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Great Jones Wheated Bourbon: Manhattan’s First Legal Whiskey Distillery Since Prohibition Drops Its Smoothest Expression Yet

Great Jones Wheated Bourbon Whiskey

Sometimes a city distills its essence into a single bottle. In Manhattan, that bottle just might be Great Jones Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey — a spirit born and raised entirely in New York, from black dirt fields upstate to the bustling streets of Broadway.

This isn’t just another whiskey. Great Jones Distilling Co. carries a singular badge of honor: it’s the first legal whiskey distillery in Manhattan since Prohibition. Since opening its doors at 686 Broadway in 2021, it’s been busy reviving an art that was all but lost to the city’s skyline — all while keeping things deeply, unapologetically New York. The distillery does everything on-site: mashing, fermenting, distilling. You can practically hear Duke Ellington echoing in the barrel room.

The new Wheated Straight Bourbon is a love letter to Empire State agriculture. Crafted from corn, barley, rye, and wheat grain — all sourced from New York’s rich black dirt — it’s aged patiently in American oak barrels and cut to proof with pristine Catskill Mountain water. In short: this is New York terroir, liquefied and singing in the glass.

On the nose, expect a warm embrace of cereals, toasted corn, butter cookies, and just a tease of marzipan. The palate unfolds buttery and smooth, layered with delicate caramel and spice that drift off into a balanced, medium-bodied finish. It’s the kind of whiskey that feels both refined and friendly — the city’s edge tempered with a wink and a soft shoulder.

Great Jones Wheated Bourbon Whiskey

For those who like to play bartender at home, Great Jones offers two classic signature serves. The Great Jones Classic Manhattan calls for their Straight Bourbon, sweet vermouth, Angostura, orange bitters, and a brandied cherry — the sort of drink that makes you feel like you’re perched on a red velvet stool in a moody jazz bar downtown. Or, shake things up with a Paper Plane: equal parts Great Jones Bourbon, Amaro, Aperol, and fresh lemon juice, strained crisp into a coupe glass.

Beyond the bottles, the distillery itself is a pilgrimage worth making. Part working distillery, part cocktail bar, part restaurant and event space, it embodies the spirit of New York hospitality — ambitious, communal, and always pushing the envelope.

At 90 proof (45% ABV) and retailing for $44.99, Great Jones Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an approachable yet sophisticated addition to any collection. And, just like the city that made it, this bourbon invites you to slow down for a second, take a sip, and savor the magic in every corner.

For more, visit greatjonesdistillingco.com.

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