Milam & Greene Whiskey is proud to unveil Bobcat Single Barrel Bourbon, the second release in the Wildlife Collection, a limited-edition series of cask-strength, single-barrel whiskies. The Milam & Greene Wildlife Collection showcases the effects of Texas Hill Country weather on aging whiskey. It honors the local Texas wildlife that thrives in this beautiful but often challenging environment. Bobcat Single Barrel will be available exclusively on the
Milam & Greene Whiskey website and in the distillery tasting room beginning at 3:00 p.m. (CST) on Wednesday, April 26.
This minimal high-proof release is pulled from a single barrel: cask #207. It is named for the solitary, rarely seen bobcat, of which Texas has two subspecies: the desert bobcat in the west and northwest and the Texas bobcat, which ranges across the rest of the state. Much like the solo bobcat that left her tracks behind the Milam & Greene distillery in winter 2022, cask #207 is the last from its lot, aging in some of the most intense Hill Country weather conditions on record.
“The Wildlife Collection allows us to isolate single casks to explore the impact of Texas weather on aging whiskey,” says Milam & Greene Whiskey CEO and master blender Heather Greene. “Our extreme temperature swings in Texas can potentially speed up the aging. With bobcat, the scorching Texas heat and sudden freeze events this past winter created great wood interaction and angel’s share, making this whiskey a real flavor bomb.”
The Wildlife Collection: Bobcat Single Barrel Bourbon
Milam & Greene Wildlife Collection Bobcat Single Barrel Bourbon was distilled in Tennessee with a mash bill of 80% corn, 10% rye, and 10% malted barley. It was barreled on March 15, 2018, and was bottled on March 31, 2023, at 119.48 proof, giving it depth and richness. Bobcat Single Barrel was aged more than four years in new American oak barrels with a #4 alligator char in Tennessee and then for 10.5 months in Blanco, Texas, on the north side of the Milam & Greene Rickhouse 1, row 4, level 3, position five where it rested undisturbed, unrotated and without climate control. During its time in Texas, the whiskey weathered almost two months of triple-digit temperatures, an extended drought, and a multi-day ice storm that caused widespread power outages, significant tree damage, and effectively shut-down commerce in the state.
Bobcat Single Barrel is a complex bourbon with a russet muscat brown color. It’s floral, rose petal scent is layered with old leather and maple syrup. The palate starts with demerara sugar chased by fresh-baked biscuit and oak notes, followed by a long finish with allspice and cinnamon.
Pricing and Availability
Milam & Greene Wildlife Collection Bobcat Single Barrel will be available for $99.99 only on the
Milam & Greene website and in the distillery tasting room. This single barrel had a yield of just 209 bottles. Milam & Greene Whiskey has allocated 168 bottles for sale online and 41 at the distillery. As a very limited release, once this is gone, it’s gone. The first release of the Wildlife Collection – Scorpion Single Barrel – sold out online in just 15 minutes. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Milam & Greene Wildlife Collection bottle will benefit Texas Parks & Wildlife.
