Sips & Sites & Bites

What happens when you take the exact same bourbon and age it in two wildly different places … Kentucky and Texas … for five years? That’s the question Milam & Greene set out to explore back in 2019. Now, the answer has arrived. Literally.

Meet “The Answer,” a side-by-side bourbon set five years in the making, designed to highlight how climate affects whiskey aging. This is the first time a U.S. distillery has taken such a scientific approach to compare the effects of place … temperature swings, humidity, and evaporation … on flavor and proof. It’s a whiskey experiment you can actually taste.

Back in October 2019, Milam & Greene distilled a batch of bourbon in Bardstown, Kentucky, using their own yeast strain and mash bill (70% corn, 22% malted rye, and 8% malted barley). Then they split the batch in two. Half stayed put in Kentucky. The other half made the journey down to Blanco, Texas, where it aged under the Hill Country sun.

So what changed? A lot.

Bardstown, with its humid summers and chilly winters, produced a whiskey that’s more restrained and subtle … think fruity, floral, with a final proof of 108. The evaporation rate there hovers around 2–4% annually. By contrast, Blanco’s hot, dry climate with dramatic temperature swings led to more evaporation (up to 10% per year!) and a higher proof of 116. The whiskey here is bolder, oakier, and richer … essentially a flavor bomb soaked in Texas heat.

But this wasn’t just a “let’s see what happens” project. Milam & Greene ran chemical and sensory analyses along the way, measuring compounds like ethyl acetate, furfural, and phenylethyl alcohol … all those molecules that shape aroma and flavor. Across the board, the Texas-aged bourbon showed higher concentrations of the compounds that bring out woody, intense notes. The Kentucky version leaned lighter and more floral. Same whiskey, different worlds.

Master Blender and CEO Heather Greene explains it best. “This is science in a glass. You can actually taste the climate.” She said she hopes the experiment kicks off similar studies from other distilleries. “We laid down these barrels to better understand temperature’s impact on extraction. I think a lot of folks will find similar results.”

And for the whiskey-curious among us, here’s the fun part: you get both versions in one package. “The Answer” comes as a boxed set with two 375ml bottles … one aged in Kentucky, the other in Texas … so you can taste them side by side, or try your hand at blending them together. (Don’t worry, there’s no wrong way to do it.)

Only 800 cases of “The Answer” are being released, and they’ll be available starting Wednesday, May 28, 2025. You can grab a set online, at the Blanco distillery, or at select retailers.

If you’re local, or up for a Texas road trip, Milam & Greene is throwing a release party at the distillery on Saturday, May 31st from noon to 5 p.m. Expect live music, Hill Country BBQ, and a few surprises. And yes, you’ll be able to pick up “The Answer” in person (while supplies last).

Whether you’re a bourbon nerd or just love a good taste test, “The Answer” offers something rare: a whiskey experience that goes beyond flavor and dives into place, process, and time. It’s a thoughtful, drinkable experiment … one that’s likely to spark conversation over your next pour.