New Bourbon Releases News for August 1, 2025

Please enjoy this week’s New Bourbon (and other whiskeys) Releases News! Compared to the last few months, this has been a pretty slow couple of weeks for new releases. But, there are still some interesting ones!

Bourbon Releases News For August 1, 2025

15 STARS Unveils First West Line Featuring Three Distinctive Bourbons

15 STARS has announced First West, a new line extension featuring three distinctive bourbon expressions: Small Batch, Toasted Oak, and Extra Aged 8-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskeys. “Our goal with 15 STARS First West was to create the same high-quality, award-winning whiskey at an approachable cost to our consumers,” said Ricky Johnson, co-founder of 15 STARS. The Small Batch and Toasted Oak releases use a blend of 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old Kentucky bourbons which include proprietary red, white, and blue heritage corn, marking the first time 15 STARS has used its own distillate in a blend. The Extra Aged expression combines 8- and 9-year-old bourbons for added complexity. All are crafted using the brand’s Flavor Proofing™ process and are available now at select retailers nationwide and online at 15STARS.com.

• First West Small Batch – Aged 5, 6, and 7 years. 102 proof. $59.99 SRP.
• First West Toasted Oak – Aged 5, 6, and 7 years. 98 proof. $69.99 SRP.
• First West Extra Aged – Aged 8 and 9 years. 100 proof. $79.99 SRP.

The bottles used for 15 STARS First West bourbons are produced with recycled blue glass, and were inspired by the early Kentucky artisans and the first bottles produced for Kentucky whiskey. 15STARS.com

New Riff Introduces 2025 Headliner Whiskey

New Riff Distilling is celebrating its 11th anniversary with the 2025 Headliner, a limited-edition blend showcasing some of the distillery’s earliest and most distinctive whiskeys. The blend includes:

• 28% 11-year-old Corn Whiskey
• 27% 11-year-old Bourbon Whiskey
• 15% 10-year-old Balboa Rye Whiskey
• 15% 10-year-old Rye Whiskey
• 15% 8-year-old Aroostook Malted Rye Whiskey

This special release is priced at $150 per 750mL bottle, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Brighton Center. It will be available for purchase online only beginning August 1, 2025, at 11 AM EST for in-store pickup at New Riff Distilling Co. Bottles must be picked up between August 2 and October 5, 2025. Headliner will not be sold in the gift shop or at retailers.

As New Riff has done in the past, this Friday, Saturday and Sunday (8/2-8/4) there will be opportunities to purchase individual tastes of the Headliner 2024 and 2025 releases as well as a flight of those whiskeys plus the 2025 Silver Grove Bourbon at their Aquifer Bar. Read more details and how to purchase here.

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Minden Mill Unveils Single Estate Nevada Straight Rye Whiskey

Minden Mill Distilling has announced the nationwide release of its Single Estate Nevada Straight Rye Whiskey, a 94-proof, non-chill filtered, four-year-old whiskey that reflects the unique high desert terroir of Nevada. Crafted with grains harvested from local fields under Minden Mill’s direct oversight, the mash bill is 80% rye, 10% soft white wheat, and 10% estate-malted barley. The whiskey is cut with snowmelt-fed water from the Sierra Nevadas near Lake Tahoe.

As a member of the Estate Whiskey Alliance and a licensed Nevada Estate Distillery, Minden Mill controls every step of production on its 1,200-acre estate. All grains are sourced within five miles of the distillery, and milling, fermentation, distillation, maturation, and bottling take place on-site. Distillation is done using both a single Headframe continuous stripping still and a Christian CARL hybrid still, located in a renovated 100+ year-old creamery. The whiskey is aged in Seguin Moreau New American and French oak barrels with a #3 char in wooden rickhouses designed to mimic Kentucky’s Nelson County climate. Minden Mill Nevada Straight Rye Whiskey is available nationally for a suggested retail price of $45 and online at mindenmill.com. Read my review here

Proof and Wood Launches Tumblin’ Dice Single Barrel Rye (Apple Brandy Barrel Finish)

Proof & Wood Ventures has released a limited, ten‑barrel edition of Tumblin’ Dice Single Barrel Rye, finished for one year in used Laird’s apple brandy barrels. The rye is crafted from a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, distilled in Indiana and aged approximately seven years in new charred American oak before its finishing period.

