A little background

Bernheim Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey is made with Heaven Hill’s wheat whiskey mashbill which is comprised of 51% wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley. Bottles of this release feature the B923 batch number on the front of each bottle next to the Barrel Proof designation. The letter “B” represents the second batch of the year. The first number represents the month of the release with “9” indicating September. Finally, the last two digits indicate the corresponding year with “23” designating 2023.

According to Heaven Hill, this extension to the Bernheim brand delivers the same familiar smoothness with even more depth of flavor from seven to nine full years of aging. Pulled straight from the barrel and bottled without chill filtration, Bernheim Barrel Proof wheat whiskey in its purest form. Like the Original, Barrel Proof is produced at the namesake Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky and aged in Heaven Hill’s rickhouses. Bernheim Barrel Proof will be a nationally allocated product which will be released in batches, twice a year.

B923 Bernheim Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey is bottled at 120.6 Proof and carries a retail price of around $65 USD.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Gold

Nose

Thick caramel, nuts, cherry, bubblegum, vanilla, baked bread, and oak.

Palate

Caramel, baking spice, peanut butter, banana, honey, cinnamon, and a touch of rhubarb.

Finish

Honey, Hershey’s syrup, caramel, banana, peanut butter, oak, and lingering cinnamon.

In closing

Prior to the release of Bernheim Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey, I was already a big fan of the standard non-barrel proof variant of this whiskey. Naturally, I was quite excited when I heard the news that Bernheim would be offered in full-octane Barrel Proof.

The tasting experience of this whiskey is quite pleasant, especially considering the low extremely fair $65 price tag. The nose has an enticing Manhattan-like quality, filled with beautiful sweet notes. The palate is rich with caramel, baking spice, banana, and even a touch of rhubarb. On the finish, notes of honey, Hershey’s syrup, peanut butter, and oak stick around for a pleasantly long period of time. As stated above, Bernheim Barrel Proof B923 is an enjoyable wheated whiskey and worth every penny at $65.

The sample used for this review was provided to us by Heaven Hill Distillery at no charge with no strings attached.