Bernheim Original Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey Review (Winter 2024)

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A-

A sample of the latest Bernheim Original Barrel Proof, the A224 (meaning first batch of the year, February 2024) arrived at my house in a timely manner, because I was departing for visitation with my son a couple of weeks later. So I tucked it away in my luggage, took my notes one evening, and enjoyed the rest as Air BnB whiskey. That proved to be a casual, but serendipitous choice of travel whiskey, because this batch is the best Bernheim I’ve tried in some years.

Before I plunge into this particular release, a review of the brand history is in order. I remember when Bernheim was first released in 2005: I took note of the bottle at Liquor Barn on a visit home to Kentucky, and immediately picked it up as a curiosity, since wheat whiskey was unheard of at that time. Since then, this whiskey named for Heaven Hill’s principal distillery has come into its own. The stock behind the brand has been used in Parker’s Heritage releases a couple of times, including the oldest wheat whiskey released to date; the core expression bucked prevailing trends at the time by acquiring an age statement in 2014. Finally, they added a cask strength version about a year ago, slated to come out in two batches per year.

So Bernheim Barrel Proof has not been around for long, but I found last years two releases to be rather ordinary, in the sense that they were just stronger Bernheim. The stock used for barrel proof batches still retains a 7 year age statement, but is supposed to come from a wider age range of 7 to 9 years, so that outcome was a little disappointing.

But as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. This time I am guessing the batch got a sizable proportion of “honey barrels,” either incidentally or by design. This is also the strongest of the releases to date, coming in at 125.2 proof.

The Whiskey
The pour took on a brown-tinted, light amber look in the glass, with the nose coming on like a freshly baked sweet roll. That roll comes smothered with a vanilla-infused frosting a thick covering of nutty bits, and the dough was baked with a generous helping of cinnamon stirred in. The palate follows much the same list of elements, but with a woody element coming forward. The oak doesn’t dominate, but makes its presence felt, giving the flavor a noticeably drier, spicier character against the far sweeter nose, and overall just brings the whole thing into better balance. The finish leans even further in this direction, turning moderately tannic, oaky and spicy, plus a little leathery. It’s a surprisingly woody conclusion for what is still merely a mature whiskey, and not even a middle aged one.

This batch of Bernheim is a balanced flavor bomb, and I began seeing rave reviews for it on Instagram just prior to my getting on the plane. Despite this batch being celebrated by a handful of sources (including me), the expression itself is still not the sort of thing bottle hunters automatically chase down to extinction. So, your odds of snagging one at recommended retail price are pretty good. Go get it.

The Price
Expect to pay $65 a bottle.