Twenty years ago, Heaven Hill Distillery did something that most of the whiskey world wasn't expecting. They released Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey — a spirit built around soft winter wheat instead of the rye that had long defined American whiskey flavor profiles. It was a quiet kind of bold move. And now, two decades later, they're marking the occasion with a limited edition bottling that makes a strong case for just how far wheat whiskey has come.
The Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey 20th Anniversary Limited Edition was released by Heaven Hill to celebrate the brand's milestone, and it's not just a cosmetic update with a commemorative label slapped on the same old bottle. This release represents a deliberate and considered effort to show what the Bernheim distillery is capable of when time is allowed to do its work.
The whiskey is made at the Bernheim Distillery using the same signature soft winter wheat recipe that started it all back in 2005. What sets this anniversary edition apart is that the distillery hand-selected barrels that had been aging for a full 10 years before bottling. That's a meaningful stretch of time for any whiskey, and for a wheat-forward spirit, those extra years in the rickhouse add layers of complexity that you simply can't rush.
And speaking of the rickhouse — the barrels rested in Bardstown, Kentucky, which has long been considered one of the spiritual homes of American bourbon and whiskey production. The climate in that part of the state, with its hot summers and cold winters, puts the wood through its paces and pushes the spirit in and out of the charred oak in ways that leave a distinct impression on the final product.
When it comes to what's actually in the glass, the 20th Anniversary Limited Edition comes in at 115 proof, or 57.5% ABV. That's a serious pour — not the kind of number that suggests this was made to be a casual sipper for someone who's never thought much about whiskey. It was bottled at that strength intentionally, because it lets the full character of those aged barrels come through without being watered down to the point of losing what makes it interesting.
On the nose, the whiskey opens with cinnamon and baking spices that are layered with vanilla and oak. It's the kind of aroma that calls back to a kitchen in the fall — warm, familiar, with just enough complexity to make you want to slow down and pay attention. The palate follows through with rich flavors of molasses and butterscotch, which gives the whole experience a kind of depth and sweetness that doesn't feel cloying or overdone. Then comes the finish — peppery, warm, and balanced in a way that lingers without overstaying its welcome. It's the finish of a whiskey that was made with patience.
The bottle itself deserves a mention too. Rather than going the route of flashy packaging that looks good on a shelf but means nothing, Heaven Hill opted for a commemorative bottle that features a distinctive copper plate on the front. It's a nod to the heritage and craftsmanship behind the Bernheim brand, and it gives the bottle a physical weight and presence that feels appropriate for a 20-year milestone. For anyone who collects bottles as much as they drink them, this one will hold up.
Bernheim's story within American whiskey is worth understanding in context. When it launched in 2005, wheat whiskey as a standalone category was essentially nonexistent in any meaningful commercial sense. Most people knew wheat as a secondary grain in bourbon — something that softened the edges compared to rye — but not as the star of the show. Bernheim changed that conversation. By putting soft winter wheat front and center, Heaven Hill gave drinkers something genuinely different, and over the years it built a following among people who appreciated whiskey that didn't feel like it was trying to be bourbon.
The 20th anniversary release is available in limited quantities nationwide, which means it's not going to be sitting on shelves indefinitely. The suggested retail price is $84.99, which for a 10-year-old whiskey bottled at cask strength from a well-regarded distillery is a number that reflects fair value. Comparable releases from other producers in the same age and proof range frequently push well past the hundred-dollar mark, sometimes significantly so.
For anyone who has followed Bernheim over the years, this release is a natural point of celebration. For anyone who hasn't paid much attention to wheat whiskey as a category, it's as good an entry point as any — though entering at 115 proof with a decade of barrel aging behind it is admittedly not the gentlest introduction. That's part of the appeal. This isn't a release designed to introduce someone to whiskey for the first time. It's designed for the person who already knows what they're looking for and wants something worth seeking out.
Heaven Hill has been producing whiskey in Kentucky for the better part of a century, and Bernheim sits as one of the more distinctive expressions in their portfolio — not their most famous, and not always the first thing someone reaches for, but consistently respected by the people who know it. Twenty years of that kind of steady reputation is no small thing in an industry where new brands appear and disappear with regularity.
The 20th Anniversary Limited Edition is currently available for purchase at retail locations across the country at a suggested price of $84.99. Given the limited nature of the release, availability will vary by market, and interested buyers would do well not to wait too long.
