Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission.
6 Affordable Bourbon Whiskeys to Drink Instead of Pappy Van Winkle
Want a whiskey that’s sweeter, softer, fruitier and smoother? Simple.
By
Chris Wright
Corn is the soul of every bourbon recipe, but distillers also use rye, barley and wheat — and every mash bill is different.
“Wheaters,” as bourbon fans call them, use wheat as a secondary grain rather than your typical rye. People who drink them say they’re sweeter, softer, fruitier and smoother. Science backs this up: the distillation of wheat is important to the production of 1-pentanol, an alcohol that imparts flavors of bread, cereal and yeast.
So why don’t more bourbons put the wheat ahead of rye? Traditionally, wheat was too expensive for industrial bourbon production. In the early 20th century, the Stitzl brothers and one Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr. believed the use of wheat rather than rye made their bourbons softer; then Maker’s Mark and its red wax brought a wheater to the general drinking public.
Today, history repeats itself: for everyday drinkers, famous wheaters like Pappy and William Larue Weller are too damn expensive — assuming you can even find them. But all hope isn’t lost. Head down to your local liquor store and you’ll come across a handful of solid wheaters collecting more dust than they deserve. The best part: they won’t cost you your next paycheck.
Larceny Bourbon
Looking for an affordable wheated bourbon made at Heaven Hill, the distillery once owned by Pappy himself? Most drinkers choose Rebel Yell but you should spring for Larceny, which is part of Heaven Hill’s Old Fitzgerald line. It has a higher proof than Rebel Yell and carries an age statement — six years.
Proof: 92 Distilled By: Heaven Hill Tasting Notes: Loads of bready sweetness, butterscotch and toffee. Price: $20 – $25
Sazerac owns the Barton 1792 distillery and this is its only wheated option. It won a gold medal at the 2018 LA Spirits Competition. Jim Murray liked it, too; in his 2019 Whiskey Bible, he called it “a wheated, honeyed stunner.” That’s good enough for us.
Proof: 91.2 Distilled By: Barton 1792 Tasting Notes: Dried fruits and soft, honeyed caramel, with a touch of oak tannin. Price: $33
Jim Beam’s red-capped mid-range flagship has been bottled at cask strength since 2014. The high proof gives it the shot at the same bold flavors you’ll find in the Pappys and William Larue Wellers of the wheated world. Expect loads of dark fruits and cinnamons.
Wyoming Whiskey got off to a rocky start when it launched in 2015 — early batches just weren’t quite there. Since then, the distillery has figured things out, and its wheated bourbon has caught the eyes of aficionados and judges alike. The Single Barrel uses the same wheated liquid as the standard stuff, aged in the same dynamic western weather, but brings a unique complexity you don’t always get with a blend.
Proof: 88 Distilled By: Wyoming Distillery Tasting Notes: Nuts, creamy caramel, and honey, with some minerality and vanilla. Price: $55
This won a World Whiskies award in 2018 as the best wheated whiskey out there. Bainbridge has been distilling small-batch, organic spirits since 2009 in Washington state. Since it uses only wheat, and no corn, it’s not a bourbon. But it is a great study in the best flavors wheat can impart.
Proof: 86 Distilled By: Bainbridge Distilling Tasting Notes: Vanilla, caramel, and molasses, with a silky mouthfeel. Price: $49 – $65
The Garrison Brothers are leading the charge when it comes to Texas bourbon, which is a lot different than the stuff you’ll find from Kentucky. Texas’s immense temperature changes lend to a liquid that gets quick flavorful from its barrels. Thus far, Cowboy Bourbon is its most famous, with a price to match — but it’s a unique approach to wheat (it’s got 15 percent in its mash bill) with a helluva proof.
Proof: 137 Distilled By: Garrison Brothers Tasting Notes: Oily and rich, with a high-proof heat; cinnamon, graham crackers, baking spices, and chocolate. Price: $220
This nearly matches the lowest price we've seen on Apple's premium AirPods. Competition is now fierce in this headphone category, but the quick pairing and native integration with Apple devices still makes the AirPods Pro tough to beat.
