No, this bourbon is not from 1958. The year denotes the last time the U.S. currency wheat penny was produced. Each bottle of Wheat Penny Bourbon has an actual one cent piece glued to the cap of the bottle.
According to the company, “Using proprietary technology to mature their spirits, they take very young whiskey – aged in a barrel for less than six months and instead of continuing to keep the whiskey in the barrel, they take the liquid out. They then take the staves from the barrel, cut and measure to control for oxygen content, surface area, and moisture, and then add the wood into the whiskey in pressure-capable stainless-steel tanks. This process is what allows them to use uncommon woods like Sugar Maple, Apple, and Black Cherry to finish their Underground bourbons.”
This is the case with Wheat Penny 1958 which is finished with Black Cherry wood. According to definition, this isn’t a bourbon since it hasn’t age for 2 years in an oak barrel.
Bourbon Review:Wheat Penny 1958 Bourbon
ABV: 47% (94 Proof)
Age: Not Disclosed
Color: Copper
Mash Bill: 51% Corn, 45% Wheat, 4% Malt
Distilled By: Unknown
Finished & Bottled: Cleveland Whiskey
Location: Cleveland, OH (USA)
The Nose: The resting aroma of the Wheat Penny bourbon is abundantly sweet with notes of black cherry, caramel and honey. Secondary wafts reveal a touch of vanilla, corn, wheat and green apples.
The Taste: A subtle black cherry is noticeable on the front end of the initial sip with a wheat finish that is long and dry. Subsequent sips reveal nuances of tobacco, toffee and apples. The wheat finish is overpowering and quickly becomes the focal point erasing any depth experienced on the palate.
The Pairing: We opted to pair this with an Aladino Corojo. This Honduran puro cigar is heavy on corojo tobacco which I thoroughly enjoy. The 97 rated cigar on The Cigar Authority was named as their cigar of the year in 2017. The cigar works wonders in it’s pairing slowing down the finish of the Wheat Penny enough to get some some more depth to it. While in turn the pairing helps enhance the corojo tobacco of the Aladino. As always our pairing never affects our final score, but if it did it would add 5pts to the review total.
The Finish: I have a problem with certain companies calling their libation Bourbon when it doesn’t meet the true definition. There are too many that think 51% corn is enough. Part of me wants to give every company that labels their liquor a bourbon when it is not a zero. Despite this, Wheat Penny isn’t a bad pour but I would find it more enjoyable for about $15 less per bottle. However at the price point it is something I would pass on.
Score: 81
Price: $44.99 (750ml)
