Wheat's vs Rye's

[hectic1]

I started drinking bourbon/whiskey about a two years ago...like many others before me I started with Jack and Jim with Coke and have moved on from there. About 6 months ago I decided to start moving away from the JD and into bourbon...started on the Rocks with a splash of water, then to where I'm at now which is one ice cube.

I have had the following and are all open on the bar:

Four Roses Small Batch

Knob Creek

Woodford Reserve

JB White

JB Black

Maker's Mark

Elmer T. Lee

Buffalo Trace

ORVW 10/90

VW Lot B

I have found that my favorites of the bunch are BT, ORVW, and VW lot B...it happens that all of these are considered to be wheaters. My question is, is there a list of "wheaters" and "Rye's" anywhere? If not, does anyone have any additional recomendations on other bourbon's if I like that style?

I have the following in the bunker that I haven't tried yet:

Blanton's

Four Roses Yellow

EWSB 1998

JD Single Barrel

Eagle Rare 10/90

Pappy 15yr

Pappy 20yr

Ridgemont Reserve 1792

Russel's Reserve

Which one's will I most likely like based on my preferences listed above? Thanks in advance!:cool:

[barturtle]

Buffalo Trace is not a wheated bourbon.

Wheated Bourbons include:

Weller, Fitzgerald, Van Winkle and Makers Mark.

[Josh]

BT isn't actually a wheater. Someone a while back thought that too. Makes me wonder if there's some website out there perpetuating this. If you're looking for something similar to BT, I would also reccomend Old Charter 10, or cracking open that Eagle Rare you have.

Anyway, Old Fitzgerald, Weller and Rebel Yell are the other lines of wheaters out there. Out of those I would reccomend the Old Weller 107, Weller 12, Old Fitz BiB, and Rebel Reserve. The last two are a little more hot than the more refined Wellers and VW's, but I think they're both good.

If you're interested in "dusties", I would see if you can get your hands on some Weller Centennial, or some older bottles of Old Fitzgerald, especially older bottles of Very Special or Very Very Old Fitzgerald. They're all very highly thought of around here.

[hectic1]

Thanks for the responses guys...

Hmmm, I thought I had read some place the BT was wheat based...I guess not. VW product have been the smoothest to me...with Lot b topping the list.

I guess I'll just have to keep working through the local Binny's selection to see what my favorites are...the only problem with that is I'll probably go bankrupt before I get through all of them!

The Eagle Rare is next on my list to crack open...I have a buddy going to pick me up a 17 year and bring it down as it's only $50.00 in Minnesota vs 67.00 here...I want to make sure I like the ER style though!

[hectic1]

Buffalo Trace is not a wheated bourbon.

Wheated Bourbons include:

Weller, Fitzgerald, Van Winkle and Makers Mark.

That's funny...I tried to have a MM last night after two nights of BT and ORVW and I couldn't do it...that bourbon does nothing for me. I don't know what it is but it's a good manhattan bourbon but not one that I would want to drink neat or with cube of ice...maybe I was having an off night.

What about the Weller 12 year? It's $24.99 at the local Binny's...is that one that should be on my list to try? I see that Binny's gave it a 96 out of 100...best buy!

This site is going to be my downfall...my wife is already tired of me talking and buying bourbon...I have to sneek it in the house now.:grin:

[independant]

This site is going to be my downfall...my wife is already tired of me talking and buying bourbon...I have to sneek it in the house now.:grin:

I have to agree with you there. At first you start reading and learning about bourbon but you hear everyone talking about this or that and you have to go out and get that. Like my wife says I don't have a drinking problem I have a buying problem.

[cowdery]

What about the Weller 12 year? It's $24.99 at the local Binny's...is that one that should be on my list to try? I see that Binny's gave it a 96 out of 100...best buy!

Weller 12 will really tell you if you like wheaters. Weller 12 is one of my favorites and a favorite of many here. So far as I know, Binny's is the only Chicago retailer that carries it, and good for them.

BT is not only not a wheater, but there are many other ways in which it bears no resemblance to the Van Winkles. That it is one of your favorites is a good thing, because it shows you like different bourbon styles.

[hectic1]

Going to head to Binny's tomorrow to pick up a bottle of Weller 12...I'm sure I'll crack it open tomorrow and give it a whirl!

I'm starting to really notice the different characteristics of the different bourbons...I had BT then ORVW 10/90 back to back the other night and you're right...they are very different...but both very tasty IMO.

[jburlowski]

What about the Weller 12 year? It's $24.99 at the local Binny's...is that one that should be on my list to try? I see that Binny's gave it a 96 out of 100...best buy!

Buy all the Weller 12 you can and ship it to me. Alas, it hasn't been available around No. KY for months.

When it disappeared from the shelves, the word from BT was that it would return "in early 2009" (when, presumably, aged stock caught up with demand). Has anybody heard: Is W12 gone forever or will it be back (and when)?

[hectic1]

Buy all the Weller 12 you can and ship it to me. Alas, it hasn't been available around No. KY for months.

When it disappeared from the shelves, the word from BT was that it would return "in early 2009" (when, presumably, aged stock caught up with demand). Has anybody heard: Is W12 gone forever or will it be back (and when)?

I certainly can pick you up some Weller 12 year if you would like. I did finally crack open the ERSB and it's a fantastic bourbon. I also opened a bottle of Pappy 15 a couple weeks ago...took some getting used to the higher proof but it is mighty tasty!

