Review: Wheel Horse Baltic Porter Bourbon and Cigar Blend Bourbon Fall 2025
Launched in 2019 by Latitude Beverages, Wheel Horse Whiskey has charted its own course from the beginning. Proudly transparent in its process, Wheel Horse blends bourbon and rye distilled in Owensboro, Kentucky, at the historic DSP-KY-10 — the 10th oldest registered distillery in the state, founded in 1885. Once matured in western Kentucky, the barrels make their way to Wheel Horse’s facility in Rumford, Rhode Island, where the whiskey undergoes further aging, blending, and sometimes, secondary maturation in a range of finishing casks.
While Kentucky’s deep roots in American whiskey are widely celebrated, Rhode Island’s role in the early days of the American spirits industry is often overlooked. In the 1700s, Newport emerged as a hub of rum production, importing molasses from the Caribbean and exporting rum across the Atlantic world. At its height, dozens of distilleries operated across the colony. But after the Revolutionary War, rising costs for molasses and the growing popularity of domestic whiskey began to shift the tide. By the 19th century, Rhode Island’s distilling tradition had all but disappeared — and Prohibition dealt the final blow.
Today, Wheel Horse is breathing new life into the Ocean State’s spirits legacy — albeit with whiskey instead of rum. Operating out of a 12,000-square-foot facility with 40,000 square feet of storage space, Wheel Horse is helping reestablish Rhode Island’s place on the American spirits map.
In October 2025, Wheel Horse unveiled two new limited-edition bourbons: Baltic Porter Beer Finished Bourbon and Cigar Blend Bourbon – Fall 2025. Both expressions begin with Wheel Horse’s trusted Owensboro standard bourbon mashbill — 70% corn, 21% winter rye, and 9% 6-row malted barley — entered into barrels at 120 proof with a #4 char. After traditional aging, each bourbon was finished in selected casks.
Bottled at Wheel Horse’s signature 101 proof and priced at a modest $43, these new releases aim to continue the brand’s tradition of offering quality, well-crafted whiskey at an accessible price point.
Do these 2025 limited editions live up to that legacy? Let’s find out.
Wheel Horse Baltic Porter Beer Finished Bourbon Review
Wheel Horse Baltic Porter Beer Finished Bourbon is a collaborative effort rooted in shared heritage. Green River Distilling, established in 1885, provides the distillate, while Providence’s Narragansett Brewing Company — founded just five years later in 1890 and located near Wheel Horse’s Rhode Island facility — joins the project with its Baltic porter. This limited edition honors that shared history dating to the late-1800s with a creative barrel-swapping partnership.
Wheel Horse first sent freshly dumped bourbon barrels to Narragansett, where they were used to age a Baltic porter brewed with locally malted barley from Stone Path Malt in Wareham, Massachusetts. Brewed as a dark lager with layers of roasted malt, the beer spent three months in the barrels, extracting flavor and character from the wood.
Once emptied, the barrels returned to Wheel Horse, where they were filled with a blend of 10 bourbon barrels aged for 4 years and 1 month. The bourbon, blended at its natural batch strength of 117 proof, entered the beer-soaked casks for a 4-month finishing period. During this time, the proof gently reduced to 116.2 before being brought down to Wheel Horse’s standard bottling strength of 101.
The aroma opens with the signature of roasted malt. A note of watery hot chocolate — more akin to a mix made with water than milk — leads the way. This is followed by roasted hazelnuts and a slight eucalyptus tone. Thin caramel sauce appears toward the end, offering some sweetness. The nosing profile is certainly enjoyable, but overall, it leans a bit muted. A touch more intensity would have elevated it further.
Thankfully, the palate arrives with much more presence. Roasted hazelnuts and oatmeal cookies immediately grab attention as the dark beer cask is on display. As the sip progresses, cocoa nibs and a hint of burnt caramel settle in. The texture trends dry, accentuating the malt-driven notes. The finish recalls over-toasted cinnamon raisin bread, with clove and dark chocolate having the final word.
This is an overall well-executed limited edition. Beer finishes can be inconsistent, but Wheel Horse managed to integrate the Baltic porter influence without overpowering the bourbon’s base profile. While the nose lacks the energy to push this to the next level, the palate and finish more than hold their ground. At $43, it’s a quality release and a smart pick for anyone curious about dark beer cask-finished bourbons that deliver on flavor without pushing into luxury pricing. 101 proof. B+ / $43
Wheel Horse Cigar Blend Bourbon Fall 2025 Review
The 2024 release of Wheel Horse Cigar Blend Bourbon set a strong precedent, offering great character at an accessible price. That momentum carries into the Fall 2025 edition, which refines the approach by extending the secondary maturation period and continuing to explore a diverse range of finishing casks.
While the “cigar blend” category has grown crowded, many of its recent entries rely heavily on amburana — a highly aromatic Brazilian wood that often divides opinion. Wheel Horse wisely avoids it altogether. Instead, the 2025 release continues the use of Port, Cognac, sherry, and Armagnac casks, just as in 2024, keeping the profile rich without resorting to extremes.
This year’s batch begins with 31 barrels of bourbon aged between 4 years and just over 5 years. A key update is the longer finishing period: casks were used for anywhere from 9 to 18 months, giving the whiskey more time to absorb character from each barrel type. Another detail worth noting is the variation in barrel entry proof. About 10% of the bourbon entered finishing casks at 101 proof, while the rest ranged from 112.8 to 118.6 proof. After the blend was completed, the natural batch proof landed at 113 before being brought down to 101 for bottling.
The aroma plays directly into the cigar blend concept, offering Nutella and blackberry jam upfront. After a few minutes in the glass, toasted coconut and orange marmalade begin to show, rounding out the experience with sweet and slightly tangy notes. The darker nuttiness and toasted elements work hand-in-hand with the fruit-forward qualities.
On the palate, the whiskey paints a picture of Glühwein — hot mulled wine often enjoyed around the winter holidays. Dried orange peel, dark cherries, and mulling spice lead, while a grenadine-like sweetness adds another dimension of red fruit of character. The bourbon carries a medium-to-heavy body that gives it presence without becoming overwhelming.
The finish shifts toward a slightly tart, mildly sweet tamarind note, balanced by cocoa-dusted almonds and prunes. Mulling spices reassert as the flavors gradually taper off. Compared to the 2024 release, the Fall 2025 edition leans more heavily into spiced fruit, offering a stronger impression overall.
Once again, Wheel Horse proves that quality doesn’t have to come at a steep price. The Fall 2025 Cigar Blend is especially well-suited to cool evenings and long conversations, with or without a cigar in hand. It’s a well-developed release that builds on the brand’s identity without overreaching. 101 proof. A- / $43
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