WHY: There’s an undeniable link between Bourbon and the military, and many of the most famous names in American whiskey were soldiers before they were whiskey makers: George T. Stagg, Weller, Handy, and Whistlepig's Dave Pickerall, to name a few. Horse Soldiers Bourbon was started by two former Green Berets who wanted to continue this legacy, creating two mash bill recipes to satiate their broad love of the genre. 

HOW: Made from a a high-rye Bourbon mash bill of 68% corn, 27% rye, and 5% barley, the Straight Bourbon is roughly three and a half years old and bottled at 95 proof. This is a classic profile of charred oak vanilla and herbaceous spice with earthy finish that is bolstered by the richness from the oak.

WHAT: Horse Soldiers was founded by ex-Green Berets John Koko and Scott Neil. Scott in particular was part of the original team of ninety soldiers sent into Afghanistan after 9/11 to fight the Taliban and Al Queda; the same mission that was recently turned into a film called 12 Strong with Chris Hemsworth. They called the brand Horse Soldiers because the Green Berets and Mujahideen fighters overran the Taliban tanks on horseback. While the Bourbon is currently made in conjunction with Middle West Spirits, Horse Soldiers has purchased an estate in Somerset, Kentucky, where it's currently building a distillery. A portion of all sales goes back to charity.