What we’re drinking: Yellowstone Recollection Series Bourbon
Where it’s from: Established in 1872 by Joseph Bernard Dant and named after the iconic national park, Yellowstone managed to operate through Prohibition (making it the second oldest continuously sold bourbon in the country) and eventually became the best-selling bourbon in Kentucky in the 1960s. Its popularity declined, but Yellowstone found a new home at the Lebanon, KY-based Limestone Branch Distillery in 2015 under the guidance of seventh-generation Master Distiller Stephen Beam, a descendant of both the Dant and Beam distilling families.
Why we’re drinking this: There’s a lot of history behind Yellowstone, and this also marks the distillery’s nationwide release of its Recollection Series, which was inspired by the brand’s back bar decanters seen across bars and restaurants in the late 1800s.
Wait, what’s a back bar bottle? “In the late 1800s, when glass was very expensive, the pubs and bars would buy a barrel of whiskey, and then they would get one bottle and fill that,” Beam says. “Then that would go behind the bar. And, of course, people would compete to have a nice-looking bottle behind the bar, as we do still today. And this was Yellowstone.”
Beam actually found one of the original bottles on eBay. “I was able to buy for $3,800,” he says. “And I got a discount because it had a slight crack in it. But they were designed to be very sturdy.”
Because the new release was originally only designed to be a distillery exclusive, the liquid is being hand-bottled for now. As for flavor, Beam says Recollection sits at the sweet spot for his taste in bourbon, which is around eight to 12 years of age and 110 proof. “This just hits a classic Kentucky bourbon profile,” he says.
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Beam, Lux Row, Heaven Hill and more offer up special one-time releasesHow it tastes: The first release in Yellowstone’s Recollection Series is an eight-year-old, non-chill-filtered, 110-proof bourbon. It’s a blend of Limestone Branch’s own whiskey and Lux Row. There’s nothing crazy about it, but it hits all the right notes. You’ll find hints of molasses, cinnamon apple, pear, cherry, baking spices and candied ginger (which you’ll find a lot of on the nose, interestingly). Add in a creamy mouthfeel and a profile that seems to get richer as it sits (take a few minutes before sipping after you pour), and you have an ideal bourbon. It’s certainly an early contender for 2026’s best American whiskey.
Fun fact: Since 2018, Yellowstone has partnered with the National Parks Conservation Association and donated more than $1 million to preserve national parks. In 2026, Yellowstone Bourbon also began supporting the Vital Ground Foundation to help preserve and protect threatened grizzly bear habitats.
Where to buy: Previously available exclusively at Limestone Branch Distillery, Recollection is now sold in limited quantities nationwide for $70 for a 700ml bottle.
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