Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon Release: $70 Drop

Yellowstone Bourbon is bringing back a piece of its saloon-era heritage with Recollection Bourbon, an eight-year expression that pairs contemporary distilling with Victorian-era design DNA. The 110-proof release, crafted by seventh-generation Master Distiller Stephen Beam, arrives in an ornate decanter modeled after the brand's hand-painted back bar bottles from the late 1800s. Previously available only at Limestone Branch Distillery, Recollection is now hitting shelves nationwide at $69.99 for a 700ml bottle—a format that nods to the brand's historic presentation while delivering a non-chill filtered, high-proof bourbon built for today's collectors.

What's Inside the Bottle

Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon is an eight-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 110 proof without chill filtration, preserving oils and congeners that deliver fuller mouthfeel and flavor intensity. Master Distiller Stephen Beam, who revived the Yellowstone brand at Limestone Branch in 2015, developed this expression to showcase the distillery's house style while honoring the brand's lineage dating back to founder Joseph Bernard Dant. The bourbon is presented in a 700ml decanter featuring embossed detailing and an illustration of Yellowstone Lower Falls, directly referencing the hand-painted bottles that lined back bars across America during the brand's original run. At $69.99 suggested retail, it's positioned as a premium collectible release within the Yellowstone lineup, which has earned recognition including Whisky Advocate's Top 20 Whiskies of the Year in 2025.

The Heritage Play

This release signals a broader trend among legacy bourbon brands reclaiming their visual and cultural archives as differentiation tools in an increasingly crowded market. Yellowstone's back bar bottles—ornate decanters that doubled as advertising in pre-Prohibition saloons—represent a specific moment when American whiskey brands competed through craftsmanship and presentation as much as liquid. By reviving this format, Limestone Branch is tapping into collector appetite for historically informed releases that tell a story beyond the whiskey itself. The move mirrors similar heritage-driven drops from brands like Old Forester and Heaven Hill, which have mined their archives for label designs, bottle shapes, and discontinued expressions. For spirits enthusiasts, these releases offer tangible connections to bourbon's golden age while delivering modern distilling standards—a combination that drives both shelf appeal and secondary market interest.

Flavor Breakdown

• Nose: Vanilla crème brûlée and dark cherry dominate, establishing classic Kentucky bourbon aromatics with dessert-forward richness.
• Palate: Caramel and butterscotch lead, followed by charred oak that brings tannic structure and balances the sweetness at 110 proof.
• Finish: Grain notes and mocha emerge alongside Yellowstone's signature cherry character, with warm cinnamon candy spice extending the finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon?

Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon is available at select spirits retailers nationwide starting February 2026, with a suggested retail price of $69.99 for a 700ml bottle. Previously, this expression was only sold at Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky, making this the first broad retail release. Check with local liquor stores that carry premium bourbon selections or visit yellowstonebourbon.com for retailer information. Availability may vary by state due to distribution networks and allocation practices.

What makes Yellowstone Recollection different from other Yellowstone bourbons?

Recollection is an eight-year-old, 110-proof non-chill filtered bourbon presented in a collectible decanter inspired by 1890s back bar bottles, distinguishing it from Yellowstone's core lineup. The ornate bottle design references the brand's historic hand-painted decanters that appeared in saloons during the late 1800s, featuring embossed detailing and imagery of Yellowstone Lower Falls. The liquid itself is crafted by Master Distiller Stephen Beam to showcase bolder flavor intensity through higher proof and non-chill filtration, while the 700ml format and $69.99 price point position it as a limited heritage release rather than an everyday pour.

Is Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon worth the $70 price?

At $69.99, Yellowstone Recollection offers an eight-year age statement, 110 proof non-chill filtered liquid, and a collectible decanter—specs that align with other premium bourbon releases in the $60-80 range. The value proposition depends on whether you prioritize the heritage packaging and story alongside the whiskey itself. For collectors drawn to historically informed design and limited availability releases, the ornate bottle and connection to Yellowstone's pre-Prohibition era add tangible appeal. If you're focused purely on liquid quality per dollar, compare tasting notes and proof point to other eight-year bourbons in your market, keeping in mind that non-chill filtration and batch-specific distilling practices can significantly impact flavor profile regardless of age.

Who is Stephen Beam and what's his connection to Yellowstone?

Stephen Beam is the seventh-generation Master Distiller at Limestone Branch Distillery and a descendant of both the Beam and Dant distilling families, giving him direct lineage to Yellowstone's founder Joseph Bernard Dant. In 2011, Beam founded Limestone Branch in Lebanon, Kentucky, and revived the dormant Yellowstone brand in 2015 with Yellowstone Select Bourbon, bringing the historic label back to market after decades of inactivity. His family connection to the original distillers informs Yellowstone's current expressions, which blend heritage recipes with contemporary techniques. Since the revival, Yellowstone has earned multiple industry awards and partnered with conservation organizations to support national parks preservation.

What does non-chill filtered mean for bourbon flavor?

Non-chill filtered bourbon retains fatty acids, proteins, and esters that would otherwise be removed through cold filtration, resulting in fuller body, richer mouthfeel, and more intense flavor at the cost of potential cloudiness when chilled or diluted. Many distillers chill whiskey to near-freezing temperatures before filtration to remove compounds that cause haze, but this process can strip flavor congeners and aromatic oils that contribute to complexity. In Yellowstone Recollection's case, skipping chill filtration at 110 proof allows the eight-year-old bourbon to deliver maximum flavor intensity, particularly in the caramel, butterscotch, and oak notes described in its profile. The tradeoff is purely aesthetic—if you add ice or store the bottle in cold conditions, you may see some cloudiness, which has no impact on taste or quality.