After Prohibition, the federal government sought to bring some law and order to the production of American spirits. Without a centuries-long tradition of regulations and rules governing products such as Scotch, German beer, or Champagne, there was the chance that American distilling would run wild after years of repression.
Luckily, we filled that vacuum with a few foundational, bedrock rules for producing the most American of spirits: whiskey.
Four specific grain standards were put in place: Bourbon, Rye, Malt, and Wheat. In the past eight decades, American distillers have specialized and excelled at producing one or more of these specific types of whiskey, but until now, no single major distiller has managed to produce all four types at once.
Now, with the release of Woodford Reserve’s much-anticipated Wheat Whiskey, the storied company becomes the first modern distillery to create spirits based on all four straight American whiskies.
Making History and Drinks
Naturally, any whiskey released by our friends at Woodford Reserve will be a delicious hit with consumers, but rarely do they put out a bottle with such historical significance. In addition to being Woodford Reserve’s first wheat whiskey, this fruit-forward expression is also unique, according to the company, as it is made using all four grain types.
And just like any other bottle or barrel from Woodford Reserve, Wheat Whiskey is produced under the strict processes used for the company’s Bourbon, Malt, and Rye expressions. The same water, fermentation, distillation methods, and maturation processes are exactly the same. The difference is in the mash bill, which is a solid 52% wheat, 20% corn, 20% malt, and 8% rye.
Going with the Grain
The end result of Woodford Reserve’s distilling process for Wheat is a smooth, 90.4-proof whiskey, ideal for sipping or mixing. It opens with the aroma of cooled fruit—apple, pear, banana—and the aromatic spices of cinnamon and cedar. The whiskey has a delicate floral character, sweetened with light vanilla bean and brown sugar notes. The whiskey tastes of spicy applesauce and toasted coconut notes, enlivened by an earthy mix of mint and cocoa nibs, finishing with the dry, subtle flavor of cocoa nibs and apple peel fruit.
This historic whiskey is available now from Breakthru Beverage. Talk to your Breakthru Sales Consultant for more information, and to place your order today.