W.L. Weller Bourbon Producers, Buffalo Trace, announced the launch of Daniel Weller, an experimental bourbon where a variety of wheat strains were distilled so the company, and a few of us lucky imbibers, can examine its impact on the whiskey.
And a few lucky souls who have the scratch to score this super limited bottling can play along at home.
For the uninitiated, bourbon is, by definition, born of a mashbill, or grain recipe, composed of at least 51% corn. In most cases, the balance of ingredients is rye and malted barley. But a handful of ubiquitous bourbons employ wheat instead of rye to achieve their flavor profiles. Maker’s Mark, Larceny, and W.L. Weller are examples.
“We began this experiment to see how one of the original, long-forgotten wheat strains would taste in our wheated bourbon. We’ve found it offers a slightly – yet delightfully – different taste that brings us into a new bourbon territory.”
— Harlen Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Master Distiller
What’s In The Bottle?
This first edition is made with Emmer Wheat, a grain that’s been around for 6,000 years. The company describes this heirloom variety as “an ancient Egyptian grain rarely seen in modern-day stills and mainly used to make beer and bread.” From there, the wheated mash was distilled in the E.H. Taylor, Jr. Microstill, a hybrid style still designed by Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlen Wheatly. The final product was aged almost twelve years and bottled at 94 proof, with an MSRP of $500.
“We began this experiment to see how one of the original, long-forgotten wheat strains would taste in our wheated bourbon,” says Harlen Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Master Distiller, in a company press release. “We’ve found it offers a slightly – yet delightfully – different taste that brings us into a new bourbon territory.”
How Does It Taste?
Expect a fresh, nutty nose mingling with orange zest, hazelnut, cinnamon, and caramel. The palate features a combo of bold oak, sweet honey, and orchard fruits, capped by a complex finish laden with oak, baking spice, and leather.
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