Roughstock Montana Straight Bourbon Whiskey 45%

At the foot of the Bridger Mountains in southwestern Montana, there used to be a distillery that insisted on doing things the hard way – no sourced spirit, no shortcuts, just local grain and cold mountain water. The place is gone now, but the bottles remain.

The Expert's Description

RoughStock Montana Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an American Straight Bourbon Whiskey blended from four different bourbon recipes and bottled at 45%.

RoughStock Distillery opened in 2008 in Bozeman as Montana's first legal distillery since the end of Prohibition – and the first ever to make Straight Bourbon Whiskey in the state. Behind it stood husband-and-wife team Bryan and Kari Schultz, who built their bourbon from four separate recipes with varying amounts of corn, wheat, rye and malted barley. Each recipe is distilled twice in copper pot stills and matured for at least two years in heavily charred virgin oak before distiller Bryan Schultz marries the four whiskeys into the final bourbon. The distillery closed in 2016, so every bottle still circulating today is a piece of finished Montana history.

The water comes from the many mountain streams formed as snow melts in the Bridger range, and that same raw, unpolished approach runs through the whole process – nothing bought in, everything mashed, distilled and matured on site.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Barley and dried hay meet toasted grain notes, vanilla and nuts, with a hint of orange peel and fresh bread in the background.

Palate

Tobacco and leather are balanced by dark chocolate, ripe plums and caramel, while a warm honeyed sweetness ties it together.

Finish

Long and warming, with ginger and clove that linger well after the last sip.

Specifications

Name: RoughStock Montana Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: RoughStock Distillery
Region/Country: Bozeman, Montana, USA
Type: American Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Virgin Oak, heavily charred
Distillation Method: Double distilled in copper pot stills
EAN no.: 850564005078

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Rich · Caramel · Fruity · Nutty

Did You Know?

The name RoughStock comes from the world of rodeo, where it describes disciplines like bareback and bull riding – no saddle, just legs and nerve. That's also why the distillery's unofficial mascot has always been a cowboy.

See our full range of RoughStock

Listen to our podcast:

Frequently Asked Questions about RoughStock Montana Straight Bourbon Whiskey

What makes RoughStock Montana Straight Bourbon Whiskey special?

It's a blend of four different bourbon recipes from a distillery that no longer exists – RoughStock in Bozeman, Montana, closed its doors in 2016. That makes this bottle a piece of finished American distilling history, not just another bourbon.

Why doesn't RoughStock Distillery exist anymore?

The distillery, which opened in 2008 as Montana's first legal distillery since Prohibition, closed in 2016. That left a small, limited number of bottles like this one still circulating among retailers around the world.

What does RoughStock Montana Bourbon taste like?

Tobacco and leather meet dark chocolate, plums and caramel, with barley, vanilla and nuts on the nose. The finish leans toward ginger and clove.

Should RoughStock Montana Bourbon be served with ice or neat?

Try it neat first, or with a few drops of water at room temperature, so the spice and caramel get room to breathe. Ice mutes both the chocolate and leather character more than most bourbons can handle.

Which glass suits RoughStock Montana Bourbon best?

A narrow glass such as a Glencairn glass gathers the aroma best, making it easier to pick apart barley, vanilla and orange peel. See our range of whisky glasses.

How was RoughStock Montana Bourbon made?

Distiller Bryan Schultz built four separate recipes with varying amounts of corn, wheat, rye and malted barley, distilled each one twice in copper pot stills, and matured them for at least two years in heavily charred virgin oak before marrying them into the finished bourbon.

Does RoughStock Montana Bourbon pair well with food?

The dark chocolate and caramel match grilled beef, smoked BBQ or a caramel-based dessert – flavours strong enough to stand up to the bourbon's tobacco and leather character.