Wheated Bourbon

[TimmyBoston]

I feel really stupid for making this post, but what are the wheated bourbons?

I thought Van Winkle was solely a wheater, obvious exception of the Rye 13, and I just read a post by Julian in my search for an answer to this question, (I couldn't find an answer, thus why I'm asking everyone) well Julian said that an earlier version of the 20 was less oaky than the newer "wheated version". I had thought all VW was wheated.

So what are the wheated whiskeys out there?

Thanks all,

Tim

[DrinkyBanjo]

For a start Maker's Mark, the Weller line, and 90% of Van Winkle Products.

[wadewood]

others include Old Fitzgerald and Rebel Yell.

[BourbonJoe]

Here's some more:

Joe :usflag:

Stitzel-Weller Bourbons.pdf

[cowdery]

If perhaps you (or someone else reading this) are looking for a definition, a wheated bourbon, or "wheater" is a bourbon in which the flavor grain is wheat instead of rye. They typical bourbon mashbill is 75% corn, 15% rye and 10% malt. Wheaters simply substitute wheat for the rye.

The primary wheaters are Maker's Mark, W. L. Weller and Old Fitzgerald. The Stitzel-Weller distillery was the source of the Weller and Fitzgerad whiskeys until it closed in 1992. At the end of the century, the Weller brand was sold to Buffalo Trace and the Fitzgerald brand was sold to Heaven Hill, so now wheated bourbon is made by Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace and Heaven Hill.

The Van Winkle bourbons tend to be wheaters because Julian sourced most of his whiskey from Stitzel-Weller, which was owned by his family until 1972. Today he gets his younger bourbon from Buffalo Trace.

[TimmyBoston]

Thanks for answering my question in such a speedy fashion. I appreciate it.

Thank you.

[TimmyBoston]

Were the Lawrenceburg Black Maple Hills a wheated recipe? And the Bardstown's a rye recipe?

[Sijan]

I think that's right. The Lawrenceburg Black Maple Hill's were Van Winkle bourbon from Stitzel-Weller stock. I'm pretty sure the Bardstown ones are rye reciple, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

[Big Chipper]

Don't forget the Bernheim Wheated...

[jeff]

Don't forget the Bernheim Wheated...

Correct, though techically not a bourbon but a straight wheat whiskey.

[CrispyCritter]

I only wish that the Bernheim Straight Wheat was a bit less costly. It's quite good, but when its price is close to that of Stagg, then it's hard not to spend a few extra simoleons to get the Stagg...