Have you ever had a whiskey that was sold out in under 20 minutes of its release? I had learned that Frey Ranch Distillery did just that when they offered their limited-edition Harvester whiskey this past February. And, at press time, they probably just sold out of their second Harvester release this past September.
As a contributor for City Lifestyle magazines, I was offered the opportunity to do a tasting and Zoom meeting with co-founders Colby and Ashley Frey, master distiller Russell Wedlake and master blender Nancy Fraley. We tasted both Harvesters side by side (my notes are below) while listening to the group share their pride in their work.
Ashley, also known as the “chief storyteller”, began the meeting. She shared that they had originally planned for only one annual release of the Harvester, but this year they could do two. She mentioned that “no one has aged whiskey as long as us but (these) are fantastic at four years old.” Frey Ranch distillery has garnered numerous awards including a Double Platinum from Fred Minnick.
Colby reiterated the quality of the brand saying that the better quality input gave them a better output. That level of quality comes from them doing it all, they are a farm, so it’s their grain going into their whiskey. “Grain to whiskey (matters),” Colby said, “as grapes due to wines.”
Russell added that he is also a certified crop consultant on top of being the farm’s master distiller. So with him, unlike other distilleries, you get both farming and distilling expertise. Russell works to showcase flavors instead of hiding them behind oak. “The drier climate,” Russell added, “aids the aging process.”
Nancy calls herself “a grain whisperer” or a “barrel whisperer” for her role as the master blender at Frey. She also echoed Russell’s words about not showcasing the oak barrel and to focus on the grains.
Tasting Notes
EB Tasting Harvester Whiskey #1 (April 2025 release) Rye forward.
Color: Clear clove honey, flamed orange peel.
Aroma: Toffee, Bananas Foster, vanilla bean, baking spices, toasted oak, and milk chocolate.
Flavor: Spicy and hot mouthfeel, lots of honey, vanilla, lingering hard toffee candy, fruit cake, and an endless finish. 121 proof is felt.
EB Tasting Harvester Whiskey #2 (September 2025 release) Wheat forward.
Color: Appears to be slightly darker in hue than #1, but only by a minuscule.
Aroma: Immediately noted less hot and spice on the nose, still has that lovely caramel/toffee hard candy note, less spice, pipe tobacco smoke, charred oak, carrot cake topped with vanilla frosting, approachable.
Flavor: Again, less heat and spice on the palate compared to Harvester #1, but with plenty of spice still there and very welcoming on the palate. