Review: Field of Dreams 2025 Player Series Bourbon and All-Star Whiskey

Bourbon is often called America’s native spirit. Baseball, of course, is America’s pastime. Both are born of the same soil — stitched into the fabric of a growing nation that found its rhythm in the mid-1800s, when railroads, steamboats, and telegraphs began to connect small towns and big dreams from coast to coast.

As whiskey began to travel beyond local taverns and baseball teams journeyed beyond county lines, both became more than local curiosities. They became national obsessions — shared experiences that captured the American imagination.

Baseball, perhaps more than any other sport, makes us feel something deep inside. It’s history, competition, and community all rolled into one  — an easy afternoon cheering on the hometown boys, a game of catch with Dad in the backyard, a soft crack of the bat on a summer evening.

That timeless emotion found its voice in 1989 with the release of Field of Dreams. The film didn’t just tell a story about baseball — it told a story about fathers and sons, about hope, about believing in something unseen. “If you build it, he will come.” Those words echo through the cornfields of Dyersville, Iowa, where the ghosts of legends emerged from the stalks to remind us why we love this game in the first place.

In 2021, Andy Keller and former Major League pitcher Drew Storen found a way to connect that same magic to America’s native spirit. They launched Field of Dreams Whiskey, literally bringing the iconography of the film to life through bourbon.

By law, bourbon must be made from a mashbill of at least 51% corn — but Keller and Storen wanted to go further. They envisioned a bourbon made from 100% corn harvested from the very same Dyersville cornfield that gave Field of Dreams its heart. Partnering with Murphy Quint at Cedar Ridge Distillery in Swisher, Iowa, they set out to bring together two symbols of Americana — baseball and bourbon — through one extraordinary ingredient: that legendary Iowa corn.

The appeal of bourbon has always been about more than just the flavor. It’s about the stories, the lore, the connection. Field of Dreams Whiskey bridges the lore of baseball and the lore of bourbon, offering a taste of nostalgia in every sip.

For bourbon enthusiasts, the concept alone is enticing. But for anyone who ever tossed a baseball with a parent, heard cheers from the bleachers at a Little League game, or watched the game under summer skies, it hits even deeper.

For me, it’s personal. My dad passed away when I was ten years old. Decades later, when I think of him, the first memory that comes to mind is usually us playing catch in the yard in Tennessee. The sound of the ball smacking the glove, his laugh, the way the evening light fell — it’s all still there. One of my last vivid memories with him involved baseball.

That’s why Field of Dreams Whiskey is more than just a new label on the shelf. It’s emotional nostalgia in a bottle. It’s a bridge between past and present — between fathers and sons, dreams and memories, cornfields and glass.

Now, Field of Dreams Whiskey has sent its two newest releases to the plate: Field of Dreams 2025 Player Series Bourbon and Field of Dreams All-Star Whiskey. The branding may be steeped in powerful nostalgia, but can the whiskeys themselves deliver the same magic?

It’s time for the spirits to take the mound and show us what they’ve got.

Field of Dreams 2025 Player Series Bourbon Review

The 2025 Field of Dreams Player Series Bourbon marks the second chapter in this uniquely American collection. True to its storytelling roots, this year’s bottling carries symbolic meaning at every turn: the total yield of 23,370 bottles mirrors the number of athletes to have ever reached the major leagues to date — across all recognized professional baseball circuits, not just MLB. Bottled at 108 proof in tribute to Cal Raleigh’s record-tying 54th home run as a switch-hitter in 2025, this release continues the brand’s mission of fusing history, baseball, and bourbon into one narrative thread.

While the original concept centered on bourbon distilled entirely from Dyersville corn, this 2025 edition introduces a new dimension: a blend of that 100% corn bourbon distilled in Iowa with wheated and high-rye counterparts from two additional, undisclosed distilleries in Minnesota and Michigan. The final mashbill averages out to 91% corn, 4% wheat, 3% rye, and 2% malted barley, with the Iowa-distilled corn bourbon making up about three-quarters of the blend. The wheated component was mostly likely distilled in Minnesota.

The high-corn DNA makes itself known right away. The nose opens with a hit of butterscotch pudding that dominates early on before easing into notes of sultana, toasted pecan, and a return of honey-sweet cornbread. It’s a bright, confectionary bouquet that leaves little mystery as to what’s coming next.

On the palate, sweetness takes center stage again. Almond paste gives way to Boston cream donut filling — thick and sweet — followed by brief flashes of red currant and coconut flesh. The texture is notably heavy and oily, to an extent rarely encountered in bourbon. It’s an unusual mouthfeel that persists long enough to raise an eyebrow; if this were tasted blind, one might wonder if a trace of sugar had been added.

