Wheel Horse 101 Rye Whiskey Review

Distillery: Green River Distilling—Owensboro, KY

Proof: 101.0 (50.5% ABV)

Age: Three to Four Years

Mashbill: 95% Corn, 5% Malted Barley

MSRP: $35

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A Sour Mash Rye Winner at a Weeknight Price

Wheel Horse 101 Rye sits in a sweet spot of the market: an everyday-priced, high-rye Kentucky whiskey bottled non-chill filtered and at a strong 101 proof point.  It is produced at Green River Distilling for Latitude Beverage.  Green River holds a historic DSP and has become a powerhouse contract workhorse for brands looking to deliver legitimate Kentucky whiskey at everyday price points.

The mash bill is a classic 95/5 rye/malted barley, but it’s fermented using sour mash.  The recipe, proof, and process set expectations for bright herbal spice, orange-citrus notes, and enough oak to keep the sweetness honest.

Wheel Horse 101 Rye Whiskey Review: Tasting Notes

Nose – 3.8/5

Spearmint.  Mandarin orange.  Fresh cracked pepper.  Light toffee.

Strengths:  Unmistakably rye.   Opens with strong mint and citrus notes.  The 101 proof boosts the notes without turning hot.

Why It’s Not Higher:  With a short time in the glass, a faint raw-grain and fresh-cut grass edge comes through—presumably from the relatively short aging.  The fruit notes never deepens.

Rating Justification:  Expressive.  Clearly rye.  Overachieves for its age and price point.  Stops short of the depth found in longer-aged competitors.

Palate – 4/5

Cinnamon candy.  Black pepper.  Rye bread sprinkled with brown sugar.  Orange marmalade jam.

Strengths:  The first sip snaps you to attention with cinnamon and black pepper, then quickly fills out with brown-sugar rye bread.  Yes, that’s a unique combination but accurate.  Mouthfeel is light and coating.

Why It’s Not Higher:  On repeat sips, the mid-Palate compresses into a single cinnamon-pepper continuum.

Rating Justification: Flavor density punches well above expected for the price tier. 

Finish – 3.9/5

Cocoa powder.  Cool mint.  Menthol.  White pepper.  Light oak char.

Strengths:  The transition from Palate to Finish is refreshing.  It toggles from sweet spice to cooling mint before finally settling into cocoa and white pepper.

Why It’s Not Higher:  Length is medium–not long.  A late-stage bitterness.

Rating Justification:  A competent, rye-forward close that avoids harshness.  Leaves your mouth in anticipation of “one more”.

Value – 4.4/5

At roughly $35 for a 101-proof, non-chill-filtered Kentucky rye, Wheel Horse is built for real-world drinking across a wide range of experienced and non-experienced rye drinkers.  Competition for the under $40 rye market has stiffened.  Considering the performance, specs, and the wide-ranging drinkability, the bottle delivers meaningful enjoyment per dollar.  It comfortably earns a high Value score.

Wheel Horse 101 Rye Whiskey Review: The Verdict

Wheel Horse 101 Rye delivers bright, mint-and-citrus rye character, enough sweetness to keep the spice in check, and a proof and mouthfeel that outperforms its price tag.  While Its youth does show up on the Palate it is not enough to undermine the pour’s quality.

Drinkers who want a reliable neat pour, a backbone for stirred classic cocktails from a high-utility bottle and at a price point that doesn’t scream “special occasion”, Wheel Horse belongs on your short list.  For most enthusiasts, this rye’s balance of price, proof, and performance hits the mark. Shop now.

Verdict – 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