Ben Holladay Soft Red Wheat — Rickhouse Proof Store Pick

May 18, 2026 · #61
CategoryMissouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Country | RegionUSA | Weston, Missouri
DistilleryHolladay Distillery (McCormick Distilling Company)
Age statement6 Years (6 years, 6 months per barrel spec)
Alcohol % | Proof61.65% | 123.3 pf
ReleaseRickhouse Proof — Store Pick (Single Barrel)
Mash bill73% Corn, 15% Soft Red Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
Cask typeNew American Oak
Price point75
Bottle statusActive
Ben Holladay Soft Red Wheat — Rickhouse Proof Store Pick bottle reference image

Appearance / Color

Dark amber to deep honey. Noticeably darker than the 100-proof BIB expression, consistent with higher proof and slightly longer aging.

Nose / Aroma / Smell

Caramel and toffee up front, ripe stone fruit (apricot, dark cherry), baked-goods sweetness (banana nut bread, graham cracker). Light herbal grain character with barrel char and vanilla-laced oak underneath.

Flavor / Taste / Palate

Juicy mouthfeel with charred oak and toffee impact. Stewed dark fruits — prune, cherry, fig — layered with molasses, leather, and sweet cedar. Mixed nuts and peanut develop mid-palate. The 123.3 proof delivers presence without overwhelming the fruit core.

Finish

Baking spices and black pepper build into dry seasoned oak and tannins. Dark red fruit (black cherry, currant) resurfaces late. Lingering peanut note and proof warmth carry the close.

Holladay Distillery in Weston, Missouri (est. 1856) is the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi still on its original site. The Rickhouse Proof line is their barrel-strength expression — no water added, bottled as the master distiller tastes it. This store pick at 123.3 proof runs hotter than typical batches (119–122). Soft red wheat replaces the 15% rye in the standard Ben Holladay mash bill, producing a sweeter, softer base that still carries meaningful body at barrel strength. Qualifies as “Real Missouri Bourbon” under a 2019 state law requiring grain-to-bottle Missouri origin. Single barrel note: This barrel’s profile will differ from published batch reviews. Floor 4 of a 7-story iron-clad rickhouse sits in the lower-mid section with more moderate temperature swings.

Ben Holladay Soft Red Wheat — Rickhouse Proof Store Pick

May 18, 2026 · No. 61

Ben Holladay Soft Red Wheat — Rickhouse Proof Store Pick bottle reference image
Category
Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery
Holladay Distillery (McCormick Distilling Company)
Country | Region
USA | Weston, Missouri
Age Statement
6 Years (6 years, 6 months per barrel spec)
Alcohol / Proof
61.65% / 123.3 pf
Price Point
75
Mash Bill
73% Corn, 15% Soft Red Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
Cask Type
New American Oak
Release
Rickhouse Proof — Store Pick (Single Barrel)

Appearance

Dark amber to deep honey. Noticeably darker than the 100-proof BIB expression, consistent with higher proof and slightly longer aging.

Nose

Caramel and toffee up front, ripe stone fruit (apricot, dark cherry), baked-goods sweetness (banana nut bread, graham cracker). Light herbal grain character with barrel char and vanilla-laced oak underneath.

Palate

Juicy mouthfeel with charred oak and toffee impact. Stewed dark fruits — prune, cherry, fig — layered with molasses, leather, and sweet cedar. Mixed nuts and peanut develop mid-palate. The 123.3 proof delivers presence without overwhelming the fruit core.

Finish

Baking spices and black pepper build into dry seasoned oak and tannins. Dark red fruit (black cherry, currant) resurfaces late. Lingering peanut note and proof warmth carry the close.

Holladay Distillery in Weston, Missouri (est. 1856) is the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi still on its original site. The Rickhouse Proof line is their barrel-strength expression — no water added, bottled as the master distiller tastes it. This store pick at 123.3 proof runs hotter than typical batches (119–122). Soft red wheat replaces the 15% rye in the standard Ben Holladay mash bill, producing a sweeter, softer base that still carries meaningful body at barrel strength. Qualifies as “Real Missouri Bourbon” under a 2019 state law requiring grain-to-bottle Missouri origin. Single barrel note: This barrel’s profile will differ from published batch reviews. Floor 4 of a 7-story iron-clad rickhouse sits in the lower-mid section with more moderate temperature swings.

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