Stetson Kentucky Straight Bourbon: 100 Proof High-Rye
Stetson Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a 100-proof high-rye bourbon built from barrels produced at two different Kentucky distilleries, Bardstown Bourbon Company and Green River Distilling Co. Licensed-brand bourbons often arrive with more styling than substance, and this one invites that skepticism, but the blending work behind it is more serious than the Western packaging suggests.
This article covers what has actually been confirmed about the whiskey: which distilleries contribute, how long the blending process took, the age of the components, the reported tasting profile, and where it currently sits on price and availability.
The Stetson Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is in stock now at Main Street Liquor.
Product at a Glance
- Product: Stetson Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Brand: Stetson
- Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, high-rye profile
- Proof: 100 proof (50% ABV)
- Bottle size: 750mL
- Age: Approximately seven-year average; non-age-stated, youngest component at least four years old
- Whiskey sources: Bardstown Bourbon Company and Green River Distilling Co.
- Blender: Dan Callaway, Master Blender for Lofted Spirits
- Availability: In stock
- Price: $69.99, marked down from $89.99
What Goes Into the Blend?
The whiskey combines barrels from two Kentucky producers with genuinely different characters. The Bardstown Bourbon Company portion contributes lively rye spice and classic barrel sugars, the notes most people associate with a well-made high-rye bourbon. The Green River Distilling Co. component brings a richer, more fruit-forward dimension underneath.
Blending across two distilleries is harder than bottling from one. The payoff is a bourbon with more range than either source would show alone, provided the proportions are right. Getting them right is where most of the development time went.
Three Years and More Than 100 Barrels
Master Blender Dan Callaway and the blending team spent roughly three years evaluating more than 100 barrels and blend combinations before settling on the final profile. That is a substantial amount of trial work for a bourbon at this price point, and it is the detail that most separates this from a label-licensing exercise.
The blend averages around seven years old. It carries no age statement, but the youngest whiskey in it is at least four years old, which is what the straight bourbon designation requires. A seven-year average puts real mature oak into the glass without pushing the whiskey into over-extracted territory.
Official Tasting Notes
The brand's reported profile opens on buttery oak, caramel and vanilla, with hints of mature wood and warm sweetness on the nose. The palate moves into brandied fruit, caramelized sugars, cinnamon, vanilla and layered baking spices, held together by a firm rye backbone. The finish is described as long and balanced, with lingering oak sweetness and a bright touch of rye spice.
The high-rye construction is what keeps a bourbon at this age from turning heavy. Rye spice lifts the caramel and fruit rather than letting them settle.
Price and Availability
The bourbon is in stock at Main Street Liquor and listed at $69.99, down from a compare-at price of $89.99. For a 100-proof Kentucky straight bourbon averaging seven years, that lands in a competitive part of the shelf. As always, the product page carries current pricing and availability.
How to Enjoy It
Pour it neat into a Glencairn or rocks glass and give it a few minutes to open. At 100 proof it has enough structure to sip without water, though several drops will bring out more fruit, vanilla and caramel while softening the rye spice. Over one large cube it holds up well as the ice works.
This is also a strong cocktail bourbon, and the proof is the reason. The combination of spice, fruit and 50% ABV means it does not disappear behind vermouth, citrus or bitters. It works particularly well in a Bourbon Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Gold Rush, Boulevardier or Whiskey Sour.
Who Should Consider Buying It?
This suits drinkers who want a versatile, mid-priced bourbon that handles both neat pours and cocktails without compromise, and who prefer a rye-forward profile over a soft wheated one. The seven-year average age and 100-proof strength put it a clear step above entry-level bottles.
The substantial glass bottle, leather-inspired neck detailing and Western styling also make it a natural gift for Stetson enthusiasts, Western lifestyle fans and anyone building a home bar that gets looked at as well as poured from.
Where to Buy Stetson Bourbon
Main Street Liquor has it in stock now. You can also browse the Stetson collection, explore more straight bourbon whiskey, or look through the wider American whiskey selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Stetson Bourbon?
It is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey made from a blend of bourbon sourced from Bardstown Bourbon Company and Green River Distilling Co. The blend was developed by Master Blender Dan Callaway for Lofted Spirits.
What proof is Stetson Bourbon?
The current expression is bottled at 100 proof, or 50% ABV, which gives it enough structure for both neat pours and cocktails.
How old is Stetson Bourbon?
The blend averages approximately seven years old. It is non-age-stated, but the youngest whiskey in the blend is at least four years old.
Is it a high-rye bourbon?
Yes. The current expression is described as a high-rye bourbon, which gives the whiskey additional lift and spice while retaining its caramel, vanilla and fruit character.
What does it cost?
It is currently listed at $69.99, reduced from $89.99. See the product page for current pricing and availability.
Final Thoughts
Stetson Bourbon is a case where the whiskey holds up its end of the branding. A two-distillery Kentucky blend, roughly seven years on average, 100 proof, high-rye, and three years of blending trials behind it adds up to a bottle worth pouring rather than only displaying.
It fits drinkers who want one bourbon that covers the neat pour and the Old Fashioned equally well, and it makes an easy gift for anyone who appreciates the Western tradition the label draws on.
Purchasers must be 21 or older. A valid ID and an adult signature may be required at delivery.