Milam & Greene Very Small Batch Batch #3 Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Crafted by Heather Greene, named 2023 Master Blender of the Year, Milam & Greene Very Small Batch Batch #3 marries Kentucky bourbon distilled by Marlene Holmes with Tennessee bourbon, then finishes it on sun-cooked, charred French oak staves that once held tawny port and the distillery's own rye whiskey. Bottled at a robust 108 proof, this Spring 2024 release drew from just 60 barrels for 1,097 cases, carrying on the line's signature style of jammy dark fruit, French toast, and fresh-baked biscuit, with an added streak of malt and spice. It's a limited, twice-yearly release from the Texas producer whose Very Small Batch debut took Gold at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, a compelling pick for bourbon fans who love creative finishing.

Crafted in Blanco, Texas, by Master Blender Heather Greene, this Very Small Batch Straight Bourbon marries Kentucky bourbon distilled by Marlene Holmes with sourced Tennessee bourbon. The barrels are married in 1,000-gallon vats, then finished with charred French oak staves that previously held tawny port and Milam & Greene's own rye whiskey and were sun-cooked in the Texas heat. Batch #3 was bottled at 108 proof.

The line's signature nose opens sweet and inviting, with jammy dark fruit and warm French toast aromas.

Fruit-forward sweetness gives way to fresh-baked biscuit flavors. Batch #3 shows heavier malt and spice on the first pour.

Long and lingering, with the fruit and baked notes carrying through.

Released in spring 2024, Batch #3 was assembled from just 60 barrels across three micro-batches, yielding only 1,097 cases. It comes from a line that launched with a Gold Medal at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and it was blended by Heather Greene, named 2023 Master Blender of the Year. The core-range release appears only twice a year in numbered batches, so each one has its own character.

Pour it neat first to appreciate the port-and-rye stave finish, then add a few drops of water to open up the fruit and malt. Its 108-proof backbone also stands up well in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, where the jammy notes pair beautifully with bitters and vermouth.