Whiskey Acres 101 Proof Four Grain Bourbon 750ML

Whiskey Acres 101 Proof Four Grain Bourbon is a 750ml, 50.5% ABV estate bourbon made from four grains grown on a single Illinois farm. As one of the few true seed-to-spirit distilleries in the United States, Whiskey Acres controls every step from planting to bottling — a distinction that gives this higher-proof expression a direct connection to its terroir that most bourbon producers simply cannot replicate.

Quick Facts: ABV: 50.5% (101 Proof)  |  Origin: DeKalb, Illinois, USA  |  Four Grain Bourbon  |  Distillery: Whiskey Acres Distilling Company

Production & Heritage

Whiskey Acres Distilling Company was founded by fifth-generation farmers Jim and Jamie Walter alongside Nick Nagele on their family farmland in DeKalb, Illinois, roughly 65 miles west of Chicago. The four-grain mashbill consists of yellow dent corn, soft red winter wheat, certified Hazlet rye, and barley — all cultivated on the same acreage where distillation takes place. Water is drawn from a natural limestone aquifer beneath the farm. Rather than a traditional rickhouse, barrels mature inside converted metal grain bins, structures that expose the whiskey to the extreme temperature swings of the Illinois seasons, accelerating interaction between spirit and wood. The bourbon is non-chill-filtered, preserving the full body and texture imparted during aging. The distillery has earned broader recognition for its bourbon program, including a Double Gold medal at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Bottled-in-Bond expression.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Caramel and butter-toffee arrive first, followed by baking spices and a thread of vanilla-drizzled caramel corn. At 101 proof, the aromatics carry noticeable intensity without becoming sharp.

Taste: The entry is rich and sweet, with orchard fruit — ripe apple in particular — meeting vanilla crème brûlée across the mid-palate. Peppery rye spice emerges as the bourbon opens up, balanced by lightly toasted coconut and soft wheat sweetness. The non-chill-filtered texture is thick and coating, giving each sip considerable weight.

Finish: Long and soft, with sweet red berry notes fading gradually into lingering peppery spice. The grain character stays present throughout, a hallmark of the estate-grown approach.

How to Drink Whiskey Acres Four Grain

At 101 proof, this bourbon rewards a neat pour with a few drops of water to open the grain complexity. It also holds up well over a single large ice cube, which gradually tempers the proof while drawing out the fruit and vanilla notes.

• Old Fashioned: The higher proof stands up to dilution and sweetener without losing its four-grain backbone.
• Boulevardier: Caramel and orchard fruit from the bourbon balance Campari's bitterness and sweet vermouth's herbal depth.
• Whiskey Sour: The thick, oily mouthfeel creates a fuller texture than standard-proof bourbons, and the peppery finish cuts through citrus cleanly.

Best For

• Bourbon drinkers exploring estate-distilled and farm-to-bottle spirits
• Gifting someone who values production transparency and craft provenance
• Side-by-side tastings comparing four-grain bourbons against traditional corn-heavy mashbills
• Higher-proof cocktail builds where flavor needs to carry through ice and mixers

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Whiskey Acres Four Grain taste like? It leads with caramel, orchard fruit, and vanilla crème brûlée, then shifts into peppery rye spice and lightly toasted coconut. The non-chill-filtered body is noticeably thick and coating, with a long, berry-laced finish.

How does Whiskey Acres Four Grain compare to Penelope Four Grain Bourbon? Both use corn, wheat, rye, and malted barley and are non-chill-filtered, but Whiskey Acres grows all four grains on its own farm and distills on-site, while Penelope sources and blends from multiple distilleries. The 101-proof Whiskey Acres expression also carries more heat and body than Penelope's standard 80-proof offering.

Is Whiskey Acres Four Grain good for sipping neat? Yes — the 50.5% ABV delivers full flavor intensity while the non-chill-filtered texture provides a rounded, coating mouthfeel that rewards slow, undiluted sipping. A few drops of water will soften the proof and expand the fruit and spice aromas.

Where is Whiskey Acres Four Grain made? It is distilled and aged at Whiskey Acres Distilling Company in DeKalb, Illinois, on a fifth-generation family farm approximately 65 miles west of Chicago. Water is sourced from a limestone aquifer directly beneath the property.

What foods pair well with Whiskey Acres Four Grain? Smoked pork ribs complement the caramel and spice notes; aged cheddar echoes the butter-toffee richness; pecan pie mirrors the toasted grain and vanilla character; dark chocolate amplifies the peppery finish; and roasted stone fruit highlights the bourbon's orchard-fruit mid-palate.

What sizes does Whiskey Acres Four Grain come in? The standard retail size is 750ml.

Is Whiskey Acres Four Grain worth the price? It positions as a premium craft bourbon within the growing estate-distilled category, where the seed-to-spirit model commands higher pricing than mass-produced alternatives. The 101-proof, non-chill-filtered format and genuine farm provenance place it above entry-level craft offerings in both intensity and transparency.

Why Whiskey Acres Four Grain?

What separates this bourbon from the overwhelming majority of American whiskey is verifiable provenance — every grain in the bottle was planted, harvested, milled, mashed, fermented, distilled, and aged on the same piece of Illinois farmland. The use of converted metal grain bins for maturation subjects the barrels to temperature extremes that most climate-controlled rickhouses intentionally avoid, producing a bolder interaction between spirit and oak. At 101 proof and non-chill-filtered, nothing has been dialed back for mass appeal. For drinkers who want to know exactly where their bourbon comes from — down to the field and the aquifer — this is one of the most transparent bottles on the shelf.