Ben Holladay Rickhouse Proof Bourbon – Barrel Strength Missouri Magic?

May 28

Written By Tortured Bourbon

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Ben Holladay Rickhouse Proof Bourbon – Barrel Strength Missouri Magic?

Premiere Date: May 28, 2025

Author: Tortured Bourbon

If you’re looking for a bold, unapologetic pour from a place that isn’t Kentucky, you’re in the right rickhouse.

In this Pour Decisions Wednesday episode, Heather and B take on a barrel-strength beast with deep roots and serious Missouri swagger: Ben Holladay 1856 Rickhouse Proof Bourbon. Bottled at full rickhouse strength, aged six years, and proudly grain-to-glass, this bourbon brings flavor, heat, and history together in a way only Holladay Distillery can.

A Missouri Bourbon with History

Ben Holladay Distillery is the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi still operating on its original site, founded in 1856—and still using the same limestone-filtered spring water that Lewis and Clark once charted. Yeah… this bottle has receipts.

What makes it Missouri Straight Bourbon? Simple: it’s made, aged, and bottled on-site. No fancy contract distilling. No gimmicks. Just honest-to-goodness barrel-aged power built from corn, rye, and malted barley.

Mash Bill: 73% corn, 15% rye, 12% malted barley
Age: At least 6 years
Proof: 119.8–122.7 (barrel strength, unfiltered)

What We’re Supposed to Smell and Taste

Before pouring, Heather and B walk through the “expert” expectations:

Aroma:

Sweet oak, caramel, dried fruit, cinnamon, baking spices

Palate:

Spicy caramel, burnt cherry, toasty caramel, corn sugar, black pepper

Finish:

Medium-to-long with cinnamon, dry oak, earthy rye spice, and pepper heat

B describes it as “your grandma’s house at Christmas—if your grandma ran a bourbon speakeasy.” Heather says it’s the kind of pour that “shakes your hand, pats your back, then slaps you just a little bit on your way out.”

🥃 So How Does It Actually Taste?

You’ll have to watch the episode for the full real-time tasting and reactions, but here’s a hint: this isn’t some overhyped marketing bottle. This is Missouri muscle in a glass.

Heather and B break down how the nose compares to the palate, how the heat rides through the finish, and whether the bourbon holds up to the story. Spoiler: it does.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a barrel strength bourbon fan, a bourbon hunter looking for something beyond the usual suspects, or someone curious about non-Kentucky straight bourbon—this pour belongs on your list.

With heritage, power, and balance, Ben Holladay Rickhouse Proof proves that great bourbon doesn’t have to wear a bluegrass badge to earn respect. And it’s not just about proof—it’s about flavor integrity, craftsmanship, and a distillery that honors the past without hiding behind it.