Review: Holladay Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse Proof Bourbon

Jacob did a fine job setting the stage for Ben Holladay Distillery with his review of its Soft Red Wheat Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon and Bottled-in-Bond Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey in his prior reviews of the Missouri-based operation. Consider this an addendum, reviewing the Soft Red Wheat Bottled-In-Bond expression but at “rickhouse proof,” aka cask strength.

It’s the same mash of 73% corn, 15% soft red winter wheat, and 12% malted barley, and also aged for 6 years, but it hits the bottle at over 60% abv. Note that bottles are dated with the year and month of bottling, created with the understanding that releases will change from batch to batch. Let’s dive in.

Holladay Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse Proof Bourbon Review

The operating word in the name of bonded expression is “soft,” as it’s loaded with gentle notes of tinned fruit, buttery brioche, sesame, and coconut cream (I tasted it fresh) — as lovely a session dram as you’ll find in this price and age band. With an extra 10+% alcohol, the picture changes, at least a bit, as the quietude of the bonded expression is replaced by a considerably racier composition. Notes of dried fruits and vanilla remain, but there’s also a substantial punch to the whiskey, not just ethanol but a clear barrel char quality that adds a grittiness and ample dark chocolate. While the bonded expression is indeed “soft,” this rendition has quite the edge.

The palate continues the theme. There’s lots of brown sugar and nutmeg here, and I was quickly reminded of a nut-studded fruitcake, with a clove character developing considerably as it builds in glass. Airtime helps this whiskey approach a more traditional, and quite savory, quality, those cloves really digging deep into the back of the palate and snowballing into notes of dark chocolate and mint. Those lattermost elements are common to the bonded Soft Red Wheat expression, but the hefty barrel char character is fresh and new.

The finish is lingering and surprisingly rich, a dense blend of raisins, figs, and spent bonfire logs. I like it just fine, but side by side against the bonded expression, there’s just no comparison: The gentler, more elegant 100-proofer won me over every time. That could just be a function of this vintage, or it could be proof that this is a whiskey that just doesn’t need the extra alcoholic punch. Either way, I suggest giving Holladay a spin.

121.5 proof. Reviewed: October 2024 release.

B+ / $75 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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