Shortbarrel Four Grain Straight Bourbon
46% ABV
$40
Website
We would like to thank Shortbarrel and Raptor Communications for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
ATLANTA, GA (February 2, 2026) – Atlanta-based Shortbarrel, one of the fastest-growing, independently owned craft spirits brands in the Southeast, today proudly announces the nationwide release of its flagship, always-available Shortbarrel Four Grain Straight Bourbon. After establishing itself as an American Craft Whiskey favorite in its home state of Georgia, Shortbarrel is now shipping its signature expression to 47 states across the U.S. via shortbarrelbourbon.com. With an SRP of $39.99, the bourbon is also available in bars and retail locations across Georgia, Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas.
A 4-to-5-year-old wheated bourbon, the whiskey was created as a blend from the company’s extensive inventory of barrels. The whiskey showcases the blending and maturation talents of Co-Founder and Master Blender Clinton Dugan, who sourced barrels from both Wilderness Trail (64% corn, 24% wheat and 12% malted barley) in Danville, Kentucky and Green River (70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley) in Owensboro, Kentucky. Through blending these two mash bills, Dugan created a final profile featuring the core four American Whiskey grains: 65% corn, 3% rye, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley.
For the brand’s signature expression, Dugan leaned heavily into the Wilderness Trail Whiskey, with its high wheat mashbill, which lends a softer, smoother base spirit versus a corn bourbon. The wheat is matched with the rye-heavy whiskey from Green River, providing the spirit both spice and structure. Intentionally blended as an everyday sipper and bottled at 92 proof, Dugan achieved an approachable, non-chill filtered four grain bourbon that highlights the best of both styles – wheated and high-rye – while delivering sweetness, gentle spice, creamy texture, and subtle malt depth.
True to its Georgia roots, the secondary aging for Shortbarrel Four Grain Bourbon takes advantage of the higher humidity and temperatures in the Peach State, which accelerates the process and creates additional layers of flavor. While the initial aging occurs in traditional Kentucky rickhouses in a combination of Char #3 and Char #4 barrels, the final aging takes place in the company’s Atlanta warehouse, which is palletized and racked four-to-five rows high with no temperature control. That additional maturation provides Dugan with a hands-on opportunity to carefully monitor each barrel to find the right whiskey for the final blending.
“Our deep relationships, resources and the state of the American whiskey industry have given us access to some of the most impressive barrels on the open market,” said Shortbarrel Co-Founder and Master Blender Clinton Dugan. “This allows us to select from only the best of the best when blending our whiskies, while also making them affordable enough for everyone to have an exceptionally high-quality, go-to everyday bourbon.”
Shortbarrel Four Grain Bourbon delivers a nose of caramel, vanilla and honeyed grains followed by warm baking spice, toasted oak, and a touch of malt. The palate is full and rounded with corn sweetness and creamy wheat balanced by the rye’s gentle spice and barley’s soft chocolate note. The whiskey then reveals itself with hints of brown sugar and citrus peel. The finish is smooth and has lingering notes of caramelized oak, vanilla bean and a final whisper of pepper and toasted grain.
Like many professional success stories, Shortbarrel was formed through friendship. The three founders – Adam Dorfman, Clinton Dugan, and Patrick Lemmond – took their love of whiskey and turned it into a true passion project. While on a barrel pick in 2020, a chance encounter at a bar in Louisville led the trio to purchase their first barrels themselves, thus creating the Shortbarrel brand. The company name is derived from a common whiskey term “shortbarrel,” which refers to a barrel that has lost 50% of its content to the angel’s share leaving behind a whiskey incredibly deep in flavor – something that Adam, Clinton and Patrick strive for in every bottle of their whiskey.
TASTING NOTES
Aroma: Sweet layers of caramel, vanilla, and honeyed grain rise first, followed by warm baking spice, toasted oak, and a touch of malt.
Mouth: A full, rounded palate of corn sweetness and creamy wheat, balanced by rye’s gentle spice and barley’s soft chocolate note. Hints of brown sugar and citrus peel add depth.
Finish: Smooth and lingering with caramelized oak, vanilla bean, and a final whisper of pepper and toasted grain.
What Gary Says
Nose: Butter popcorn, pastry with vanilla cream frosting, cinnamon, soft oak (rickhouse) and a hint of malt.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet with vanilla, light caramel, milk chocolate, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Finish: Moderate in length with caramel and fading baking spices.
Comments: Soft, sweet with just a touch of spice – as advertised. Nearly a wheater, but unique with a higher ratio of malted barley than you find in the larger distilleries. The nose on this reminds me of standing in a rickhouse, which if you are unfamiliar with that aroma – I’d recommend rectifying that post haste! Appreciate the non-chill filtering, which comes through in the mouthfeel – as well as the transparency on source and mashbills! All in all a solid four grain bourbon.
Rating: Stands Out
