Hidden Barn Organic Wheat Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

What does the term hidden barn mean? During Prohibition, one of the easiest ways for illicit distillers to get caught was for the revenuers to find Baudoinia compniacensis or black mold, growing on the sides of buildings. It was a telltale sign that there was a still inside. Always thinking of a way to outsmart them, a distiller had the ingenious idea to paint his barn black. Others followed suit. Then, to show solidarity, the area farmers painted theirs black, too. Since the black mold was now invisible, and every barn in the area was black, they were nicknamed hidden barns.

 

In a nod to that creativity, Hidden Barn Whiskey was founded in 2022 by Nate Winegar, who serves as its brand ambassador; Royce Neeley, its master distiller; and Jackie Zykan, its master blender. The brand was since acquired by Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, Kentucky.   

 

Royce has been the master distiller at Neeley Family Distillery for nine years and is an 11th-generation distiller. Nate is the founder of the well-known 5280 Whiskey Society and a huge (figuratively and literally) people-person. Jackie comes with plenty of experience. She was the master taster at Brown-Forman, who created the Old Forester 117 and 150 series.

 

Today, I’m exploring Hidden Barn Organic Wheat Bourbon.

 

“I’ve wanted to create an organic bourbon for a long time, so this has been a passion project for me. For me, blending barrels is all about finding balance and harmony while still showcasing individuality. The nine barrels used for this blend were meticulously selected from a very large pool of inventory with much intention. The combination of the high-quality organic grains used in the distillation with the variable entry proofs used in the maturation - that range in proof from low to high - led to everything integrating beautifully.”  - Jackie Zykan, Master Blender

 

Distilled in Michigan from a certified organic mash of 70% corn, 25% wheat, and 5% rye, the Bourbon aged six years in new, charred oak barrels. Hidden Barn Organic Wheat is packaged at 53.1% ABV (106.2°), and a 750ml will set you back $79.99.

 

I’m grateful to Neeley Family Distillery for providing me with this #DrinkCurious opportunity with a sample of Hidden Barn Organic Wheat in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s do this!

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. The liquid presented as a darker orange amber. It had a thin rim that produced thin, fast tears.

 

Nose: This Bourbon smelled slightly soapy. I found buttered pecans, torched sugar, and candied apples. When I drew the air through my lips, there was orange rind.

 

Palate: Hidden Barn’s mouthfeel was slick and medium-bodied. Dark chocolate, molasses, and caramel coated the front of my palate. The middle featured nutmeg, buttered popcorn, and tobacco, while the back consisted of toasted oak, white pepper, and orange zest.

 

Finish: The finish tasted of tobacco, orange zest, toasted oak, pepper, and plenty of caramel. The medium duration clocked in at 1:04.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: To say that I enjoyed Hidden Barn Organic Wheat Bourbon would be unfair. I’ve had many wheaters over the years. Some are good, others mediocre. Organic Wheat is what wheated Bourbon should taste like. It provided the right texture, muted the wood tannins, and featured a ton of sweetness. This Bourbon could easily be the standard-bearer for what wheaters should be. That earns it my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.