Milam & Greene Batch 3 Castle Hill Bourbon Review

Steve Coomes -

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Produced by Milam & Green from an undisclosed Tennessee distillery
  • MASH BILL: 84% Corn | 8% Rye |8% Malted Barley
  • AGE: 15 years, 6 months
  • YEAR: 2023
  • PROOF: 114.5 (57.25% ABV)
  • MSRP: $199.99
  • BUY ONLINE: Shop Milam & Green

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Any bourbon fan, especially anyone skeptical about bourbons aged in Tennessee.

WORTH THE PRICE: Yes, since this is about the average rate for a 15-year bourbon.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar. If you like it, hunt for a bottle. You won't be disappointed.

OVERALL: I didn't want to like this bottle because of its obvious George Dickel lineage (though M&G did not mention that distillery's name). I've never been a fan of the children's vitamin note common to whiskeys made there, and I assumed this would bring more of the same. It didn't. This is a delicious whiskey with unique virtues appreciated in its aromas and flavors.

The nose starts off with a mixture of tobacco barn, ground almonds, dried peach and wild flowers–totally unexpected attributes in a whiskey of this age. (The Dickel note is there, but barely.) The whiskey has a creamy mouthfeel quickly invigorated by black pepper and a heavy dose of baking spice, which strengthens appreciably with every sip. Soon enough, you're visiting a patisserie where everything seems accented by cinnamon, sweet pastry and melted milk chocolate. Step away from it for several minutes, and the spice notes linger. A sniff on return reveals Luxardo cherry and burnt orange notes, followed by a sip that turns up Nutella and ripe banana–again, neat little surprises. The finish is long, warm and luxuriant: exactly what great long-aged whiskey should deliver.

For fans of the details: This bourbon aged in Tennessee for 15 years and one month, and the final five months of aging occurred in Blanco, Texas, home to Milam & Green. Specifically, these 20 barrels were ricked in Rickhouse 2, row 1. According to master blender Heather Greene, Texas's summer climate nudged the whiskey to blending readiness.

The average yield from each barrel was 17.5 gallons, computing to an angels' share of 67 percent. That limits the yield to 144 9-liter cases.

BRAND NOTES

The Castle Hill Batch Three 15-Year-Old Bourbon has a deep amber color and warm scents of cinnamon, maple syrup, cooked apples, and brown sugar. It is a hearty pour resplendent with dark chocolate and oak along with hints of sweet fig and rich dates that linger and then soften to a velvety finish.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.