⚡ Can Tech Save the Whiskey Industry?

The Story: Founded in 1885 in Owensboro, Kentucky, Green River was once America's most advertised whiskey before fire, Prohibition, and decades of dormancy killed it. The distillery was revived in 2014, laid its first new barrels in 2016, and was acquired by Bardstown Bourbon Co. in 2022—honoring the original DSP-KY-10 license (Kentucky's 10th oldest) with modern craft precision.

The Pour: Deep amber. Barrel-strength around 117 proof. Caramel, vanilla, dried cherry, and cinnamon hit first. Thick, creamy texture. Brown sugar, baking spice, walnut and maple syrup on the palate. Warm oak finish that lingers without burning.

The Move: Start neat. Add water to open up fruit and caramel. Crushes in an Old Fashioned with a big cube and orange twist.

The Mettle Take: At $50, this bottle way over-delivers. Barrel-strength bourbon aged 5-7 years with zero gimmicks. Bold, balanced, no ego. You don't need allocations or lotteries to drink this well. Green River Full Proof punches way above its price tag—and you'll buy it again…and again.

Not the bottle they expect. The one they remember.

Forget waiting for a table. The bar isn't your backup plan—it's the strategic choice.

Speed Wins: Your bartender's three feet away with everything at arm's reach. No hunting down your server. No waiting while they trek to the kitchen. Direct line to your drink, your food, your next round.

Save Money: Happy hour deals? Bar seats only. Same cocktail, smaller tab. Plus if stay beyond the happy hour window and are cool to your bartender, chances are they’ll keep the happy hour pricing going.

Better Intel: Strike up conversation with your bartender—learn what's actually good, how drinks are built, what's worth ordering. Act like a regular. Get perks.

Front Row Experience: Watch drinks get crafted with precision. See the organized chaos. You're not tucked in a corner booth—you're in the action.

Know the Trade-offs: Works best for 1-3 people. Stools might lack backs. You'll be close to strangers. But you'll drink better, pay less, and leave faster.

Next time there's a wait? Don't. Hit the bar instead.

Because eating well is never just about the food.

The bourbon boom has cooled. Bulleit down 7%, Wild Turkey down 8%, brands like Kentucky Owl filing bankruptcy. Uncle Nearest—once the industry darling—went into receivership in August. The American whiskey industry is facing a reckoning.

But two entrepreneurs see opportunity. David Mandell and John Hargrove just launched Whiskey House—a Kentucky distillery that's bringing whiskey into the future with tech, not traditions.

Over 1,500 sensors track every variable in real time—temperature, reflux ratios, barrel conditions. QR codes monitor aging. Data-driven decisions replace guesswork. The result? Consistent quality, maximum efficiency, and unprecedented customization.

In one year, they've produced 56 different mash bills. (Maker's Mark used one from 1954 to 2025.)  With 35 customers already, they can produce up to 120K barrels a year, including small batches of 50 barrels for brands wanting to experiment.

Traditional distillers pride themselves on handcrafted methods, but the alcohol industry is evolving. AI flavor development. Blockchain authentication. Tech-forward distilleries.

Whiskey House proves innovation doesn't kill craft—it scales it. The industry's chaos might just birth its smartest era yet. Check out the full feature about Whiskey House at Wired.

Tradition meets innovation.