Milam & Greene Very Small Batch #4 Bourbon Finished in Charred French Oak Barrels

Milam & Greene Very Small Batch #4 Bourbon Finished with Charred French Oak Staves is a bold, fruit-forward American bourbon built around thoughtful blending and an unconventional French oak finish. Crafted from a combination of Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Tennessee Straight Bourbon, the whiskey is finished with sundried, house-charred French oak staves to develop deeper layers of dark fruit, caramel, baking spice, and toasted sweetness. Bottled at a robust 108 proof (54% ABV), it delivers substantial intensity while maintaining the rich, jammy character that defines Milam & Greene’s Very Small Batch series.

Process & Profile

Very Small Batch is one of Milam & Greene’s most hands-on whiskey projects. The company produces the expression in limited micro-batches and notes that natural variations occur from batch to batch, while the blending team works to maintain the signature profile of jammy dark fruits and French toast across releases.

The whiskey combines two distinct bourbon recipes. The Kentucky Straight Bourbon uses a mash bill of 70% corn, 22% malted rye, and 8% malted barley, while the Tennessee Straight Bourbon is made from 80% corn, 10% rye, and 10% malted barley. The inclusion of malted rye in the Kentucky component contributes extra texture, spice, and grain complexity to the finished blend.

After the bourbons are brought together, Milam & Greene finishes the whiskey using sundried, house-charred French oak. Rather than allowing heavy wood influence to dominate the whiskey, Master Blender Heather Greene designed the 108-proof expression to emphasize fruit, floral, herbal, and fermentation-derived character alongside the additional depth of the French oak.

The nose is rich and immediately inviting, with official tasting notes of mixed dark berry cobbler, charred marshmallow, French toast, and abundant baking spice. The combination of ripe fruit and toasted sweetness creates a decadent first impression, while the high proof gives the aromatics additional concentration.

On the palate, ripe dark fruits, caramel, black tea, and biscuit come forward with a full, structured texture. The French oak adds toast and spice around the bourbon’s fruit-driven core without overwhelming the underlying whiskey character.

The finish is long and lingering, marked by black pepper and cardamom alongside residual dark fruit, caramelized oak, and warming spice. At 108 proof, it carries impressive persistence while remaining balanced enough for slow sipping.

What makes Milam & Greene Very Small Batch #4 Bourbon especially compelling is its combination of Kentucky and Tennessee bourbons, two distinctive mash bills, charred French oak finishing, micro-batch production, and 108-proof strength. The expression was also awarded Double Gold at the 2026 San Francisco Spirits Competition, adding further recognition to its distinctive high-proof style.

Enjoy it neat to experience its concentrated fruit and French oak character, or follow Milam & Greene’s recommendation and add a drop of still water to open additional layers of aroma and flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Milam & Greene Very Small Batch #4 Bourbon?
It is a limited-batch straight bourbon whiskey combining Kentucky and Tennessee bourbons, then finished with sundried, house-charred French oak staves for additional fruit, spice, toast, and oak complexity.

What are the key specs of Milam & Greene Very Small Batch Bourbon?
The whiskey is bottled at 108 proof / 54% ABV in a 750ml bottle. It combines a Kentucky bourbon mash bill of 70% corn, 22% malted rye, and 8% malted barley with a Tennessee bourbon mash bill of 80% corn, 10% rye, and 10% malted barley.

What flavors characterize Milam & Greene Very Small Batch #4 Bourbon?
Expect dark berry cobbler, charred marshmallow, French toast, baking spice, ripe dark fruit, caramel, black tea, biscuit, black pepper, and cardamom, followed by a long, warming finish.

How should you enjoy Milam & Greene Very Small Batch Bourbon?
Enjoy it neat to appreciate the full 108-proof profile, or add a small amount of still water to reveal more fruit, spice, and aromatic complexity.

What makes Milam & Greene Very Small Batch #4 Bourbon special?
Its distinction comes from the combination of multi-state bourbon blending, malted rye, limited micro-batch production, a distinctive charred French oak stave finish, and 108-proof bottling strength. The series is intentionally produced in small quantities, with each batch allowed to show subtle variations while retaining its signature dark-fruit and French-toast profile.