Review of Rebel 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon (2025)

 

Have you heard of the term wheater when discussing Bourbon and wondered what that meant?

 

Wheater is slang for a wheated Bourbon. Instead of using rye as the second most prominent ingredient in the mash bill, the distiller uses wheat. Wheaters are typically softer and sweeter than traditional and high-rye Bourbons because distilled wheat is flavorless. What wheat does do is highlight the corn’s sweetness, allowing it to shine through.

 

Some other well-known wheaters are Maker’s Mark, W.L. Weller, Old Fitzgerald, and, of course, Pappy Van Winkle. Another, which has been around since 1936, is Rebel (formerly Rebel Yell). The “Yell” part was dropped in 2020 to better fit with the times.

 

Stitzel-Weller initially made Rebel Yell. Until the 1980s, it was only sold in southern states due to its correlation to the Confederacy. The recipe allegedly dates back to 1849 because that’s what W.L. Weller & Sons used. The breakdown of that mashbill is undisclosed beyond corn, wheat, and malted barley.

 

Today, we’re exploring the 2025 edition of Rebel 10-Year Single Barrel. It comes from an undisclosed Kentucky distillery because Lux Row Distillers didn’t exist in 2015 when this whiskey was barreled; it was built and became operational in 2018. Formerly known as Luxco, the brand usually contracted with Heaven Hill Distilleries, specifically from its Bernheim campus. I’ll go out on a limb and suggest that’s the source. Rebel 10-Year Single Barrel has been an annual release for several years.

 

“This year’s 10-Year Single Barrel is a testament to the legacy of Rebel Bourbon. From the unique mash bill through the 10-year aging and single-barrel bottling process for robust flavor, Rebel 10-Year is made for sipping, and ready to be enjoyed by anyone to let their spirit be heard.” – John Rempe, Rebel Bourbon Master Distiller

 

Rebel Bourbon was kind enough to provide me with a sample of the 2025 Rebel 10-Year Single Barrel, and they only asked for my no-strings-attached, honest review. So, let’s #DrinkCurious and see how this year’s version fares.

 

• Whiskey Type: Single Barrel Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed Kentucky Distillery
• Age: 10 years
• Mashbill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley
• Cooperage: new, 53-gallon, charred oak barrel
• Alcohol Content: 50% ABV (100°)
• Price per 750mL: $99.99 

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. A thin rim created thick, fast, widely spaced tears. The whiskey was the color of raw honey.

 

Nose: After allowing time for the Bourbon to breathe, I discovered a sweeter aroma consisting of toffee, leather, vanilla, and apricots. I inhaled the vapor through my lips, which exposed my mouth to dried apricots and toffee.  

 

Palate: As I took my first sip, I encountered a soft, silky mouthfeel along with a bit of heat. The second allowed me to get beyond the palate shock. I tasted cherries, ripe plums, and apricots on the front: the middle featured caramel, orange peel, and lime zest. Lightly charred oak, old leather, and white pepper flavors were on the back.

 

Finish: Beyond the first sip, there was no alcohol burn associated with this year’s Rebel 10. Apricots, very dry leather, charred oak, and lime zest held on for 1:24, landing at the upper end of the medium category. The finish was very even-keeled.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Over the years, the Rebel 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon has been quite varied. That’s the magic of single-barrel whiskeys; they’re like snowflakes. You can take two identical barrels harvested from the same trees, coopered on the same day, filled with the same distillate batch, put in a rickhouse immediately adjacent to one another for the same time, dumped on the same day, and those whiskeys will taste different.

 

What I can say is that I enjoyed the 2025 release. I can’t say that it was the best of the bunch - I preferred the 2024 (pictured in the background). It drinks nothing like its stated proof; it is very much an easy sippin’ whiskey. It could not be mistaken for anything but a wheater.

 

I’m very comfortable with my earlier assessment that Rebel 10-Year Single Barrel is Heaven Hill distillate. Beyond just how it tastes and feels in my mouth, the mashbills are identical.

 

The more I sipped on this Bourbon, the more I appreciated what was in my glass. This 10-year wheater at 100° is worth the price of admission, and I’m happy to slap my Bottle rating on it. 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.