(Photo by Jeff Harris)

Wheated bourbons offer a rounder, more delicate flavor profile than their high-rye cousins. Want to compare different wheaters side-by-side? We recommend starting with a few examples reviewed in our Buying Guide.

Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 15 year old—96 points

If ever you get your hands on some, savor it—this is the nonpareil of wheated bourbon.

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength—93 points

Standard Maker’s kicked up a notch to showcase marzipan, cotton candy, spice, and leather flavors.

Wyoming Barrel Strength—92 points

Both lively and deep, this single-barrel wheater offers complexity: a real show-stopper.

Maker’s Mark—89 points

Roasted almonds, vanilla, toffee, and praline—this is a tried-and-true classic for a reason.

Larceny—86 points

A well-priced wheater that delivers on creamy sweetness and balanced oak.

Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond—83 points

There’s nothing soft about this 100 proof whiskey, full of cracked pepper, cinnamon, and allspice.

W.L. Weller Special Reserve—82 points

Watermelon Jolly Rancher is not a tasting note you see every day, but it plays here with crème brûlée, caramel, and honey.

Garrison Brothers Cowboy—79 points

A wheater as wild as its Texas Hill Country home, at 67.5% ABV, it can easily take water or some ice.