Yellowstone is a bourbon brand with genuine roots in the heart of the United States. Its rebirth, modern production, and growing reputation have helped demonstrate how forgotten brands can be brought back to life and still make a real impact.
So, who makes Yellowstone Bourbon? Where is it produced, and what does it taste like? Let’s answer those questions and bring the brand to life for anyone who has not yet heard of it or tasted it.
Who Makes Yellowstone Bourbon?
Yellowstone Bourbon is made at Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky. The distillery was founded in 2011 by Beam family descendants Steve and Paul Beam.
The Beam family is Kentucky bourbon royalty, and seventh-generation distiller Stephen Beam is currently at the helm of production. The Yellowstone brand is owned by MGP Ingredients and operated through Luxco, which is part of the company.
Yellowstone Select is made using a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley.
The origins of the Yellowstone brand date back to 1872, when it was introduced by the J.B. Dant Distillery. During Prohibition, from 1920 to 1933, the distillery was one of only six granted permission to bottle “medicinal whiskey.” The production of whiskey was still banned, but existing stocks could be bottled and sold for medicinal purposes.
The brand later passed through the hands of the famous, and sometimes infamous, Louis Rosenstiel before eventually being owned by Diageo. At one point in the early 1990s, the whiskey was produced by Heaven Hill and aged at its facilities before being shipped to Luxco’s St. Louis facility for bottling and distribution.
Where Is Yellowstone Bourbon Made?
Yellowstone Bourbon is made in Lebanon, Kentucky, in Marion County. The distillery is located around 60 miles south of Louisville, in the heart of Kentucky’s bourbon tourism region.
Nearby distilleries include Maker’s Mark and Jim Beam’s enormous facility in Clermont, Kentucky. Limestone Branch offers a quieter place to visit away from some of the busier stops along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
What Does Yellowstone Bourbon Taste Like?
For this article, I reviewed a sample of the brand’s flagship bottling, Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon, bottled at 46.5% ABV, or 93 proof.
The nose opens with gentle cinnamon, cherries, and a generous amount of caramel. It is soft, welcoming, and very approachable.
The palate leads with slightly more spice. The rye makes itself known, while gentle baking spices and oak influences mix well with the cherry and caramel notes. There is also a distinct note of freshly made sourdough toast spread with warm butter.
The finish is gradual, gentle, and warming, with pleasant notes of soft American oak and baked vanilla.
It reminds me of bourbons such as Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond, particularly in the way the cherry and caramel notes work together. It also has some of the gentle warmth associated with a wheated bourbon such as Maker’s Mark.
Priced at around $40, Yellowstone Select sits alongside several well-loved and widely available bourbons.
Is Yellowstone Bourbon Worth Buying?
If you have already tried several bourbons in this price category, Yellowstone Select is certainly worth seeking out.
It has an interesting heritage, and its long ownership history is worth exploring, particularly for anyone interested in how the bourbon industry developed into what it is today.
The flavor profile is sweet and gently spicy, with enough distinctive moments to keep things interesting. If you have been curious about Yellowstone but have not yet tried it, it deserves a place on your shelf.
The Verdict on Yellowstone Bourbon
Yellowstone Select is a tasty bourbon with plenty of old and new history behind it.
The brand has also released some interesting expressions connected to America’s national parks and has embraced accessibility through cocktails, serving guidance, and widespread availability.
It is certainly a bourbon worth considering for your shelf.
Read the full article at The Story Behind Yellowstone Bourbon, And Whether You Should Buy It
