Green River Distilling Co. earns glowing reviews for newly released bourbon

Reviews for Green River Distilling Company’s new Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey are pouring in (we had to do it) from bourbon enthusiasts and experts all over. So far, we’re hearing words like “excellent,” “superb,” and “very, very good.”

And this is just the beginning.

To quote one of the most well-known bourbon reviewers and a tough critic, Fred Minnick said only one word after his first taste of the new Green River bourbon: “Wow.”

“My hat’s off,” Minnick said during his self-recorded review. “My hat’s absolutely off to Green River. To Jacob Call, the master distiller there, for putting out what is an excellent bourbon.”

As viewers watch Minnick throughout his four-point tasting process (smell, first taste, second taste, and finish), he recalls a variety of aromas and tasting notes he picks up along the way. Notes of cinnamon were strong on the nose, he said, and he commended the bourbon’s color and clarity as well.

“The color can be an indication of its time in the barrel,” he said. “What we have here—we have a really, really good-looking color there. Nice clarity. You can see there’s some oils still in there.

And it smells great,” he added. “This smells great.”

The 90-proof bourbon tasted better than expected, Minnick noted, saying he picked up a lot of spice and cinnamon on the first and second tastes.

Unlike a lot of 90-proof bourbons, the Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey didn’t feel watered down, Minnick said. It tasted like it was proofed “exactly where it needed to be.”

Notes of tapioca pudding, “chewing on straw,” black pepper and a subtle hint of vanilla icing were also mentioned during Minnick’s tasting process. And though the finish wasn’t quite as long as he’d expected, he said the bourbon’s “short-to-medium finish” was the only real critique he had based on first impressions.

Minnick, holding up the bottle he’d also complimented earlier (saying it was one of the prettiest bottles he’d ever seen) finished his review with nothing but good things to say about Green River Distilling Company’s new product.

“This is why you never give up tasting on a distillery. This is why you never give up on a distiller. Because people get better. Processes get better,” he said. “The tasting of this Green River right here is an example of a master distiller continuing their craft to the point where they can put out something that will probably be the likes of Woodford Reserve, probably be competitive with Knob Creek, Wild Turkey 101. It’s in that caliber of bourbon.”

Meanwhile, Bourbon & Banter put out its own glowing review of Green River’s new bourbon, describing it as “a bourbon made for drinking and sharing.”

“It’s been a long time since I could say without any reservation that a new release (not to mention a debut release) is worth the price,” they wrote. “With an MSRP of just $34.99, this is a bottle that everyone should be purchasing to add to their daily drinker lineup.”

Self-described as “hard to please” when it comes to overpriced and limited release bourbons, those at Bourbon & Banter said it took a very special whiskey to impress them upon a first release. 

“I’m pleased to report that after scientifically tasting about half the bottle, I can confirm that it’s beyond good,” they wrote. “A nose of enticing, warm spices greet you, thanks to the high-rye mash bill, which is followed up by the standard trio of bourbon flavors (vanilla, caramel, and a hint of oak) with the addition of cinnamon and sweet, candied fruit. It’s a lighter bourbon, especially compared to what I normally drink, but the mouthfeel is luscious, and the finish is surprisingly long, warming and flavorful.”

Bourbon & Banter went on to say that the Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey would become a “must-have” in their daily drinker rotation.

“2022 has just begun, but Green River Bourbon is leading the pack when it comes to new releases that I’m willing to spend my hard-earned dollar on,” they wrote.

The Bar Belle (out of Louisville) echoed similar thoughts, with the reviewer saying she would “definitely” be adding Green River’s bourbon to its bar as a daily drinker instead of a bottle that collected dust on the shelf.

Calling the bourbon “refreshingly affordable,” The Bar Belle review highlighted the bourbon’s rich flavors of caramel, nutmeg and apricot.

“And the actual bottle design is super cool, rounded to match the horseshoe on the bottom,” she added.