Laws Whiskey House Debuts Oldest BIB Wheat Whiskey Yet

Dec 25, 2023

Laws Whiskey House Centennial Straight Wheat Whiskey will be available at the distillery June 8. (Photo: Laws Whiskey House)

On Tuesday, Laws Whiskey House announced the launch of a limited-edition, straight wheat whiskey scheduled to be available at the Colorado-based distillery's tasting room on Thursday. The 100% wheat whiskey will be available in specific markets starting in late June for a suggested retail price of $79.99.

The Bottled in Bond Centennial Straight Wheat Whiskey is unusual in the sense that its mashbill is composed of 100% wheat — a rare find within the American whiskey scene. The wheat is an heirloom varietal called Centennial Wheat, a soft white grain also used in the distillery's Four Grain Bourbon.

"We celebrate the grain and the role our farmers play in our whiskey more than most distilleries. This is a whiskey that showcases a unique wheat grain that is grown in a unique place, the San Luis Valley of Colorado," Laws Whiskey House founder Al Laws said in a news release. "The Cody Family grows this soft spring wheat for us for the balance it offers between flavor and sweetness.

Laws Whiskey House is no stranger to working with unusual grains for their whiskeys, and certain expressions like the Four Grain 8-Year Bonded Bourbon have performed well in the eyes of critics.

"Soft spring wheat has more starch than hard winter wheat, adding sweetness and aiding with fermentation," Law continues. "Like our San Luis Valley Straight Rye Whiskey in particular, you can taste the influence of the land in this whiskey."

Another important component that sets this whiskey apart is that it exceeds the standards of the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897. To qualify, the spirit must be made by one distillery in a single season, bottled at 100 proof and aged for at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse. Certain distilleries seek to age their whiskeys in a federally bonded warehouse under the supervision of the U.S. government because it serves as a quality guarantee.

The brand's previous batch of bottled-in-bond wheat whiskey, launched in 2022, was aged for about five years and five months. The current batch's additional two years of maturation adds more spices, sweet bread aromas and citrus qualities, according to Laws Whiskey House.

"It has a minerality from the soil that, combined with the whiskey's sweet, fruity profile, makes this whiskey the perfect summer sipper," Laws said.

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Cynthia Mersten is a writer/editor for Whiskey Raiders and has worked in the Beverage Industry for eight years. She started her career in wine and spirits distribution and sold brands like Four Roses, High West and Compass Box to a variety of bars and restaurants in the city she calls home: Los Angeles. Cynthia is a lover of all things related to wine, spirits and story and holds a BA from UCLA's School of Theatre, Film and Television. Besides writing, her favorite pastimes are photography and watching movies with her husband.