[anyexcuse]

Weller 12 will really tell you if you like wheaters. Weller 12 is one of my favorites and a favorite of many here. So far as I know, Binny's is the only Chicago retailer that carries it, and good for them.

BT is not only not a wheater, but there are many other ways in which it bears no resemblance to the Van Winkles. That it is one of your favorites is a good thing, because it shows you like different bourbon styles.

I thought I was not being a "good" bourbon drinker because a couple of my lower priced favorites are OGD BIB and Old Fitz BIB. I know they taste definitely different from each other, but I like them both. Maybe that's ok?

[ILLfarmboy]

That's more than OK.......It demonstrates that you like variety, which is always a good thing, and that you can easily distinguish between them.

[p_elliott]

I thought I was not being a "good" bourbon drinker because a couple of my lower priced favorites are OGD BIB and Old Fitz BIB. I know they taste definitely different from each other, but I like them both. Maybe that's ok?

I like OWA a wheater , ERSB low rye and WT 101 high rye and it's ok as long as you can tell and appreciate the difference. Now if they all taste the same take up drinking scotch. :slappin:

[hectic1]

Hmm...by this statement it would seem that I tend to prefer wheater or lower rye bourbons. I really liked ERSB more so then FRSmB...would that be a higher rye makeup?

[cowdery]

Weller 12 is not only available, it's on sale, at least at Binny's where I got a bottle for $24.99 a few days ago. They have cases of it.

Even though I already had a few bottles, the price was too good to resist and I've wanted to taste a recent bottling. There is no more SW in the mix, that much is apparent, but it's still very good and terrifically well balanced. You have to like wheaters, of course. Perhaps more than some previous iterations, this one has a lot of char. A 12-year-old should have a lot of char, but sometimes distillers use slow-aged barrels for extra-aged expressions, so you don't get as much of that as you might expect. Here you do.

Especially with the extreme price bump Rittenhouse Rye BIB just took, Weller 12 may now be the best value in an American straight whiskey.

Speaking of "shortages," they also have plenty of Knob Creek and it had a pretty good price on it too.

[OscarV]

Speaking of "shortages," they also have plenty of Knob Creek and it had a pretty good price on it too.

I saw 20 cases of Knob Creek in a floor display at The Liquor Barn in Lexington last week.

Maybe someone should tell them there is a shortage and to stop showing off.

[hectic1]

Weller 12 is not only available, it's on sale, at least at Binny's where I got a bottle for $24.99 a few days ago. They have cases of it.

Even though I already had a few bottles, the price was too good to resist and I've wanted to taste a recent bottling. There is no more SW in the mix, that much is apparent, but it's still very good and terrifically well balanced. You have to like wheaters, of course. Perhaps more than some previous iterations, this one has a lot of char. A 12-year-old should have a lot of char, but sometimes distillers use slow-aged barrels for extra-aged expressions, so you don't get as much of that as you might expect. Here you do.

Especially with the extreme price bump Rittenhouse Rye BIB just took, Weller 12 may now be the best value in an American straight whiskey.

Speaking of "shortages," they also have plenty of Knob Creek and it had a pretty good price on it too.

This has me excited to try my Weller 12 this weekend...I have one bunkered and based off of my current likes (VW products) it seems like the Weller 12 could play right into that. We're going to taste about 5 different bourbons at the house this weekend...I'll make sure Weller 12 makes it's way onto the list. I'm thinking that all the bourbon's will be in the 20-30 range...the options are:

EC12

FRSmB

KC

FR Yellow

ORVW 10/90

BT

ERSB

Weller 12

Woodford Reserve

BH

JB Black

Any thoughts on which ones would give us a good feel for the different styles of bourbon?

[fishnbowljoe]

My picks would be; FRSmB, Woodford Reserve, EC12, JB Black, and Weller 12. It was really hard for me to leave ERSB off the list, but these five give you bourbons from five different distilleries.

By the way, I think you're gonna love the Weller 12. I just finished a bottle tonight. (not Binny's) Regular Weller 12 is a great bourbon. Binny's Weller 12 just kinda builds on that, and turns it up a notch. :grin: Enjoy. Joe

[shoshani]

By the way, I think you're gonna love the Weller 12. I just finished a bottle tonight. (not Binny's) Regular Weller 12 is a great bourbon. Binny's Weller 12 just kinda builds on that, and turns it up a notch. :grin: Enjoy. Joe

That's an excellent point, by the way. Regular Weller 12 is produced by the standard procedure of mingling different barrels/warehouse placement to get the desired effect, but Binnys selects single casks for their bottlings of Weller 12. At least in the case of the one I bought, they did; the sticker clearly states that it is from a Binny's-selected single barrel. It's very soft with strong notes of caramel, quite unlike any other wheater I have.

[ebo]

I like OWA a wheater , ERSB low rye and WT 101 high rye and it's ok as long as you can tell and appreciate the difference. Now if they all taste the same take up drinking scotch. :slappin:

Hey now! I'd have to say that in my experience, Scotch is actually much more diverse in style than bourbon. That may be due to my relative newness to the bourbon scene though.

[hectic1]

We ended up going with the following:

ER 10/90 (4)

ER 17yr Fall 2006 (1)

EC 12 (5)

KC (7)

Lot B (3)

Pappy 15 (2)

FRSmB (6)

I thought that the ER 17yr was the smoothest of the group...Pappy 15 is the most complex and biggest finish of the group. The more I try FRSmB I think it might be a bit too floral for me...My ranking are there too!