Overview
- Bottle: George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Distillery: MGP (Ross & Squibb Distillery)
- Location: Lawrenceburg, Indiana
- Proof: 94 (47% ABV)
- Mash Bill: Likely a blend, including the 75% corn / 21% rye / 4% malted barley
- Age: Approximately 5 years
- Price: $25-$30
- Availability: National
- Buy it here: Total Wine ($29.99); Walmart ($25.87)
The Man Behind the Label: Who Was George Remus?
There are bourbon brands built around folk heroes and backwoods legends. Then there’s George Remus—a man whose life reads like a novel you wouldn’t believe if it weren’t documented in court transcripts.
Remus was a pharmacist turned defense attorney who became one of the most powerful bootleggers of Prohibition. Operating out of Cincinnati, Ohio, he exploited a legal loophole allowing him to buy and distribute whiskey for “medicinal purposes.” Except Remus didn’t just distribute it—he hijacked his own shipments and built an empire.
At its peak, his criminal network allegedly controlled 35% of all liquor in the U.S.
But Remus is remembered just as much for how it all ended. After his wife Imogene allegedly stole his fortune and ran off with a federal agent, Remus shot her dead in broad daylight outside a Cincinnati park. He pled insanity, was institutionalized for seven months, then released. The jury deliberated for under 20 minutes. He was free.
It’s a wild story. But what’s even wilder? MGP—America’s most prolific and mysterious whiskey supplier—chose that man to front its flagship brand.
From Behind-the-Scenes Giant to Brand Builder: MGP’s Evolution
MGP (Midwest Grain Products) spent decades behind the curtain. Based in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, MGP quietly produced high-quality whiskey for dozens—if not hundreds—of brands. Their 95/5 rye whiskey is the foundation for labels like Bulleit Rye, Redemption, Dickel Rye, and many others.
For bourbon, MGP’s high-rye mash bills (particularly the 75/21/4 and the 60/36/4) have become templates in themselves. These are distillates with clarity, spice, and elegance. But for years, MGP remained an invisible hand—its products bottled under other names, cloaked in vague “distilled in Indiana” disclosures.
That began to change in the mid-2010s. As whiskey consumers became more informed, MGP realized the value in claiming its own seat at the table. George Remus Bourbon became a vehicle for that shift.
The company rebranded its distillery as Ross & Squibb, in honor of two 19th-century distillers. It launched limited releases like Remus Repeal Reserve, and acquired or built brands like Eight & Sand, Rossville Union, and Remus Gatsby Reserve.
Today, MGP isn’t just a supplier. It’s a house of brands—one quietly angling for a spot among the big names: Sazerac, Beam Suntory, Brown-Forman.
Tasting George Remus Bourbon: A Closer Look
While Remus Repeal Reserve and Gatsby Reserve get collectors excited, it’s the flagship George Remus Straight Bourbon that tells the truest story of MGP’s DNA.
Appearance
In the glass, George Remus Bourbon is a golden amber. It’s not the darkest pour—likely filtered and cut from a mix of 5 to 6-year-old barrels—but it carries a natural warmth that looks inviting and classic.
Nose
The nose immediately signals high-rye bourbon. You’ll find cinnamon, baking spices, and a crisp oak structure. But what’s fascinating is how subtle layers appear with patience.
There’s vanilla, but not the sweet bakery kind. It leans toward artificial vanilla—like something you’d find in whipped topping or vanilla-scented candles. A flash of citrus peel emerges, hinting at orange pith. If you talk while nosing and then pause to breathe it in again—a quirky trick noted in tastings—you’ll find a soft, creamy note that briefly rises above the spice.
This isn’t a “kitchen spice rack” bourbon like Four Roses Small Batch. It’s drier, more refined, less playful.
Palate
At 94 proof, George Remus Bourbon hits a sweet spot between accessibility and weight. The front of the palate delivers a clean burst of cinnamon and toasted clove, followed by caramelized oak and a touch of honey. Mid-palate, the rye spice sharpens slightly—crackling like the static pop of a vinyl record.
There’s a subtle mintiness, a classic hallmark of MGP rye-heavy bourbon. It’s not overwhelming, but it keeps the sip energetic.
