Stetson's First Real Whiskey Is a High-Rye Kentucky Blend

It may surprise you to learn that the Western brand Stetson has never had an official whiskey. The inventor of the cowboy hat and America’s spirit seem meant for a partnership, but the closest we’ve seen was the now-discontinued John B. Stetson Bourbon, launched back in 2012 by a New Jersey wine company that licensed Stetson’s name and logo. This week, Stetson launched Stetson Bourbon, a 7 year old, 100-proof, high-rye offering that’s made by combining Green River Distilling and Bardstown Bourbon Company bourbons, a first-ever collaboration for those two producers.

At a launch fete at Keen’s Steakhouse, Robert Dundon, CEO of Stetson, told attendees that he and his business partners had spent three years traveling the country, searching for the ideal production partner for this whiskey. “We tried bourbons from producers in Texas, North Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, Washington, Tennessee, and Colorado. But Kentucky, as the birthplace of American bourbon, really felt like the right place for us,” he said.

Dundon explained Stetson’s vision was precise and unwavering. “Something that was ultra-premium; that you can drink neat, over ice, or in a cocktail without it getting lost. And we wanted high-rye.” Ultimately, Dundon and Stetson tapped Bardstown Bourbon’s master blender Dan Callaway to craft a proprietary blend for them. Over the course of 100 iterations, Callaway worked with Dundon and the team to create something balanced and distinctly unique, with a focus on the finish.

Callaway, also at the dinner, told the room that “this project was back and forth right up until the very end, swapping barrels,” adding that Stetson was exceptionally committed to getting the product right. That meant pulling in barrels from Bardstown’s sister company, Green River. “Green River always gives those lovely fruit notes, and Bardstown brings more of the barrel character, more structure, more vanillin, and balances this blend nicely,” Callaway said.

The sum of these efforts is good; the bourbon is tasty. On the bright, vibrant nose, there’s ample caramel, green apple, cinnamon, orange zest, baking spices, and a little bit of cherry. The liquid’s rounder and richer than its light weight would have you believe. It takes a second to open up, but then caramel, buttery oak, cherry syrup, and vanilla wafers emerge, and a little rye spice blossoms toward the end of the sip to balance the sweetness and creaminess.

The finish isn’t terribly long, but it starts sweet before fading into baking spices as a final note. It drinks a little higher than its 100 proof, though category newcomers won’t find it aggressive. We tried it neat and in a few cocktails, including a riff on a Manhattan and an Old Fashioned, and it indeed doesn’t get lost when mixed.

Each bottle features an etching on the back, a depiction of “The Last Drop from His Stetson”, a painting by Western artist Lon Megargee from the 1920s that shows a cowboy giving his horse a drink from his hat.

Stetson Bourbon retails for $75 and will be available at the company’s retail store in Texas and online at stetsonbourbon.com, shipping to 40 states.