Milam & Greene's Newest Wildlife Collection Bourbon Gets Its Name From the Golden Eagle

With its Wildlife Collection, Milam & Greene brings bourbon and the animal kingdom together; the latest release takes its name from the golden eagle, one of the largest species of eagle in North America. The whiskey, named The Golden Eagle, was pulled from a single cask (No. 515) that yielded just 169 bottles. Like its namesake, the whiskey is golden in color, and at cask strength (in this case 64.1% ABV), it’s a full-bodied sipping experience.

The whiskey had quite a journey—it was distilled in Tennessee from a mashbill of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley. It was put into barrel in Tennessee on March 8, 2016, where it then spent 6 years and 7 months aging. After, it was shipped to Texas, where it spent an additional 1 year, 4 months, and 1 week aging in Milam & Greene’s Rickhouse No. 2, which isn’t climate-controlled. During that year and change, Texas experienced not only extreme drought, but also a severe ice storm, both of which exposed the whiskey to major temperature swings as it matured. The whiskey was finally bottled on February 12, making it nearly 8 years old.

Central to Milam & Greene’s Wildlife Collection is this focus on how extreme weather in the Texas Hill Country impacts whiskey. Of course, the series’ other mission is to bring awareness to the local Texas wildlife that thrives amidst such a harsh environment, with past releases named after the white-tailed buck, free-tailed bat, bobcat, rattlesnake, and scorpion. Milam & Greene donates a portion of the Wildlife Collection proceeds to Texas Parks and Wildlife causes. Bottles are available on the brand's website and at its tasting room for $150, while the very limited supplies last.