What is Wheated Bourbon?
If you’re on the hunt for an easy-sipping bourbon with soft, rounded sweetness, bourbons high in wheat might be your next favorite bottle. All bourbon must be made with corn as the primary grain; wheated bourbon uses wheat as the secondary grain.
Wheat softens the edges, dials back the heat, and creates a smoother, sweeter sip. The result is a bourbon that’s rounder and often more approachable for newer drinkers. It’s also a style with a serious legacy, found in some of the most iconic bottles on the shelf.
Explaining the Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill
All bourbon starts with at least 51% corn and is aged in new, charred oak barrels. What sets each bourbon apart is recipe of the rest of the mash bill. For example, Pipe Dream Bourbon uses a mash bill of 73% corn, 18% rye, 5% malted barley, and 4% wheat for a well-balanced flavor profile.
While our own wheated bourbon, Screaming Titan uses 61% corn, 30% wheat, 5% rye, and 4% malted barley. The corn’s natural sweetness shines and the wheat brings notes of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak.
What wheat leaves out—peppery heat, bold spice—becomes an advantage when you want something that has more prominent floral notes.
High Rye Vs Wheat Bourbon: What’s the Difference?
Both wheated and high rye bourbons follow the same rules: at least 51% corn, aged in new, charred oak barrels. Swap one grain as the dominant secondary grain and the whiskey shifts entirely.
Wheated bourbon has a softer edge, offering floral over spice—flavors like honey, vanilla, and baked bread. It’s rich, round, and easy to sip, especially neat. If you’re looking for something warm and welcoming, this is it.
High rye bourbon has an extra bite, adding spice, structure, and a dry finish. Our high rye bourbon, Devils Tower, balances notes of cardamom, mint and tobacco on the palate and licorice and lingonberry on the nose. It’s the backbone of a good Old Fashioned or Manhattan, and a favorite for those who like their whiskey with a little more punch.
When to Reach for a Wheated Bourbon
New to whiskey? Wheated bourbon is the perfect entry point. Its round, fruit-forward flavor makes it a great option to sip neat or over ice while you develop your taste.
Mixing a cocktail? Wheated bourbon brings balance and body without overpowering other ingredients. It plays especially well in drinks that lean bright, bitter, or citrusy. Try it in:
- Gold Rush – Wheat amplifies the richness of honey and smooths out the citrus, giving this three-ingredient cocktail a silkier finish.
- Paper Plane – Softens the bitter edges of amaro and lets the toffee and vanilla notes rise to the surface.
- Morning Fog – A cold brew cocktail with salted maple whipped cream that leans into dessert territory. Wheated bourbon’s natural sweetness and softer profile enhance the coffee and chocolate notes without adding too much heat, making this an indulgent but balanced drink.
Explore it For Yourself
Wheated bourbon offers a softer side of whiskey, one that focuses on depth, nuance, and approachability. Whether you’re new to the category or looking for a smoother profile, it’s a style that rewards attention.
To explore it for yourself, try Screaming Titan, our wheated bourbon made with 30% wheat.