Volume 1, Issue 5
May, 2018
WHEATers W H I S K E Y
S O C I E T Y
O F
B R A Z O S
V A L L E Y
What? Wheat? Why? Why Not! WHISKEYS INCLUDED: Bernheim Wheat Whiskey 7y Banner Wheat Whiskey Haig Club Single Grain Scotch Wyoming Bourbon Weller 12y Straight Bourbon Rebel Yell 10y Single Barrel Straight Bourbon
Welcome to the fifth edition of the Whiskey Society of the Brazos Valley newsletter and tasting kit. It is my hope that you’ll find the guided tastings relaxing, informative and fun each month. Inside each kit, you’ll find 2 oz. of each of the 6 whiskeys of the month, labeled by number, not name, in case you’d like to taste them blind before reading more about them. I do recommend trying them in two groups of three (1-3, and 4-6) which I’ll explain later. In addition, you’ll find this newsletter in your email inbox, including some education on that month’s theme, tasting notes, and some basic info on how to taste your whiskeys. For our next edition, I figured it was time for us to take a look at wheat and what it does as a
whiskey. Most bourbon has a portion of a “flavoring grain” in the mashbill, the idea being that corn and a bit of barley don’t necessarily create the
most complex and tasty bourbon possible. Most commonly, distillers will add a portion of rye to the mix, but it is also not uncommon to use wheat instead. In fact, wheated bourbons are often the most expensive and allocated releases today. Whiskey lines such as Pappy Van Winkle, Weller and Old Fitzgerald are often highly sought after and (especially
older expressions) increasingly tough to find. To see what wheat is actually bringing to the table in a bourbon mashbill, its also worthwhile to see what wheat does on its own, so we have a selection of wheat whiskies to showcase what the grain tastes like mostly on its own, in addition to some wheated bourbons as well. Hopefully, after this pack, you’ll be able to decide whether you enjoy what wheat can bring to a whiskey, and have a deeper understanding of how the whiskies you like most come together. That, and have a healthy appreciation for the amount of alliteration possible in one newsletter :-). Salud! -Brad
W H E A T W h i s k e y v. Wheated Bourbon
Mr. Weller, Commercial Originator of Wheated Bourbon
Wheat has been an important part of whiskey since distillation of grains became popular. In the US, wheat was most likely distilled since the 1700s, but didn’t become popularized for commercial use until W.L. Weller came out with the first commercial wheated bourbon
recipe after the civil war. As a higher cost grain suitable for easy human consumption, was slower to catch on as a flavoring grain than rye. W.L. Weller’s bourbon gave rise to the Weller brand of wheated bourbons we know today. Brands like Makers Mark, Old
Fitzgerald and Bernheim have also been at the fore of the wheat movement that has been gaining steam in American whiskey since the 1990s. Let’s look at what makes a bourbon, like Weller, different than a straight wheat whiskey like Bernheim.
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W H E A T e r s
W H E A T W h i s k e y v. W h e a t e d Bourbon (Continued) Straight Wheat Whiskey: A straight
wheat whiskey needs to be at least two years old, contain at least 51% wheat in the mashbill, and be aged in new charred oak containers, much like bourbon. The primary difference here is that the majority of the mashbill is wheat, losing some of that corn sweetness that people often associate with bourbon. There are very few wheat whiskies on the market, but the one that has reached real prominence is Bernheim, and is able to be located at most major retailers.
Straight Wheated Bourbon: Straight
bourbon must be at least 51% corn, but the other 49% can be any grain a distiller choses, from barley, to more corn or rye, to more exotic grains like millet or oats, or in our case: wheat. In a wheated bourbon, there is usually a bit of malted barley (to aid mashing and fermentation, rather than flavor) and a “flavoring grain” to give some pizzazz beyond the corn. In the majority of bourbon, that grain is rye, but wheat works very well as well. The same 2 year and new charred oak requirements for straight whis-
Mmmm, Wheated Bourbon Mash kies apply as well. What’s notable about wheated bourbons is that they tend to need more age to come around to maturity than rye. Wheat tends to be a “softer” flavor, compared to the spicy and fruity rye, which can show well young. Older wheated bourbons like Weller and Pappy Van Winkle show this well.
