| Whiskey | Green River Full Proof Bourbon |
| Distillery | Green River Distilling Company |
| Region | Owensboro, Kentucky |
| Type | Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% Corn, 21% Rye, 9% Malted Barley |
| Proof / ABV | 117.9 Proof / 58.95% ABV |
| Aging | No Age Statement – Likely 5-7 Years |
| Filtration | Non-Chill Filtered |
| MSRP | $50 |
| Release Year | 2025 |
Green River Full Proof Bourbon Tasting Notes
Appearance: Golden Amber
Nose: Rich caramel, vanilla, oak, rye grain, wood chips, cinnamon, baking spice, hints of citrus, leather, tobacco, chocolate, anise seed
Palate: Sweet fruit notes, oaky tannic spice, pepper, rye spice, apple cinnamon, nutmeg, rye grain, grassy earthy notes, citrus
Finish: Rich bold finish with a rye spice and oaky tannic spice that really shine through – leaves you with rich caramel, oak, and rye spice on the palate
Green River Distillery History
I first discovered the Green River Distillery a few months back and was quite interested in the “DSP-KY-10” on the front label.
The earlier the number in that Distillery ID the longer they’ve been around so I researched into it a bit and was surprised by what I found.
Green River Distillery was founded in 1885 in Owensboro, Kentucky by J.W. McCulloch who branded his whiskey as “The Whiskey Without Regrets”.
It became one of the most recognized whiskey brands in America but in 1918, a fire destroyed much of the distillery including millions of gallons of whiskey.
Soon after, Prohibition forced the brand out of production.
In 2022, Green River Whiskey was officially relaunched as a heritage brand and is now owned by Bardstown Bourbon Company.
DSP-KY-10 highlights that the distillery is the 10th oldest in Kentucky and is still operating on its original site which I think is really fascinating and I’d love to learn more about their history and how they relaunched the distillery.
Next time I’m in Kentucky, I’ll have to give them a visit and learn more about their brand and its rich history.
*Note: Although Green River re-emerged in 2022, its whiskey isn’t new.
The distillate comes from the same Owensboro facility that’s been running since 2016 under the O.Z. Tyler banner.
When Bardstown Bourbon Company acquired and rebranded it, they inherited years of well-matured stock – meaning today’s 5- to 7-year bourbons were quietly aging long before the Green River label returned to shelves.
Is Green River Full Proof an Approachable Whiskey?
Green River Full Proof packs a nice punch full of both flavor and heat intensity.
It has a higher proof point than the base level Green River Bourbon so I’d recommend this whiskey for fans of higher-proof bourbon and like the rich full flavor profiles.
Is Green River Full Proof Complex?
Green River Full Proof has a lot more complexity than it’s standard edition 80-proof Bourbon.
It has much richer oaky tannic spice, caramel, and vanilla flavors that really shine through in the finish.
You also get a bold representation of the 21% rye mash bill which presents as a nice rye grain and pepper spice that last quite a while on the palate.
The finish is also much richer on this pour than the 80-proof which is quite nice.
I think Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon is one of the better buys on the market for the $30 price point and this Full-Proof release offers a ton of great flavors and significant improvements on the finish for just a $15-20 price increase.
What are Green River Full Proof’s strongest attributes/flavors?
Green Rivers always offers an excellent flavor profile in its bourbon, but I think the strongest attribute of this full-proof edition is that you can get a rich flavor profile, bold finish, and rye-focused bourbon at a $50 price point.
Is Green River Full Proof a go-to whiskey?
I’m not sure how readily available Green River Full Proof is going to be since this is my first time seeing it at my liquor store, but if this is available on the shelf in the future, it’s a pretty decent pour for the price.
I could easily see this being a go-to pour for anyone who enjoys a rye-forward bourbon with a nice rich finish.
Is Green River Full Proof priced accurately to its quality?
Green River distillery just recently re-opened but they are creating some excellent whiskey at very affordable prices.
I’m unsure of whether Bardstown is just rebranding a new bottle under their company umbrella or if this mash bill truly traces back to the days of old before prohibition, but I can say that Green River is a whiskey that always seems to deliver on its price tag.
It’s not easy to find a full proof/cask strength bourbon in the “under $50” price range so this bottle is a great buy at that price.
A few others I can think of quickly would be:
- Benchmark Full Proof ($25)
- Maker’s Mark Cask Strength ($50)
- Wild Turkey Rare Breed ($60)
Conclusion for Green River Full Proof Bourbon
Green River kind of comes out of nowhere for me.
I kept hearing about it online and finally decided to give it a shot when I tried the Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon and I was really impressed.
I believe I wrote in that original review that I was quite happy with to find a rye-forward whiskey in the $30 price range and I’m going to have to back that up here.
I’m again impressed with a full-proof rye-forward bourbon for under $50.
If you see this whiskey on the shelf and are looking for a nice option for nearly 120-proof bourbon at a relatively cheap price-point, definitely give it a shot.
Even more so, if you’re a fan of rye-forward bourbon with a kick, this bottle is for you.
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