Popular Kentucky Distilleries: Green River

Origin	Owensboro, Kentucky, United States
Manufacturer	Green River Distilling Co.
Established	Founded in 1885
Ownership	Bardstown Bourbon Co.

Today, the Green River Distilling Co. produces a range of acclaimed whiskey and bourbon expressions, including the relaunched Green River Bourbon, a wheated bourbon, a single barrel offering, and most recently, a rye whiskey. Led by visionary founders, master distillers, and a dedicated team, the Green River Distillery continues to honor its storied past while innovating with new premium products for modern whiskey enthusiasts.

Popular Products

Green River Whiskey – The distillery’s flagship product, known for its premium quality and numerous international awards won in the early 1900s.

Green River Bourbon – Relaunched in 2022 after over a century, this bourbon is aged more than 5 years and features a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% winter rye, and 9% malted barley.

Green River Wheated Bourbon – A newer addition to the Green River lineup, featuring a wheated mash bill.

Green River Single Barrel – A single barrel expression of the Green River Bourbon.

Green River Rye – Added to the product lineup in 2024, joining the Wheated and Single Barrel expressions.

History of the Green River Distillery

Timeline

• 1885 – Green River Distillery founded by J.W. McCulloch in Owensboro, Kentucky, becoming the 10th oldest distillery licensed in the state
• 1901 – Green River Whiskey wins numerous international awards, including a gold medal at the Paris Exposition
• 1907 – Green River becomes the most advertised whiskey in the world
• 1913 – Green River becomes the official whiskey of the U.S. Marine Hospital for 18 years due to its high quality
• 1915 – Green River is widely advertised as “The Whiskey Without A Headache” for its premium quality
• 1917 – 20 barrels of Green River were traded for interest in a Colorado gold mine, earning it the title of “most expensive spirit or whiskey ever sold”
• 1918 – A mysterious fire destroys the distillery and over 40,000 barrels of whiskey
• 1933 – After Prohibition, the distillery is rebuilt and the brand is sold off to another company, with the slogan changed to “The Whiskey Without Regrets”
• 1955 – Green River Bourbon eventually stops distribution
• 1956-1993 – The distillery changes hands several times and is eventually abandoned
• 2014 – The distillery begins reconstruction, preserving as much of the original facility as possible
• 2016 – Green River Whiskey is distilled again at the original location
• 2022 – Green River Bourbon is released to the world once again
• 2023 – Green River Distilling Co. expands distribution to 25 states and releases Green River Wheated Bourbon and Green River Single Barrel
• 2024 – Green River adds Rye to the family, along with the Wheated and Single Barrel expressions

Famous Product Releases

• Green River Whiskey – The distillery’s flagship product, known for its premium quality and winning numerous international awards
• Green River Bourbon – Relaunched in 2022 after over a century, this bourbon is aged more than 5 years and features a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% winter rye, and 9% malted barley
• Green River Wheated Bourbon – A newer addition to the Green River lineup, featuring a wheated mash bill
• Green River Single Barrel – A single barrel expression of the Green River Bourbon

Important People

• J.W. McCulloch – Founder of the Green River Distillery in 1885, known as a visionary in sales and marketing who traveled the world promoting the whiskey
• Rob McCulloch – Great-grandson of J.W. McCulloch, who worked closely with the current owners to revive the Green River brand
• Jacob Call – Master Distiller at Green River Distilling Co., an eighth-generation distiller with a family history dating back to the earliest days of bourbon
• Simon Burch – CEO of Green River Distilling Co., who led the effort to revive the historic brand and distillery

Significant Historical Events

• The Paris Exposition in 1900, where Green River Whiskey won a gold medal and “best of show”
• The 1905 Liege Exposition in Belgium, where Green River Whiskey was awarded the grand prize
• The devastating fire in 1918 that destroyed the distillery and over 40,000 barrels of whiskey
• The revival of the Green River brand and distillery starting in 2014, bringing the historic whiskey back to its original home

Interviews

• Caryn Wells, National Brand Ambassador for Green River Distilling Co., spoke about the distillery’s rich history and the positive customer experience visitors can expect.
• Rob McCulloch, great-grandson of founder J.W. McCulloch, expressed his pride in seeing Green River whiskey made at its original location in Owensboro once again.
• Master Distiller Jacob Call discussed the opportunity to be part of reviving such a legendary whiskey and the importance of honoring the distillery’s history.

Products and Practices

• Green River Whiskey was known for its premium quality, earning numerous international awards and becoming the official whiskey of the U.S. Marine Hospital for 18 years.
• The distillery used innovative marketing and advertising techniques, including the memorable “The Whiskey Without A Headache” and “The Whiskey Without Regrets” slogans.
• Today, the Green River Distilling Co. is committed to preserving the original distillery’s history and character while also introducing new and innovative whiskey expressions.

Sources

[1] https://bourbonveach.com/2020/09/28/brand-history-green-river-whiskey/
[2] https://greenriverwhiskey.com/timeline/
[3] https://bourbonfool.com/green-river-distillery-in-owensboro-kentucky-is-home-to-the-whiskey-without-regrets/
[4] https://kybourbontrail.com/a-legacy-revived-green-river-distilling-co-releases-green-river-bourbon/
[5] https://greenriverwhiskey.com