Harlen D. Wheatley CLIX Vodka
Harlen D. Wheatley CLIX Vodka is Buffalo Trace's moonshot in a crystal decanter — 40% ABV, 750ml, the ultra-premium vodka from the distillery's master distiller, distilled 159 times (CLIX in Roman numerals) and presented in a hand-numbered lead-free crystal decanter inside a handcrafted burl wood case. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Size: 750ml
- Distillation: 159 distillations through custom copper and stainless-steel stills — 143 different 200-gallon batches of corn, wheat, rye and malted-barley wash, fermented and distilled over six months
- Rest: 12 months in stainless-steel tanks before bottling
- Origin: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky; launched November 2012 in 2,000-bottle batches
159 Distillations of Obsession
Harlen Davis Wheatley spent seven years designing and installing a custom still system before the first bottle of CLIX was ever filled — a decade-long pursuit of the perfect vodka from America's most storied bourbon distillery. Two thousand bottles at a time, each decanter individually numbered, each presented in burl wood with a crystal stopper: this is vodka as a collector's object that happens to drink beautifully.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Very clean — sweet grain, lightly sweetened lemon, a flinty mineral edge with faint bready notes. Palate: Superbly clean and silky — white cracked pepper, sweet grain, a whisper of citrus and aniseed. Finish: Clean with delicate hints of apple skin fading to fruity dark chocolate.
How to Enjoy
Ice-cold and unadorned first — a martini is where its clean grain character takes center stage. It also elevates any citrus-forward cocktail. See more premium vodkas at Del Mesa Liquor, or explore the Buffalo Trace Distillery family, from bourbon to this singular vodka.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CLIX mean? 159 in Roman numerals — the number of distillations (counting each column-still plate) used to make the vodka.
Who makes CLIX Vodka? Harlen Davis Wheatley, master distiller of Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky.
How limited is it? It is produced in batches of just 2,000 bottles, each decanter individually numbered.
Own a piece of Buffalo Trace history — order Harlen D. Wheatley CLIX Vodka online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.