Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon landed on my bar with little fanfare, and honestly, that's part of its charm. At 45% ABV, it sits right in that sweet spot — enough proof to carry flavour without burning through your sinuses. No age statement on the label, which always makes me pause, but Kentucky Straight Bourbon legally requires a minimum of two years in new charred oak, so we know the floor. What we don't know is the ceiling, and that's where things get interesting.
The Green River name has genuine history in Kentucky whiskey, tied to the waterway that runs through some of the state's most productive distilling country. This bourbon arrives at a time when the market is flooded with craft releases and limited editions fighting for your attention with fancy boxes and inflated price tags. Green River doesn't do that. It just shows up, 45%, no gimmicks, and asks you to drink it.
What to Expect
At 45% ABV — that's 90 proof for anyone thinking in American terms — you're getting a bourbon that's been proofed down gently but not watered into submission. For context, a lot of the big Kentucky brands bottle at 40%, and the difference between 80 and 90 proof is genuinely noticeable. You get more texture, more body, more of whatever the barrel put in. Kentucky Straight Bourbon means new charred American oak, and at this proof, you should expect that classic bourbon profile to come through with some backbone. Think caramel, vanilla, oak spice — the signatures of the style — but with enough weight behind them to actually register on your palate rather than just washing past.
The NAS designation doesn't bother me here. Some of the best everyday bourbons on the market don't carry an age statement, and what matters is whether the liquid tastes balanced and intentional. At this price point, you're not buying a trophy bottle — you're buying something to actually drink, which is exactly how bourbon should work.
The Verdict
I'm giving Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon a 7.7 out of 10. That's a solid score, and I mean it. This is a well-made, honest bourbon at a fair price. The 45% ABV gives it more presence than most bottles in this range, and the Kentucky Straight designation means it's met a legal standard that actually means something — real bourbon, aged in real barrels, made in the state that knows how to do it. It's not going to rewrite your understanding of American whiskey, but it doesn't need to. It does exactly what a good bourbon should: it tastes like bourbon, it's enjoyable neat or in a cocktail, and it doesn't empty your wallet. At £45.95, you're paying a reasonable amount for a dependable pour. I'd happily keep this on my back bar.
Best Served
This is a natural Old Fashioned bourbon. The 45% ABV means it won't get lost under sugar and bitters the way a lower-proof bottle might. Build it properly — two dashes of Angostura, a barspoon of demerara syrup, stir over a large ice cube for about 30 seconds, and express an orange peel over the top. The proof holds up beautifully through dilution, which is exactly what you want in a cocktail bourbon. Equally, pour it neat in a Glencairn or over a single large cube and just let it do its thing. No need to overthink this one.
