
Taster’s Club Best Wheated Bourbon in 2023

Written by Emma C | Updated July 2023
You might be familiar with bourbon’s makeup of at least 51% corn and the rest usually barley and rye, but there are some amazing wheated bourbons, too. This unofficial spirit category is becoming more and more popular and is worth checking out. In it, the rye is swapped for wheat, giving wheated bourbon a softer, milder, sweeter profile than other types. Wheated bourbons like Maker’s Mark and Larceny (two of our favorites) make the perfect companion in cocktails but are also great on the rocks, thanks to their smooth quality. To help you quest, we’ve tasted many bourbons and created Taster’s Club guide to 2023’s best wheated bourbon bottles you can get in our bottle shop.. There’s something here for every taste, style, mood, and budget.

Best Wheated Bourbon Available in our Bottle Shop

1. Southern Star Paragon
New to Taster’s Club, this 100-proof wheated bottled-in-bond whiskey has a sweet and complex lineup of floral elements contained in a rich silky texture. Stick around long enough and you can soak up the warm flavors of ripe apple and dried apricot.
Region: North Carolina | Tasting Notes: Vanilla, Honey, Walnut | ABV: 46%

2. Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Wheated Bourbon
Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea wheated bourbon is fully matured for at least four years, then placed in rickhouses on ships to travel the world. This hyper-ages the bourbon. The constant agitation, weather conditions, and sea-salt air impart a flavor like no other. Wheat is a softer grain than rye and will not compete with flavors as the spice of the rye does. This allows the flavors intrinsic to ocean voyages to be amplified.
Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Clove, Grain, Caramel, Pepper | ABV: 45%

3. Larceny Small Batch
For its Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Larceny’s Master Distillers select a limited number of barrels from specific rickhouse floor locations. Continuing the tradition of Old Fitzgerald using wheat in place of rye as the secondary grain in the mash bill, Larceny uses more wheat than any of its competitors for a softer, rounder character.
Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Caramel, Honey, Fruit | ABV 46%

4. Garrison Brothers Small Batch
Garrison Brothers’ Small Batch bourbon is aged in new American oak barrels. During this time, the bourbon cycles through the wood’s pores and crevices, soaking in the sugars from the sap, and yielding an aroma of butterscotch, nutmeg, and vanilla. Notes of fruit dominate the palate, with hints of butter, whipped cream, angel food cake, and oak. You’ll enjoy a smooth finish, with chocolate and espresso notes.
Region: TexasTasting Notes: Angel Food Cake, Fruit, Oak | ABV 47%

5. Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon
This traditional wheated bourbon is the maker’s award-winning, original, flagship, and defining whiskey. On the nose, you’ll notice cherries, cornbread, and raisins balanced by light floral notes. Flavors on the palate include a unique combination of light, bright, caramel, raisins, brown sugar, wood, and tobacco, before leading into a nice, long, more savory finish.
Region:Wyoming | Tasting Notes: Browned Butter, Vanilla Crème, Caramel | ABV: 44%

6. Redemption Wheated Bourbon
At 45% winter wheat and 96 proof, this Redemption’s wheated bourbon explores the nuance and character that wheat in the mash bill can produce. This spirit is an exceptional expression of the brand’s commitment to crafting distinct whiskeys. Its complex flavors have earned it multiple awards.
Region: Indiana | Tasting Notes: Coffee Beans, Smoked Meats, Hazelnut | ABV: 48%

7. W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Weller’s Original Wheated Bourbon Whiskey Special Reserve features an exceptionally smooth taste, substituting wheat for rye grain. Bottled at 90 proof, this bourbon stands out with its burnt orange color. Its softer flavor notes make this bourbon great for sipping or making cocktails. You’ll smell sweet honey, floral, citrus, strawberry, apple, vanilla, oak, and cinnamon notes. Then, enjoy flavors of oak, honey, citrus, cinnamon, dried grass, apple, and vanilla, followed by a tannic finish with cinnamon, honey, and peppercorn notes.
Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes:Honey, Butterscotch, And A Soft Woodiness | ABV: 45%

8. Larceny Barrel Proof
Larceny Barrel Proof gives you the chance to experience the brand’s acclaimed wheated Bourbon mash bill in its purest form: non-chill filtered and bottled at full barrel proof. Released three times per year in January, May, and September, each offering is a bold yet balanced special small-batch bourbon rich with depth and distinction.
Region Kentucky | Tasting Notes Rich Molasses, Fig, Hazelnut | ABV:Varies by Release
With this ultimate guide to the best wheated bourbon in 2023, you’ll be more than ready the next time friends or family come by, or you just want a bit of downtime to yourself. With so many amazing choices, though, we understand if you’re not sure where to start. Good news, we’ve got the perfect solution for that – a membership to our Bourbon Club. It takes just moments to sign up, and then all you have to do is sit back, relax, and await a brand-new bottle sent directly to you every month.