Review: Milam & Greene Provisions Bourbon

Milam & Greene is well-known for its melding of the whiskeys of Kentucky and Texas (and sometimes Tennessee) into enchanting blends that straddle the regions from whence they are born. Master blender Heather Greene also regularly touts her unique “Texification” approach, which involves bringing Kentucky distillate to age for years in the blazing Texas heat, giving a certain heft to what might otherwise be a more traditional Kentucky-style bourbon. (Greene explored the impact of climate in the recent The Answer release, which is worth a quick read as background for this review.)

All of this innovation comes to bear in M&G’s latest release, Provisions, which is unlike any other whiskey the operation has produced. Made with a blend of Texas and Kentucky whiskeys, with some of that Texification in effect, Provisions is designed not to be a one-day sell-out release but rather an approachable and, more importantly, affordable everyday drinker and cocktail base.

Says Greene: “We created Provisions Bourbon with the modern consumer at the center; something versatile, approachable, and elegant in the glass. It’s born from Kentucky heritage and transformed by Texas climate, but it’s not boxed in by cowboy tropes or clichés. This whiskey is about modern American life. Whether you’re sipping it neat by the fire, mixing a cocktail, or catching up with friends. More than that, we wanted to create a Milam & Greene expression that stunned people in its value, to make people feel that they can have something elegant and amazing without breaking the bank. People really want that, and Provisions is our answer.”

At $35, Provisions definitely has our attention. Let’s give it a whirl.

Milam & Greene Provisions Blend of Straight Bourbons Review

If Greene’s goal was to craft an affordable everyday sipper that didn’t suck, I’d say this is mission accomplished. The nose is surprisingly rich and complex. You can smell the Texicality here, but it comes across as a layer of heavy char and soaking wet leather atop a more traditional core of dark caramel and vanilla — plus light notes of anise and some cloves.

The palate has an immediate sweetness that surprises — almond nougat, butterscotch, and an aggressive vanilla character that actually feels blown-out as it lingers on the palate, dominating everything else in the mix. It makes for quite the contrast with the more brooding, frontier-like nose, with notes of wintergreen mint, coriander, and cardamom giving the bourbon an unusual, Eastern flair.

At the same time, the whiskey is sweet — aggressively sweet, with French vanilla ice cream, maple syrup, and buttered popcorn notes dripping over all of it. That sweetness dominates in a way that I can’t recall encountering in any of M&G’s previous releases, to the point where it can be distracting when sampled neat. Some ice may temper such feelings — and would be typical for Texas whiskey-drinkin’ — but I’d advise using this release primarily for cocktails, where a little sugar is rarely unwelcome.

The bottom line with all of this, though, is whether Greene has crafted, as promised, an approachable whiskey at an appealing price. Given its sunny disposition and surprising complexity: It’s mission accomplished, I’d say.

80 proof. Reviewed: Autumn 2025 (inaugural) release.

A- / $35 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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