Green River is technically the 10th oldest licensed distillery in Kentucky, but the twists and turns of history mean it’s only been back on shelves since 2022. In that time, it put out a great slate of bourbons and ryes, and their newest release—Kentucky Straight Wheated Single Barrel Bourbon—is a unique high proof experiment that shows the brand isn’t slowing down.
The descriptor is certainly a mouthful, so let’s break it down. A “straight” bourbon means the juice can’t contain any additives, and if it’s aged under four years, it’s going to need an age statement. Green River says their new expression is aged at least five years, so they’ve cleared that hurdle.
After that, the wheated aspect is easily explained. Instead of the usual bourbon mash bill of corn, barley, and rye, Green River swaps in wheat instead of rye. Brands from Maker’s Mark to Pappy Van Winkle have a long history of using wheat to make whiskey with a soft profile in place of rye spice. But both Green River and its parent company, Bardstown Bourbon, already have wheated expressions out. So what’s new?
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Well, here comes the single barrel, which is where things get interesting. Because the entire run is sourced from only 100 select barrels, it’s not going to be standardized, per se. Bottled at cask strength, the new line will have an estimated proof between 110 and 130. You read that right: it’s between 55 and a whopping 65.5 percent ABV. That’s enough to knock their already-boozy Full-Proof Bourbon (58.5 percent) off its pedestal. At a suggested retail price of $60, that’s a heck of a bargain for a whole lot of burn.
If you want to get this heavy-hitter for yourself, it’s going to be a bit of a trek. Retailers can pick these out by the cask from Green River’s distillery in Owensboro, KY, but there will also be a flight available to the general public at Green River and Bardstown gift shops in February. Distillery-only drops like this tend to be a big prize for fans, and with this much firepower behind it, don’t expect bottles to stick around for long.
Related: I've Tried Hundreds of Whiskeys. Here Are My Picks for Top 10 Smoothest Bourbons
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