Bourbon

Wenzel Whiskey Wheated #3

$80

OVERALL
RATING

8

Bourbon Review: Wenzel Whiskey Wheated #3

We review Wenzel Whiskey Wheated #3, a blend of around 14 Georgia wheated bourbon barrels (all 6.5-7 years old) that was bottled at 112.04 proof.
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Tasting Notes:

About:
This is a blend of around 14 Georgia wheated bourbon barrels (all 6.5-7 years old) that was bottled at 112.04 proof.
Appearance:
A vibrant orange amber is in the color scheme of this one, with legs and viscosity offering up nice quality.
Nose:
The aromatics of this one are very complex, delivering a nice sweetness and baked bread quality. Notes to consider here include vanilla, gingerbread, some traces of oak intertwined with hints of cinnamon, and gentle caramel consideration.
Palate:
This approaches the palate with some rich considerations of vanilla, oatmeal, a nice oak kick, a lovely dose of caramel, a bit of cinnamon heat, and some backsplash of warm bread out of the oven.
Finish:
This finishes warmly, offering a nice conclusion with a moderate length.
Comments:
With the stated goal of recreating the Wheated #2 blend, this Wheated #3 exceeds that in approachability and depth of flavor quality. Well done.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Wenzel Whiskey Wheated #3 review
We review Wenzel Whiskey Wheated #3, a blend of around 14 Georgia wheated bourbon barrels (all 6.5-7 years old) that was bottled at 112.04 proof. (image via Wenzel Whiskey)

Editor’s Note: We received a review sample of this whiskey from the brand. However, in accordance with our editorial policies, this has not influenced the outcome of our review in any way.

Wenzel Whiskey is a Covington, Kentucky-based rectifier and blender tied to a name associated with that state’s whiskey past. The operation is based in a very old building, which, in 1873, housed one Henry Wenzel, who produced soda water, mineral water, and whiskey there. After his death just four years later, the space began a long journey as many other things until its current owner, Tony Milburn, picked it up in 2019. He planned first a restaurant there but later pivoted to reimagining the space as a bourbon blending experience and, eventually, aiming to turn it into a distillery.

As part of Wenzel Whiskey’s current strategy, they acquired the assets of Ghost Coast Distillery from Savannah, Ga., last year to boost production capabilities and transform Wenzel from a bourbon blending experience to a new bourbon distiller. Its operations are expanding into the building adjacent to the original space, where distilling will occur onsite alongside a new planned tasting room, event space, and retail shop.

As part of its current consumer-facing operations, Wenzel, which pulls samples from barrels representing different distilleries across various stages, ages, and other factors, allows visitors to have their own whiskey blending experiences. Additionally, the blender currently has a number of its own releases out on the market.

What’s in the bottle

The whiskey being reviewed here, Wenzel Whiskey Wheated #3, is a follow up blend to the award-winning Wheated #2. For this offering around 14 Georgia wheated bourbon barrels (all 6.5-7 years old) were used in an attempt to “recreate the magic” of #2. The proof is 112.04.

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti is the founder of The Whiskey Wash, an award-winning whiskey lifestyle website dedicated to informing and entertaining consumers about whisk(e)y globally. As a whisk(e)y journalist, expert, and judge, he has written extensively about the subject, been interviewed in various media outlets, and provided tasting input on many whiskeys at competitions.

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