Frey Ranch Distillery is an estate distillery located in northern Nevada. On this 165 year old, 1,500-acre family farm, they grow all of their grains, malt their barley onsite, and the whiskey is both produced and aged on their grounds. The whiskey goes through both a continuous still and pot still, which according to the company, “allows us to produce a large quantity from the continuous still while also being able to consistently take heads, hearts and tails cuts (better quality/control) that a pot still provides.” In 2006, they became the first licensed distillery in Nevada since the advent of Prohibition. First offering just vodka, they distilled their first batch of bourbon in 2015 and released it to market in 2020.

‍‍Farm Strength Uncut Bourbon was introduced as a permanent line extension in July, 2023. According to the press release, “Bottled at cask strength, the new non-chill filtered, small batch whiskey is produced using 100% of the slow-grown grains that are grown, harvested, milled, distilled on the Frey Ranch farm year-round.” Notably, Frey Ranch Farm Strength Uncut Bourbon utilizes the same mashbill as the distillery’s flagship four grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey. It is released in numbered batches, with proofs ranging from 120-132.

Caramel and raisins mingle with peppery oak and buttered cornbread. It has a dense grain-forward presence, with a swell of ethanol punching through. A hint of pear emerges on the backend. What it lacks in balance, it makes up for with pure vigor, making for an intriguing, albeit clumsy, introduction to the sip.

Caramelized dense oak and creme brulee are followed by a rush of spice. Bouts of citrus, raisin, cinnamon, and caramel coalesce against a prominent grain-forward presence. It by no means comes across as lacking age, instead doubling down on the flavors brought forward by its homegrown ingredients. Like the nose, the palate’s overall balance is traded for sheer impact and robust flavor.

Spicy heat ascends and holds throughout the long finish. Caramel, raisin, and citrus carry over from the palate, along with a tapering grain note. The bourbon finally achieves balance as the flavors fade in the finish, which will satisfy less adventurous appetites. It’s a pleasing end cap, and one that closes the bourbon on a more widely appreciated ending.

Frey Ranch Distillery falls into a growing number of estate distilleries that focus on the terroir of their particular region and distill their whiskeys from grains grown onsite. Other notable distilleries include Hillrock Estate Distillery located in Ancram, New York, Starlight Distillery located in Borden, Indiana, and Jeptha Creed located in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

Located in Fallon, Nevada, which is 380 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Frey Ranch is far from anywhere consumers might associate with bourbon. The distillery has been experimenting with less-than-common mashbills, including a 100% malted corn bourbon. Farm Strength Uncut Bourbon takes the distillery’s flagship bourbon and amplifies it in many ways. Most notably, the grains are highlighted with Farm Strength Uncut, which is not necessarily the case with the standard 90 proof version. While this could be considered a detriment, it works in this case, highlighting the ingredients that make the bourbon what it is. It’s worth pointing out this is derived from its base ingredients, as opposed to using a finishing barrel like wine, rum, or the increasingly popular amburana, which is a more obvious factor in many cases.

Put simply, the base grains show through in this bourbon, and ultimately this factor adds a significant degree of uniqueness to the bourbon. While this might contribute to its lack of balance, ultimately it makes for a bourbon that tastes unlike anything else, fundamentally. If you want a high proof bourbon that tastes different, this fits that bill.

Craft whiskey has generally hovered in the $50-$80 range since its inception. The company’s 90 proof standard version clocks in at $50, and Farm Strength Uncut adds $30 to that price point.

This bourbon is an easy one when it comes to value. For bourbon drinkers seeking a traditional, quintessential Kentucky bourbon flavor profile, it’s just simply not for them. On the other hand, for bourbon drinkers seeking a less-than-common, “unique” flavor profile, this hits the spot. Its lack of balance is offset by its rash disregard for anything else, highlighting what makes Frey Ranch unique. It’s a fair value, and a solid one at that.

I really enjoy this bourbon. But not everyone will.

Straight bourbon, in general, has a fairly tight range of flavor profiles as compared to its more sophisticated malt-based counterpart, Scotch. While the benchmark for quintessential “straight bourbon” is largely set by major Kentucky bourbon distillers - often highlighting caramel, vanilla, and oak, with little to no grain-forward presence - there are an increasing number of distillers and producers pushing the boundaries in this area, unlocking new flavor territory by utilizing various aspects of their process and region to highlight unique attributes of their particular style of bourbon making. They’re deliberately trying to make a bourbon that doesn’t taste like a typical Kentucky straight bourbon. Now that an increasing number of these generally smaller (as compared to Kentucky majors) and often regionalized bourbon makers have had time to really develop their products and process, we are seeing an expansion of flavor range when it comes to what it means to be a straight bourbon.

Frey Ranch Farm Strength Uncut Bourbon unequivocally hits this mark. It’s a grain-forward whiskey, and it won’t be for the unadventurous. Those typical Kentucky bourbon flavors and balance that many consumers set as a benchmark, often subconsciously, take a backseat to flavors drawn from the terroir of Frey Ranch in Nevada making for a bourbon that’s uniquely its own.

Frey Ranch Farm Strength Uncut Bourbon is awkward and funky, but somehow it works really well.