Horse Soldier Reserve Barrel Strength Bourbon

Horse Soldier Reserve Barrel Strength Bourbon is a 750ml wheated bourbon bottled at barrel strength, ranging from 113 to 128 proof depending on the batch. This expression earned a Double Gold Medal at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and received a 95.5 rating in Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible, establishing it as one of the more decorated barrel-strength wheated bourbons on the market.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~56.5–64% (varies by batch)  |  Origin: Distilled in Columbus, Ohio; Bottled in St. Petersburg, Florida  |  Barrel Strength, Non-Chill Filtered  |  Distillery: American Freedom Distillery

Production & Heritage

American Freedom Distillery was founded by a group of U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers — the original Horse Soldiers who rode on horseback into Afghanistan shortly after September 11, 2001. The bourbon itself is distilled collaboratively at Middle West Spirits in Columbus, Ohio, using a mashbill of 70% yellow dent corn, 20% wheat, and 10% malted barley. Small batches of mature bourbon are meticulously blended and bottled without chill filtration, preserving the full weight and texture that barrel-strength whiskey demands. Each bottle is pressed from a glass mold created using steel recovered from the World Trade Center, a distinctive tribute that connects the brand directly to its founders' military service.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Honey and butterscotch rise first, followed by baked apple and citrus peel. Beneath those sweeter tones sit leather, toasted oak, and a faint thread of licorice root.

Taste: The entry is rich with caramel and dark brown sugar, giving way to a mid-palate of cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper. As the proof asserts itself, French vanilla and dark stone fruits — plum and baked cherry — emerge alongside sweet oak and molasses.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering toffee, cashew, and spiced raisin. A dry oak backbone persists, balanced by residual butterscotch sweetness that fades gradually.

How to Drink Horse Soldier Reserve

At barrel strength, a few drops of water open up the stone fruit and vanilla notes considerably; tasting it neat first, then adding water incrementally, reveals the whiskey's full range. On the rocks, the proof holds up well without going thin. For cocktails, try it in an Old Fashioned, where the wheated sweetness pairs naturally with bitters and a citrus peel; a Boulevardier, where the high proof cuts through Campari and sweet vermouth without disappearing; or a Gold Rush, where the honey and butterscotch character amplifies the cocktail's lemon-honey syrup base.

Best For

• Gifting a bourbon enthusiast who appreciates barrel-proof expressions
• Honoring veterans or commemorating military service at gatherings
• Side-by-side tastings comparing wheated versus rye-recipe barrel-strength bourbons
• Building a collection of award-winning American whiskeys

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Horse Soldier Reserve taste like? It leads with rich caramel, butterscotch, and dark brown sugar, layered with baking spices like cinnamon and ginger, and rounded out by dark stone fruits and sweet oak. The barrel-strength proof delivers a warming, full-bodied experience without harsh alcohol bite.

How does Horse Soldier Reserve compare to E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof? Both are barrel-strength bourbons, but Horse Soldier uses a wheated mashbill (70% corn, 20% wheat, 10% barley) while E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof uses a traditional rye-based recipe, making Taylor spicier and more grain-forward. Horse Soldier Reserve tends toward softer sweetness and stone fruit, while Taylor leans into cherry, leather, and assertive baking spice.

Is Horse Soldier Reserve good for sipping neat? Yes — despite the high proof, the non-chill filtered, wheated profile delivers a smooth, viscous mouthfeel that rewards patient neat sipping. A few drops of water further unlock its butterscotch and vanilla complexity.

Where is Horse Soldier Reserve made? It is distilled at Middle West Spirits in Columbus, Ohio, and produced under the American Freedom Distillery brand, which is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. The collaborative distilling arrangement allows the brand's founders to maintain control over mashbill and blending.

What foods pair well with Horse Soldier Reserve? Smoked brisket or pulled pork complements the bourbon's caramel-oak backbone. Dark chocolate truffles highlight the stone fruit and vanilla. Aged cheddar or Gruyère mirrors the rich, nutty sweetness. Pecan pie amplifies the toffee and brown sugar notes. Charcuterie with fig jam bridges the savory and sweet elements.

What sizes does Horse Soldier Reserve come in? Horse Soldier Reserve Barrel Strength Bourbon is available in the standard 750ml bottle, which is notable for being pressed from a glass mold made with World Trade Center steel.

Is Horse Soldier Reserve worth the price? It positions as a premium barrel-strength bourbon, and its Double Gold Medal at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition along with a 95.5 Whiskey Bible rating suggest strong value relative to its competition in the allocated barrel-proof category. For drinkers seeking a wheated, non-chill filtered expression with verified critical acclaim, it delivers substance beyond its backstory.

Why Horse Soldier Reserve?

In a category crowded with barrel-proof wheated bourbons that are often allocated and overpriced on the secondary market, Horse Soldier Reserve stands on verified credentials: a Double Gold from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a 95.5 from Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible. The 70/20/10 corn-wheat-barley mashbill, combined with non-chill filtration and small-batch blending, produces a whiskey that genuinely delivers the rich, dessert-like sweetness that wheated bourbon drinkers chase. Its origin story — founded by the Green Berets who rode into Afghanistan on horseback in 2001, with bottles molded from World Trade Center steel — is unlike anything else in American whiskey, but the liquid inside has earned recognition entirely on its own merits.