Milam & Greene Whiskey has released Wildlife Desert Marigold, a seven-year-and-eight-month-old bourbon distilled and aged entirely at its Blanco, Texas, distillery. The expression is the final release in the brand’s 2026 Wildlife Collection and is limited to just 288 bottles drawn from three barrels.
The bourbon marks a departure from Milam & Greene’s signature approach of blending whiskeys distilled in both Texas and Kentucky. Instead, Desert Marigold showcases the brand’s own Texas pot-distilled bourbon.
Named for the golden wildflower native to western Texas, the release celebrates the resilience of the state’s natural landscape. The flower thrives in rocky soil, extreme heat and drought, while providing nectar and pollen for pollinators.
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READ THE STORYThe expression continues the Wildlife Collection’s focus on Texas nature. It also extends the brand’s concept of “Texification”, its term for the way the state’s intense heat and dramatic shifts in temperature and humidity transform whiskey as it matures.
Desert Marigold was distilled from a mashbill of 70% corn, 22% malted rye and 8% malted barley. The whiskey draws from three barrels filled in December 2018 and January 2019.
Each barrel matured in Independent Stave casks with medium toast and a No. 3 char on the south side of Rickhouse No. 1. The maturation period included an especially warm September before harvest, which helped build the bourbon’s oak character and sweetness.
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The whiskey was harvested on 5 October 2026 and bottled the following day at 124.2 proof (62.1% ABV).
According to the official notes from the brand, the mahogany-colored bourbon offers aromas of cinnamon rolls, butterscotch, maple syrup and spiced apple cider. The palate features caramel, crème brûlée, almond and cocoa, with a finish of lingering maple sweetness and cooling mint.
“We created Desert Marigold to show what our Texas-distilled bourbon can become when we let the Hill Country climate shape it over time,” said Rikk Munroe, master whiskey maker at Milam & Greene. “We typically bring together whiskeys from different places to create our blends, but these three barrels gave us an opportunity to tell a distinctly Texas story. Like the flower, this bourbon has developed its character in demanding conditions.”
The bourbon is available online through the Milam & Greene website and Flaviar, as well as in person at the brand’s tasting room in Blanco, Texas. It carries a suggested retail price of $149.99 (£112).
