New limited-release series launches with an eight-year-old toasted-finished bourbon that already earned Double Gold and 96 points at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
OWENSBORO, KY (June 11, 2026) — Green River Distilling Co. is introducing its oldest bourbon release to date with the launch of Distillery Select Toasted Double Oak Bourbon, the inaugural expression in the brand’s new limited-release Distillery Select series.
The new bourbon will debut at Green River’s Owensboro distillery on June 20, followed by a release at the brand’s Louisville Tasting Room on June 26. Designed to showcase some of the distillery’s most distinctive whiskey stocks, the Distillery Select series will focus on limited releases featuring unique proofs, finishes, and barrel selections while remaining rooted in traditional Kentucky whiskey-making.
For its first release, Green River selected an eight-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon that underwent an additional six months of maturation in a new toasted American oak barrel, creating a richer and more concentrated interpretation of the distillery’s signature flavor profile.
Launching a New Distillery Select Series
The Distillery Select line is intended to highlight exceptional barrels and experimental approaches emerging from Green River’s historic Owensboro distillery.
Rather than dramatically altering the whiskey, the series focuses on refining and elevating Green River’s established bourbon and rye mash bills through thoughtful finishing techniques, barrel selection, and proofing decisions.
According to Green River, Toasted Double Oak represents a natural starting point for the series, combining mature stock with a secondary maturation process designed to enhance sweetness, spice, and oak influence without overwhelming the bourbon’s core character.
The Bourbon
Distillery Select Toasted Double Oak begins with Green River’s traditional bourbon mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley.
The whiskey spent eight years aging in the distillery’s signature clay-tile rickhouses before 13 barrels were selected from prime maturation locations within Warehouse B, where summer temperatures routinely exceed 100 degrees.
Following the initial aging period, the bourbon was transferred into a new American oak barrel featuring a light char and medium toast, produced by Independent Stave Company. The whiskey remained in the finishing barrel for an additional six months.
The result is a 115.1-proof bourbon designed to amplify the fruit-forward character Green River is known for while adding layers of toasted oak, caramelized sugars, and spice.
“The strong fruit flavors of Green River are ideally suited for a double barrel,” said Dan Callaway, Master Blender for Lofted Spirits. “The bold flavor pairs perfectly with the additional wood sugars and spice imparted during the extra six months of double barreling.”
Callaway added that the new series will provide opportunities to further explore the distillery’s whiskey inventory through focused barrel selections and finishing techniques.
“The historic Green River distillery is sitting on some of the best whiskey in Kentucky,” he said. “The Distillery Select series will allow us to take our classic bourbon and rye mash bills to the next level.”
Already Award-Winning
Before reaching consumers, Distillery Select Toasted Double Oak received significant recognition on the competition circuit.
The bourbon earned a Double Gold Medal and 96 points at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of the spirits industry’s most influential blind-tasting events.
A Double Gold designation is reserved for entries that receive unanimous Gold Medal votes from every judge on a tasting panel, making it one of the competition’s highest distinctions.
For a brand launching a new limited-release program, the recognition provides an early indication that the Distillery Select concept is off to a strong start.
Distillery-Only Availability
Unlike Green River’s nationally distributed core lineup, Distillery Select Toasted Double Oak will be available exclusively through the brand’s own locations.
The release will be packaged in a 375 mL bottle with a suggested retail price of $49.99. Quantities are expected to be limited.
Green River will celebrate the launch with a day-long event at the Owensboro distillery on June 20 featuring special tours, tastings, food, entertainment, and early access to purchase the inaugural Distillery Select release.
“The historic Green River distillery is sitting on some of the best whiskey in Kentucky”
— Dan Callaway, Master Blender for Lofted Spirits
Distillery Select Toasted Double Oak Bourbon Specifications
- Award: Double Gold Medal, 96 Points — 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
- Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Toasted Oak
- Series: Distillery Select (Inaugural Release)
- Age: 8 Years
- Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 21% Rye, 9% Malted Barley
- Secondary Maturation: 6 Months in New Toasted American Oak
- Proof: 115.1
- Bottle Size: 375mL
- MSRP: $49.99
- Availability: Green River Distilling Co. (Owensboro) and Louisville Tasting Room
Why This Release Matters
Green River has steadily expanded its reputation since its relaunch in 2022, earning recognition for delivering quality Kentucky bourbon at accessible prices while honoring a heritage that dates back to 1885.
The introduction of Distillery Select marks a notable evolution for the brand. Rather than expanding through sourced whiskey or radically different mash bills, Green River is turning inward, showcasing mature inventory and unique barrel treatments from its own warehouses.
Green River’s distillate has also become increasingly visible beyond the distillery’s own labels, serving as the foundation for a number of respected independent bottlings and finished whiskey programs. Among them, H.K. Young has earned a following for its toasted-barrel releases built around Green River-distilled stocks, demonstrating how well the distillery’s fruit-forward profile can integrate with secondary oak maturation.
That history makes the arrival of Distillery Select Toasted Double Oak particularly noteworthy. Rather than seeing another company apply a toasted finish to Green River whiskey, consumers will have the opportunity to experience how Green River’s own blending team approaches the concept using the oldest bourbon the distillery has released to date.
The Bottom Line
Green River’s Distillery Select Toasted Double Oak Bourbon serves as both a celebration of the distillery’s aging inventory and a preview of where the new Distillery Select series may be headed.
With eight-year age-stated bourbon, an additional toasted oak finish, 115.1 proof, and an early Double Gold victory at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the inaugural release arrives with strong credentials.
For Green River fans, it offers the opportunity to experience the brand’s oldest bourbon release yet. For the distillery, it establishes a promising foundation for what could become one of its most anticipated annual programs.
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