BLANCO, TEXAS (June 20, 2024) — Milam & Greene Whiskey is introducing the third release of the 2024 Wildlife Collection: Cardinal Single Barrel Bourbon, a limited-edition, cask-strength whiskey. The Milam & Greene Wildlife Collection explores the correlation between the environment in the Texas Hill Country and how it impacts the flavor of aging bourbon. Each bottle of this collection highlights native Texas wildlife to bring awareness to Texas Parks and Wildlife causes, and this year’s collector theme focuses on the birds of Texas. The new Cardinal Single Barrel Bourbon was chosen for its deep red mahogany hues. It will be available exclusively on the Milam & Greene Whiskey website and in the distillery tasting room beginning at 3:00 p.m. (CDT) on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
“Milam & Greene Cardinal Single Barrel Bourbon is named for the beautiful and captivating red bird which can be spotted year-round in the eastern two-thirds of Texas,” said Milam & Greene Whiskey Distillery Manager, Rikk Munroe. “Cardinals pass through the Milam & Greene distillery property in Blanco, Texas at various times throughout the year as they migrate north and south. It’s nice to see their pops of red in the trees as they hunt for bugs and other forage on their way to their summer and winter homes.”
“Our rickhouses are not temperature controlled, allowing for the Texas climate to make a distinct mark on each Wildlife Collection release,” says Heather Greene, Milam & Greene Whiskey CEO and 2023 Master Blender of the Year. “The intense prolonged dry heat last summer and a couple of extreme cold snaps this winter exposed our Cardinal whiskey to climate extremes that have had a tremendous impact on how it aged, and the amount of liquid lost to the angel share from the barrel. Because each of our Wildlife Collection single barrel releases varies in flavor and textures, they have become sought after to compare each bottle. Mark your calendars for this small batch release as the Wildlife Single Barrel Bourbon Collection regularly sells out online in minutes.”
The Wildlife Collection: Cardinal Single Barrel Bourbon
Milam & Greene Wildlife Collection Cardinal Single Barrel Bourbon is pulled from cask #506, yielding 130 bottles of this limited, 129.8 proof (64.9% ABV) cask-strength release. Cardinal Single Barrel Bourbon was distilled in Tennessee with a mash bill of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley. It was barreled in Tennessee on March 8, 2016, where it was aged for six years and seven months. It was then brought to Texas and aged a further year, six months, and twenty days on the palletized south side of Milam & Greene Rickhouse 1. Cardinal Single Barrel Bourbon was bottled on April 26, 2024, at 129.8 proof / 64.9% ABV after aging for a total of eight years, one month, and twenty days.
Cardinal Single Barrel Bourbon, which appears as a beautiful mahogany color, has enticing aromas of honey, Nila wafers, cherry cordial, and marshmallow fluff. It greets the palate with a creamy sweet mouthfeel with notes of pecan sandie cookies, creamed cornbread, and baking spices. This whiskey has a long finish with hints of black pepper and eucalyptus.
Pricing and Availability
Milam & Greene Cardinal Single Barrel Bourbon is available for $149.99 only on the Milam & Greene website and in the distillery tasting room beginning at 3:00 p.m. (CDT) on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. This very limited release of only 130 cask-strength bottles is sure to sell out quickly. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each bottle of the Milam & Greene Wildlife Collection will benefit the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation.
About Milam & Greene
Milam & Greene Whiskey believes in using the best people and ingredients to create delicious, award-winning whiskey for whiskey lovers. Milam & Greene Whiskey is made by some of the world’s most experienced whiskey professionals, including CEO, master blender, and author, Heather Greene, and 30-year whiskey veteran and master distiller, Marlene Holmes. Milam & Greene earned recognition as the “2023 Rising Star Spirits Company of the Year” at The Ascot Awards followed by Heather Greene being awarded “Master Blender of the Year.” The Milam & Greene team distills in Blanco, Texas on copper pot stills as well as in Kentucky on classic column stills, using its proprietary yeast recipe and mash bill. Aging takes place in rickhouses located across four states in the most thorough array of casks collected by any craft distiller with an assortment of char levels resulting in a variety of flavors. These casks become the ingredients from which its award-winning American whiskey range is batched to create perfection. For more information visit: milamandgreenewhiskey.com.
About Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation
Conservation is Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s (TPWF) heartbeat, and they invest in projects that literally breathe new life into Texas. Since 1991, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has raised and invested over $240 million to advance Texas’ proud outdoor traditions and conserve our state’s wildlife, habitat, and natural resources. Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s vision is for all Texans to have access to the wild things and wild places in our state, both now and for generations to come. Learn more about their work at www.tpwf.org.
