Monday, May 12, 2014

Bernheim Bliss – Adventures In Wheat Whiskey

Whiskey is an ageless spirit that has always found ways to re-invent itself through the use of different grains.  The best Scottish and Irish whiskies are generally built on barley while the top American bourbons are derived from distilled corn or rye.  Having a great fondness for all of these styles, I was instantly enamored with the thought of trying a new one when I received a bottle of Bernheim Original, a wheat based whiskey from Kentucky.

The thought of taking a great beverage that is traditionally focused on malted barley and adding some wheat into the mix is clearly not a new one when one considers how well wheat based beers compliment their barley counterparts.  As with beer, the wheat version does not disappoint and offers a lighter, smoother, yet flavorful alternative to barley (or in the case of most bourbon – corn).

On its own, Bernheim is incredibly smooth.  It has a light, slightly spicy and sweet flavor. Like many fine Irish whiskies or lighter American or Canadian whiskies, Bernheim goes down neatly without an intense burn or strong and intensely memorable peat-y aftertaste (yeah Scotland – I’m referring to you . . . )  Smooth, however, should not be confused with weak or flavorless . . . this whiskey has plenty of flavor that continues to reinforce the notion it’s a great contender. 

As with rye whiskies, I found that Bernheim has potential to play a niche role in whiskey based cocktails due to its unconventional smoothness and wheat based character.  Looking for something to truly showcase the flavor, I went to the source tried some of the cocktails that Bernheim recommends on its unconventionally arranged website.

I tried the Bernheim Blossom and the Bernheim Fashion and liked both very much.  Both were very light and smooth and showcased how the use of a wheat based whiskey can provide a new twist on classic bourbon cocktails.  As somebody who rarely mixes orange juice with whiskey, I found Bernheim to be a particularly pleasant compliment to citrusy mixes which helps explain the large number of citrus influenced cocktails on their website.*

I hope that you get a chance to try this unique Kentucky whiskey and some of the great cocktails that showcases its lovely and unique character.  Cheers!

* Although I abhor the custom of garnishing a finely crafted Hefeweizen with an orange slice, I understand the wheat/citrus impulse and it plays out beautifully here.


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