Yellowstone Revives Historic Bottle with 8-Year-Old Recollection Bourbon — And It’s Excellent

(Photo: Yellowstone Bourbon)

On Tuesday, Yellowstone Bourbon announced the release of Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon, an 8-year-old, 110-proof Kentucky straight bourbon inspired by the brand’s historic “back bar” decanters once seen in saloons and restaurants in the late 1800s. Originally released as a Limestone Branch Distillery exclusive in fall 2025, the bourbon now rolls out to select retailers nationwide at a suggested retail price of $69.99 for a 700-milliliter bottle.

The release marks the debut in the Yellowstone Recollection Series, blending historical design with a contemporary expression crafted by seventh-generation Master Distiller Stephen Beam.

The project began when Beam discovered a vintage Yellowstone “back bar bottle” on eBay — a style of ornate bottle historically displayed prominently behind bars and refilled from barrels. Inspired by the design, Beam set out to recreate it.

The resulting decanter features embossed lettering, detailed waterfall artwork depicting Yellowstone Lower Falls, and textured glass dimples that rise up the neck, echoing cascading water. The bottle design references Yellowstone’s early identity as the “Greatest American Whiskey,” named after Yellowstone National Park.

“When I brought Yellowstone to Limestone Branch in 2015, it wasn’t just about reviving a name, it was about honoring the people who gave this bourbon its meaning,” Beam said in a news release. “Our bottles have always drawn inspiration from the spirit and natural beauty of Yellowstone National Park.”

Currently, the bottles are hand-filled. While planned as an ongoing release, production will remain limited. The 8-year age statement and 110 proof are expected to stay consistent for the foreseeable future, though Beam told us during a live tasting that they could change at some point in time.

The Whiskey: A Blend of 2 Kentucky Mashbills

Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon is non-chill filtered and bottled at 110 proof. It is a blend of two mashbills from two distilleries:

• Limestone Branch: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
• Lux Row: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley

Our Tasting Notes

We tasted Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon 8 Year Old ahead of its national release and greatly enjoyed it. The nose leads with corn sweetness: toffee, caramel and sweet cream, plus gingerbread, vanilla custard, apricot, red apple and cocoa.

A pronounced red apple note opens the palate. Custard, gentle oak, caramel and toffee build underneath. Candied ginger, carrot cake and molasses add depth. The finish warms with cinnamon up front, followed by tobacco, toasted oak, leather, Granny Smith apple and a touch of peanut brittle.

Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon delivers tremendous balance at 110 proof. It is rich and fruit-forward, with custardy sweetness and layered spice. The texture remains approachable while offering complexity. At $69.99, it presents strong value as a well aged and perfectly proofed product — and that’s before factoring in the memorable bottle design.

For a deeper breakdown and to see what score we gave this bourbon, read our full Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon 8 Year Old review here.

Conservation Partnership

In 2026, Yellowstone Bourbon and its Ready-to-Serve Cocktails are supporting the Vital Ground Foundation to help preserve threatened grizzly bear habitat in the Greater Yellowstone region. According to the brand, the grizzly population in the area has dwindled to fewer than 1,000 bears.