The world of bottled-in-bond whiskey just got a little bigger, a trend that continues to find traction in both the craft and legacy whiskey worlds. The latest distillery to get onboard is Texas’s Milam & Greene—but in a twist you don’t see that often, the team distilled this bourbon in Kentucky instead of Texas, still meeting all of the qualifications to be called a bottled-in-bond whiskey.
Milam & Greene is led by master distiller Marlene Holmes and CEO, master blender, whiskey expert, and author Heather Greene, who joined the operation in 2019. They distill their own whiskey and source barrels from other distilleries to blend into a core range of products that includes Triple Cask and Single Cask bourbons. Distillation takes place both in Blanco, Texas on pot stills and in Bardstown, Kentucky on column stills in partnership with Bardstown Bourbon Company using a proprietary yeast strain and a mashbill that includes grains from Texas, Oregon, Wyoming, and Washington. “They don’t just contract distill, said a rep for Milam & Greene, “They are cooking in the other folks’ kitchen.”
The new Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey meets all of the requirements to be labeled as such: aged for at least four years, bottled at 100 proof, and the product of one distillery and one distillation season. It was distilled at BBC from Milam & Greene’s signature mashbill of 70 percent corn, 22 percent malted rye, and eight percent malted barley in the autumn of 2019, and aged in new charred oak barrels in a federally bonded warehouse in Kentucky. This spring, 72 barrels were selected and brought to Texas for blending and bottling. “We’ve been eagerly monitoring the maturation of this bourbon for almost five freaking years and watching how it has developed into its gorgeous flavors over time,” said Greene in a statement. “The use of the column stills in Kentucky and adherence to the Bottled-in-Bond Act regulations added a refinement and subtlety that fans of traditional bourbon will love.”
According to the brand, the use of malted rye in the mashbill instead of the much more common unmalted version of the grain brings a bit of nuttiness to the palate and a richer texture to the whiskey. We did not get to sample this new bourbon yet, but official tasting notes describe candy corn, honey, and chocolate malt on the nose, followed by fresh bread, malted milk balls, wildflower honey, and a some tannic oak on the palate. A neat pour is recommended, but the whiskey is said to be versatile enough to use in a cocktail.
Milam & Greene Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey (SRP $65) is rolling out at liquor stores nationwide this month, and you can also purchase a bottle directly from the Milam & Greene website. The BIB bourbon is not listed yet, but you can find the rest of the lineup available to purchase from ReserveBar.