The V10 used to be Dyson's top-tier stick vacuum, but it was eventually replaced by the slightly more powerful (and much more expensive) V11. This makes the V10 a great value, as it's usually $150 less than the V11. Thanks to this sale, it's even a better value than the V11 right now.
Sony's latest and greatest, the WH-1000XM4 features Active Noise Cancelling, an unreal 30 hours of battery life, touch sensor buttons, and wearing detection that pauses playback when they are removed. This is one of the best prices we've seen on this set of headphones.
These cloth masks are more than meets the eye. United By Blue has made them with deadstock fabrics and included a filter slot that fits the brand's Activated Carbon Filters. Plus, for each pack purchased, one will be donated to a Philadelphia resident who is experiencing homelessness.
With 4K UHD, you get four times the display power of a 1080p TV. Built in Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity allow access to the Google Play store via the TV's Android TV operating system.
This smart plug allows you to control lights, fans and more from your phone or tablet via the free WEMO app or through the major smart ecosystems (Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit).
Hay is currently having a 15% off sale, featuring sofas, lounge chairs, and coffee tables. This is one of our favorite chairs; it has a high back for comfortable lounging and comes in multiple colors and materials, allowing you to customize to fit your space.
If you've been watching The Crown or have been following style moodboards lately, you've surely seen Barbour. The classic hunting brand makes some of the finest harsh-weather garments, bred to excel in the rain soaked British islands. A quilted jacket is an essential layering piece, whether topping off a sweater or under a waxed field jacket.
If you're looking to get a smoker but don't have the space for a full-sized grill and don't want to fuss with gas or wood, this electric smoker is an excellent option. With a removable wood chip tray, built-in thermostat and 1,800 watt heating element for even, consistent smoking, it has everything you need to get going.
If sleep has been tough to come by, whether pandemic anxiety-related or otherwise, a noise machine is an excellent way to put your mind and body at ease. Keep one in your bedroom for peaceful nights or in the office for a calming presence throughout the day.
Is anything left to be said about the Eames chair? This is one of the most iconic pieces of furniture to come out of the 20th century and is a must-have for any furniture aficionados (if you can afford it).
The CPO jacket is a classic silhouette that never goes out of style. Todd Snyder upgraded this one with premium a cotton-linen Herringbone that will break in and only get better over time.
Four-way stretch, seamless construction, and extreme breathability make this our pick for the best premium workout shirt. It is simple, and simply good.
This collab between Outdoor Voices and Hoka One One pairs an award-winning running shoe with OV's sharp eye for design to make a shoe that looks as good as it feels.
Not only is this one of the most versatile packs around, it eschews some of the "ugly" features on a standard outdoor pack for a look that is actually super stylish. We welcome an outdoor pack that values both style and function.
Everlane does basics extremely well — it's kind of Everlane's thing. The brand's 18-wale corduroy fabric shirt is a great option for the winter months and at half off you truly cannot beat it. READ OUR GUIDE TO CORDUROY SHIRTS
Yamaha SR-C20A Compact Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofer and Bluetooth
The complete package, this sound bar connects via Bluetooth, has its own subwoofer and passive radiators, is wall-mountable, and can connect via HDMI, optical or AUX connections.
This chronograph re-issue of Timex's original military-style watch has an aluminum 40mm case that provides strength without the weight. If you're looking for a daily knock around with chronograph features, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better deal.
If you are working out a lot, you're going to need more than one mask. Under Armour has created one of the best sports-specific masks and right now if you buy two you get a great deal.
Todd Snyder's collaborations with Timex always hit. Paired with a vintage military-inspired band, this bullseye design is straight from the Timex archives.
Whether you want to move some of your most frequently used herbs indoors or don't have space outside for a garden, the AeroGarden Harvest is a perfect solution, with clearance for up to a foot of growth and room for 6 plants that grow five times faster than soil.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
