Overview: Green River Distillery sits in Owensboro, Kentucky — DSP-KY-10, the 10th oldest active distillery license in the state. The standard 90-proof Green River Wheated won World’s Best Bourbon at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition, which is the kind of thing that empties shelves. The Full Proof expression bottles that same juice at entry proof — 109.3 — no chill filtration, no water added. At $50 for barrel-strength from an award-winning wheater, the value case writes itself. Whether the juice lives up to the hype is a fair question.

Age: No age statement (tastes young — likely 4–6 years)

Proof: 109.3 (54.65% ABV)

Mashbill: Not disclosed; likely 70% corn, 21% wheat, 9% malted barley based on known Green River expressions

Nose: Youthful, but not offensively so — there’s no raw grain or harsh ethanol jumping out. Dark fruit leads: blackberries and dark cherry. It smells like a wheater that’s still finding its footing but has good material to work with. Give it a minute in the glass.

Palate: The lead note here is something I’d describe as peppercorn honeydew melon — which sounds odd but works. The dark fruit from the nose carries over, joined by honeydew sweetness and a cinnamon-pepper spice that’s more assertive than you’d expect from a wheated bourbon. The mouthfeel is notably good for the youth and the proof — coating and smooth without the thin, watery quality that younger barrels sometimes produce. The wheat is clearly in charge, but this one has an edge to it.

Finish: More interesting than your average straightforward wheater. Some oak starts to develop, though it’s drier and slightly more astringent than you’d get from a well-aged bourbon — which tracks with the youth. The saving grace is that the stone fruit lingers long enough to keep the finish enjoyable. A few more twists and turns than expected, even if they’re not all sweet ones.

Final Thoughts: Green River Full Proof is a legitimately good bottle for $50 that’s honest about what it is: a young, proof-forward wheater with good bones and a bit of rough edge. The peppery spice is a surprise in the best way, and the mouthfeel earns its keep at 109 proof. It’s not the most complete bourbon on the shelf, but at this price point and proof, it doesn’t need to be.

Rating: Middle Shelf — Rating system explained