What we’re drinking: Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat
Where it’s from: Emmer is the first in a new experimental line of wheated bourbons from the award-winning Frankfort, KY-based distillery Buffalo Trace, which launched in 1775
Why we’re drinking this: When we talk bourbon, we talk about the influence of the barrel, yeast, water and terroir…but what about the grain itself?
“The purpose of this experiment was to see how influential the type of grain was to the wheated bourbon,” says Harlen Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Master Distiller. “We used Emmer wheat instead of red winter wheat, and we really saw a difference. I think it’s more rounded, not quite as tannic and a little bit sweeter.”
Emmer wheat is an ancient Egyptian grain that’s rarely seen in modern-day stills and is mainly used to make beer and bread. According to Wheatley, archaeologists have found evidence of Emmer wheat domestication from over 6,000 years ago, and its symbol is etched into the Egyptian pyramids.
The New Weller Bourbon Line Features an Unusual Grain
A new line of bourbon named after Daniel Weller will feature emmer wheat, an ancient grain that you’ll rarely find in today’s whiskey worldAs for the name? The bourbon honors Daniel Weller, the grandfather to William Larue Weller (the first person to sell a wheated bourbon in Kentucky) and an early whiskey maker himself.
After the Emmer release, other Daniel Weller lines will follow annually. “We have 3,500 barrels for experimental purposes,” says Wheatley. “And we’re looking at dozens of different wheat strains.”
How it tastes: The Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat expression was distilled in the custom-designed E.H. Taylor, Jr. Microstill, a combination pot/column still. It’s aged for nearly 12 years and bottled at 94 proof.
This is a decidedly nutty one, with lots of orange peel notes and a rich, creamy mouthfeel. On follow-up sips, you’ll get plenty of caramel, baking spices, oak and some orchard fruit (pears and apples, primarily). As with all Weller releases, it’s approachable but complex, and it evolves as it sits in the glass.
Fun fact: During our media tasting, Wheatley mentioned two warehouses that Buffalo Trace uses for experimentation: Warehouse P, where they experiment on long-aging by manipulating the temperature (“It’s like aging in the Antarctic,” he says), and Warehouse X, where the distillery manipulates variables related to the environment, temperature, sunlight, airflow and pressure. Part of that inspiration came after a tornado ripped the roof off a few warehouses back in 2006. “The barrels that were exposed for six months, it was like they had received a booster,” says Wheatley. “Which made us look at airflow and if something like a breezeway, which is like having barrels outside but with a roof, can make a difference.”
Where to buy: Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat is available this month, in very limited quantities, for a suggested retail price of $499.99.
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