Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by Milam & Green. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link towards the bottom of this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.
The partnership between entrepreneur Marsha Milam and celebrated blender and author Heather Greene has concentrated a wealth of whiskey knowledge in Blanco, Texas. This “Whiskey Dream Team” launched their range in 2019, bringing together the combined experience of master distiller Marlene Holmes (formerly with Jim Beam), the blending expertise Greene cultivated in Scotland, and chief brewer Jordan Osborne.
With all this industry experience comes an attention to detail in ingredients, process, aging, and blending, drawing from diverse whiskeymaking traditions. But don’t mistake this accumulated knowledge for ivory-tower elitism. Heather Greene is very good at communicating the finer points of the craft in layperson terms and her Whiskey School video series through the Milam and Greene website is an excellent resource for the curious whiskey drinker. Milam and Green is establishing itself as a player in the emerging grain-to-glass Texas whiskey style while also producing a number of offerings made from out-of-state ingredients. The brand is still relatively young and American whiskey enthusiasts would do well to pay attention as it continues to grow.
Taking a closer look at the limited quantity second edition in their series of Distillery Edition Straight Bourbon, the distillery website furnishes exactly enough pertinent information about the contents of the bottle to let you know what you’re drinking but without tipping their hand to the minutest proprietary details: “The mash bill of 70% corn, 22% malted rye, and 8% malted barley combined with barrel aging in the Texan terroir….Only nine barrels were blended to create this stunner…As with all our whiskies, this bottle is non-chill filtered for rich texture. It is hand-bottled at barrel proof”. This is a certified Texas whiskey, meaning that Texas-sourced grain and water are mashed, distilled, aged, and bottled additives-free within state borders.
Tasting Notes: Milam and Greene Distillery Edition Straight Bourbon
dVital Stats: 115 proof. As a straight bourbon, this whiskey must age for a minimum of two years, but the lack of age statement implies that it has aged upwards of 4 years. Priced at $120
Appearance: A deep, red-tinted honey color and medium body.
Nose: The aroma is sweet, but the rich sort of sweetness of honey and bananas.
Palate: The key adjective here is “warmth.” The palate opens with toasted milk and marshmallow. The high-proof, “hot” sensation builds slowly into an alcohol burn that is not at all unpleasant. This heat is accompanied by cinnamon spiciness and fades into a leathery-tannin finish in which the proprietary yeast also gets a chance to shine, imparting a very peripheral funkiness.
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