Holladay 6 Year Soft Red Wheat Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon

I bought this bottle at Total Wine for $55.99. It's a golden copper color in the glass, is of course 100 proof, is six years old, and has a mash bill of 75% corn, 15% soft red wheat, and 12% barley. NOSE: On the nose I first got an overwhelming note that I could only characterize as charred grain, though it's something I've smelled before and I'm sure it's not actually that. At any rate it's pleasant. As I continued to nose the juice I got a distinct peanut shell note, which I've found is characteristic for me of Heaven Hill whisky - I never expected to find it here. Then came dark honey, puffed wheat (I've never yet gotten that note and then disliked the whisky), honeysuckle, honey butter, milk chocolate, and MAYBE a faint note of leather. MOUTHFEEL: Silky. TASTE: Honey butter, a little cinnamon, and a surprising note of hot cocoa - which I enjoyed, though I HATE hot chocolate. I wasn't able to dissect the palate any further than that, though it's obvious there are other things in there that perhaps time will bring out for me. In addition to the few specific notes I could discern, I got an impression that this whisky tastes sweet and clear and good. FINISH: The finish is on the long end of medium, beginning with honey, then going into sweet water, bringing in an oak note, and finally ending on a lingering chocolate. SUMMARY: This is a good, complex whisky which might require some time to fully understand. I wasn't able to get many discrete notes on the palate, but this is NOT a boring whisky. I definitely recommend it. RATING: In my hick system, which has 8 levels with 1 at the bottom, I give this a 6, which I call Fine. That's the same as 3.75 stars, 75/100, or 7.5/10.

Holladay 6 yr BIB soft red wheat straight Missouri bourbon. Distilled Fall 2017, aged 6 years in new charred Missouri oak in Rickhouse 3, and bottled at 100 proof in March 2024. Tasting neat. Rosy copper and average coating legs in the glass. Nose is light and fruity, berries and a little sweet orange citrus, and then some vanilla and grassy spice way way in the background. Not much there. Tannic oak and ethanol "BANG" open in the mouth. Sweet corn syrup and honey, and then floral vanilla and citrus. Mouthfeel is thin and dry, even astringent. Pepper and baking spices come on in the finish, sweet grass and mint, and a little sour at the end of a long dry finish. The more I taste this, the more I think the finish may be the best part of this whiskey. An ice cube dampens the oak tannins and sweetens up the citrus/sour notes. Maybe better? Love the distillery's story, label, and bottle, particularly the old school metal screw cap. Why not! As a distilling company they seem to be doing things the right way, even though I'm not totally sold on the taste profile of this particular bottle. It's not the soft wheated bourbon I was expecting--more bite to it. That's ok, and I look forward to trying their rickhouse proof offerings. I have a feeling they're going to be more entertaining. And, of course, I'll come back and revisit this review if the bottom of the bottle changes my mind. Cheers.

HOLLADAY SOFT RED WHEAT 6YR BIB *GLASS: Neat Glass *COLOR: 1.5 Auburn *NOSE: Starts off surprisingly Spicy for a Wheater with Heavy Dry Oak, Hay, and Black & White Pepper. There is a Berries & Cream Sweetness the deeper you delve into it. Very good. *NEAT: Overall Very Dry and Tannic. Like the nose Heavy (and I mean HEAVY) charred Oak, Good (not bitter) Tannins, Peanut Shell, Mint, Peppery Spice and Tingle, and Light Vanilla. Nice Blooming Heat in the Chest with Sawdust and Pepper Coating and Layering the Palate. Just a bit of Bitterness on the Finish hurts it a bit. *SPLASH: A little water brings out Buttercream Frosting on the Nose. The Palate gets a little too, but the Oak still runs the show, albeit a little Funkier/Mustier now. *VERDICT: Not overly complex, but very much squarely in my wheelhouse. Gives off major Maker’s 46 vibes. Love the packaging/labeling with both barreling and bottling dates and a metal screw cap. Unique. Glad I picked this one up!

Maple Donut punches forward on the initial nose, consistently exploding with sweetness all the way through and periodically pushing cinnamon and honey to the forefront. Upon first palate, sugared plums and berries pull the sweetness out of the nose. This transitions into the finish, which brings forward candied nuts and burnt leather. This whiskey, brings a lot of familiar notes with the sweetness never being too overbearing. The complexity of the whiskey brings similarities to a higher shelf whiskey, at a affordable price point. A super big fan, gaining an incentive to further dive into wheated whiskeys to see where they land. As of right now, this is my favorite wheated whiskey thus far. While not widely available, I’m inspired to buy multiple bottles next time seen on the market so as to build a supply for general night sipping straight/iced. Solid whiskey, solid buy!

Oh wow, wow... this is really good! After hearing about this bourbon for some time now, the much anticipated wait to try a pour is finally here, and again, I say, wow! Single pour neat, in a rocks glass... the nose is lightly filled with a sweet smell of berries, but also a faint smell of cherry cola lingers gently. On my first sip, the bourbon drinks just as it smells, I love it! For this to be a bottled in bond 100 proof bourbon, it is very, very soft and easygoing. That cherry-cola taste really shines if you give the bourbon a "Kentucky chew," and while doing so, some spice came with it. Again, this bourbon is good and has lived up to the expectation created. If you're a fan of wheated bourbon, give this one a try. The flavor profile is a little different than that of most wheated bourbons, and i think you too would enjoy your pour or pours.

NEAT NOSE - Immediately, I like this more than the bourbon. Notes of caramel, apples, and honey. It smells exactly like a caramel red apple. PALATE - Creamy, silky smooth mouthfeel. Incredible roundness to this bourbon. Its sweet, but not sweet enough to categorize this as a desert bourbon in my opinion. The nose carries over to the palate effortlessly. The notes are easy to pick out and to be honest, I’m not getting much else. Ive had pours with similar notes but not with this level of balance. For the price, this bourbon is amazing and I can’t wait to see what they taste like as the age goes up. FINISH - Short. Sweet oak. BUY? - Absolutely. Support craft especially when its done well! BUY AGAIN? - Yes!