The finish introduces a modest counterbalance with Graham cracker crust and a hint of toasted grain before sliding back into familiar territory with buttered grilled corn and a final dusting of cinnamon. The result is pleasant but leans toward cloying, as the sweet elements outweigh any significant spice or oak influence.

When a bourbon relies this heavily on corn, achieving equilibrium is a challenge. Secondary grains typically add contrast and complexity — traits that are present here only in glimpses. Still, this whiskey fulfills its mission: to showcase the iconic cornfield that gave Field of Dreams its soul.

For experienced whiskey drinkers, the 2025 Player Series may feel too syrup-leaning to revisit often. Yet, for collectors and fans of the film, it’s a bottle that carries undeniable charm. The storytelling is genuinely compelling, not just clever marketing. Few whiskeys can claim ingredients grown in one of the most famous movie locations in America, and that detail alone gives this bottle something rare — authentic nostalgia with real provenance.

At $80, there are more refined and better-balanced bourbons to be found. But this one earns its place on the shelf not for its complexity, but for the connection it creates. It’s a conversation piece, a shared pour for fans reminiscing about baseball, family, and the timeless words: “If you build it, he will come.” 108 proof. B- / $80 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Field of Dream All-Star Whiskey Review

Field of Dreams All-Star Whiskey is an ambitious undertaking — one that pushes American blending into uncharted territory. Built upon the foundation of the 100% Dyersville corn bourbon, All-Star incorporates whiskey from 30 distilleries, the largest blend ever assembled by an American producer. It’s a concept straight out of the Field of Dreams playbook: if Scotch houses like Johnnie Walker can orchestrate symphonies of malt from dozens of distilleries, why can’t America do the same?

The difference, of course, lies in how Field of Dreams approached it. Rather than selecting distilleries purely for their whiskey profiles, the blend was constructed around geography — one distillery representing every Major League Baseball market. In other words, this whiskey wasn’t designed solely to chase flavor; it was designed to celebrate connection. From Washington to Florida, Canada to Texas, the team behind this project, led by Murphy Quint, pulled together a lineup that spans 19 states and Canada, blending bourbon, rye, wheat whiskey, American single malt, and a touch of aged Canadian whisky.

The derived mashbill sits at 65% corn, 10% rye, 10% wheat, and 10% malted barley, with roughly half of the total blend drawn from the 100% Dyersville corn bourbon. Barrels range from one year to twenty-five years in age, averaging just under seven years overall. The mix includes a few double-oaked components and even one whiskey finished in an ex–apple brandy barrel.

The nose is enjoyable right from the start, offering the soft sweetness and earthiness of a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie before giving way to unsweetened dried apricot and a subtle cherry-cola reduction. With time in the glass, a faint note of French toast — without syrup — adds adds more complexity. Compared to the 2025 Player Series, which leaned heavily into sugary territory, All-Star’s aromatic character is far drier and spicier, with a rustic character that hints at what’s to come.

On the palate, the contrast with its sibling release becomes even more noticeable. It opens with the taste of wet tobacco leaf and a bit of espresso bitterness. Caramel macchiato follows, joined by less-sweet raisins and the spice of ginger snap cookies. The texture carries a certain dryness that underscores the palate’s earthy direction.

The finish ties it all together with burnt orange peel and unsweetened cocoa powder, leaving a dusting of cocoa across the roof of the mouth. The earlier tobacco note returns, rounding out the experience with more dryness.

What’s remarkable here is how different this whiskey is from the 2025 Player Series, despite sharing so much DNA. Murphy Quint managed to take a rich, sweet 100% corn bourbon and counterbalance it with 29 other whiskeys — primarily chosen for geography rather than flavor — and still produce a blend that feels cohesive. It’s a testament to his skill that All-Star doesn’t feel chaotic; instead, it’s enjoyable.

For enthusiasts who prefer a drier, earthier profile, All-Star hits the mark. More importantly, it succeeds where many concept-driven blends fail: it’s not just a clever story in a bottle. The nostalgia adds genuine value. The idea of blending whiskey from every Major League Baseball market, anchored by corn from the Field of Dreams, feels authentic rather than gimmicky. It’s a whiskey that invites conversation — not just about tasting notes, but about the connection between America’s pastime and its native spirit.

At $100, All-Star is priced fairly for its ambition and its craftsmanship. It’s a pour that baseball fans and whiskey drinkers alike can appreciate — proof that sometimes, if you blend it, they will come. 108 proof. B+ / $100

The post Review: Field of Dreams 2025 Player Series Bourbon and All-Star Whiskey appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.