A.D. Laws Centennial Wheat Bonded Whiskey 750ML

A.D. Laws Centennial Wheat Bonded Whiskey 750ML is a 100-proof (50% ABV) bottled-in-bond American wheat whiskey made from 100% heirloom Centennial spring wheat in Denver, Colorado. Recognized as the first wheat whiskey to be bottled in bond in Colorado, it earned 93 points from WhiskyCast and 88 points from Whisky Advocate.

Quick Facts: ABV: 50% (100 proof)  |  Origin: Denver, Colorado, USA  |  Bottled in Bond (minimum 4 years)  |  Distillery: A.D. Laws Whiskey House

Production & Heritage

Laws Whiskey House, based in Denver, Colorado, built its reputation on grain-to-glass production using heritage varietals sourced from Colorado farms. The Centennial Wheat Bonded expression uses a mashbill of 100% soft white Centennial spring wheat — a pre-industrial heirloom varietal grown specifically for the distillery in Colorado's San Luis Valley. As a bottled-in-bond whiskey, it meets strict federal requirements: distilled in a single season at a single distillery, aged a minimum of four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 100 proof. That transparency of process, combined with a single-grain mashbill rarely seen in the bonded category, sets this release apart from the broader American whiskey landscape.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with ripe strawberries and orange marmalade, followed by wildflower honey and cotton candy sweetness. Underneath, there is freshly baked French bread with melted butter and a delicate thread of orange blossom.

Taste: The entry is decadent and rich, with strawberries and cream leading into a buttery mid-palate. Jasmine tea, cardamom, and sage emerge at the center, joined by pink peppercorn and spruce tips that add an unexpected botanical complexity. The texture is notably smooth and almost creamy for a 100-proof spirit.

Finish: The finish is crisp and dry, arriving with a slight bitterness reminiscent of lemon pith. Herbal and floral notes linger alongside fading honey sweetness, tapering cleanly without excessive heat.

How to Drink Centennial Wheat Bonded

Neat or with a few drops of water is the ideal serve here — the 100-proof strength rewards a slow pour, and water opens up the floral and botanical layers without diluting the wheat's buttery core. For cocktails, this whiskey's unique grain character brings something genuinely different to the glass:

• Gold Rush: The honey and lemon in this cocktail mirror the whiskey's own marmalade and citrus-pith notes, creating a seamless pairing.
• Whiskey Sour: The creamy mouthfeel and strawberry character hold up against citrus and egg white, adding richness that bourbon-based versions often lack.
• Paper Plane: The botanical mid-palate — jasmine, sage, cardamom — complements the Aperol and amaro components with surprising harmony.

Best For

• Wheat whiskey enthusiasts exploring single-grain, bonded expressions
• Gifting a spirits collector who values terroir-driven American whiskey
• Tasting flights comparing wheat, rye, and bourbon mashbill profiles
• Celebrating a milestone with a distinctive Colorado-made whiskey

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Centennial Wheat Bonded taste like? It leads with ripe strawberry and buttery cream, transitions through jasmine, cardamom, and sage on the mid-palate, and finishes dry and crisp with a touch of lemon pith bitterness. The overall profile is rich, floral, and distinctly different from bourbon or rye.

How does Centennial Wheat Bonded compare to Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey? Bernheim Original is a more widely distributed Kentucky wheat whiskey bottled at 90 proof with a smoother, lighter vanilla-and-toffee profile. Laws Centennial runs hotter at 100 proof with a more complex botanical and fruit-forward character, and its single-varietal heirloom grain gives it a flavor identity that diverges significantly from Bernheim's approachable house style.

Is Centennial Wheat Bonded good for sipping neat? Yes — the bottled-in-bond 100-proof strength carries enough intensity to reward neat sipping, and the buttery, creamy texture keeps the heat in check while showcasing the wheat grain's floral complexity.

Where is Centennial Wheat Bonded made? It is distilled and bottled at A.D. Laws Whiskey House in Denver, Colorado, using Centennial spring wheat sourced from the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado.

What foods pair well with Centennial Wheat Bonded? Fresh strawberry shortcake mirrors the whiskey's berry and cream notes. Aged Gruyère or Comté cheese complements the buttery mouthfeel. Honey-glazed salmon pairs well with the floral mid-palate. Cardamom-spiced pastries echo the botanical character. A charcuterie board with herbed salami and fig jam brings out the sage and fruit tones.

What sizes does Centennial Wheat Bonded come in? The standard offering is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format.

Is Centennial Wheat Bonded worth the price? It positions as a premium craft whiskey, priced above mass-market wheat whiskeys like Bernheim Original but justified by its single-varietal heirloom grain, bonded status, Colorado terroir focus, and limited production scale. For drinkers interested in American whiskey beyond the standard bourbon and rye categories, it represents strong value within the craft tier.

Why Centennial Wheat Bonded?

This is Colorado's first wheat whiskey to carry the bottled-in-bond designation — a meaningful distinction in a category where most wheat whiskeys are bottled at lower proof without the transparency that bonding requires. The use of 100% Centennial soft white spring wheat, an heirloom varietal rather than commercial grain, gives the whiskey a flavor profile that has no direct analogue among mainstream American whiskeys. A 93-point score from WhiskyCast confirms that the execution matches the ambition. For anyone looking to understand what American wheat whiskey can achieve when heritage grain, strict production standards, and Colorado terroir converge, this bottle makes a compelling case.