OVER 140 YEARS OF WHISKEY MAKING

Green River Distilling Co. produces a full range of Kentucky whiskeys, all distilled at the 10th oldest licensed distillery in the state in Owensboro, Kentucky. The lineup includes the flagship Kentucky Straight Bourbon, the Kentucky Wheated Bourbon, the Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, a Full Proof Bourbon and Wheated Full Proof Bourbon for those who prefer barrel-strength intensity, and hand-selected Single Barrel releases in both bourbon and wheated expressions. Limited special releases, like the U.S. Army 250th Anniversary Bourbon, round out the collection. Every bottle is made on-site in Owensboro and aged in some of the oldest rickhouses in the state.

In a traditional bourbon, rye is the secondary grain in the mash bill, adding spice and pepper. In a wheated bourbon, wheat replaces rye as the secondary grain, which produces a softer, rounder, and often sweeter flavor profile. Green River’s Kentucky Wheated Bourbon uses a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% wheat, and 9% malted barley, aged 4 to 6 years and bottled at 90 proof. On the nose you’ll find peach, apricot, and caramel, with toffee, pastry, and hazelnut on the palate and a long honeyed finish. It is the same recipe that earned Green River the title of Best Bourbon in the World at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition. Wheated bourbons tend to be a popular choice for new whiskey drinkers and for classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned, where a softer grain character lets other flavors shine.

Green River’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon is bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV) and uses a high-rye mash bill of 70% corn, 21% winter rye, and 9% malted barley, aged more than five years. It delivers warming spice, vanilla, caramel, and chocolate-coated peppermint in a balanced, approachable package. The Full Proof Bourbon uses the same high-rye recipe but is bottled at 117.3 proof (58.65% ABV) without added water, meaning the spirit comes to you exactly as it was in the barrel. The result is a more intense, concentrated expression of the same flavor profile: bolder spice, a thicker mouthfeel, and a longer, more complex finish. If you enjoy the standard bourbon and want to go deeper, the Full Proof is the natural next step.

Green River’s Kentucky Wheated Bourbon was named Best Bourbon in the World at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition, one of the most respected blind-tasting panels in the industry. The recognition reflects the craftsmanship of the Owensboro team and the quality of a wheated recipe that has been refined over decades at a distillery founded in 1885. You can read the full story, including a Forbes feature by Brad Japhe, on the Green River website. The award-winning wheated bourbon is bottled at 90 proof and is available directly from the distillery and through retailers across the country.

While bourbon must be made from a mash bill of at least 51% corn, a straight rye whiskey must be made from at least 51% rye grain. Green River’s Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey takes that much further, using a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, making it a true high-rye expression. It is a blend of hand-selected 4 to 6-year-old barrels, bottled at 95 proof (47.5% ABV). The flavor profile is distinctly different from the bourbon range: expect orange peel, fresh spearmint, and a touch of black pepper rising through a vanilla and graham cracker base, with a medium finish of rye spice, herbal tea, and soft oak. It is an excellent choice for rye Manhattan cocktails, or for whiskey drinkers who prefer a spicier, herb-forward spirit over the sweetness of corn-forward bourbon.

A single barrel bourbon is bottled from one individual barrel rather than being blended from multiple barrels. Because each barrel ages differently based on its position in the rickhouse, temperature exposure, and the unique characteristics of that specific wood, every single barrel release is a one-of-a-kind expression. Green River offers single barrel releases in two styles: the Single Barrel Bourbon, which draws on the same high-rye mash bill as the flagship Kentucky Straight Bourbon, and the Single Barrel Wheated, which showcases the award-winning wheated recipe at cask strength from a single, hand-selected barrel. Both are available directly through the distillery’s Single Barrel program. Because these are individual barrels, quantities are limited and no two releases taste exactly the same.

Green River Distilling Co. was originally founded in 1885 by J.W. McCulloch in Owensboro, Kentucky, making it the 10th oldest licensed distillery in the state (DSP-KY-10). At the height of its original run, Green River was one of the most widely advertised whiskeys in the world, known by the slogan “The Whiskey Without A Headache” and even served as the official whiskey of the U.S. Marine Hospital for 18 years. After Prohibition brought production to a halt, the brand was revived and the first new expression of Green River bourbon appeared in 2022. Whiskey is aged on-site in some of the oldest rickhouses in Kentucky, on the Official Kentucky Bourbon Trail in Owensboro. The history matters because it reflects a genuine mastery of craft: these are not new barrels in a new building. They are spirits matured in the same climate, on the same land, with the same dedication that earned the original Green River its reputation. Learn more about the brand’s full story on the Green River timeline.