Green River Distilling Co. is expanding its bourbon lineup with the release of Green River Honey Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a new expression the company says is crafted using real honey rather than artificial sweeteners or flavor additives.
The new whiskey will launch nationwide on May 15 and is made by finishing Green River’s four-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon with locally sourced honey directly inside the barrel. The bourbon is distilled and aged in Owensboro.
According to the company, the honey is added into the barrel to naturally interact with the bourbon over time instead of being blended in afterward.
The bourbon is bottled at 92 proof and features notes of honey, caramel, orange peel, toasted oak, vanilla, and cinnamon spice, according to tasting information released by the company.
“For too long, honey whiskey has been defined by shortcuts,” Dan Callaway, master blender for Lofted Spirits, said in a release. “Natural flavors aren’t always as natural as they claim to be. Green River Honey is changing that — putting our money into real, natural honey and Kentucky Straight Bourbon.”
Callaway said the new product is intended to bridge the gap between premium honey-cask finished bourbons and lower-priced flavored whiskey products.
The honey used in the bourbon comes through a partnership with Above the Dirt Garden and Honey Shop, a beekeeper-owned company that sources honey from family-owned apiaries across the Midwest and South.
Green River Honey will be sold in 750mL bottles with a suggested retail price of $24.99, and will also be available in 200mL bottles.
Caryn Wells, national brand ambassador for Green River, said the higher proof and honey finish make the bourbon versatile for cocktails.
“Green River Honey goes to work behind the bar,” Wells said in the release. “One of the few commercially available higher proof honey finished bourbons available, the high proof and real honey finish give cocktails structure without overpowering them.”
As part of the launch, the company is also introducing a promotional “DeliverBEE” campaign, allowing fans to nominate friends or coworkers to receive surprise deliveries of the new bourbon.
Founded in 1885, Green River Distilling Co. is the 10th-oldest licensed distillery in Kentucky and serves as the westernmost distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
