Mash Bill: Corn 73% | Wheat 15% | Barley 12%
The finest bourbon results from an ideal combination of climate and geology that is rare outside of Kentucky but is found in the rolling hills of Weston, Missouri at the Holladay Distillery.
It is remarkable how one ingredient in a recipe can change the entire taste profile of a spirit. Holladay Soft Red Wheat is crafted with the original Holladay recipe with one substitute: wheat for the rye. Holladay Soft Red is made in the original stillhouse, barreled in Missouri white oak barrels, aged onsite in iron-clad rickhouses, and bottled at 100 proof.
Using wheat in a bourbon mash bill often results in a softer and sweeter taste profile than a bourbon made with rye, which typically adds spice to the palate. Soft Red Wheat has lower protein levels, red bran, and minimal gluten compared to other classes of wheat. Bourbons crafted with Soft Red Wheat offer a soft, smooth finish just as the name suggests.
Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bourbon is one of the very few bottled-in-bond wheat bourbons on the market aged 6+ years and it was worth the wait. To meet the rare and prestigious requirements to be classified as Bottled-in-Bond, a product must be distilled, aged, and bottled in the same location to assure a mark of authenticity.
It is also classified as a Real Missouri Bourbon under a 2019 law requiring that any whiskey labeled as Missouri bourbon must not only meet the federal standards for bourbon, but also be mashed, fermented, distilled, aged, and bottled in the state; aged in oak barrels manufactured in the state; and—beginning January 1, 2020—made with corn exclusively grown in the state.
The Holladay Distillery was founded in 1856, making it both the oldest distillery in the state of Missouri and the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi still operating on its original site. The property sits on active limestone springs that were first charted by Lewis and Clark in 1804, more than fifty years before Ben Holladay purchased the land that would later become his legacy.
Bottled-in-Bond
This classification is a prestigious mark of transparency and legitimacy in the distilled spirits world. The Bottled-in-Bond Act was established in 1897 to guarantee that the product a customer was purchasing was truly whiskey. The Act requires that spirits are aged and bottled according to a certain set of guidelines.
Prior to the establishment of this Act, many people would sell spirits labeled as whiskey that were not authentic. Some would be colored, flavored, or diluted to produce a deceiving taste and appearance of true whiskey. Distillers fought for the government to get involved and that is how Bottled-in-Bond came to be.
TO BE LABELED BOTTLED-IN-BOND, A WHISKEY MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
- Product of a single distiller in a single season—spring (January to June) or fall (July to December)
- Aged for a minimum of 4 years in a federally bonded rickhouse
- Bottled at 50% ABV / 100 proof in the same location it was distilled
100 Proof (ABV 50%)
Who was Ben Holladay?
Ben Holladay is one of the greatest unknown figures in American history. Born in Kentucky, he moved to Weston, Missouri, as a teenager to seek his fame and fortune.
He became the original transportation tycoon, famed as the “Stagecoach King” for creating the Overland Express stagecoach lines that were ultimately sold to Wells Fargo, just one piece of a transportation portfolio that also included steamships, streetcars, and a railroad. He even owned the Pony Express for part of its brief history.
With everything from silver mines to saloons also under his domain, he was the largest individual employer in the US in the late 1800s and kept close counsel with everyone from President Lincoln to Brigham Young. He built an empire that spanned the entire country, and this distillery is the only piece left standing. Little did he know that whiskey would be the lasting legacy that carried the Holladay name well into the future.
Where it all began
The Holladay Distillery was established over 166 years ago, but the history of the property goes back even further. Over fifty years before founder Ben Holladay acquired the land, Lewis and Clark passed through in 1804 during their famed expedition to the West. They discovered and charted the limestone springs that run abundantly throughout the property and traveled through what would later become Weston, Missouri.
It wasn’t until 1837 that the town of Weston was officially established, earning its name by virtue of being the “farthermost town west in trade” of that era. It was a small town of fewer than 300 people, but it was the second-largest port on the Missouri River at the time, surpassing both Kansas City and St. Joseph.
Ben Holladay purchased the land in 1849. The site consisted of several acres of land and a stone building that had served as a meatpacking house. Upon discovery of the site’s limestone springs, the idea for Ben’s next business venture was born. As a Kentucky native, Ben knew that limestone water was optimal for bourbon production and he and his brother, David, went to work on acquiring the necessary items needed for distillation.
In 1856, Ben and David distilled their first batch of bourbon under what they had named the Blue Springs Distillery. The barrels were stored in an ancient cave on site that had previously been used for meat curing and preservation. To this day, the same cave is intact and continues to be a fan favorite along the tour route of the facility.
After a short year of aging, the first batch of whiskey from the Blue Springs Distillery was sold for 35 cents per gallon. Shortly after, Ben transferred ownership of the distillery to his brother, Major David Holladay. The business stayed in the Holladay family through the end of the 1800s, passing from David Holladay to his son and son-in-law to become Barton & Holladay in 1894.
Over the next century, the distillery changed hands only three more times (purchased by George H. Shawhan in 1900, Isadore Singer in 1936, and Cloud L. Cray in 1950) before being acquired by the current ownership group in 1993.
Nose
Rich caramel and vanilla with soft hints of honeyed wheat. Subtle notes of baked apple, toasted oak, and a touch of cinnamon provide warmth and depth.
Palate
Smooth and creamy with a luscious mouthfeel. The absence of rye allows for a softer profile, bringing out flavors of sweet toffee, honey, and butterscotch. Mid-palate reveals gentle notes of nutmeg, roasted almonds, and a touch of citrus zest.
Finish
Long, mellow, and warming with lingering notes of caramelized sugar, oak spice, and a touch of dark chocolate. The wheat influence provides a velvety, slightly buttery texture that fades into a soft, sweet finish.
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