Texture-wise, it’s medium-bodied with no glycerin slick or artificial smoothness. This is bourbon with backbone, but not bite.
Finish
The finish is dry, clean, and oak-forward. It’s not long, but it’s purposeful. You’re left with a dusting of cinnamon, a little clove oil, and a whisper of charred wood.
It’s a finish that doesn’t overstay its welcome—but gives you just enough to invite another sip.
Who This Bourbon Is For
George Remus Straight Bourbon is a bottle for the bourbon drinker who appreciates quality over flash. At $25-$30, it’s an accessible premium-tier whiskey that holds its own in a flight with higher-priced bottles.
Collectors will note its connection to MGP and the broader arc of sourced whiskey history.
Beginners will appreciate its balance and clean structure—it’s flavorful, not fiery.
Aficionados can use it as a benchmark to evaluate other sourced brands or compare with high-rye mash bills.
Everyday drinkers will find it fits neatly into a weeknight rotation or doubles as a solid base for Old Fashioneds and Manhattans.
It’s not a “party trick” bourbon. It’s an “always good to have” bottle—the kind that people discover once and stick with for years.
Comparisons: How It Stacks Up
George Remus vs. Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Both are high-rye bourbons, but OGD Bonded is louder—brighter citrus, sharper grain, more “green” notes. Remus, by contrast, is more refined and cohesive. The 94 proof offers a softer delivery than OGD’s 100, and the oak profile is better integrated.
OGD might win in punch-for-price, but Remus wins in balance.
George Remus vs. Smoke Wagon Small Batch
Smoke Wagon Small Batch is another MGP-sourced darling. It’s richer, darker, and more luxurious in its flavor arc—but it’s also harder to find and often double the price. George Remus is the cleaner, leaner alternative that gives you the MGP profile with less fuss and more availability.
George Remus vs. Remus Repeal Reserve
Remus Repeal Reserve is the older, bolder sibling—crafted from hand-selected barrels with more age and complexity. But it’s also a limited release. The straight bourbon offers a consistent, approachable expression of the house style, year-round.
Sourcing and the Myth of “No More MGP”
There’s been growing chatter in the whiskey world that MGP has closed its doors to sourcing. That’s only partly true.
While MGP has limited new sourcing contracts, it still supplies whiskey to long-time partners. What’s shifted is that MGP is focusing more on building its own brands—like George Remus—and less on enabling others.
But the market isn’t running dry… yet. Many companies stockpiled MGP barrels in past years. These “middlemen” filled warehouses with MGP distillate, aging it themselves and selling to smaller labels.
However, those barrels will run out. And when they do, George Remus will remain one of the few direct-from-the-source options available.
That makes this bottle more significant than it looks. It’s not just another MGP bourbon. It’s MGP’s own declaration.
Branding & Legacy
Some might find it odd—almost tone-deaf—to name a whiskey after a man who murdered his wife and got away with it. But in the whiskey world, myth and mischief often live close together.
George Remus Bourbon doesn’t glorify the man. It invokes him. It taps into his larger-than-life persona as a symbol of old-school American excess. It’s bootlegger mythology—refined and reimagined.
The branding feels sleek, with an Art Deco aesthetic that nods to the 1920s. It’s more polished than rustic, more speakeasy than saloon.
This isn’t outlaw bourbon. It’s Gatsby bourbon.
Final Verdict: Why George Remus Bourbon Still Matters in 2025
In a market crowded with sourced brands pretending to be craft, George Remus Bourbon stands apart by being authentic to its source. It doesn’t hide its origin—it owns it.
It’s not the most complex, most allocated, or most Instagrammed bourbon on the shelf. But it may be the most honest.
This bottle matters because it represents a turning point: when MGP, the quiet giant, decided to speak for itself.
George Remus Straight Bourbon is dependable, well-made, and thoughtfully constructed. It’s priced right, widely available, and increasingly relevant in a world where the lines between source, brand, and distiller are blurring.
If bourbon is the story of America in a bottle—its contradictions, ambitions, and transformations—then George Remus Bourbon is one of the most interesting chapters yet.
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