Green River 1885 Bourbon Review

1885 Bourbon
Green River Distilling Co
Kentucky Straight
Sour Mash Whiskey
Age: Minimum of 4 Years
85 Proof
MSRP: $21.99 / 1 liter
Review

Please enjoy our Green River 1885 Bourbon Review!

“Make Mine an ’85”

It seems like just yesterday when Green River Distilling released their Full Proof Bourbon, but they’re already at it again! Green River 1885 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, which is being released in August, is geared towards the on-premise (bar & restaurant) market. In fact, according to Caryn Wells, National Brand Ambassador for Green River Distilling Co., “Green River 1885 was blended with classic cocktails in mind, and is the ideal combination of flavor and value.”

Caryn goes on to say “Like all Green River products, we honor our history while presenting bourbons that are relevant to what and how people drink today. It’s awfully easy to say on your next cocktail order, ‘make mine an ’85.”

What’s in a name?

The name of the new Green River 1885 Bourbon honors the year of the founding of the original distillery by J. W. McCulloch. Paying homage goes one step further with the proof, which is 85.

Mash Bill & Other Specifics

Green River 1885 Bourbon is made with an entirely new mash bill, different from Green River’s flagship bourbon. 1885 uses 76% corn, 15% rye and 9% malted barley. For reference, Green River Bourbon’s mash bill is 70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley. In addition, the bottling proofs of each bourbon are different. Green River 1885 is bottled at 85 proof, whereas the flagship is bottled at 90 proof.

No age statement appears on either label, however, according to their respective press releases, 1885 Bourbon is said to be aged at least 4 years, and Green River Bourbon is said to be aged more than 5 years. What is probably most notable are the prices of each bourbon. The MSRP of 1885 is $21.99 for a liter bottle, whereas the Green River Bourbon’s MSRP is $34.99 for a 750 ml bottle. Green River Bourbon is already a great value, but the 1885 is at a significantly lower price point.

Tasting Notes – Green River 1885 Bourbon Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose: Sweet apples, cherry candy, tart grapefruit; light caramel; hints of hot cinnamon gum; minimal alcohol vapor
👉🏻Taste: Simple syrup, apples, dark cherries, light caramel, light tannins, dry wood
👉🏻Finish: Subtle simple syrup; increasingly spicy and dry; lingering black pepper, tannins, mild barrel char; pleasant warmth.

Green River 1885 Bourbon’s nose is light and fairly sweet; a kind of simple syrup sugary sweet. In addition, there are fruit-like flavors, such as sweet apples, cherry candy, and a hint of tart grapefruit. However, it’s not just fruit; more flavors are in the background, such as light caramel, and a bit of hot cinnamon gum. The taste brings similar notes, minus the cinnamon gum. The cherry candy evolves into dark cherries, as well. Tannins and dry wood also appear later on. The medium length finish becomes increasingly dry and spicy, with black pepper, barrel char and more noticeable tannins. Nevertheless, a little simple syrup sweetness remains. In the end, I am left with a pleasant warmth. As would be expected from the proof, alcohol and body are fairly light throughout.

How Does Green River 1885 Bourbon Do In A Cocktail?

I would be remiss if I did not evaluate how 1885 Bourbon performed in a cocktail, since that is Green River’s intent for it. So, I whipped up one of my famous honey Old Fashioneds. My personal preference is to use 100 proof whiskey in my cocktails, because I want the spirit’s flavor to come through. Therefore, I was a little skeptical about how an 85 proof bourbon would shine through the honey and bitters. Well, I must admit, I did pour a little heavy-handed, but the flavors of the Green River 1885 blended remarkably well with the other ingredients. The drink seemed a bit on the “lighter” side, as would be expected from the relatively low proof, but it was quite enjoyable.

Summary – Green River 1885 Bourbon Review

Green River 1885 Bourbon is a nice addition to the distillery’s ever-expanding line. It takes it’s place as their value bourbon, intended for the on-premise market and meant to compete for bartenders’ affections against similarly proofed products from the large distillers. I believe in that quest, it can succeed. As a neat pour, it is pleasant enough, but on the lighter side, perhaps best suited for a warm day. However, in my Old Fashioned, it went remarkably well. I would have to say, a bit to my surprise due to the low proof, that I have placed this bottle on my bar cart, to be used as Green River intended it to be. Perhaps you will do the same? I’d love to know! Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Green River 1885 Bourbon review! If you would like to learn about some of the distillery’s other bourbons, check out our Green River Rye Review and our Green River Full Proof Bourbon Review. To read more about the distillery itself, head on over to our Green River Distilling Tour Review.

Note: The sample was graciously provided by the distillery for my review.

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