The Top Wheated Bourbons Under $100
All bourbons are made with at least 51% corn, but most brands use rye as their flavoring grain. These bourbon bottles use wheat instead in their mash bill. Here are our top picks, each $100 or less.
Nov 17, 2018
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10SpicyThis is the fifteenth release from Jefferson's Ocean Voyage, one using wheat rather than rye as its secondary or flavoring grain. For the collection, barrels that have been aging bourbon for about 6 to 8 years are transferred to a ship that sails for several months at sea. This well-traveled bourbon has crossed the equator 4 times and hit 30 ports of call on 5 different continents before being bottled.
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9Vanilla & RichWigle Whiskey's Organic Pennsylvania Bourbon is the first bourbon distilled in Pennsylvania in over 40 years, stretching back to the closure of the former Michter's Distillery. Two versions are available, including a cask strength edition, and this one, bottled at 46% ABV. Wigle utilizes a mash bill of winter wheat and malted barley, along with Wapsie Valley corn, which is said to offer superior fermenting and more flavor, albeit with a lower alcohol yield during distillation due to its high protein content.
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8Spicy & FruityThis grain-to-bottle bourbon utilizes grain (corn, wheat, and malted barley) sourced within 100 miles from the distillery in Wyoming. Released in batches so ages (and tasting profiles) will vary; this batch released in the summer of 2014 is over 4 years old. It's refreshingly aged in standard 53 gallon oak barrels instead of much smaller barrels young distilleries tend to use as they help hasten the aging process.
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7Sweet & RichLarceny Small Batch is a brand extension of Heaven Hill's Old Fitzgerald line. According to their story, back in the day, John E. Fitzgerald used his privilege of holding the keys to Pappy Van Winkle's bonded warehouse, where the Old Fitzgerald bourbons were kept, to steal the best casks for himself. These became known as the "Fitzgerald Barrels." Larceny is a wheated straight bourbon made from a blend of selected barrels made in honor of this legend. It bears no-age statement and is bottled at 92 proof. Note: Packaging update in summer 2024 to feature the key and keyhole as well as the wheated bourbon mash bill.
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6Vanilla & RichDry Fly Distilling's Straight Washington Bourbon 101 was the first legal bourbon ever made in Washington state. It's unsurprisingly a wheated bourbon—as Dry Fly is also known for their wheat whiskey—and it features a mash bill of 60% corn with 20% each wheat and malted barley. Aged for a minimum of four years in full-size barrels.
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5Spicy & RichThe first batch of 10 year-old single barrel Rebel Yell Bourbon was launched in September 2016 and has since been released annually. Rebel Yell is a wheated Kentucky bourbon whiskey. After 10 years in new, charred American oak, it is bottled at 100 proof. Instead of batching the barrels, Rebel Yell is bottling each barrel separately with each bottle to include the barrel number along with an "aged since" date. Slight variations in the bourbon will with each single barrel as is the nature of these releases.
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4Vanilla & SpicyLaunched in 2010, Maker's Mark 46 is made by taking fully matured Maker's Mark Bourbon at cask strength and inserting specially seared French oak staves into the barrels. The bourbon finishes aging for a few months before bottling. The French oak staves selected from the Independent Stave Company, Maker's Mark long time cooperage, were named "Stave Profile No. 46." This is the first brand extension from the distillery since it started production in 1953 and is the first in its Wood Finishing Series. Note: As of March 2022 the brand has updated the packaging for its bottle and label to highlight the French oak staves.
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3Vanilla & SpicyMaker's Mark Cask Strength is a new release that is bottled exclusively in 375ml bottles. This isn’t a single cask bottling, but rather a blend of up to 19 different barrels with varying proofs and ages. This was Batch No. 14-01 which was put into the bottle at 56.6%. It is made from the traditional Maker's Mark corn, red winter wheat and barley mash bill.
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2Sweet & SpicyThis is the second release in the Bottled in Bond series from Heaven Hill. It features Old Fitzgerald Kentucky Straight Bourbon, the brand's wheated bourbon. Aged for 9 years, this bourbon was produced in October 2008 and bottled August 2018. It meets the strict requirements of a bottled-in-bond: the product of a single distillery from a single distilling season, aged a minimum of four years, and bottled at 100 proof or 50% ABV. It features a black label, as will all fall releases in the series with green labels reserved for spring releases.
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1Full Bodied & OilyWeller Antique 107 is a no-age statement release aged for 6-8 years (it has had an age statement of 7 years in the past) and is bottled at 107 proof. This is a wheated bourbon distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery. The higher proof holds up nicely to both cocktails or rocks while still maintaining its distinct wheated properties.