Milam & Greene is based in Texas, but not all of their whiskey is made in Texas — they are making a lot of whiskey through contract distillation in Kentucky. Blending the barrels of whiskey from Kentucky and Texas gives co-Founder, CEO, and Master Blender Heather Greene blending options. Now they’ve engaged in an experiment to determine how barrels matured in Kentucky differ from barrels of whiskey matured in Texas.

The experiment started with barrels of Bourbon distilled in Kentucky using Milam & Greene’s mash bill: a sweet mash of 70% corn, 22% malted rye, and 8% malted barley with two different yeast strains. Some of the barrels were left to age in Kentucky while the rest were taken to Texas to mature for the same time period. The Kentucky whiskey actually lost proof and ended up around 108 after a 115 barrel entry proof, while the Texas matured whiskey went up in proof to around 117 proof.

The whiskeys turned out to have significantly different profiles. Unsurprisingly the Kentucky whiskey is sweeter and more floral and candy while the Texas matured whiskey is much more spicy and tannic. When combined, the two profiles really balance each other out and add depth.

Master Distiller Marlene Holmes, who spent 35 years distilling in Kentucky, has been stewarding these experiments. Holmes recently earned the distinction of becoming the first woman Master Distiller to be inducted into the Whisky Mag Hall of Fame.

The Answer Straight is available in a two bottle set, one matured in Texas and one matured in Kentucky. Consumers can try the two side by side and then blend them together in their own preferred proportions, which would be similar to the Milam & Greene Triple Cask. Unfortunately there are only 800 cases available for sale and it is already selling out fast.

Photos Courtesy of Maggie Kimberl