Why Are Wheated Bourbons Hard to find? There are multiple ways to approach this question. I’ll give it a few tries: People are Dumb: People are willing to hop on the hype train for literally anything with some social media backing. With the recent surge in popularity of bourbon, the older wheated bourbons have been ground Choo Choo! The Hype Train zero for blog love and hype,
is Leaving the Station!
leading to absurd prices on the secondary (non-retail) market for Weller and Pappy van Winkle products. Wheat is More Expensive: While its less of an issue for $20+ brands, corn & rye are MUCH cheaper than wheat. That makes a difference for sub $15 bourbon. Rye also tastes better younger, another
important price consideration in terms of aging time They’re Not Hard to Find: Depending on your part of the country, Weller products can be much easier to come by. Also, Makers Mark, Rebel Yell, Old Fitzgerald, and Wyoming are all easily found wheated bourbon brands in some/all markets that are in stock year round.
European Tradition Americans might have a monopoly on bourbon, but they don’t have a monopoly on wheat in whiskey. Germany: The Germans have centuries of distillation experience, though they are most known for their schnapps. In the modern era, Blackwood distillery in the 1980s began
producing a wheat whiskey, which now has some real age on it in their 12y offering. United Kingdom/Ireland: In Scotland, “grain” (ie not malted barley) whiskies are an important component to most blended scotches, but are rarely released on their own. In Ireland, grain whis-
keys are also important, though wheat seems to play a lesser role than corn does for those single grain products. Canada: The Canucks also produce some wheat whiskey, though rye is more suited to the colder growing conditions. Look for Alberts Distillers’ wheat whiskey.
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#1: Bernheim Straight Wheat Whiskey 7y
Tip: Try tasting these whiskies in three groups of three this month, to get the full side by side experience! Or don’t, they’re your samples to enjoy!
When Heaven Hill decided to begin making wheat whiskey, it was a sizable gamble. There was no history of a nationally distributed straight wheat whiskey in the US, and it was coming at the very beginning of the surge in whiskey popularity. You don’t often think of whiskey as a product with substantial product innovation, but this was actually a pretty big leap. It remains the gold standard for what wheat can do on its own in a reasonably aged, and reasonably priced, whiskey.
ABV – 45.0% Some Things to Look For: This is a textbook demonstration of the softness of wheat. Combined with the moderate proof (90), this doesn’t have a lot of hard edges. See if you can pick out some of the wood influence (vanilla, spice) from some of the wheat influences (dough, tree fruits). Keep this as a mental benchmark for when you get to the wheated bourbons to tease out the differences of having corn included v. not.
#2:Banner Wheat Whiskey Founded in 2011, this Manor, TX Distillery is tiny. Gathering all their ingredients from less than a 5 mile radius, their products are hyper local, and distilling in a garage size warehouse, they’re a truly craft size distiller. Aging their 95% winter wheat whiskey in 5 gallon barrels, they force a faster aging process that leaves their whiskey right about 2 years old (even
though they haven’t switched the labeling to reflect that yet). It (like virtually all spirits) is gluten free, and a fun, unique product by a very local Texas distillery ABV - 46.0% Some Things to Look For: Aging in small barrels gives a very different impression to the whiskey than a traditional bour-
bon hogshead size barrel. The dramatically higher surface to volume ratio imparts much more vanilla and wood influence over a short period of time than a hogshead will. Look for that sweet, creamy note, along with some added spice and some chewy tannins in this “mill-tostill” expression.
#3 Haig Club Single Single Grain Grain Scotch Scotch: Different Most people have seen the striking and iconic blue square bottle on a bar somewhere, but, despite the seemingly endless marketing budget (probably footed by part owner, David Beckham), I can’t ever recall seeing someone buy any. Distilled at Cameronbridge,
this scotch is rumored to be 90% wheat and aged in a mix of used, recharred and new bourbon barrels. This is a bit unusual in grain whiskies, which tend to be exclusively aged in used wood in Scotland. Perhaps since this wasn’t destined for blended scotch, those new wood influences were sought for added complexity.
ABV — 40.0% Some Things to Look For: Grain whiskeys tend to emphasize tropical sweetness, loading up with coconut, custard and tropical fruits. This expression isn’t much different, definitely bringing a lot of sweetness to compliment the butterscotch notes that pair up with the tropical ones.
than Bourbon or American straight whiskey, a single grain scotch must be distilled by a single distillery from at least partially unmalted cereal grains. Its usually aged in used cooperage for at least 3 years.
