Bourbon Drinkers - Which Style Do You Prefer Wheated or Rye?

[JohnnyFlake]

For those of you who may not know, there are distinctly two different styles of Bourbon. There is the Rye, of which there are many, many and then there is the Wheated, of which there are not nearly as many. Of course, no matter if Rye or Wheated it must contain at least 51% Corn to be a Bourbon.

Which style do you prefer and what are some of your favorites, within that style, or for that matter, in both styles.

Personally, I much prefer the Wheated Style over the Rye. I will not name the ones I like at this time, so as not to influence others, however, I will say that my all time go to is Makers Mark!

BTW, there are a very, very few bourbons that are made from Malt, however, the number is so small, I chose not to include them in this discussion.

[ChicagoWhiteSox]

Wheat over Rye all day for me. Not big on bourbon, but when I do drink it, I prefer wheat. Much smoother IMO, I like the profile of them better.

[SteveH]

Rye Guy :D

[DaBear]

I tend to go for wheateds, but I have nothing against a good rye

[wrinklenuts]

Wheated by a long shot!:)

[LostAbbott]

Any thing that was aged by pappy. Rye is great and so is wheat, just depends on my mood that day. Right now my two loves are Rowan creek(small batch wheated) and willett(the get all of their barrels from pappy then design their own mix).
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[pektel]

bulleit rye for me, please.
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[Zanaspus]

bulleit rye for me, please.
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My fav. I actually prefer rye to bourbon, but if I'm going to drink bourbon, I prefer a wheater. Don't try to understand me. :confused:

[tsolomon]

Rye as Woodford Reserve is my favorite.

[ChicagoWhiteSox]

My fav. I actually prefer rye to bourbon, but if I'm going to drink bourbon, I prefer a wheater. Don't try to understand me. :confused:

bourbon can be rye or wheat, so I'm not following:r

[andromalius]

I've had rye, and I enjoy it. I've never had a wheat bourbon, unless I did and didn't know it.

[JohnnyFlake]

I've had rye, and I enjoy it. I've never had a wheat bourbon, unless I did and didn't know it.

Here is a list of some of the more popular Wheated Bourbon Brands:

Makers Mark
Old Weller Antique
Old Weller 107
Old Weller 12yo
Van Winkle
Old Fitzgerald
Rebel Yell
Rebel Reserve
Cabin Still
David Nicholson 1843

[oooo35980]

Rye as Woodford Reserve is my favorite.

+1

[LockOut]

no prference, depends on what I am in the mood for.

[Bruins Fan]

Rye for me :chr

[dwoodward]

Woodford Reserve, Bookers, Bakers are great Ryes....

I haven't had a lot of wheated ones. But Makers Mark and Makers Mark 47 are both tastey!

[5newmans]

Makers Mark and Knob Creek for me.:chr

[tsolomon]

Did some looking around and wasn't able to find a list of rye and wheated bourbon. It seems like you need to research each one to figure out what is used in the mash.
My favorites are:
Woodford Reserve - my go to
George Stagg when I can find it
Evan Williams Single Barrel
Eagle Rare 10 yr
Booker's
Knob Creek
Buffalo Trace
Maker's Mark

I did find this link which had some good information about bourbons.

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/drinking/spirits/bourbon?page=all

[Frodo]

bulleit rye for me, please.
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My fav. I actually prefer rye to bourbon, but if I'm going to drink bourbon, I prefer a wheater. Don't try to understand me. :confused:

bourbon can be rye or wheat, so I'm not following:r

I think what Zanaspus meant is that he prefers straight rye to bourbon but within the bourbon category he would prefer wheaters to ryed bourbon. At least that's what I got from it as he was responding to someone who liked Bulleit rye.

[JohnnyFlake]

Woodford Reserve, Bookers, Bakers are great Ryes....

I haven't had a lot of wheated ones. But Makers Mark and Makers Mark 47 are both tastey!

Not being a jerk my friend, but I am sure you meant Makers 46, and it is a great bourbon!

[RevSmoke]

I don't know if they are wheated or rye, never paid that much attention to them.

Woodford Reserve
Eagle Rare
Buffalo Trace
Elijah Craig 12yr old (special for HiTime Wines)
Ridgemont Reserve 1792

These are the ones I like, so are they wheated or rye?

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[mosesbotbol]

Wheat over Rye all day for me. Not big on bourbon, but when I do drink it, I prefer wheat. Much smoother IMO, I like the profile of them better.

Same here. Rye is a handful to drink for me.

[JohnnyFlake]

Same here. Rye is a handful to drink for me.

Yes, Wheated Bourbons are much smoother than Rye Bourbons and some offer a slight sweetness on the finish.

Had me some Makers 46 last night, Oh Yea!

[mosesbotbol]

Yes, Wheated Bourbons are much smoother than Rye Bourbons and some offer a slight sweetness on the finish.

Had me some Makers 46 last night, Oh Yea!

I don't mind rye in beer or bread.

[Zanaspus]

I think what Zanaspus meant is that he prefers straight rye to bourbon but within the bourbon category he would prefer wheaters to ryed bourbon. At least that's what I got from it as he was responding to someone who liked Bulleit rye.

This.

[RevSmoke]

I don't know if they are wheated or rye, never paid that much attention to them.

Woodford Reserve
Eagle Rare
Buffalo Trace
Elijah Craig 12yr old (special for HiTime Wines)
Ridgemont Reserve 1792

These are the ones I like, so are they wheated or rye?

