Milam & Greene Whiskey has just unveiled its Bobcat Single Barrel Bourbon, the second release in the Wildlife Collection, a limited-edition series of cask-strength, single-barrel whiskies.
This extremely limited high-proof release is pulled from a single barrel: cask #207. It is named for the solitary, rarely seen bobcat of which Texas has two subspecies: the desert bobcat in the west and northwest, and the Texas bobcat, which ranges across the rest of the state. Much like the solo bobcat that left her tracks behind the Milam & Greene distillery in the winter of 2022, this cask is the last from its lot, aging in some of the most intense Texas Hill Country weather conditions on record.
The Bobcat Single Barrel Bourbon was distilled in Tennessee with a mash bill of 80% corn, 10% rye, and 10% malted barley. It was barreled on March 15, 2018, and was bottled on March 31, at 119 proof. The release was aged more than four years in new American oak barrels with a #4 alligator char in Tennessee and then for 10.5 months in Blanco, Texas on the northside of the Milam & Greene Rickhouse 1, row 4, level 3, position 5 where it rested undisturbed, unrotated and without climate control. During its time spent in Texas, the whiskey weathered almost two months of triple-digit temperatures, an extended drought, and a multi-day ice storm that caused widespread power outages, significant tree damage, and effectively shut-down commerce in the state. As a result, this single barrel had a yield of just 209 bottles.
“The Wildlife Collection gives us an opportunity to isolate single casks to really explore the impact of Texas weather on aging whiskey,” said Milam & Greene Whiskey CEO and Master Blender Heather Greene. “Our extreme temperature swings in Texas have the potential to speed up the aging. With Bobcat, the scorching Texas heat and sudden freeze events this past winter created a great deal of wood interaction and angel’s share making this whiskey a real flavor bomb.”
“This is an approachable whiskey that drinks a bit below its proof,” Rikk Munroe, Milam & Greene Whiskey Distillery Manager added. “When it is left to open up in the glass, Bobcat Single Barrel becomes intensely sweet on the nose. The palate, on entry, is just as smooth and sweet, evolving to toasted grain flavors on the mid palate. The lengthy, spicy finish begs for another sip. It is truly beautiful stuff.”
The Wildlife Collection showcases the effects of Texas weather on aging whiskey and honors the local Texas wildlife that thrives in this beautiful, but often challenging environment. The first release of the Wildlife Collection – Scorpion Single Barrel – sold out online in just 15 minutes. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each bottle of the Milam & Greene Wildlife Collection will go to benefit Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Milam & Greene Wildlife Collection Bobcat Single Barrel is available for $99.99 only on the Milam & Greene website and in the distillery tasting room. Of the 209 bottles, Milam & Greene allocated 168 bottles available for sale online and 41 bottles for sale at the distillery.
