Review: Wheel Horse Cigar Blend Bourbon 2024

By Jacob Kiper | November 15, 2024 |

Wheel Horse Whiskey has crafted a sturdy standing upon bottling affordable bourbon distilled by Green River in Owensboro, Kentucky. As a fledgling Green River waited to release whiskey under its branding, Wheel Horse served as one of the first brands to bottle quality Owensboro whiskey at a respectable 101 proof. Early iterations of Wheel Horse featured whiskey as young as 2 years old, but more recent releases now tout whiskey in the range of 4 to 5 years old. Fall of 2024 brings the drop of the limited-release Wheel Horse Cigar Blend Bourbon.

As with previous Wheel Horse offerings, Cigar Blend is distilled by Green River. The mashbill is constituted of 70% corn, 21% winter rye, and 9% malted 6-row barley. Wheel Horse initially allows the bourbon to ripen in barrels with a #4 char for 4 to 5 years. Wheel Horse’s 2023 Cigar Blend included Port, Armagnac, and Sherry cask finishes. The 2024 Cigar Blend builds upon the 2023 release by adding a Cognac cask finish to the weave. After maturing in secondary casks for a little over 6 months, Wheel Horse bottled the bourbon at its customary 101 proof and yielding 4500 bottles.

So-called cigar blends have become very common, but vary from brand to brand as there is no formal definition. How did Wheel Horse’s vision turn out? Let’s get those wheels turning!

Earthy almond and cherry preserves meld to convene the nosing experience. The sweetness of honey meets the sweetness of cherry preserves here, but this is promptly counterbalanced by cedar and vanilla bean. The depth of the nose would suggest a bourbon greater than 5 years in age.

The palate unveils an unexpected gust of lemonade met with black cherry. As the bourbon progresses, burnt caramel finds more vanilla bean, with the finishing casks providing a highly dense mouthfeel. While the initial palate is very sweet, the finish quickly takes a dry turn. Rich caramel segues to stewed black cherries, raisin, and tobacco — the lattermost lingering on and on.

Wheel Horse’s 2024 Cigar Blend Bourbon is a lively ride that starts sweet and ends dry. For those who are intrigued by the complexity that can accompany a whiskey with multiple finishes, the 2024 Cigar Blend is a quality acquisition at $35. Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s vision for Green River Distilling isn’t currently focused on finishing, as the goal is to produce as much well-aged whiskey as possible. If you relish Green River bourbon and would like to experience it with finishing casks, Wheel Horse Cigar Blend is a good opportunity at an affordable price.

101 proof.

B+ / $35 / wheelhorsewhiskey.com