So you’ve stumbled upon the term “wheated” and now you’re wondering if your bourbon has been hitting the gym and eating its whole grains. Close, but not quite. While we can’t promise your bourbon has six-pack abs, we can explain what this fancy term means for your next pour. Let’s cut through the fluff and get straight to it.

Definition

A “wheated” bourbon is simply a bourbon where the distillers decided to swap out the traditional rye for wheat as the secondary grain in the mash bill. By law, bourbon must be at least 51% corn. After that, distillers usually add rye for a spicy kick. But in a wheated bourbon, they use wheat instead, because apparently, they wanted to see what would happen. It’s the “let’s try the scenic route” of whiskey making.

Why does it matter?

This little grain swap makes a huge difference. Think of rye as the loud, spicy friend who tells inappropriate jokes at dinner. Wheat is the smoother, sweeter friend who brings a nice dessert and compliments the host. A wheated bourbon typically has a softer, gentler profile. You’ll often find notes of honey, caramel, and vanilla, with a less aggressive finish. It’s bourbon with its sharp edges sanded off, making it dangerously easy to drink for newcomers and seasoned pros alike.

How OAKR helps

Your palate isn’t the same as the next person’s, so what you taste as “delicate honey” someone else might call “vaguely sweet.” This is where OAKR comes in. Instead of you having to guess, we do the hard work by aggregating tasting data from our blind tasting panelists. We show you the most common flavor profiles for countless spirits before you even spend a dime. Download the OAKR app to explore in-depth flavor profiles and get personalized recommendations that are actually right for you.