The World's Best Wheated Bourbon, According To The SF World Spirits Competition
Five whiskeys are the Wheated Bourbon category finalists at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The SFWSC is the world's largest and most prestigious judging of American whiskey. Below are brief backgrounds and tasting notes on the finalists. The Top Shelf 2025 Awards Gala, a highly anticipated whiskey industry event, will announce the winner on November 9 at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco.
Wheated reserve is part of Frank August's experimental "Case Study" series. Each batch explores different aging techniques and mash bill variations. Case Study 05 focuses on a small batch of wheated bourbon, using just five barrels. Distilled in Kentucky and bottled at cask strength, typically around 114–116 proof, it highlights wheat's softer, richer qualities in bourbon.
On the nose, it offers pronounced aromas of caramelized brown sugar, old leather, baked apples, and a hint of cinnamon dust. The palate is luxuriously smooth yet complex, delivering layers of vanilla bean, maple candy, toasted almond, and clove-spiced toffee. The finish is long and silky, fading slowly with sweet oak and warm baking spice. This release showcases the creamy, rich side of wheated bourbon, with impressive complexity for a small batch offering.
The SFWSC Judging Panel described the wheated bourbon as exhibiting aromas of cinnamon baked apples, old leather, vanilla, and caramel. The palate is smooth and creamy, featuring maple candies, nuts, caramel, vanilla, and spice notes of cinnamon and clove. The finish is long and creamy, with lingering notes of seasoned oak and wood spices.'
This small-batch craft bourbon, produced in Chicago, Illinois, by Maplewood, uses a high-corn, wheat-forward mash bill and is bottled at around 90–95 proof. Despite being new to the whiskey industry, Maplewood's distillation program has gained strong respect for its quality.
On the nose, this bourbon is aromatic and approachable, with aromas of caramel corn, vanilla wafer, light oak, and a subtle hint of cooked, honeyed grain. It's gentle yet flavorful on the palate, unfolding layers of sweet toffee, buttered popcorn, baked apples, and a touch of nutmeg.
The wheat softens the mouthfeel considerably, giving it a creamy, rounded texture. The finish is clean and mid-length, with lingering sweet oak and baking spice notes. This bourbon is a comfortable, easy sipper, showcasing the smooth, approachable character that good wheated bourbon can deliver even from a relatively young bottling.
The SFWSC Judging Panel described the whiskey as expressing 'aromas of stone fruit, cooked corn, caramel, vanilla, oak, and cooked cereal on the nose. The palate features buttered popcorn, apple pie/caramel apple, and wood spices. The finish is long, slightly sweet, with lingering baked apple and corn bread notes.'
This bourbon is part of Heaven Hill's ambitious "Grain to Glass" series, highlighting complete transparency and small-batch craftsmanship — from seed selection through barrel aging. It has been a perennial winner in international spirit competitions. This expression focuses on traditional Kentucky mash bills, aged in classic #3 char new oak barrels, and bottled around 110–115 proof.
It's rich with a classic Kentucky bourbon profile on the nose, featuring butterscotch, brown sugar, toasted oak, and dried cherry aromas. The palate is robust and weighty, showcasing molasses, baked peaches, vanilla cream flavors, and a firm backbone of caramelized oak.
The wheat component offers a subtle sweetness, while the barrel strength proof delivers plenty of depth and spice. The finish is long and layered, dominated by oak wood spices, dark honey, and roasted hazelnut. This bottling is a classic, robust wheated bourbon, true to Heaven Hill's historic style.
The SFWSC Judging Panel described the wheated bourbon as expressing 'aromas of creamy butterscotch, cherry syrup, dried peaches, and charred oak. The palate is rich and creamy, featuring molasses/brown sugar, dried fruit, caramel, vanilla, roasted nuts, and oak spices. The finish is long and slightly sweet, with lingering oak and spice notes.'
Glass of wheated bourbon and wheat ears
W.L. Weller Antique 107 is a cult favorite in the bourbon world. It's distilled at Buffalo Trace using their famed wheated mash bill, shared with Pappy Van Winkle. Although the expression carries a list price of $59, the average retail price in the US, according to Wine Searcher, is $194.
Bottled at 107 proof, Antique 107 balances power and sweetness beautifully. The nose has candied pecans, cinnamon sticks, ripe cherries, and soft leather. It's bold yet velvety on the palate, bursting with flavors of dark caramel, red apple, vanilla frosting, and toasted almond, framed by gentle baking spice notes. The finish is vibrant, long, and lightly peppery, with lingering notes of sweet oak, cinnamon, and rich toffee.
Weller Antique 107 remains one of the best examples of a high-proof wheated bourbon, with impressive character and drinkability.
The SFWSC Judging Panel described the bourbon as expressing 'aromas of vanilla custard, peach chunks, and caramel. The palate features classic wheated bourbon notes of caramel, brown sugar, Rainier cherries, and seasoned oak. The finish is long and robust with lingering vanilla and dried fruit notes.'
Weller's C.Y.P.B. is a special release from Buffalo Trace's "craft your ideal bourbon' online campaign. The result was a wheated bourbon, aged 8 years, bottled at 95 proof, matured on the upper floors of the warehouses. Now in high demand by collectors, the bottle sells for an average price of $592 according to Wine Searcher.
On the nose, C.Y.P.B. is elegant and fresh, with aromas of white chocolate, honeycomb, seasoned oak, fresh peaches, and a trace of honeysuckle. The palate is delicate but flavorful, highlighting notes of vanilla custard, caramelized pear, lightly toasted coconut, and gentle cinnamon spice. The wheat has a luscious mouthfeel complemented by a subtle sweetness.
The finish is medium-long, slightly sweet, with lingering sweet vanilla, toasted almond notes, and a faint hint of herbal freshness. Weller C.Y.P.B. is a smoother, more refined cousin to Antique 107, prized for its balance, grace, and crowd-pleasing flavor.
The SFWSC Judging Panel described the wheated bourbon as showcasing floral aromas complemented by vanilla, caramel, white chocolate, honey, and seasoned oak notes. The palate is flavorful, featuring a layered complexity of vanilla cream, poached orchard fruit, butterscotch, coconut, and wood spices. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering vanilla and nutty notes.
These five wheated bourbons from the 2025 SFWSC showcase the benefit of a high wheat mash bill. The results are exceptionally smooth, easy-drinking bourbons that expand bourbon's aroma and flavor profile. These five expressions are outstanding. They are among the world's best wheat-based bourbons.
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