Review: Green River Full Proof Bourbon

Last fall, right around the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Ownesboro’s own Green River Distillery launched their first cask strength expression, a single barrel of their rye bourbon mashbill (70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley) available only at the distillery and by the barrel to select retailers. Now high-octane Green River bourbon is coming to the broader whiskey-loving public with its own spot in the permanent lineup. Full Proof, a batched version of that original single barrel offering, clocks in a bit older than those first releases at five-to-seven years of age, per the distillery, and will see variable batch proofs across each release. The barrels for Full Proof are also reportedly selected from “curated areas” of Green River’s tile warehouses, which are said to yield unique proof variation and liquid maturation. As with every other Green River product, it’s competitively priced. Let’s see how it stacks up.

Like the single barrel I tasted last summer, this full-strength expression of the distillery’s rye bourbon mashbill replaces the green peppercorns and earthy spice on the nose of the standard offering for darker baking spice and ripe stone fruit, a welcome substitution perhaps driven by a bit more time in the barrel. As it opens, the same canned peach note develops with perhaps a touch more caramelized sugar sweetness. The palate is medium-bodied, not as oily or viscous as the single barrel offering but still round and full-flavored. There’s less fruit in the mix than the single barrel with a dousing of vibrant pie spice up front that simmers and then intensifies with fresh red pepper and whole clove. All that spice would be a bit distracting if not for a rich midpalate of candy apple and York peppermints that manages to temper the heat. The finish is lively and fresh with a lingering mélange of bright wintergreen, cinnamon candies, and chewy caramel. A standout higher proof bourbon and a steal at $50.

117.3 proof.

A- / $50

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