Unrestricted 7 Year Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled in Bond 

Blended by Gene Nassif for Hy-Vee Grocery Store

For those who don’t recognize the name, Gene Nassif is the blender for the various Obtainium and The Magi whiskeys… produced at Cat’s Eye Distillery in Iowa 

Distilled by DSP-TN-21029 in Columbia, TN

Distilling season: Summer 2017

Age: 8 years, 4 months

The label will consistently say “7 years”, but actual age will vary by batch

Mashbill: 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley

Note: This is the same wheated mashbill as Maker’s Mark 

The stated intended purpose for this release is to create a quality approachable and highly affordable option that will appeal to the huge majority of consumers who walk into a grocery store liquor aisle. The target audience isn’t necessarily those who eat, sleep, and breathe bourbon on the internet… the back label intentionally includes the word “smooth.”

Barrel manufacturer: Speyside Cooperage

Batch size: 10 barrels; all from the same lot

Dump date: first week of January 2026

Proof reduction occurred over about a 2 week period 

Proof: 100

MSRP: $29.99

Nose: Whoppers. Waffles. Pecan pie.

Sweet and without loads of spice.  Gentle and pleasing. No ethanol burn in the nostrils.

Palate: Overly-ripe black cherry. Rolo candy. Southern sweet tea. Wheat bread toast. Medium viscosity.

Very little ethanol burn. Feels about 90 proof due to no spicy notes. 

Finish: Bit-O-Honey. Paper straw. Cinnamon toast.

I sipped this on two different days. On the first day, it felt a bit lackluster and it took a while for the flavors to develop. On the second day, the total profile was much more lively and interesting.

Honestly, it’s an excellent purchase for $30. Perhaps I’m biased, but I would still take my local Green River wheated bourbon at $35 vs this one at $30, but on the second day of sipping… I’m really enjoying this. I think most of us expect a grocery store brand to be a bit underwhelming, but this one definitely gets the job done. For the average consumer who walks into Hy-Vee and wants to try something new and inexpensive… they will have no regrets about this one. Experienced enthusiasts often mock the word “smooth”, but for those who want an affordable bottle that doesn’t have a ton of bite… this is a solid option.

I’m not sure I would use it in a cocktail as I don’t think it would hold up well against the mixer ingredients. I could definitely see myself sipping this as I watch my Kentucky Wildcat basketball team lose another game.

It’s not going to win any major awards. It’s not going to show up on any “Top 10 Bourbons of 2026” list, but it’s going to make the average consumer happy and satisfied. This also serves as a great gateway bourbon. If someone looking for something cheap starts with this… there’s nothing that’s going to turn them off… and has strong potential to lead them to try other offerings next.

Bottle provided by Gene Nassif without expectation for review, but I decided to review it anyway.

Rating: 5 | Good | This is a good, solid daily

Review: Unrestricted 7 Year Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled in Bond