Frey Ranch's Newest Bourbon Puts All Five of Its Grains on Display

At some point or another, every conversation about Frey Ranch inevitably turns to grains. That’s because the Fallon, Nevada-based operation, which has been distilling since the early 2000s, has become one of the country’s most prominent figures in the farm-distillery scene. These days, many producers boast a “grain to glass” approach to making whiskey, but few walk the walk like the Freys, whose family has been cultivating grains in the high desert country of Northwest Nevada since 1854. That tradition is still alive and well today, with Frey Ranch’s whiskeys made exclusively from corn, rye, wheat, oats, and barley that are grown by owner and fifth-generation farmer Colby Frey on his 1,500-acre family farm.

Of all the grains used by Frey Ranch, oat is the rarest one by far. After all, it’s the only type that’s absent from the distillery’s flagship four-grain bourbon recipe. But in recent years, we’ve seen the distillery begin to include oats in more of its work. In 2021 the distillery released a 100% oat whiskey as part of its ongoing Single Grain series. Earlier this year came the inaugural Harvester Series release, a blend of 14 different mashbills, some of which contained oats. This latest release is similarly influenced by oats, sporting a rare five-grain mashbill that showcases all of the farm’s grains in one recipe.

Going All-In on Grains

The new release accounts for a pair of single barrel bourbons—Barrel 3016 and Barrel 3011— both of which follow a similar recipe to the brand’s flagship expression. They have a mashbill of 60% corn (compared to the 66% share found in the brand’s signature four-grain mashbill) with the remaining 40% split evenly by rye, wheat, malted barley, and oats. Both barrels were aged for more than 6 years and 2 months, though Barrel 3016 is a day older than its counterpart.

According to the brand, the key differences between the two are their flavor profiles and proof points. Barrel 3016, which was bottled at 65.12% ABV is said to skew on the grainier side, with caramel apples, Fun Dip candy, oats, milk chocolate, and frosted oatmeal cookies. Coming in slightly higher at 66.61%, Barrel 3011 is said to be a bit sweeter, bringing rose petals, jelly doughnuts, fruitcake, and dark and malted chocolates.

Barrel 3016 was positioned as an online exclusive, but unfortunately for fans, it has already sold out. Frey Ranch confirmed that around 75 bottles of Barrel 3011 are still available for purchase exclusively at the Frey Ranch tasting room, with a suggested retail price of $89. If you aren't able to make it out to Fallon in time to pick up a bottle, fear not: Others are coming soon. The distillery is planning to release a third batch of this bourbon, Barrel 3014, this fall. Unlike its compatriots, that one will see a retail release at select stores in northern Nevada. Next year, Frey Ranch expects to release more single barrel bourbons which use this same five-grain mashbill.

Why Don't We See Oats in More Mashbills?

Distillers who work with oats know what a headache this grain can be, which is largely why oat-influenced whiskeys are such a rarity. “Oats are 60% hulls by volume and low on starch, which is problematic for a whiskey maker,” says Frey, explaining that the hulls can lead to blockages in stills while the low starch can lead to lower yields. Oats are also difficult to ferment, often foaming up and requiring lower temperatures than other grains. Though troublesome, oats can lend very interesting flavors to whiskey—generally adding weight and viscosity to the mouthfeel while contributing sweet and grainy flavors of dates, oatmeal cookies, and cream.

Whiskeys made with oats may be a rarity, but five-grain bourbons are rarer still. They’re generally the province of craft distillers, whose small scale allows them to experiment more easily. These curious expressions typically take the four grains we’re used to seeing in bourbon—corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley—plus an extra flavoring grain. Oats are the common choice here, with Frey Ranch, Whiskey Acres, and Midstate Distillery all including it. In South Carolina, Twenty & Six Distillery instead uses golden rice in its five-grain recipe. Independent bottler Lost Lantern once bottled a five-grain bourbon from Ohio’s Watershed Distillery that was made using an ancient cousin of wheat called spelt. A few years back, larger player Buffalo Trace took things to the next level with an even rarer six-grain mashbill—featuring corn, brown rice, buckwheat, sorghum, wheat, and rice—as part of its Experimental Collection series.

Frey Ranch Five Grain Bourbon (Barrel 3011)

ABV: 66.61%
SRP: $89
Availability: Tasting room exclusive