Country star Dierks Bentley’s high-proof bourbon isn’t trying to reinvent Kentucky whiskey, but it doesn’t have to. Built on Green River distillate, Row 94 Full Proof delivers surprising tropical fruit notes, plenty of proof, and one of the better celebrity whiskey releases on the market.
Stats
- Type: Bourbon
- Age: min 4 year
- Proof: 120 (60% ABV)
- Mashbill: 70% Corn │ 21% Rye │ 9% Malted Barley
- Origin: Green River — Owensboro, Kentucky
- Cask: New Charred American Oak
- Release: Wide release, blended
- MSRP: $54.99 (via Row 94)
- Celebrity Brand: Dierks Bentley, country music star
Tasting Notes
- Nose: The nose opens with lily flowers, spiced potpourri, and Honeycrisp apple, backed by yeasty dough, confectioners sugar, and light caramel. It initially leans youthful and unmistakably Green River, though the sweetness keeps it inviting.
- Palate: The palate is where Row 94 comes alive. Grilled pineapple, caramel, toasted oak, and rock candy create an unexpectedly tropical profile that feels brighter and more layered than the nose suggests, with plenty of caramelized fruit sweetness throughout.
- Finish: The finish shifts toward a classic Kentucky bourbon profile with red apple, cinnamon, and clove, all balanced remarkably well for 120 proof. As it lingers, notes of peach, papaya, and grilled fruit continue underneath the warming spice, giving the moderate-to-long finish more complexity than expected.
Celebrity whiskey has become a crowded category, often leaning more on the famous name than what’s actually inside the bottle. Row 94 Full Proof takes a different approach by sourcing from Green River Distillery, openly sharing its mashbill, proof, and minimum age statement rather than hiding behind vague marketing.
At 120 proof, this bourbon offers a familiar Green River profile with a few unexpected twists that help it stand apart from the growing list of celebrity-backed releases.
Presentation
Row 94 keeps the presentation simple and straightforward, fitting Dierks Bentley’s image without feeling overly manufactured.
It clearly targets country music fans, but thankfully avoids the excessive gimmicks that often accompany celebrity spirits.
Distinctiveness
This is distinctly Green River bourbon with a slight tropical twist rather than something entirely new.
It won’t fool anyone into thinking it’s a radically different profile, but the grilled fruit character adds enough personality to make it memorable.
“…familiar enough to satisfy Green River fans while offering enough grilled tropical fruit character to keep things interesting.”
Transparency
Credit where it’s due, Row 94 clearly discloses the Green River source, 120 proof, 70/21/9 mashbill, and a minimum four-year age statement.
I’d still love to know the actual age range, as “minimum four years” leaves plenty of room for marketing assumptions about older barrels.
Value
At $54.99 MSRP, Row 94 costs only a few dollars more than Green River Full Proof, despite carrying the same proof and a younger stated minimum age.
That premium feels surprisingly restrained for a celebrity brand, and the whiskey drinks comfortably in the $50–60 range, making the price easier to justify than many celebrity releases.
Buy if:
- You enjoy high-proof Green River bourbon.
- You’re looking for one of the better celebrity whiskey releases.
- You appreciate tropical fruit alongside classic bourbon flavors.
- You want a solid everyday full-proof pour around $55.
Skip if:
- You want something dramatically different from standard Green River.
- You dislike apple-and-cinnamon finishes.
- You’re looking for maximum value per dollar over brand appeal.
- You expect a celebrity bourbon to offer exclusive or unique distillate.
Verdict
Row 94 Full Proof succeeds because it doesn’t try too hard. Rather than masking average whiskey behind celebrity branding, Dierks Bentley partnered with an already respected Kentucky distillery and let the bourbon do most of the talking. The result is a bottle that’s familiar enough to satisfy Green River fans while offering enough grilled tropical fruit character to keep things interesting.
What surprised me most was the progression. The nose hinted at a fairly standard Green River profile, but the palate opened into grilled pineapple, caramelized fruit, and rock candy before settling into a classic apple-and-cinnamon finish. That combination reminded me of some of the excellent Green River and former O.Z. Tyler barrels selected by HK Young; high praise considering how much I’ve enjoyed those releases.
As celebrity bourbons go, this easily lands among the better examples I’ve tasted. It isn’t revolutionary, but it also isn’t pretending to be. It’s simply good bourbon, bottled at the right proof, sold at a reasonable price, and backed by transparency that’s unfortunately becoming less common. that shows a celebrity whiskey can have real substance behind the story.
Bourbon Bishop Bottom Line:
A refreshingly honest celebrity bourbon that lets Green River’s quality shine while adding just enough tropical fruit character to make it worth revisiting.
For those who prefer numbers, here’s the full score breakdown:
- Nose: 4.75 / 7
- Palate: 4.75 / 7
- Finish: 5 / 7
- Presentation: 4 / 7
- Distinctiveness: 4.5 / 7
- Transparency: 6.5 / 7
- Value: 4.5 / 7
Bourbon Bishop Rating: 4.88 / 7 – Angelic
Good to great. Often high value for the price.
| Score | Descriptor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1 | Hell No | Drain pour. Seriously undrinkable. |
| 1.1–2 | Purgatory | Bad, but could be worse. Only in extreme cases. |
| 2.1–3 | Only Earthly | Just okay. Best used as a mixer. |
| 3.1–4 | Bliss | Passable to Good sipper. Works well in cocktails. |
| 4.1–5 | Angelic | Good to great. Often high value for the price. |
| 5.1–6 | Divine | Top-shelf. Must-buy for fans of the style. |
| 6.1–7 | Holy Heaven | Out-of-this-world. A true unicorn. |
Disclosure: This bottle was provided to me free of charge for review. All opinions are my own.
About Row 94
Named after Nashville’s Music Row and 1994, the year Dierks Bentley fell in love with country music, Row 94 was created to embody the same values found in both country music and bourbon: authenticity, hard work, and bringing people together. Bentley’s vision was simple: craft a serious Kentucky bourbon that remained approachable enough for everyday drinkers, without relying on celebrity status alone.
To bring that vision to life, Row 94 partnered with Green River Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky. Founded in 1885, Green River is the 10th oldest licensed distillery in Kentucky and one of the state’s most historic bourbon producers. Rather than creating a flashy marketing story, Row 94 leans into Green River’s distilling heritage while embracing Bentley’s belief that good bourbon, much like good country music, is meant to be shared during celebrations, quiet evenings, and everything in between.
The brand’s Thunderbird emblem reflects those same ideals, hard work, honesty, optimism, and pride, making Row 94 less about celebrity branding and more about celebrating the people and traditions behind every bottle.
Related Articles
Discover the best budget whiskey releases of 2026 so far. From Blue Bolt 107 to Keeper’s Heart Pot Still Whiskey and Wheel Horse Rum Finished, these five bottles under $50 offer outstanding flavor, value, and character.
Green River Honey Bourbon delivers authentic wildflower honey character, classic young Kentucky bourbon spice, and shocking value at just $24.99. A balanced, flavorful finished bourbon that punches far above its price point.
Small Batch has no legal definition, but a growing number of independent bottlers and craft distilleries are redefining the term through transparency, intentional blending, and truly limited barrel counts.
Wheel Horse Rum Finished Double Mash combines Green River bourbon, high-rye whiskey, and an extended three-rum-cask finish into one of the best value bottles of the year at just $43.99.
Green River Distilling Co. has unveiled Distillery Select Toasted Double Oak Bourbon, the oldest bourbon released in the brand’s modern era. The eight-year-old limited release earned Double Gold and 96 points at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.