Final yr, MGP/Ross & Squibb’s Remus model launched a brand new line of whiskeys supposed to showcase the distillery’s vary past the traditional bourbon and rye that it’s identified for. Whereas 2025 was a singular bourbon, for 2026 it’s a complete new sort of whiskey: wheat whiskey (95% wheat, 5% malted barley), which MGP has by no means actually launched up to now. Not solely that, the whiskey — solely distilled in 2017 — is completed., which once more MGP shouldn’t be identified for. After getting older in new oak, the varied pulled barrels had been completed individually in white Port, ruby Port, tawny Port, and oloroso sherry casks, then blended collectively for the discharge.
We tasted the whiskey with Grasp Distiller Ian Stirsman over Zoom, who enthused about wheat whiskey’s skill to include ending barrels properly, a day forward of its basic launch.
Remus Grasp Distiller Experimental Collection #2 – Wheat Whiskey Overview
On the nostril, the whiskey instantly surprises — first cereal-driven and really nutty, clearly heavy with oxidized wine notes that land nearer to Madeira than Port, not less than aromatically. A lot of time in glass helps this coalesce right into a extra raisiny, Port-forward be aware, although there’s a stunning austerity to the fragrant expertise. Behind all of it, that candy breakfast cereal high quality, endemic to wheat whiskey, endures.
The palate is kind of wine-forward and really candy — Stirsman is completely right about its ending capabilities — exhibiting a mixture of raisiny Port and nuttier, extra citrusy sherry notes, each of which dominate the tasting expertise from the beginning. Barely salty because it develops, the whiskey evokes clearer notes of roasted almonds earlier than a rolling nougat high quality builds because the end nears. Each chewy and a bit racy at its full 56.5% abv, it winds issues up with a wholesome dollop of vanilla cake frosting, clinging to the edges of the tongue.
Wheat whiskey will be divisive, and this bottling might be not going to make converts out of anybody, in both route. The ending is so highly effective as to be virtually excessive, making for an expertise that may border on candylike at occasions. However hey, no fault there — they did say it was an experiment.
113 proof.
B+ / $70
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