Heaven Hill separates the wheat [whiskey] from the chaff with Bernheim.
When you think of Heaven Hill, bourbon brands like Elijah Craig and Evan Williams are likely what spring to mind. Although the distillery has been dabbling in rye whiskeys like their Elijah Craig Rye, Pikesville Rye, and Rittenhouse Rye, they seem to have their sights set on wheat.
But let’s back up just a smidge. When it comes to wheat In the whiskey world, there are two main categories to know: Wheated bourbon and wheat whiskey. Even though all bourbon must legally contain at least 51% corn, the rest of the mashbill traditionally leans toward a heavy mix of barley and rye. A “wheated” bourbon still keeps the 51% corn, but swaps in a heavy dose of wheat instead of the barley and rye. Wheated bourbons are often described as light, soft, and sweet, usually making them big crowd pleasers. Maker’s Mark is perhaps the most recognizable wheated bourbon, but Heaven Hill’s Larceny and Old Fitzgerald, along with 1792 and W.L. Weller also boasts a wheated profile.
Wheated bourbons have been around for a while, but wheat whiskey hasn’t enjoyed the same level of fame. Wheat whiskey follows similar rules to bourbon with a mandatory 51% wheat mashbill, but does not need to be produced in the United States. The sparse competition for wheat whiskey led to a lot of small distillery creations like Old Elk. That is, until Woodford upped the stakes and profile of wheat whiskey with their Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey. But long before Woodford, Heaven Hill was rolling out barrels of their Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey.
Bernheim whiskey is named for the Bernheim Distillery that was founded in 1992 and absorbed into Heaven Hill around 1999. By 2005, Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey hit shelves with Heaven Hill touting it as the, “…first new style of American Whiskey to be introduced since Prohibition.” The whiskey is proudly and loudly aged for 7 years and weighs in at 90 proof. The resulting wheat whiskey carries a light aroma of honey and fresh bread with a flavor that’s loaded with thick sweetness. Honey, caramel, cinnamon and some light summer fruit flavors like peaches and apricots jump out in the taste before leaning into a mild finish that’s all about baking spices, especially cinnamon.
It’s hard to spot any huge differences between the soft sweetness of a wheated bourbon and the soft sweetness of a wheat whiskey – But isn’t the soft sweetness what matters anyways? Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey is a delicious hidden gem that’s often overlooked in an already overlooked category of whiskey.
STATS: Bernheim Wheat Whiskey
- Price for us: $28 for 750 mL
- Proof: 90
- Aged: 7 Years
- Distillery: Heaven Hill
- Recommendation: Neat, mixed, or in a cocktail. This whiskey is a total workhorse.