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# 4 : W e l l e r 12 y B o u r b o n The infamous Weller 12 year Bourbon. This is a perfect example of a casualty of the bourbon boom. Formerly abundant, and a great value at ~$30, this has skyrocketed in rarity, and regularly sells for over $100 now. Oh well. This bourbon is still a great example of what
a mature wheat whiskey can be, though. A Buffalo Trace product, it shows the benefits of longer age on wheat, bringing more mature, wood driven notes to the fore, and capitalizing on the great mouthfeel that wheat can provide a well aged bourbon. ABV – 45.0% Some Things to Look For: This whiskey is full of wood driven notes, like mahogany, vanilla, and dark clove. The fruit of the whiskey is also important, showing substantial citrus and dark cherries, The
mouthfeel and balance is what helps this whiskey exceed expectations. The level of alcohol/heat is balanced with the viscosity/ mouthfeel is balanced with the intensity of flavor. You can have balanced whiskies at just about every proof, and this demonstrates you don’t need 50%+ ABV to be full of flavor. Too bad your odds of finding any on a shelf are low to none :-(
#5: W yoming Whiske y Wyoming is not the first place you think of when rattling off states that make good bourbon, but the folks up in Kriby, WY make some tasty juice. This wheated bourbon is roughly 6 years old, and is blended by the famous Nancy “The Nose” Fraley. She’s arguably the most highly sought consultant in the whiskey world to advise on bourbon
production and blending, and helped Wyoming make great strides in consistency in blending barrels when she came on a few years ago. It is another very local product, drawing only on materials from a 100 mile radius. ABV - 44.0% (playing to the status of Wyoming as the 44th state, no joke)
Some Things to Look For: Drawing on a more banana driven profile (usually a yeast driven flavor), this is both fruity and spicy from both wood and proof. This is a great example that not all newer distilleries need to rely on small barrels and rushed production to get a quality product out to market.
# 6 : R e b e l Y e l l 10 y Single Barrel This Luxco product is an old, generally cheap, brand of wheated bourbon that’s been no stranger to advertising in poor taste (see left), as well as sporting a confederate battle flag on the label for many years. Previous tasteless branding aside, Luxco attempted to take this brand upscale in 2016, releasing a single barrel 10y version that is miles better than its bottom shelf cousins. It is currently contract distilled by Heaven Hill.
The ABV — 50.0% Some Things to Look For: Richness. This has depth and richness unlike anything else in this month’s pack. Look for fruitcake, rich oak flavors, baking spices and caramel. As this is a single barrel product, your mileage may vary on the next bottle you’re able to try. Unlike the Weller 12, this is a bourbon you should be able to find a retail, with some effort.
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Ta s t i n g G u i d e l i n e s & Club Information How To Taste Whiskey There are four components to tasting whiskey: The glass, your nose, your mouth, and water. Depending on how you use these four elements, you will get wildly different impressions of a whiskey. Lets go through them one by one: Glass: Most people tasting whiskey professionally use a glencairn or a copita. Glasses
that are skinnier at the top then the bottom are ideal, as they concentrate the smells of the whiskey. Rocks glasses are next best, with a shot glass being dead last. Nose: Smell determines the large majority of flavors, not your tastebuds. Smelling (or
nosing) a whiskey should be done with your nose close, but not in, the whiskey glass. Get it too close and you’ll get only alcohol, find an ideal spot just farther than that.
A Glencairn
Mouth: You should take a small sip, being careful to not slurp air as you would with
wine (this will bring out the alcohol burn). Let the whiskey touch all areas of your mouth, before swallowing. Pay attention to both mouthfeel and flavors, as you sense different things depending on where the dram is in your mouth. Water: This is open to much personal preference, but most whiskey benefit from a
drop or two of water (or a couple more if they’re particularly high proof). The water allows additional compounds to come out of solution in the whiskey and more easily be sensed. You can watch the oils (where much of the flavor of whiskey resides) dealing with the addition of water when you first add a drop or two. Some people prefer to avoid all water, some prefer to add ice (though the low temperature isn’t ideal for allowing you to smell/taste more), but many people prefer a drop or two of regular water. Experiment a bit to find what you like. Remember, the ideal amount may vary from whiskey to whiskey.
Close, but not too close!
Club information If you’re reading this for the first time, then WELCOME! The Whiskey Society of the Brazos Valley is an informal club of enthusiasts, founded in 2017, who like to split bottles of whiskey to try more and varied drams than we could on simply our own budgets. Each month or two, 5-6 2+oz samples are circulated with a newsletter explaining the theme and providing some (hopefully!) interesting and informative content to enhance your experience. The cost to participate is simply the retail cost of the whiskey split evenly and the glass vial it comes in. There is no upcharge for the newsletter, club profit, my profit, etc. Additionally, for each glass vial you return, you’ll get a 50 cent credit towards your next club tasting cost share. There is no ongoing commitment, your cost is simply the cost for the month, should you wish to partake after you receive the newsletter. If you have any suggestions, comments, or know of anyone that would like to participate, feel free to contact me at bpb25@cornell.edu. Thanks! And Cheers!
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