This special release is a collaboration with Laird & Company—America’s oldest licensed distillery—whose barrels previously held 8.5‑year‑old apple brandy. The finishing imparts additional complexity and fruit character to the bold rye base. Bottled at 118.9 proof and priced at $89.99 (as listed by Seelbach’s), the whiskey is available in select markets and specialty retailers. Read more

Buffalo Trace Distillery Introduces Sazerac Rye Whiskey 100 Proof

Buffalo Trace Distillery has introduced Sazerac Rye Whiskey 100 Proof, a higher-proof addition to its rye portfolio crafted in response to bartender and whiskey enthusiast demand. Designed for enhanced flavor, versatility, and control in cocktails, the whiskey maintains the smooth, approachable profile of Sazerac Rye while delivering greater structure and richness. Available now in select markets at a suggested retail price of $29.99 per 1L bottle, it also joins the Sazerac Barrel Select program, allowing select accounts to hand-pick single barrels and receive a commemorative barrelhead. Read the full press release

Bourbon Releases News For August 1, 2025

Weller 18 Year Old and Weller Millennium Second Edition Announced

Buffalo Trace Distillery introduces two super-premium wheat whiskey innovations: Weller Millennium #2 ($7,500/750ml, 99 proof), a new blend of ultra-aged wheated bourbon and wheat whiskeys distilled in 2001, 2003, and 2006; and Weller 18 Year Old ($499/700ml, 90 proof), the oldest age statement in the Weller portfolio and an ultra-aged wheat whiskey. Both releases showcase the exceptional aging potential of wheat in American whiskey production and debuted in July 2025 in limited quantities. Weller Millennium is available via regular retail and on-premise channels, whereas Weller 18 is available via travel retail at select airports. Read the full press release

Bourbon Obsessed merchandise is perfect for any occasion! Head to our store to shop for hats, t-shirts, Glencairns and more!

Hard Truth Mizunara Finished Sweet Mash Rye

Hard Truth Distilling Co. has released Mizunara Finished Sweet Mash Rye, a limited-edition straight rye whiskey finished with toasted Mizunara oak. Bottled at cask strength (124.7 proof), the release comes from just 21 barrels and uses Hard Truth’s RW‑1 mash bill of 94% rye and 6% malted barley. Distilled grain-to-glass at Hard Truth, the whiskey debuted July 25 and should be available at the distillery and at retailers soon. (Price not provided) hardtruth.com.

Kentucky Bourbon Festival

On another note, if you don’t have a ticket to the sold out Kentucky Bourbon Festival but want to go, there’s still a way! If you volunteer to help at the festival, you get a General Admission ticket and can attend the festival on the days that you aren’t working. There are a few spots left, so if you are interested, send an email to volunteers@kybourbonfestival.com.

Also, if you are ticketed and heading to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in September, there is still the opportunity to purchase tickets to add-on premium events. Current ticket holders can buy their tickets by visiting this link and select the blue “Premium Events” box. You will be prompted to enter an access code which will be your Order ID number, located on your confirmation email from your admission ticket purchase. Alternatively, you can log into your Tixr account or click on the link from the confirmation email you received when you purchased your tickets.

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Bourbon Releases News For August 1, 2025

Well, that’s it! I hope you have enjoyed this week’s Bourbon Releases News! If you would like our newsletters delivered directly to your inbox, please sign up here. As usual, our Bourbon and Distillery News will be published next Friday. If you enjoy our content, I would greatly appreciate if you would follow us on Instagram and Facebook. I hope you have a great weekend! See you next time! Cheers!🥃

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