Green River Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Mashbill – 95% Rye and 5% Malted Barley
Age – A blend of 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old barrels
Proof – 95
Price Paid – $37.99
Other – One of the coolest bottles around with the horseshoe base as a throwback to their historical DSP-KY-10

Color – golden amber

Aroma – doesn’t have a typical rye note on the nose; a lot of sweetness comes through such as honey, brown sugar, and a sweet fruit.


Tasted Neat – citrus, like a sweet orange marmalade with honey and graham crackers, fresh rye grass but not as expected for a 95% rye, fruitiness but with a nice rye spice and oak finish.

Tasted with dried cranberry –  reduced the sweetness and mostly muted the rye spice.

Tasted with a pecan –  A new type of sweetness now, such as caramel and chocolate, but with pepper, cinnamon, and maybe some oak on the finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – creamy sweetness of caramel, but with a stronger presence of baking spices and then pepper for the finish.  

Discussion and Final Notes

This is rye provides a really nice ride. It is a 95% rye that drinks quite similarly to a bourbon. You know it is rye from the rye grass, slight mint, and rye spices; however, the sweet citrus fruit – such as orange marmalade plus the graham cracker tricks your mind to thinking about bourbon.

If we had friends over that said they absolutely do not like rye, I would pour them a taste of the Green River to see if we could change their mind.

This whiskey is also at a great price point of under $40 and should be readily available through regular distribution channels. I believe Green River is now in 25 states, so look for it on the shelves of your local liquor store.

Cheers,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Spirit Requirements

What is a Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey? Rye whiskey must be made from at least 51% rye. It must be distilled at 160 proof or less.  It then must be placed into a new, charred oak container at a proof of 125 or below. Straight rye whiskey is a subcategory of rye whiskey that has been aged for at least two years in new, charred oak barrels and doesn’t contain any additives. If aged less than four years, the label must include an age statement. To add “Kentucky” to the label, it must be aged for at least one year in the state of Kentucky. For additional information, read Rye Whiskey, part of the Sunday Spirit Notes.