Review: Milam & Greene Port Finished Rye and Single Barrel Bourbon
Last year, we took a look at Milam & Greene’s Triple Cask Bourbon, a blend of sourced stocks and the distillery’s own bourbon distilled in Blanco, Texas. That younger, in-house bourbon is also now its own limited release, dubbed Distillery Edition, but the rest of the broader Milam & Greene portfolio relies heavily on sourced whiskey, primarily Tennessee bourbon and Indiana Rye, which are aged and finished in the harsh Texas environment. We received two samples of their single barrel bourbon and a Port-finished rye for review. Thoughts follow.
Milam & Greene Port Finished Rye – Since this is distilled in Indiana, we can assume it’s MGP rye. No information is available as to the specific finishing casks or the duration of finishing, although it is reportedly a batched product, so both may vary. The nose is subtle, but there’s a nice balance of sweet dark fruits and spicy, herbal rye. Notes of black pepper and ripe berries are accented with a touch of smoky barbecue sauce. On the palate, that balance continues with an even, gentle heat and a mix of mesquite smoke, stewed berries, and peppery burnt ends. The finish is generous and drying with tart, winey tannins, but that just keeps me dipping back into the glass. 94 proof. A- / $43
Milam & Greene Single Barrel Straight Bourbon (Cask 370) – The nose here is burly and earthy with notes of boiled peanuts, pecans shells, and firewood. As it opens, a slight praline sweetness emerges, alongside more drying oak and some new leather. On the whole though, things stay rather savory. The palate is light with some welcome sweetness in the form of caramel candies, cinnamon sugar, and a bit of candied apple. For the modest proof, there’s still a nice smoldering heat reaching into the medium length finish, accented with pie spice and dried apples. 86 proof. B / $55
Milam & Greene Single Barrel Straight Bourbon (Cask 335) – The aroma on this single barrel is less leathery and oak-driven, but it’s still on the drier side with peanut shells and some sawdust. As it opens, things sweeten with a bit of raw honey and a watery touch of butterscotch. On the palate, candy corn and some biting oak up front make give things a youthful edge. The mid-palate is a rather indistinguishable mix of baking spice and vanilla riding a thin, almost soupy, mouthfeel. The heat is softer as well, with a shorter finish and quickly fading notes of caramel and cherry candies. 86 proof. B- / $55
Milam & Greene Port Finished Rye
$43
