Green River Full Proof Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Review

 

When your distillery number is DSP-KY-10, you are registered as the 10th-oldest distillery in Kentucky. That license was granted to J.W. McCulloch in 1885 to found and operate the Green River Distilling Company in Owensboro. McCulloch was one of the most prominent advocates of the Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897. He was also a former revenuer. He testified before Congress in favor of the law's passage. His distillery was one of the country's largest producers of bonded spirits under the J.W. McCulloch, Mountain Dew, and Green River brands.

 

Green River's whiskeys won prestigious awards such as the Medal of Excellence at the 1893 World's Fair, the First Prize and Gold Medal in Paris in 1900, the Grand Prize Over All Competitors at the 1904 World's Fair, and, in 1905, the Grand Prize at the Exposition Universelle de Liege. There were plenty of other awards earned during McCulloch's tenure.

 

Then disaster struck:

 

"Sadly, at the height of Green River's popularity, a fire broke out on the distillery grounds. In just three hours, most of the buildings and whiskey barrels were reduced to rubble. The distillery was rebuilt, but Prohibition was passed and J.W. McCulloch wouldn't live to restore Green River to glory. In the following decades, the distillery passed hands on several occasions. The Medley Distilling Company was the most well known to operate on the grounds." – Green River Distilling Company

 

The distillery fell into disrepair and was abandoned until it was acquired in 2014 by the Terressentia Corp. of South Carolina, which renamed it O.Z. Tyler Distillery. Two years later, the distillery was producing its first whiskeys. Then, in 2019, Terressentia purchased the rights to the Green River name, and in 2020, O.Z. Tyler once again became the Green River Distilling Company. Green River was purchased by Bardstown Bourbon Company in 2022 (the best thing to ever happen to the distillery since 2014). The parent company is now called Lofted Spirits.

 

Today's subject whiskey is Green River Full Proof Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon. And, yes, that's a lot of words. As the name implies, this is a wheater, distilled from 70% corn, 21% wheat, and 9% malted barley. After maturing for 5 to 7 years in new, charred oak barrels, Green River blended the Bourbon, then packaged it at 54.65% ABV (109.3°) with a suggested price of $49.99.

 

"Wheated Full Proof is our way of giving fans a richer, more intense experience of the wheated bourbon they already love. We kept the same mashbill and the same commitment to balance, then selected and blended barrels that truly shine at barrel strength. The result is a more robust expression that still drinks like Green River." - Dan Callaway, Master Blender

 

Before I get to the #DrinkCurious part, I must thank Green River Distilling Company for providing me with a sample of this Bourbon in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Distiller: Green River Distilling Company
• Age: NAS
• Mashbill: 70% corn, 21% wheat, 4% malted barley
• Cooperage: 53-gallon, new, charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 54.65% ABV (109.3°)
• Price per 750mL: $49.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass and sipped the Bourbon neat. The liquid was rust orange and created a thin rim with thicker, tightly packed, fast tears.

 

Nose: After allowing the whiskey to rest for about 15 minutes, I brought the glass beneath my nostrils and began sniffing. The aroma included plums, cherries, vanilla, leather, and oak. It wasn't overly complicated. When I drew the air through my lips, I found caramel and leather.

 

Palate: Green River's creamy mouthfeel unfolded a palate shock of black pepper and oak. With the second sip, I discovered vanilla cream, caramel, and toffee on the front of my palate. Midway through, notes of newish leather, cocoa powder, and tobacco leaf emerged, while the back tasted of cinnamon spice, older oak, and cherries.

 

Finish: Ripe plums, cherries, cocoa powder, and rich caramel were prominent. Cinnamon spice and dry oak tried to compete but were easily subdued until all the sweeter notes faded, then came cocoa nibs. The medium duration was 1:18, though my mind deceived me into thinking it was longer.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: One of my favorite things about Green River is that it offers delicious, high-quality whiskeys at lower-than-average prices. Full Proof Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon fits that description perfectly. It is everything that fans of wheaters enjoy with its creamy texture and sweeter palate, a decent amount of time in oak, proofed correctly, and delivered at an affordable price, and that's why it earns every bit of my Bottle rating. 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.