Ok, first thing’s first: it’s pronounced Michael-oh-nee, not Michel-ohn.

Named for founder Ryan Lang’s grandfather, Middle West Spirits’ Four-Grain Wheated Bourbon Whiskey features the Ohio soft red winter wheat used in their Straight Wheat Whiskey with undercurrents of pumpernickel rye and yellow corn. This is still wheat-forward, but the addition of two more grains into the mashbill also adds toasted and roasted notes to the profile.

Four-grain bourbons are becoming more and more popular, particularly among the craft whiskey movement. The old go-to of three grains - corn, wheat or rye, and barley for enzymes - is still the norm among heritage brands, make no mistake. But the more “craft” or “smaller” distilleries I talk to, the more tell me that their bourbons are four grain, not three.

For Middle West Spirits, their Pumpernickel rye is also a four-grain, but we’ll get to that tomorrow.

I enjoyed this pour, but found it impossible not to compare to the cask strength single barrel I have, chosen by Taste Select Repeat. Alone, the Michelone Reserve is a rounded four-grain bourbon with a strong malted and roasted component that I found deliciously bitter and chocolaty, like a dark roast coffee.

Next to the cask strength, however, the 95-proof starts to show just a few cracks. A little grain here, some youth there, nothing overpowering or enough to sink the whiskey but enough that I know I prefer the cask strength version. I’m a proof hound, what can I say.

Let me be clear - I like this a lot. It’s roasty and toasty and is not your typical bourbon, which for me is always interesting. And at $47 a bottle, you’re not going to feel burned if you try it and it isn’t your thing. Plus, it’s another four grain bourbon with its own, unique profile, and that’s always something to try in my mind.

Middle West Spirits Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey “Michelone Reserve”: Specs

Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Origin: Middle West Spirits

Mashbill: Undisclosed percentages of: Ohio Soft Red Winter Wheat, Dark Pumpernickel Rye, Yellow Corn, 2-Row Barley

Proof: 95 (47.5% ABV)

Age: 4+ Years Old

Location: Ohio

Middle West Spirits Straight Wheat Whiskey Price: $46.99

Official Website

Middle West Spirits Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey “Michelone Reserve” Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Amber with a red haze. Thin rims, short legs and small droplets.

Nose: Noticeably more bourbon-esque than the wheat whiskey, but also a little grainier. Cherries again make an appearance, growing the more I sniff. Stone fruits in a field.

Palate: Dark chocolate and coffee with cream. there’s an initial flash of grain that’s quickly overtaken. The best caramel and chocolate chew candy. Mouthfeel is medium, slightly bitter from chocolate and coffee notes, prickly on the tip of my tongue without being outright peppery. Cola syrup builds and intrigues.

Finish: The chocolate and coffee turn to cola syrup, slightly effervescent yet coating on a long finish. Chocolate reasserts itself at the end.

Overall: A pleasing sip that shows a few youthful cracks. The flavors are generally balanced, but there’s an undeniable bitterness from the roasted coffee and chocolate (some might taste a more toasted profile or closer to general roasted flavors - I’m more sensitive to bitterness). Interestingly, this exact bourbon at cask strength feels completely finished and mature, so I’m curious why that isn’t the case here.

Final Rating: 6.3

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