Castle & Key Wheated Bourbon Whiskey
Castle & Key Wheated Bourbon Whiskey is a Kentucky straight wheated bourbon — 99 proof (49.5% ABV), 750mL, aged at least five years — distilled at the restored historic Old Taylor Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, and available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
Castle & Key's wheated bourbon reimagines the distillery's flagship mash bill by swapping the spicy rye for white winter wheat — the softer secondary grain behind legends like Weller and Pappy. The mash bill is 73% locally grown non-GMO white corn, 10% white winter wheat and 17% malted barley. It comes off the still at 135 proof, enters the barrel at a low 107 proof in 53-gallon #4-char barrels, and rests in the distillery's famously cool Warehouse B before being small-batch blended and bottled at 99 proof, non-chill filtered.
Tasting notes: A floral, confectionary nose of caramel, vanilla, rosewater and orange blossom. The palate is creamy and soft — shortbread, honey, almond pastry, roasted cashews and caramelized sugar with baking spice and dried fruit — finishing smooth and medium-long with vanilla cream, soft cinnamon and toasted oak.
Why buy it at Del Mesa Liquor? This is modern Kentucky craft bourbon from one of the state's most storied distillery sites, and the wheated style is the softer, sweeter alternative to rye-recipe bourbons — ideal for drinkers who love the Weller profile. Compare it with more small-batch whiskey picks from Castle & Key, and order online for fast shipping from our San Diego store.
Serving suggestion: Sip neat or with a single large cube to enjoy the creamy texture; its 99-proof backbone also holds up beautifully in an Old Fashioned or a wheated-bourbon Manhattan.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Castle & Key wheated bourbon different?
It uses white winter wheat instead of rye as the secondary grain (73% white corn, 10% wheat, 17% malted barley), giving a softer, sweeter, more confectionary profile than traditional rye-recipe bourbons.
What proof is Castle & Key Wheated Bourbon?
The Small Batch Wheated Bourbon is bottled at 99 proof (49.5% ABV), non-chill filtered. (A separate 7-year Cask Strength release exists at barrel proof.)
How long is Castle & Key wheated bourbon aged?
The Small Batch release is aged for at least five years in new charred American oak.
Is Castle & Key a real Kentucky distillery?
Yes — Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, is the meticulously restored former Old Taylor Distillery, a National Historic Landmark site, and distills its own whiskey on site.