And the Valley Drinks: Bernheim Wheat Whiskey

Some happenstance over at The Beverage Store over on Florida Blvd in Baton Rouge had me taking home a free bottle of booze back around Christmas. I'm a little hesitant with non-bourbon whiskeys -- Scotch is not my thing at all, ryes are only okay and most Canadian whiskeys like Crown are a little on the sweet side for me.

But Bernheim Wheat Whiskey was a nice surprise -- it differs from a bourbon in that it's distilled from a mash that features at least 51 percent wheat, as opposed to corn. Out of Bardstown, Kent., the Bernheim site lists the flavor profile as follows:

Most of my pricing research lists this one anywhere from the high 20s to the mid 30s in price, and depending on your whiskey taste, this might be right up your alley.

Review

I'm not typically a fan of really light bourbons, so when I saw the light copper color I was afraid the flavor profile wouldn't be quite pronounced enough, but I was wrong. The aroma is pretty typical of bourbon, with a little bit of sweetness that offsets the char of the barrel. And it's extremely light on the open, but there's a strong flavor that kind of hints at sweetness, but never full commits. Vanilla, maybe a little toffee. If you're a fan of Crown Royal, or a lighter whiskey, this is a good step up if you're ready to try some sippin' booze that doesn't need a mixer. I give it a strong 3.75 out of 5. It loses a little bit on price, but it's worth the money if a lighter, sweeter whiskey is more of your taste.