I’d like to thank the folks at Ross& Squibb and their PR teams for sending this bottle with no strings attached.
Spring has sprung here in Minnesota, and you know what that means. Yep, it was 80 degrees last weekend, and it’s looking like there’s a chance of snow this coming weekend. In spring, Minnesota gets a taste of all the seasons at once: summer, winter, mud, road work—even football if you follow the NFL Draft or the spring game for the local college. You don’t get to experience all of them in their full force (for example, even at 80 degrees, I didn’t turn on my AC for more than a test run, and the Draft/Spring Games are poor substitutes for real games), but you do get the opportunity to remember what you can look forward to and what you are leaving behind.
It seems that, much like living through a Minnesota spring, MGP—producer of tonight’s whiskey—is also currently trying to decide what to leave behind and what is coming in the future, as they announced the “temporary idling” of the stills in their Lux Row and Limestone Branch facilities, affecting 33 employees. Not something you ever want to read if you are a fan of American whiskey. They will, however, still be bottling and running the visitor centers at each location.
However, we aren’t here to do economic reporting. We are here to discuss the products that are actually in front of us. And tonight, that is MGP/Ross & Squibb’s first wheat whiskey. It was created using their 95% Wheat Whiskey mashbill. The liquid was finished in a combination of Tawny Port, White Port, Oloroso Sherry, and Ruby Port casks before being bottled at 56.5% ABV, or 113 proof, as the second release in the company’s Master Distiller Experimental Series. Here is what they have to say about the series:
Building on the acclaim of Experimental Series No. 1, including its gold medal win at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the second installment continues the annual limited-edition program. Originally designed as an outlet for creative exploration, the series gives Master Distiller Ian Stirsman a blank canvas to push beyond traditional boundaries by exploring new heirloom grains and unique barrel finishes. The result each year is a one-of-a-kind expression defined by unconventional flavor profiles, depth, and innovation that is made for adventurous whiskey connoisseurs and collectors.
The whiskey is available in limited quantities nationwide for $69.99 for a 700 mL bottle.
Remus Master Distiller Experimental Series No. 2: Straight Wheat Whiskey
Purchase Info: This bottle was provided at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99 for a 700 mL bottle.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.00
Details: Distilled in 2017. 56.5% ABV. Wheat whiskey finished in a combination of Tawny Port, White Port, Oloroso Sherry, and Ruby Port casks.
Nose: Wintergreen, stone fruit, caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Mouth: Spicy, hot, and sweet. Cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, red fruit, honey, and oak.
Finish: Hot and long. Notes of cinnamon, mint, honey, oak, and red fruit.
Thoughts: Hot, sweet, with a great mouthfeel. That sums it up neatly. It is really delicious, especially neat. Unlike most whiskeys of this proof level, you want to be judicious with adding water. It really doesn’t take it very well, bringing out more grain notes and suppressing many of the rich notes. Even so, I really like this one. It is much more complex and satisfying than other straight wheat whiskeys I’ve had, probably due to the proof and the barrel finishing. If you see it for around the suggested retail, it’s a decent splurge, should you be able to swing it.
If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.