Ben Holladay Bottled-in-Bond Wheated Bourbon
Fresh off a win in my 2022 Whiskey Ring Awards for Best First Release, McCormick Distillery - better known by its Ben Holladay bourbon line - is back. And damn are they back.
In between, there was a rickhouse strength release, and I’ll be trying that soon, but that was locally released (may have been distillery only, now that I think of it) and I had to find a friend in Missouri to sample. If it was anything like that 6-year-old Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, I know I’m going to love it…unfortunately for my quickly shrinking space.
Check out that link to learn all about the history here - it’s incredible, dovetailing with the history of American stagecoaches and making whiskey where most of our oak comes from. An exciting story, one I can’t wait to explore more.
This release, though, I wasn’t expecting. A bottled-in-bond bourbon to kick your brand off is a classic move, one that worked beautifully. To follow it up with a bottled-in-bond wheated bourbon, also 6 years old, is a little riskier. You know any wheated bourbon will immediately be compared to Larceny, Old Fitzgerald, the Weller lineup, the Van Winkle lineup, etc. Fair? No. Realistic? Yes.
So good thing this Ben Holladay Bottled-in-Bond Wheated Bourbon lands smack in the upper echelon of these, blowing away Larceny and any Weller below WLW without the oak that turns me off of the older Van Winkles.
Seriously - of the brands I listed above, I’d put this release below WLW, a few of the Old Fitzs, and the Van Winkle 10, my favorite of the lineup. That’s it. The rest pale in comparison. This is easily the best wheater I’ve had in over a year.
I’m still getting the final details on recipe and process, but I’m gonna leave the review at that. When it’s out, pick it up and get one for me, too. It won’t be more than $50-$60 and will kick ass on your bar. This is still one of my top distilleries to watch, and if they keep putting out releases like this it’ll be far too well known for my liking.
I’ll risk the tradeoff. Now excuse me while I pour another.
Thank you to McCormick Distillery for providing a bottle of this product at no cost and free of editorial constraint.
Ben Holladay Bottled-in-Bond Wheated Bourbon: Specs
Classification: Wheated Bourbon Whisky
Origin: McCormick Distillery
Mashbill: Undisclosed (To Come)
Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
Age: 6 Years Old
Location: Missouri
Ben Holladay Bottled-in-Bond Wheated Bourbon Whiskey Price: $49.99
Ben Holladay Bottled-in-Bond Wheated Bourbon Whiskey: Tasting Notes
Eye: Dark gold. Thin rims, very slow legs and medium drops.
Nose: Caramelized wheat sweetness flows out of the glass before I touch it. Baking spices studded into upside-down cake, crystallized sugar on slightly bitter berries. Vanilla extract, cola syrup (maybe root beer?), pastry cream. If a wheater has a profile, this should be it.
Palate: Berry-laced cereal pops right out, mild proof and oak with plenty of vanilla and cereal grains lightly toasted. Not as sweet as on the nose, turning a bit darker into a malt syrup-like depth. Mouthfeel is deceptively heavy, piquant across the whole tongue with baking spices laying thickly on the front half. Coating, silky, and warming. Begs you to keep sipping.
Finish: Long and cereal forward, berries and oak giving extra body without too much wood. Wheater profile of vanilla, caramel, and berries reminds me of the Bernheim cask strength I picked at Heaven Hill with the body of an Old Fitz.
Overall: Borderline excellent. Have to check the recipe and get a few more details, but lacking that all I can say is that this is one of the most balanced wheated bourbons I’ve ever had. No part of it overpowers another, working synchronously from nose to finish. This isn’t a must-buy, it’s a must-buy-a-case.
Final Rating: 7.8
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary
8 | Excellent | Exceptional
7 | Great | Well above average
6 | Very Good | Better than average
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary
4 | Has promise but needs work
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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