Country Musician Dierks Bentley Ventures Into Whiskey With Debut of ROW 94 Bourbon
(Photos: ROW 94 Whiskey)
On Thursday, 11-time Grammy Award nominee Dierks Bentley announced his foray into the whiskey industry in partnership with Kentucky’s Green River Distilling Co. Dubbed ROW 94 Kentucky Straight Bourbon, the whiskey’s name pays homage to the year that Bentley moved to Nashville (1994) as well as the spirit’s alcohol content (94 proof).
Two of his highest charting songs, “Drunk On A Plane” and “Beers On Me,” perhaps signal that a liquor venture was long overdue from the country superstar.
Made from a mashbill of 70% Kentucky-grown corn, 21% rye and 9% malted and row barley, the bourbon is aged for four years in white oak barrels with a level 4 oak char.
The brand says to expect flavors of vanilla, toffee and subtle green apple alongside a honey and tobacco finish. Fans can expect to find ROW 94 at select retailers across Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, Colorado and Arizona this month at a suggested retail price of $39.99. It is also available online.
“A lot of years of thinking, researching and trying different whiskeys went into creating ROW 94,” Bentley remarked in a news release. “It’s been an evolution — from drinking basically any whiskey handed to me back in college, to it becoming something I enjoy tasting and sharing with friends. I knew I wanted 94 proof because I like some bite, and that I wanted it aged for at least four years since that’s when it starts to taste best to me.”
Behind the scenes, the release was helmed by the Owensboro, Kentucky-based Green River Distilling Co. The 10th-oldest licensed distillery in Kentucky, the brand was acquired by Bardstown Bourbon Co. in June 2022, just 21 months after Green River’s revival following a century-long slumber induced by a distillery fire and Prohibition.
For its latest expression, the distiller honed in on a recipe composed of only “three ingredients and the truth” — in other words, grain, purified Kentucky limestone water and cultivated yeast. We assume that the “truth” is some combination of spirits and spiritual achieved after a few sips with the right mindset.
Though we can’t attest to the quality of ROW 94 just yet, we’ll note that Green River’s Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey and Full Proof Bourbon are some of our favorite budget-friendly buys on the market. Rich in caramelized apple, brown sugar and toffee notes, the expressions garnered a Raided Score® of 86 and 90, respectively.
“Dierks’ passion for whiskey and doing things the right way was evident from the first time we met him,” Mark Erwin, CEO of Bardstown Bourbon Company and Green River, commented. “He loves the Green River Distillery and wanted it to be the home for ROW 94. We are excited to be partnering with him and his team on this great brand and look forward to seeing what they can do with this great liquid.”
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