Milam & Greene Provisions Bourbon Review (First Edition)

 

Eighty proof? Don’t stop reading!

 

Marsha Milam, Heather Greene, and Marlene Holmes are three of some of the most talented women in American whiskey, and they joined forces in 2019 to form what is now known as Milam & Greene Whiskey.

 

Marsha founded Ben Milam Whiskey in 2017. Heather is the first American woman to sit on the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society Tasting Panel, an accomplished whiskey author, and was the 2023 Women of Whiskey’s Master Blender of the Year. Marlene apprenticed under the legendary Booker Noe and was the 2024 Women of Whiskey’s Master Blender of the Year.

 

I have reviewed a handful of its offerings and have been very impressed. Their most impressive, in my opinion, was The Answer, which consisted of two bottles that came from the same Kentucky still: one from a barrel aged in Kentucky, and the other aged in Texas. It was an experimental release, and it was a mind-opening experience.

 

When I first saw the bottle of Provisions Bourbon, I was admittedly taken aback: What the heck are they doing releasing an 80° Bourbon?

For Bourbon, and for that matter, most American whiskeys, the reason for bottling at minimum proof is usually one of three reasons:

• The brand is new and is trying to recoup as much return on investment as possible, or
• It is an entry-level whiskey for either the casual drinker and/or set aside for cocktails; or
• The whiskey is so overoaked that 80° is the only chance the brand has to save it.

 

That’s not to suggest that there aren’t great American whiskeys at that proof. There are. They are more of an anomaly than anything else. Heather suggests that this is something she’s worked on for several years.

 

Milam & Greene took its normal Kentucky pot-distilled distillate and blended it with a Texas distillate from their 900-gallon copper pot still. In Heather’s own words, that was this whiskey’s “most unruly ingredient.” The water used came from the limestone aquifer at Edwards Plateau, which is where Central, South, and West Texas converge, and is considered the southernmost edge of the Great Plains.

 

“I would like to think every bottle is a reminder that we can change without losing who we are. That tradition can meet heat, sweat, storms, and porch lights, and still taste like home. That the best whiskey is not locked away in a rickhouse, it is in your glass, among friends, right at the moment when the story gets good. That is Texification.” – Heather Greene

 

Now, I’m very curious to discover how this experiment worked out. First, I must thank Milam & Greene for providing me with the sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s get to it!

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Milam & Greene (undisclosed Kentucky distillery and Milam & Greene’s pot still in Blanco, Texas)
• Age: NAS
• Mashbill: 70% corn, 22% rye, 8% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, charred 53-gallon charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 40% ABV (80°)
• Price per 750mL: $35.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. It had an orange-golden color. A thick rim produced slow, syrupy, crowded tears.

 

Nose: I allowed a few minutes for the Bourbon to breathe. As I began sniffing, I found toasted pecans, plums, shredded tobacco, orange zest, and maple syrup. Pulling that air into my mouth exposed me to brown sugar.  

 

Palate: With the first sip, I encountered a silky texture. I tasted maple syrup, caramel, and cherries on the front of my palate. As it moved across my mid-palate, there was sweet tobacco, toffee, and roasted peanuts. Flavors of oak, leather, and cinnamon spice came next.

 

Finish: After I swallowed, the flavors of maple sugar, toffee, leather, oak, and black pepper lingered. It was level, really never waning; it just fell off at the end. Leather was the final note. The duration ran 1:51, making it fairly long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Let’s get something out of the way – Provisions Bourbon is not your typical 80 proofer. Sure, there was almost no warmth in my mouth or throat, but as far as my palate is concerned, there were layers of flavors that had some depth. I was pleased about the long-lasting finish.

 

Provisions Bourbon is a sweeter choice; if you’re looking for something with spice, those sensations exist, but they’re in the background. Still, it seemed well-balanced.

 

You can use this in a cocktail. Frankly, it should hold up well enough. I enjoyed the heck out of it neat. Kudos to the team at Milam & Greene for reminding me to clear my mind before approaching any whiskey and to always #DrinkCurious. Provisions Bourbon earns my Bottle rating for being both interesting and affordable. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.