Corn on the nose and lots of classic notes of vanilla, toffee, and caramel up top. His son, Eddie Russell, took over as Wild Turkeys Master Distiller in 2015, after 35 years with the company. On the palate, there is sweetness, candied orange zest, semisweet chocolate, along with cinnamon and cloves. Along with Old Overholt Rye, Old Grand-Dad falls under The Olds family of whiskeys released by Jim Beam. Craft bourbon's rep is tarnished by a few bad apples makes subpar whiskey. About 10 to 12 years ago, Total Wine opened a store in Clearwater Florida. The taste is sweet and spicy with a hint of herbaceousness. Old Fitzgerald is a bottled-in-bond wheated bourbon released twice a year by Kentucky's . Still, theyre a lot closer to being the same thing than any amount of advertising would lead you to believe. Bourbon is a type of whiskey that needs to meet a few criteria to officially be called "bourbon." The result is bottled at 93 proof. Its got so much caramel, and a beautiful nutmeg note, Minnick says. Flavor Profile: Spicy & Smoky But again, two for the price of one is a bargain. First, bourbon can only be made in America, and its grain bill must include at least 51 percent of corn. Early Times had already won a blind tasting with me previously, having captured gold in theBourbon Pursuit blind BIB Showdown. Old Forester packs a banana note that I thought could dominate the competition if I happened to be in a banana mood. By continuing to browse our website, you agree to first-party and third-party cookies being stored on your device. At the end of the day, it's a blue-collar spirit, made by thirsty farmers, for thirsty farmers. 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. This 100 proof bottling is also bottled-in-bond. Booker's 25th (Probably gets some subconscious points from knowing it was a one-time release) Now, Top 5 that are fairly available (or sufficiently bunkered): 1. Lets Talk Fermentation and Distillation! It's got a good amount of heat on account of being 117 proof, but you'll still be able to make out classic bourbon tasting notes like caramel, brown sugar, vanilla and oak. That bottling is aged at least four years in new, charred American oak. I recently did a blind taste test comparing some Wheaters and surprisingly rated Makers 46 as my top pick among Makers Mark, Larceny, Old Weller Antique, and Bernheim (a pure wheat whiskey). It's our best overall bourbon not by way of life-altering tasting notes which include marmalade, honey and maple but by stuffing the stat sheet in a way no other bourbon can. Flavor Profile: Sweet & Rich On the nose, there are faint notes of vanilla, and cooked corn, along with some caramel and oak notes. The bourbon is believed to be approximately 6 YO. The brand was withdrawn from the US market in 1997, but continued to be exported. The finish is long, sweet, with maple syrup and brown sugar notes. This bourbon over-delivers for its price and continues to be one of the best value picks on the market. George T Stagg (Some days I prefer it to just about anything) 5. It bears no age statement and is bottled at 92 proof. The finish is long, caramel-sweet, with a lingering cinnamon and a cooked cereal note. The 1920 is a crowd favorite on r/bourbon and for a good reason. Ive had or have everything on the easy list. It's probably a mixture of under-valued and underrated but Larceny is excellent bourbon for close to $25. The 1910 was release in 2018, and though it shares the . The 2021 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is bold, spicy, and fruit forward. These are two of my favorite daily drinkers both coming in at roughly the same proof, roughly the same price, and both readily available from respected distilleries. There is also a 57% ABV (114 proof) version that is priced under $30. But the truth is, in a pinch, this is a great sipper. Simply, this is Heaven Hills famous wheated bourbon thats aged for nine years and bottled-in-bond. Flavor is smooth and a bit musty, with hints of vanilla, banana, cinnamon and a dash of charred oak spice providing a bitter note. They find themselves waiting in line and participating in lotteries for the likes of Weller Antique, which once collected dust on the shelf. So its whiskey, at a great proof point of 86 and an age that Minnick says is roughly five-and-a-half years old, goes for less than $20. 2020 ModernThirst. Wheres the thirsty modern man, farmer or otherwise, to begin? This is a NAS Straight bourbon, so it is at least four years old. Finish: Medium length and warm. ABV: 46.5% In bourbon's growth, consumers have paid the price for its popularity. 