10 MGP Bourbon Brands To Try (2023 Updated)
Last Updated on August 22, 2023 by Lydia Martin
Midwest Grain Products, or sourced whiskey, are pretty commonplace in the whiskey world and have been around for decades, even though brands do not disclose it.
And although hardcore bourbon purists will look down on this mass-produced “garbage,” we must admit that most of it is good stuff.
Here are a few MGP bourbon brands that source their whiskeys from the MGP distillery (some of them might shock you).
10 MGP Bourbon Brands You Might Not Know About
10. Savage & Cooke
ABV: 44%
Average Price: Around $50
Savage & Cooke Bourbon is the marriage of four-year-old whiskeys from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana, matured in Cabernet barrels. It is cut with the purest spring water from the Alexander Valley in California.
The Cabernet barrels give the bourbon a potent vanilla profile, with the taste of butterscotch candy and caramel apples. The dram is much warmer on the mid-palate, continuing the hot trend to its long finish.
9. Old Elk
ABV: 46%
Average Price: Around $70
Old Elk’s bourbon is made from a whopping 45% wheat, which takes the term “wheated bourbon” to a new level.
This spirit is decidedly sweet and pleasant on the palate, with a faint hint of baking spice on the nose. The long finish continues the pleasantly sweet trend.
Old Elk continues to contract MGP to produce custom mash bills, but they do not purchase a standard product from MGP and label it as their own (sourcing).
8. Joseph A. Magnus
ABV: 50.35%
Average Price: Around $100
Betcha didn’t know that Joseph A. Magnus sources their whiskeys from MGP! This blended bourbon is made of 11 and 18-year-old bourbons. It is also finished in ex-Armagnac, Cognac, and sherry casks.
As a result, this spirit is more fruity thanks to the casks, with the taste of stewed prunes, figs, and apricot jam. The whiskey is reminiscent of sticky toffee pudding paired with the best black tea.
7. Belle Meade
ABV: 54.65%
Average Price: Around $50
The Belle Meade Single Barrel is probably one of the most luxurious bottles from MGP. These barrels are carefully hand-picked and manually tasted by master distillers before they are bottled for sale.
The first thing you’ll notice about the Belle Meade Bourbon is its high proof — it is decidedly spicy with black pepper notes and cinnamon.
As the flavor opens up, you’ll notice creamy vanilla, chocolate sugar, and floral honey in this bourbon.
6. Barrell Craft Spirits
ABV: 60.3%
Average Price: Around $70
It might come as a shock to you that Barrell Craft uses bourbon sourced from MGP, with the word “craft” clearly on its name.
When demand for their products grew in 2015, they decided to bring in MGP bourbon to sell, and the rest is history.
Barrell bourbon starts with plenty of fruit notes, sweet potato pie, walnut, and freshly ground coffee. This is overall not a bad sip and will be a great ingredient in a Boulevardier [1].
Read: Popular Craft Bourbons To Try
5. Smoke Wagon
ABV: Varies
Average Price: Around $100
Smoke Wagon hit all the high points when it comes to sourcing the best MGP whiskeys during modern times.
Our personal favorite is the brand’s Uncut Unfiltered Bourbon Whiskey, made from a high-rye bourbon mash bill.
This spirit has a nice caramel fragrance, rife with candied pineapple, baked apple, and rye spice.
4. Nashville Barrel Co.
ABV: 59.32%
Average Price: Around $100
If you’re a big fan of Nashville Barrel spirits, you might’ve noticed that most (if not all) of their bottles say that the spirit had been distilled in an “undisclosed distillery in Indiana.”
The brand carries great labels, but our personal favorite is the Single Barrel Bourbon.
This single barrel bourbon whiskey has classic notes of brown sugar, light vanilla, and a touch of leather. It has a velvety smooth mouthfeel, perfect for drinking neat or in your favorite bourbon whiskey cocktail.
3. Brother’s Bond
ABV: 40%
Average Price: Around $40
Brother’s Bond is a fairly new bourbon brand, so we’re not surprised that their whiskey was sourced from Indiana.
This celebrity whiskey brand made quite the buzz when it was first released as it was heralded by two of the hottest Hollywood actors, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder.
This four-ingredient bourbon (corn, rye, wheat, and barley) is mild and pleasant, even for those starting to get into whiskey. It has apple cider, soft caramel, and a hint of oak.
Its finish is shorter than what we prefer, but this great whiskey is an excellent choice for a nice Highball. [2]
2. Redemption
ABV: 57.2%
Average Price: Around $100
Redemption is one of the biggest whiskey brands that source their bourbon from MGP. Their high-rye whiskey is made from 60% bourbon, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley.
This high-proof rye whiskey has a spicy whiplash on the nose, but if you can move past that, you’ll notice a wonderful marriage of vanilla and floral honey.
You might want to add a bit of water to this whiskey as it’s a bit too harsh for sipping neat.
1. Bulleit
ABV: 45%
Average Price: Around $30
Bulleit bourbon is famous for its rye whiskey, made from a whopping 95% rye and 5% malted barley — which comes from MGP.
This whiskey brand has one of the industry’s most iconic bourbon and rye whiskies.
It is unmistakably hot at first, but if you can move past that, you’ll notice fruit notes of peaches, cherries, and a bit of orange zest. The spicy trend continues in its finish.
Bulleit Rye is best sipped neat so you can experience all its flavor nuances.
Other Bourbon Brands From MGP
- Cathead Old Soul Bourbon Whiskey
- High West American Prairie
- Angel’s Envy
- Nulu Single Barrel
- Pinhook Bohemia Bourbon High-Proof
- Oak & Eden Bourbon & Spire
- James E. Pepper 1776 Bourbon
- Smooth Ambler Old Scout
- Widow Jane
- Stellum Bourbon
- Remus Repeal Reserve
FAQs
Does MGP make other alcohols aside from bourbon?
Yes, MGP makes other alcohols aside from bourbon. The Indiana-based distillery is actually the only one still making whiskey, aside from vodka, gin, neutral grain spirits, and industrial alcohol.
Are all MGP bourbons the same?
No, not all MGP bourbons are the same. MGP makes various mash bills, whether the brand wants something high-rye, wheated, or classic.
They can also produce the mash bills according to the client’s instructions so they can still have an individual stamp on their own brand.
Final Thoughts
These ten brands listed source their bourbon from MGP. Most of these brands are famous for their award-winning, quality spirits.
This is a testament to the fact that not all bourbon and rye Midwest Grain Products are run-of-the-mill, mass-produced whiskey.
Bulleit, Redemption, and Nashville Barrel are all well-loved by bourbon aficionados worldwide (ourselves included!).
Of course, some people opt not to go for brands that bottle MGP whiskey because they would rather support those who have put effort, time, and labor into crafting their products.
References:
- https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016009-boulevardier
- https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/whisky-highball
