Green River Wheated Full Proof Bourbon Is Finally Here — And We Tasted It

(Photo: Green River)

On Tuesday, Green River Distilling Co. unveiled a higher-proof take on one of its most popular expressions. Beginning Feb. 13, Green River Wheated Full Proof Bourbon will roll out to 25 U.S. markets at a suggested retail price of $49.99.

The new expression is distilled from the same mashbill as Green River’s standard wheated bourbon — 70% corn, 21% wheat and 9% malted barley — but is bottled at full proof rather than the original’s 90 proof. The debut batch clocks in at 109.3 proof, with future iterations planned to range between 109 and 116 proof.

Barrels selected for Wheated Full Proof were aged between five and seven years in Green River’s clay tile warehouses in Owensboro, Kentucky. The naturally insulated environment is designed to encourage steady maturation, emphasizing wood sugars and classic bourbon flavors without excessive heat swings, according to the brand.

Green River’s standard Wheated Bourbon has gained national attention over the past year, including being named Best Overall Bourbon at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition. The new full-proof version arrives as demand for higher-proof bourbons continues to rise, even as average category prices climb.

“Wheated Full Proof is our way of giving fans a richer, more intense experience of the wheated bourbon they already love,” master blender Dan Callaway said in a news release. “We kept the same mashbill and the same commitment to balance, then selected and blended barrels that truly shine at barrel strength.”

Taste Test: How Good Is Green River Wheated Full Proof Bourbon?

To see how the higher proof translates in the glass, we spent time with the debut batch of Green River Wheated Full Proof Bourbon. A full tasting breakdown is available in our complete review — find that here — but here are the highlights.

Soft, sweet aromas of strawberry taffy, hazelnut and cherry danish open things up, preparing you for an approachable palate that leads with Salted caramel, graham cracker and milk chocolate, followed by raspberry, light oak and a touch of cinnamon. The finish leans into oak, tannin and cinnamon before settling into a nice profile of black cherry and vanilla.

Overall, Green River Wheated Full Proof delivers precisely what fans awaiting this release have been wanting: a richer, higher-proof version of the distillery’s wheated bourbon that preserves the soft, sweet profile fans expect while displaying  an improved, luscious mouthfeel. It’s delicious neat at a relatively affordable price point, and its soft sweet profile mixed with high proof should make it one of the best cocktail bourbons on the market. I, for one, can’t wait to try it in an Old Fashioned.