OK, raise your hand if you went searching for this whiskey because of the TV show. The Yellowstone brand is produced by Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky. The whiskey is named after Yellowstone National Park and this year to help celebrate 150 years of national parks they are releasing their whiskey bottle with 6 unique Yellowstone labels. If not for how hard it is to find this whiskey, acquiring all 6 labels would have been nice especially because they donate a portion of profits made from this whiskey to the National Parks Conservation Association.

We were lucky that we found a barrel pick and our friend found the original bourbon whiskey at msrp (thanks Sara). Are they any different… Let’s find out.

Yellowstone bourbon whiskey
Nose: cherries and spices
Palate: rye, light caramel and spices   
Finish: lightly sweet with spices
ABV: 46.5%
Cost: $40

Yellowstone Barrel Pick
Nose: vanilla, caramel and oak
Palate: oak, pepper, caramel and rye
Finish: oak, spices and slight burn
ABV: 57.5%
Cost: $64.99

Although they have somewhat of a similar tasting profile the biggest difference here is the abv. When you initially taste the barrel pick it fools you into thinking it will be smooth but the minute the higher alcohol content hits the back of your throat it hits a bit harshly. The caramel and pepper notes are more present and there’s nothing sweet about this whiskey.

The original bourbon is a lot smoother, kinder on your throat and there are nice sweet notes.  Out of the two, this was the one I liked more. It’s a good whiskey and for $40 it’s a good deal, if you can find it.

The biggest issue with this whiskey is that you can’t find it and if you do, the secondary market prices are just hard to swallow. If you find it at msrp, it’s worth getting as it helps support a good cause. If you don’t find it at msrp, walk away, this whiskey is not worth the secondary pricing. Plus, I’m sure you’ll have a whiskey that tastes like this one.

Cheers!

Note: The contents on my blog are solely my opinion. To me every palate is different! Although I may or may not like a product, I always recommend for people to try it and make up their own minds.