Heaven Hill Distillery has announced the launch of its 2026 Grain to Glass releases, which this year focus on the role of wheat in shaping the flavour, texture and character of its Bourbons.

This year’s line-up comprises three limited-edition wheated Bourbons, including an all-new extra-aged release marking the brand’s official “Year of Wheat”.

Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon – 3rd Edition (53.9% ABV) features the same wheated mashbill (52% corn, 35% wheat, 13% malt) as previous releases, but with a new corn seed varietal. Distilled in 2019 and matured for six years in #3 char barrels, the 2026 release is composed of 170 barrels from the third, fourth and fifth floors of Warehouses W5 and W6.

Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Specialty Release – Aged in French Oak Barrels (54.6% ABV) features the same wheated mashbill (52% corn, 35% wheat, 13% malt) and corn seed varietal as the traditional release, but is fully matured in #3 char French oak barrels for a minimum of six years. Rather than undergoing a secondary finish, this whiskey is matured entirely in French oak. Distilled in 2019, the release is composed of 170 barrels from the fourth floor of Warehouse W9.

Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Extra Aged 9 Year Old Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon (62.5% ABV) builds on the Grain to Glass wheated story with a whiskey distilled in 2017 using a mashbill of 52% corn, 35% wheat and 13% malt, before being aged for nine years in #3 char barrels. The release is composed of 150 barrels from the third, fourth and fifth floors of Warehouse W3.

Across its portfolio, Heaven Hill has worked with wheat for generations, not as a one-off experiment, but as a core part of its distilling tradition. That legacy includes the introduction of Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey, which helped define the modern American wheat whiskey category. This consistency and scale have allowed the distillery to understand how wheat behaves at every stage, from fermentation through to long-term ageing.

From planting and harvesting through to distilling, Heaven Hill Grain to Glass is said to represent both patience and precision — qualities mirrored in every barrel. Each release in the 2026 collection captures a different expression of that journey, ranging from vibrant and grain-forward to deeply aged and complex.

Each corn seed varietal is hand-selected by Heaven Hill’s Master Distiller, Conor O’Driscoll, in collaboration with Beck’s Hybrids, and grown locally by Peterson Farms in Nelson County, Kentucky. With the “Year of Wheat”, the distillery builds on that experience, deepening the emphasis on wheat as a defining force behind some of Heaven Hill’s most nuanced and expressive Bourbons.

Commenting on the launch, Molly Vincent, Associate Director of Luxury Whiskey at Heaven Hill, said: “In 2026, Heaven Hill Grain to Glass takes a more focused approach by centring exclusively on unique wheated mashbill offerings. We’ve worked with wheat for a long time across our whiskeys, but this allows us to explore it more intentionally — how it softens, how it builds complexity over time, and how it ultimately shapes the character in the glass. The ‘Year of Wheat’ is about bringing that deeper understanding forward.”

Limited quantities of Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon – 3rd Edition, Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Specialty Release – Aged in French Oak Barrels, and Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Extra Aged 9 Year Old Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon will be available this autumn/winter from select specialist retailers in the US, for the respective RRPs of $99.99, $129.99 and $149.99.