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Yes, Wheated Bourbons are much smoother than Rye Bourbons and some offer a slight sweetness on the finish.

Had me some Makers 46 last night, Oh Yea!

So which of they ones I named are wheated?

If they are not, give me some examples of wheated bourbons. To me, the normal Makers Mark is nasty, not smooth at all. Of course, that is simply make taste/take on it.

If that is wheated, and if some of the others which I have tasted and found that I don't like (because I don't find them smooth) are wheated, then could we assume the smoothness is dependant upon individual palate?

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[Frodo]

I don't know if they are wheated or rye, never paid that much attention to them.

Woodford Reserve
Eagle Rare
Buffalo Trace
Elijah Craig 12yr old (special for HiTime Wines)
Ridgemont Reserve 1792

These are the ones I like, so are they wheated or rye?

Peace of the Lord be with you.

The ones you've mentioned are all ryed bourbons. Examples of wheaters are Makers Mark, the Van Winkle line, and the Weller line from Buffalo Trace.

[JohnnyFlake]

So which of they ones I named are wheated?

If they are not, give me some examples of wheated bourbons. To me, the normal Makers Mark is nasty, not smooth at all. Of course, that is simply make taste/take on it.

If that is wheated, and if some of the others which I have tasted and found that I don't like (because I don't find them smooth) are wheated, then could we assume the smoothness is dependant upon individual palate?

Peace of the Lord be with you.

See my post, number 12 in this thread. It has a listing of the most commonly known Wheated Bourbons.

Yes, taste is very subjective and different people, when tasting the same product, can perceive different flavor profile. However, it is commonly suggested by many bourbon drinkers that wheated bourbons do often offer a slight sweetness of the finish.

[RevSmoke]

Here is a list of some of the more popular Wheated Bourbon Brands:

Makers Mark
Old Weller Antique
Old Weller 107
Old Weller 12yo
Van Winkle
Old Fitzgerald
Rebel Yell
Rebel Reserve
Cabin Still
David Nicholson 1843

OK, I see this list. Of these, I've had the ones I highlighted in red. I guess then, considering the ones I like, that I'm more of a rye Bourbon drinker than wheat. For of those I highlighted, I'd only get them again if I got a real deal on them.

I find the rye Bourbons that I like to be smoother and slightly sweeter, especially in the finish, than I do the wheated ones.

Interesting!

Again, as I've said with so many other things, you have to satisfy your own palate. If you don't like it, don't try to please someone else's palate.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[tsolomon]

I find the rye Bourbons that I like to be smoother and slightly sweeter, especially in the finish, than I do the wheated ones.
I have found this to be the case as well.

[pektel]

I find the rye Bourbons that I like to be smoother and slightly sweeter, especially in the finish, than I do the wheated ones.



I have found this to be the case as well.

+2. In the case with my personal favorite (Bulleit), I almost get a cinnamon type sweetness on the finish. Even moreso when I throw in an ice cube or 2.

[Ken]

Obviously there isn't a correct answer except for, "I'll have another".:dr

Rye definitely dominates the numbers, but with Buffalo Trace keeping the Pappy and Weller lines alive wheated bourbon has surged. I've pondered it myself before but no clear cut answer for me. I think this is one time I don't mind just sitting on the fence, either way I fall I land on bourbon.

[Powers]

I also hadn't considered whether I prefer wheat or rye. Although I do love nearly all the bourbons I have had the pleasure to taste

Also for generic info, what are the standards of Beam and Evan Williams? Wheat or Rye? Those are normally all I can afford as I am a poor grad student :D

[NPRCHRISTOS]

Anyone try Devil's Cut? :dr:dr:dr

http://www.jimbeam.com/devils-cut

[JohnnyFlake]

I also hadn't considered whether I prefer wheat or rye. Although I do love nearly all the bourbons I have had the pleasure to taste

Also for generic info, what are the standards of Beam and Evan Williams? Wheat or Rye? Those are normally all I can afford as I am a poor grad student :D

There are no standards with respect to how much Wheat or Rye is used when making a Wheated Bourbon vs a Rye Bourbon. The only know standards are that Wheat and Rye are never mixed to create a Bourbon and that if it's going to be a Bourbon, not a plain Whiskey, it must contain a minimum of 51% Corn.

[Powers]

There are no standards with respect to how much Wheat or Rye is used when making a Wheated Bourbon vs a Rye Bourbon. The only know standards are that Wheat and Rye are never mixed to create a Bourbon and that if it's going to be a Bourbon, not a plain Whiskey, it must contain a minimum of 51% Corn.

Ah ok. But where are Jim Beam and Evan Williams in the wheat vs rye bourbons, respectively?

[JohnnyFlake]

Ah ok. But where are Jim Beam and Evan Williams in the wheat vs rye bourbons, respectively?

They are both considered to be in the Rye category.

[Frodo]

Anyone try Devil's Cut? :dr:dr:dr

http://www.jimbeam.com/devils-cut

I only tried a sample but I thought it was pretty decent. Nothing I'd rush out to get, but if it was on sale I might spring for it.

[cowboyjeans]

Bulleit or Bulleit Rye.. They are probably my favorite go to bourbons right now. The Rye has a floral quality about it. The Regular one has a cinnamon spice and taste to it.

[Parshooter]

Definitly rye. Bulleit is my go to. I love the Sazarac also (BTAC and regular production).

[DaBear]

I'm thinking about picking up some Jefferson's Rye in the next week or so. I tried the regular Jefferson's and I'm intrigued. Plus the price tag ain't bad, and it comes with a glass.