This is a 7 year old expression of the Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey. It’s a continuation of the Bernheim Wheat Whiskey line which is the original mass produced wheat whiskey. The term “mass produced” might come off sounding a bit negative, but it simply means that it was the first Wheat Whiskey to be available at scale. If you’re an American Whiskey enthusiast it’s definitely worth trying the Bernheims out just to see what a wheat dominant mashbill does to a whiskey.
I’ve already covered the original Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey which is a NAS whiskey that likely clocks in close to the 4 year mark, so what we’re doing now is basically taking a look at what an additional 3ish years does to the spirit. Though keep in mind that when an age statement is present it’s equal to the youngest whiskey in the bottle so it’s likely there is some older juice, though probably not by much, in here adding some of the richer, spicer and woodier notes.
Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey 7 years aged Review
ABV: 45%
Age: 7 years
Price: $40*
Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
Mashbill: At least 51% wheat with the rest being corn and malt
EYE
Caramel
NOSE
Rich caramel, buttery toffee, citrus, leather and a muddled dark fruit like a mixed berry preserve. There’s a nice touch of spice like cinnamon and nutmeg with light touches of cocoa powder, instant coffee and molasses. Much richer than it’s younger counterpart.
PALATE
Caramel, wood, dusty grains, wheat driven sweetness, citrus rind and burnt sugar. It would be tasty right there, but the extra aging on this has created some additional facets of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, a touch of clove and a very light astringency.
FINISH
Woody with hints of watery caramel, burned sugar and wheat toast on a long fade.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Nicely balanced with sweet and earthier notes moving in tandem. A medium body that runs hotter than I would expect a 90 proof to be, but still manageable without water.
OVERALL
The nose is sweet while the palate is earthier and the finish is a nice mix of the two. Even though it doesn’t need water being a 90 proof, but I’d recommend adding a splash because the nose picks up some wood, vanilla and a bit of butterscotch while the palate brings up more of the grains and vanilla. The finish doesn’t change much but it does tame the heat a bit. It’s a tasty whiskey for sure and well worth a try.
SCORE: 86/100
*Disclosure: This bottle of 7 year Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
I will try stashing it in the fridge as per the suggestion . This is a well crafted whiskey that offers something nice for every palate $29 in Pennsylvania at the moment. Cheers
I tried to find a bottle of Larceny but unfortunately it hasn’t arrived to my state yet so instead I gave Bernheim a try. It sure is a softer feel than many of the bourbons I have had in the past and the caramel sweetness really shines through for me. I keep buying Heaven Hill products and they keep delivering. If you can find a bottle around the $30 mark, jump at it.
Cheers Rob!
Smooth, best bourbon for the golf course. I can not get it in Ohio, but I always bring home a couple of bottles when I am in Louisville or the Chicago area. Matches up great with a Maduro Cigar
Hmm – delicious whiskey indeed.
Had to spend a fair amount of time locating this 7 yr version…I knew I had seen it in a store/s – however I couldn’t remember which one – D’OH!
Made a few phone calls, and stopped by a few stores in the past week – no luck (one store had the ‘older’ NAS version)…I was certain there was a store nearby that had it, but as usual – many of the guys in these stores are clueless as to what’s on their shelves…Yup – as expected – a store had 3 bottles on the shelf (6 feet from the cash register, and they claimed they didn’t have it).
Enough of my petty pissing, and moaning…This is one sweet whiskey (literally)…Think I’ll drop by the store again, and pick up the other two remaining bottles.
Glad you found some, cheers Freddy!
Honey butter sweet in taste and texture, with a slight burn on the finish. A good sipper but ice kills it, so if you like your whiskey cold, keep it in the refrigerator. I bring this out from time to time when I can’t decide on which Bourbon to drink. It’s a good change of pace.
“It’s a good change of pace.” <- Exactly why I keep it around. Cheers!
bought a jug for my birthday because it was on sale and i had a rebate coupon. a very light, almost soft taste and feel. caramel and vanilla flavors, not much wood tone. another easy drinking whiskey from our friends at Heaven Hill.
Agree with everything you said Scott, thanks for sharing. Cheers!
From what I know, Master distiller Parker Beam first crafted Bernheim Wheat Whiskey, before going on to distill Parker’s Heritage Wheat.
Parker’s Heritage is a tribute to Parker Beam with a portion of the sales going to ALS research which he suffered from so it’s not possible for him to create something that is a tribute to him. The Parker’s Heritage releases are premium offerings (selections of cherry barrels) he worked on while working at Heaven Hill.