1792 Series (10 of 12**): Sweet Wheat **note: I may have just legally procured a 225th anniversary. Did you know: In the food world, rye products are known for being dense and sour. Wheat products are seen as bitter or plain-flavored. I think this holds true for bourbon as well. If I’m right (and real talk: I’m probably not) this would present a grain-specific barrier when comparing wheated bourbons to ryed bourbons, since “bitterness” is a mouthfeel. You can balance sourness with sweet flavors, but bitterness takes some getting used to, a phenomenon I’ve bumped into before with over-oaked or high proof whiskies. More on this later. Nose is caramel apples, dust, lemon. Mild strawberries. Body is maple syrup, brine, sweat cream, strawberries. Butterscotch. Very smooth. Finish is mocha, heavy whipping cream. Cherry. If you’re not careful, that brine and mocha combo can take you down a bitter route and bypass that sweetness altogether. If you’re getting an unpleasant bitter note on this, try swishing it around a bit. A Kentucky chew or two helped me get the sweeter notes by the end of my pour. I’ve heard that they call Weller or combinations of Weller products “poor man’s Pappy.” The winning recipe I’ve seen is 2 parts W12 with 3 parts OWA. This does a decent job from a flavor profile perspective, but it leaves out the semi-important fact that neither W12 nor OWA are “poor man” friendly. I’m not saying this Sweet Wheat is either, but it’s cheaper and more readily available if you know where to look. It honestly fits the PVW15 flavor profile pretty well. It’s not Pappy, but to me it’s as close as the Weller cocktail. If you like wheaters, you need to try this. It’s rough around the edges in comparison to the pricier wheat bourbons, and honestly, it tastes a bit harsh even next to my go-to wheater Weller SR. However, if you can get your palate there, they really dialed in a fantastic strawberry/cream combo that (prior to this) I’ve only enjoyed on PVW15, the whiskey leprechaun’s Chessman (long story), the Weller cocktail, and some random Old Forrester pick. Of this group, Sweet Wheat was the least refined instance of that flavor by a wide margin, but still: solid value if you see it in the wild. Seriously looking forward to the next on-deck: 1792 Port Finish