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. Larceny Barrel Proof (A121, B521, C921) - T3. Whether thats worth the money is up to you and your palate. Next time you have a blind tasting throw Larceny in to the mix and see the results. This is typically a cornbread-laden favorite of mine. Thats really a loaded question because there are two ways of looking at it. Bourbon novice, here; have only sampled a dozen, or so, bourbons. Average Price: $20. Its based on a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley. That hasnt stopped the collectors, however. If God gave birth to a bourbon child, this is what it would taste like, Minnick says. Four Roses Small Batch, a household favorite, did not perform well in this blind tasting for Best [+] Everyday Bourbon. 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. This is similar to the various Pappy expressions. Ive always found a bright nutmeg note, which can really stand out in blind tastings. Early Times Bottled-in-Bond was a contender for Best Everyday Bourbon. And its a bartenders dream for its mixability. #4 barrel char. 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, 12 percent malted barley. The brand has been on the shelves for over 150 consecutive years. This is a nice mixing bourbon that works just as well on the rocks. I want to really sit there and think about it when Im drinking it, Minnick says. Bourbon with an age statement and available at barrel strength for a good price? The spirit is one of those rare drinks that is loved by both bourbon enthusiasts and amateurs. Small Batch: A subjective term signaling a bourbon made using a select number of barrels or recipes in a blended bottling. After about 7 years, they start becoming nice sips. Unfortunately, the surging popularity of bourbon has made most any wheater over 6 years old nearly impossible to find. Had a shot in Kentucky a few years back when it was introduced. This is a simple bourbon thats cut from the same mash and pulled from the same rickhouses as everyones beloved Blantons one of the more sought after and awarded bourbons in modern times. 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. High Rye: A bourbon with a higher than normal percentage of mash bill made up of rye (as opposed to using more corn, wheat, or barley, the other main grains used in bourbon mash). That brand was owned for a while by Julian P Pappy Van Winkle, and is considered the inspiration for the Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. While I think the standard version is fine, Ive had two private barrel selections that were great. He is married with two daughters, and lives in east Louisville. Neither is particularly better than the other. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The original Stitzel-Weller mash bill was 75% corn, 20% wheat and 5% malted barley. I had always found an over-oaked note here. At a minimum, bourbon must be 80 proof (or 40 percent alcohol), with its mash never allowed to exceed 160 proof (or 80 percent alcohol). Larceny Bourbon is a decent sipping bourbon. #4 barrel char. But I worried its subtleties could get lost in a deep field, which this was. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at [emailprotected]. Jeffersons has released a few wheaters in their Presidential Select lineupthat were great, as did Parkers Heritage. It was a great taste but will never pay that much for it again. Old Forester Single Barrel Rye Whiskey (Barrel Proof) - T3. I almost included Bernheim Wheat Whiskey in this list, since even though its a wheat whiskey, it taste a LOT like a wheated bourbon due to its high corn content. The marrying of the corn with the Christmas-y spices helps usher in a long, warming, and satisfying end that embraces you in a classic Kentucky hug.. Got your Mash? Flavor Profile: Fruity The sip leans into the toffee with a subtle dose of cinnamon spice lingering in the background with more of that honeyed corn. That said, I felt strongly Jack Daniels puts out worthy whiskey and deserved to be in this Best Everyday tasting. The bourbon is bottled-in-bond (BIB), which means it is the product of a single distillation by a single distiller at a single distillery, and has been aged for at least four years under US government supervision. Theyve also led the way in transparency. I didnt find this note, however, and it failed to impress in the field. That includes retailer specific brands. Elijah Craig Small Batch is layered in vanilla and often so soft on the palate. This one is more of a sipper. They all use a similar mash bill, andsome reportedly even use yeast strains derived from the original Stitzel-Weller batch. 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. 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. And this year the brand got its 9-year age guarantee back, too. 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. Larceny is 45% alcohol by volume, whereas Maker's Mark has 45%. At 12 years, they become really nice sips, and out towards 20 years, they can still be outstanding whiskey. Buffalo Trace is more bright, vibrant, tropical, fruity, and herbal. Basil Haydens is a well-crafted bourbon thats pulled from specific barrels, blended, cut down to proof, and small-batch bottled under the watchful eyes of Jim Beams masters. If they land in my lap at MSRP, like some have, Ill bite. Wilderness Trail does not make subpar whiskey. They were right. Its bottled at 115 proof for this distillery, thats the perfect proof, Minnick says. Pappy Van Winkles impossible-to-find wheated bourbon has become such a hype monster that other wheated bourbons from Buffalo Traces portfolio have seen their own popularity skyrocket due to their proximity. Crafted at the Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively, KY. Nose: Honey, caramel, wintergreen, almond. Here's the rub. [CDATA[ amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_enable_interest_ads = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "modernthirstc-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "auto"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "a605ff51e1453cfa02de68c264fd03bc"; amzn_assoc_emphasize_categories = "284507"; amzn_assoc_fallback_mode = {"type":"search","value":"Whiskey"}; amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; // ]]> Bill is the Co-Founder, Editor-in Chief, and official Bourbon-o-Phile for ModernThirst.com, and Founder and Chief Blending Officer for Four Gate Whiskey Company. Wheated Bourbon Throwdown: Larceny vs. W.L. Okay, this isnt exactly a huge price tag for a quality spirit. Russells Reserve has been hitting my sweet spot of late, and many, including myself, thought this would definitely be in the running. I W Harper was widely popular in the 1950s and 60s, and was exported to more than 100 countries around the world. Thats not to say some of those werent fantastic. That extra time is why the Single Barrel costs three times more than a regular old bottle of Wild Turkey. Type above and press Enter to search. Its also killer if you want to make a $20 Manhattan. The mash bill used contains: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley. Slightly peppery wheat next to a light fruit, vanilla, and fresh maple syrup greet you. This juice is hand-selected to be small batched to match a six-year-old age profile. Proof: 100. 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Take heed, though, since it somewhat controversially took home Best in Show, Whiskey at San Francisco World Spirits Competition a few years ago its been harder to come by, and more expensive than it used to be. Luxcos Old Ezra line could be one of the best-kept secrets in whiskey. Theres certainly less refinement at play. Theres a clear taste of the honey, vanilla, and toffee carrying the sip towards a very subdued spice and oak. The current distiller is rumored to be Heaven Hill. Average Price: $40. I write about wines and spirits and the hidden corners of the world, Whisky Review: 50 Year Old Glenfarclas, Bowmore, Cardrona, And More, Hendricks Gin Debuts Flora Adora As New Limited Release, Thinking About Black Wine Business Beyond Black History Month, Whisky Review: Compass Box, Benriach, Tobermory, And More, Vibrant Whites, Distinctive RedsAppreciating The Wines Of Friuli, Appreciating Some Of Italys Lesser Known Varietals And Grapes, Wine Cocktails That Take The Chill Off Winter, Bacardis Latest Cask Finished Rum Expressions Are Exceptional. So lets divide them into two categories: Standard Production and Limited Release. A pioneering brand, it was originally released as an exclusively bottled 90 proof bourbon whisky. On the nose, there is a distinctive sweetness, along with ripe apple, caramel and a little vanilla. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Distiller Score: 86. It is an heir to the Old Fitzgerald franchise; one of the first wheated bourbons. Flavor Profile: Sweet Bourbon always has to be aged in new charred oak barrels at no more than 125 proof (or 62.5 percent alcohol), and it's not allowed to include any additives or colorings. But theres so many wonderful bourbons available. Black Label Extra-Aged is bottled at 43% ABV. For my qualifications, I limited them to products under $40, available in the majority of the states and it could not be a limited edition. It didnt make the cut for the finals. ABV: 50% Instead, it was allowed to rest until it hit a point the distillers wanted to hit and then bottled as is. Wild Turkey Bourbon 101 is pulled from the barrel at 109 proof before being proofed down only a touch. Wheated: A bourbon with a higher than normal percentage of mash bill made up of wheat (the main grain remains corn). It bears no age statement and is bottled at 92 proof. ABV: 46% Distiller Score: 88. Best I ever had was a couple weeks ago in a Chicago speakeasy the Office. The juice is really crafted as an entry point to Woodfords wider line that showcases their aging and blending prowess. At $30 per bottle, this is another excellent value for a classic bourbon. The first is as a collectors item. Nice to see it make your list. I realize you wrote this article a few years back, however it is still relevant. This was so complex, with a 20-second finish and layered in vanilla that it was easily the winner.