At this fall’s prestigious New York World Spirits Competition, a wheated bourbon that’s widely available for about $30 claimed the title of Best Overall Bourbon. The blind-tasting competition drew a crowded field of bourbons that included bottles that are typically impossible to find—or exorbitantly marked up on shelves.
Among more than 100 contenders, including bourbon heavyweights like Blanton’s Gold Edition and W.L. Weller Full Proof, the reasonably priced Green River Wheated Bourbon landed the top title.
Green River Wheated is an approachable 90 proof (45% ABV) and a blend of 4- to 6-year-old barrels. The judging panel described it as “a richly textured bourbon, opening with aromas of peppery spice followed by a palate of grains, oats, and creamy butterscotch layered with hints of oak. This all leads to a smooth, long finish where grain fades into soft honey, spice, and warm barrel notes.”
As a fan of the bourbon—and every Green River bottle I’ve sampled—I agree with the panel’s assessment, but add that there’s also a tropical fruit note that brings a brighter layer of flavor to contrast with the darker oak tones.
Green River Wheated also claimed the Wheated category over fellow finalist Weller Full Proof. The Weller line of wheated bourbons has grown famous over the past decade as the next best thing to Pappy Van Winkle. Both brands are produced by Buffalo Trace and blended from the same base whiskey. Though there’s a lot of hype surrounding Weller from the Pappy association, it’s a fantastic family of whiskeys in its own right. For the younger, cheaper Green River to best not just its Weller equivalent, Special Reserve, but the 114-proof bruiser of the family is quite an achievement.
What is wheated bourbon?
All bourbon is at least 50% corn. Most have a portion of rye and a smaller helping of malted barley. Wheated bourbon swaps out the spicier rye grain for wheat, which brings a sweeter character. Green River Wheated, for example, is 70% corn, 21% wheat, and 9% malted barley.
If you’ve tried more than a few bourbons in your life, you’ve tried a wheated brand. Maker’s Mark is about 16% wheat and an excellent example of the sweet fruit notes the gentle grain brings. There’s also a more rounded balance to these bourbons, as wheat replaces the sharper character of rye. This balance is a major factor in what helps the Van Winkle (and Weller) line stand out.
What does Green River Wheated bourbon taste like?
When I sip a dram of Green River Wheated, the predominant flavors I get are honey and caramel over a smooth vanilla oak backbone with that bright fruit note. It’s subtle, but makes this bourbon stand apart from its peers as not merely tasty and smooth, but as complex and interesting as a much older bourbon.
At 90 proof, I’d sip it neat but wouldn’t judge you for adding a few ice cubes—this can stand up to a bit of water. However, if you prefer a higher-proof bourbon, there’s a strong, older version, albeit not under the Green River family.
The Seelbach’s Private Reserve Wheated Bourbon is a house label for the online spirits retailer. That doesn’t sound impressive unless you know that its founder, Blake Riber, has one of the best palates in the industry for selecting and blending whiskeys. His Seelbach’s Wheated is a 107-proof combination of not-quite 5-year-old and 7-year-old barrels of Green River Wheated. The younger whiskey brings that bright fruit, while the older adds depth.
Either are excellent buys, but with the holidays approaching, the Green River Wheated jumped out at me as an easy gift for the bourbon fans in your life, or in your office. If they haven’t heard of Green River, all the better. You get to share how this underdog of a bourbon recently beat the best at a major international spirits competition.
—Matthew Allyn
This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister publication, Inc.
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