Milam & Greene Unveils Unabridged Volume 2 Bourbon

Milam & Greene Whiskey, renowned for its award-winning portfolio of bourbon and rye whiskies, is releasing Unabridged Volume 2: A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies, a cask-strength blend that incorporates some of the rarest casks from the distillery’s library. Unabridged Volume 2 is the first release of the Autumn 2023 Blender’s Reserve Collection, a selection of high-proof bourbons that will be introduced during the next four months. Only 800 cases are now available at select retailers across the U.S. and online sales will begin on Wednesday, September 13.

Milam & Greene Unabridged Volume 2 flavors showcase the incomparable talents of the distillery team under the direction of CEO, Heather Greene, who was recently honored as the “Master Blender of the Year.” The Milam & Greene distillery team meticulously selected this blend of straight bourbons after an extensive evaluation of numerous whiskey barrels.

“Only a tiny percentage of our finest casks make it into Unabridged Volume 2,” says Heather Greene, master blender and CEO. “Some of these vintage casks lost 68% of the liquid in them from evaporation over time. What’s left is a rich and luxurious bourbon that adds the perfect amount of wood notes. We also selected young casks for bright flavors popping with fruits and florals. The lucky seven-year-old casks were influenced by the hot summer Texan climate, adding a richness you wouldn’t otherwise find at this age. Blended together, the whiskey from these barrels creates an exciting novel.”

To create Unabridged Volume 2, the Milam & Greene whiskey team harvests bourbon that they distilled in the small copper pot still in Texas and in larger column stills in Kentucky, both using malted rye in the proprietary mash bill. The malted rye, an ingredient that makes Milam & Greene truly unique in the world of whiskey, rounds the flavor of the grain, revealing a soft chocolaty note. Tennessee barrels of different ages add structure and tannins to round out this exciting blend.

“Both pot and column stills bring enticing characteristics to whiskey, “says Marlene Holmes, master distiller. “Pot Stills are more difficult to work with, and a little bit wild but they create a toasty and rich profile. Whereas the traditional column still I distill with in Kentucky creates a more refined distillate.”

Adding to the complexity and flavors of the Unabridged Volume 2 are the dramatic climate swings in Texas where many barrels are aged. Milam & Greene continually tastes and monitors barrels in four different states.

“Climate is yet another ingredient that contributes to the flavors of all our whiskies, including this one,” says Rikk Munroe, Milam & Greene Whiskey distillery manager. “The distilling team monitors our cask maturation closely to ensure we have just the right flavor profiles. A few of the casks used to create Unabridged Volume 2 required storage in a vatting tank to halt the effects of aging and evaporation in anticipation of creating this whiskey.”

The Milam & Greene expert distilling team blind-tasted five different blends to get a consensus on the exact recipe for Unabridged Volume 2. The team of 10 people made a unanimous decision on the final blend for this release, something that has never happened at the distillery.

Cask Strength Milam & Greene Unabridged Volume 2

second release of Unabridged builds on the strong heritage of Milam & Greene Unabridged Vol. 1, which was recognized as a Double Platinum winner in the prestigious Ascot Awards. It draws exceptional complexity and bold character through the blending of casks distilled in three different states and of various age ranges. It has fragrantaromas of dark cherry, fig, sweet almond, menthol, fine boot leather, anise, and caramel candy.

Milam & Greene Unabridged is full-bodied with a viscous mouthfeel carrying bold flavors of dark cherry cola notes characteristic of well-aged bourbon followed by dark brown sugar, sweet black tea, marzipan, and oak. The whiskey’s flavor develops into a round smooth oily finish with fresh bread, licorice, and citrus oil. Milam & Greene’s Unabridged Volume 2 is cask strength and bottled at 58.8% ABV / 117.6 Proof. The distillery team recommends letting it rest in the glass to breathe for a moment before enjoying it neat, on ice, with a teaspoon of water, or in a cocktail. Fifty-six barrels distilled in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Texas were used to create Unabridged. The ages of each barrel are detailed below:

Pricing and Availability

Unabridged Volume 2: A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies is available for a suggested retail price of $94.99 at select fine retailers in the U.S. and in Alberta, Canada, as well as available on the Milam & Greene website. Only 800 cases were produced of this limited-edition bourbon. It is the first offering from the autumn 2023 Blender’s Reserve Collection, which includes the upcoming releases of Very Small Batch 2 Bourbon and the final release of their Vintage Castle Hill Series, Batch 3.