Green River Full Proof Bourbon Review: Big Flavor, Honest Price
Whether you're sipping it alone while watching TV or enjoying it with friends around the campfire, you can't go wrong with this bottle.
Bottle Details
- DISTILLER: Distilled by Green River Distilling Co.
- TYPE: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- MASH BILL: 70% Corn | 21% Winter Rye | 9% Malted 2 and 6-row barley
- AGE: NAS (non–age stated) but the distillery states it's a blend of 5 to 7-year-old barrels
- YEAR: 2024
- PROOF: Variable, initial batch is 117.3 proof / 58.65% ABV
- MSRP: $49.99
- AVAILABILITY: Wide release
- BUY ONLINE: Green River Website
TASTING NOTES
NOSE: Warm baking spices (not black pepper), hint of mint from the high-rye mash bill, rich vanilla, caramel
PALATE: Cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, hint of light leather; candied fruit notes add brightness and keep you coming back
FINISH: Long and lingering, baking spices prominent on the fade-out
Reviewer's Verdict
RATING: Bottle
WORTH THE PRICE: Without question. At $49.99, this is one of the better values on the market right now. It punches well above its price point and compares favorably to expressions coming to market at significantly higher prices.
WHO IT'S FOR: Bourbon drinkers who want a high-proof daily sipper without the treasure hunt or the inflated price tag. If you're not hung up on age statements, warehouse placement, or exotic finishes, this is exactly the kind of bottle you've been looking for. It's also a smart entry point for anyone curious about what Green River does — this is the distillery at its most expressive.
THE REVIEW: Green River Full Proof Bourbon's nose is full of warm spice notes, leaning into baking spices rather than black pepper. A hint of mint, indicative of the high-rye mash bill, is complemented by rich vanilla and caramel. The palate delivers solid cinnamon, vanilla, and caramel notes, along with a hint of light leather. But just like with the original 90-proof release, it's the candied fruit notes adding brightness and sweetness to the mix — the thing that kept me returning for another sip. The finish is long and lingering, with the baking spices prominently appearing on the fade-out.
I'm thrilled Green River brought this full proof version to market. Previously, the only way to experience Green River at higher proof was to hunt down a limited private single barrel selection. This changes that. It's rich, full-bodied, infinitely drinkable, and priced like they actually want you to buy it.
The release of Green River Full Proof Bourbon once again proves that it is truly "the whiskey without regrets."
Disclaimer
This bottle found its way to us compliments of the brand. What ends up on the page is ours alone — and they knew that going in. Around here, honesty isn't a policy. It's the whole damn point.
About Our Rating System
Bourbon & Banter uses a three-tier rating system created over a decade ago: Bottle, Bar, or Bust.
- 🍾 Bottle — Buy it. This one deserves a place in your cabinet. (Approximate equivalent: 85 and above on a 100-point scale)
- 🥃 Bar — Worth trying, but not necessarily worth owning. Find it at a bar before committing to a bottle. (Approximate equivalent: 70–84)
- 💀 Bust — Skip it. Life is too short and your shelf space too valuable. (Approximate equivalent: below 70)
Numeric scores imply a precision that doesn't exist — and most publications never score below 80, making half the scale meaningless. We'd rather answer the question that actually matters: buy it, try it at a bar before you buy, or skip it. The approximate equivalents above are for reference only.