Milam & Greene Whiskey recently introduced The Castle Hill Series Batch 1, a vintage batch of 13-year-old hand-selected bourbons bottled at barrel proof. Only twenty barrels were mingled to create this whiskey, making it the most limited of the company’s boutique whiskeys.
The series is named for the historic Texas Military Institute, also known as “The Castle,” which overlooks the Capitol Building in Austin. Milam & Greene CEO and Master Blender Heather Greene spent hours inside the Castle in isolation during 2020 helping to create this first batch of this limited edition. The Castle, which is now home to Greene’s blending lab, will soon have an elegant private whiskey tasting room to showcase the art of whiskey blending. Milam & Greene operations, warehousing, and distilling remain in Blanco, Texas under the helm of master distiller, Marlene Holmes.
The Castle Hill Series celebrates the art of blending vintage whiskey to create bourbon that highlights complex flavors from several single casks. Greene honed her tremendous whiskey blending skills while evaluating scotch for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society as well as while working with numerous distilleries before bringing her talent to Milam & Greene in 2018.
“I approach blending with express intent and purpose. I think of various barrels the way I think about spices in a cabinet,” said Heather Greene, Milam & Greene CEO and Master Blender. “Each barrel brings its own unique character, and the end result should be balanced, flavorful, and elegant. I created this first batch of The Castle Hill Series to please whiskey drinkers looking for traditional lush notes of cherry, vanilla, and almonds juxtaposed with tannins and tobacco, and it finishes a bit drier than might be expected. I find these kinds of complexities exciting.”
Milam & Greene is named for the partnership formed between Texas Entrepreneur Marsha Milam and Greene. Each bottle’s flavor is created under the direction of both Greene and Holmes. The brand’s team distills in both Blanco and Kentucky based on a mash bill of 70% Texas corn, 22% Pacific Northwest malted rye from Oregon & Washington, and 8% Wyoming barley.
The Milam & Greene Castle Hill Series Batch 1 is available for $119.99 for limited release.
