Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Review

Distillery: Frey Ranch Distillery — Fallon, Nevada

Proof: 90.0 (45.0% ABV) 

Age: Five Years 

Mashbill: 66.6% Corn, 12% Two-Row Malted Barley, 11% Winter Rye, 10% Soft White Winter Wheat

MSRP: $53

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A 90-Proof Decadent Showcase

Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a legacy older than the state of Nevada itself.  The Frey family began farming in 1854, ten years before Nevada achieved statehood. Their property holds the distinction of being the first deeded farmland in Nevada.  Today the ranch spans nearly 2,500 acres, with 650 acres designated as the dedicated “whiskey farm,” where grains grown specifically for distillation are cultivated with intention and consistency.

The family’s guiding principle, “Be Good to the Land and the Land Will Be Good to You”, is printed on every bottle and shapes the operation’s estate distillery identity.  

Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Review: Tasting Notes

Nose – 4.5/5

Caramel.  Ripe banana.  Sweet vanilla.  Decadent grain sweetness.  Light citrus.

Strengths:  The Nose opens rich and sweet, led by caramel and a distinctly ripe banana note that feels decadent.  Faint notes of citrus adds balance without disrupting the richness.
Why it’s not higher:   Flavorful, the Nose leans heavily into sweetness, overshadowing any oak notes that enthusiasts might look for in a five year expression.
Rating justification:  Bold and expressive.  A fruit sweetness that defines where the expression is heading.

Palate – 4.6/5

Butterscotch.  Honey.  Orange zest.  Vanilla.  Caramel sweetness.

Strengths:  A remarkably full set of flavors for a 90-proof bourbon.  Butterscotch and honey bring sweetness, orange zest lifts it up out of the sweetness mid-Palate.  Vanilla and caramel are the anchors. The mouthfeel is notably rich.  Layers unfold one after another.  This seems to be where the estate-grown grains truly shine, offering a mouthfeel and depth of flavor not often found at this proof point.
Why it’s not higher:  The sweetness remains dominant.  A of oak wouldn’t hurt.
Rating justification:   A standout Palate.  The strongest element of the entire pour.

Finish – 4.1/5

Dry grain.  Light pepper.  Cedar.

Strengths:  The Finish shifts into dryness back tongue and triggers a noteworthy salivary response.
Why it’s not higher:  The dryness arrives quickly, which limits some of the lushness carried from the Palate.
Rating justification:  Flavorful and distinctive.  Shorter and drier than expected given the richness of the mid-Palate.

Value – 4.5/5

At $53, with 100% estate-grown grains, on-site malting, and transparent production practices from seed to bottle, Frey Ranch is offering a level of craftsmanship rarely found at this price point.

Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Review: The Verdict

Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Whiskey offers a flavorful and richly textured experience with a standout Palate.  The ripe banana and caramel on the Nose set the stage, the Palate delivers a full tasting experience across a spectrum of sweetness while the Finish provides an interesting, tongue-tingling dryness.  Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon overperforms at 90 proof and delivers one of the most compelling estate distillery farm-to-glass stories in the whiskey industry. Shop now.

Verdict – 4.4/5

We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.

Scoring System:

• Platinum – 4.5 – 5
• Gold – 4 – 4.5
• Silver – 3 – 4
• Bronze – <3