Preservation Estate Pot Still Bourbon: The Rare Wheater Worth Hunting Down

Behind the Pour

Preservation Estate makes a wheated bourbon the long way — pot still production, six to seven years of aging, 116.2 proof (58.1% ABV), and sealed in enough wax that opening the bottle becomes part of the story. Roger battles the wax seal for several minutes on camera while Crystal explains the farm: open fermentation tanks left exposed to farm air for 12 to 24 hours, cattle on the property, local artists and corn harvest wheat in the grain bill. This is a micro single-batch operation where the philosophy runs from soil to glass, and the pot still at the center of it produces a spirit that tastes like that kind of intention.

What You'll Discover

• Pot still versus column still: The pot still is older, slower, more labor-intensive, and produces a spirit with more texture and flavor compounds than column still production allows for at scale. Small batch pot still whiskey carries character that high-volume production tends to strip away.
• Open fermentation and farm air: Preservation Estate leaves fermentation tanks uncovered for 12 to 24 hours to allow ambient microflora from the farm environment into the fermentation. The farm has cattle and is a working agricultural property. What lives on that farm literally enters the bottle.
• 116.2 proof at full barrel strength: This is not chill filtered and not proofed down to a comfortable number for casual consumption. It is the spirit as the barrel produced it — heat, oils, texture, and all of it in the glass.
• Pecan pie in a bottle: Roger describes it as 'pecan pie' on the nose. The combination of wheat, malted barley, caramel, and toffee compounds from years in the barrel produces a dessert profile that the glass announces before you taste it.
• The wax seal saga: Roger's battle with the wax is a TLC classic. If you find this bottle and struggle to open it, you are in good company.

A Moment of Pourspective

A spirit that takes in the air of the farm it came from is not making a marketing claim — it is carrying its origin into the glass. The best terroir in spirits is not always measured. Sometimes it just tastes like it belongs somewhere.

Explore the Conversation

The Preservation Estate episode is as much a discussion of production philosophy as it is a tasting. The details Crystal reads out — local artist, corn harvest wheat, dark toasted malted barley, farm yeast strains from open fermentation — add up to a picture of a distillery that has made specific choices at every step of the process. Not because they are the easiest choices, but because they believe those choices end up in the glass. Roger's reaction confirms it: 'pot still just kind of like the way it is.' The texture he is responding to — the oils, the weight, the complexity that doesn't resolve cleanly into a single flavor note — is exactly what makes pot still whiskey worth seeking. It is not smooth in the way that a column still double-filtered expression is smooth. It is rich in a way that rewards attention. The Norlan double-walled glasses make an appearance here — Crystal notes they bring out the best in a spirit and they haven't used them in a while. The combination of the right glass and the right bottle produces the kind of moment that is hard to manufacture but easy to recognize when it happens.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is open fermentation? Open fermentation means the fermentation vessel is not sealed during the fermentation process, allowing ambient yeasts and bacteria from the environment to contribute to the fermentation. The result can carry distinctive local character — what some producers call 'terroir' in spirits.
• Why is this bottled at cask strength? Preservation Estate does not proof this expression down. 116.2 proof is what came out of the barrel. The philosophy is that the water added to reach a 'normal' proof dilutes character. Taste it neat and with a few drops of water to find your preferred expression.
• What is the price point? The price reflects micro single batch production, the age (6-7 years), pot still overhead, and the wax sealing. Limited production and deliberate craft command a premium over standard shelf bourbon.
• Is this available for purchase? Production is small and limited. Contact Preservation Estate directly or check specialty spirits retailers in your market.

Episode at a Glance

• Spirit reviewed: Preservation Estate Pot Still Wheated Bourbon
• Hosts: Crystal and Roger
• Runtime: approximately 35 minutes
• Category: Bourbon
• Proof: 116.2 (cask strength), Age: 6-7 years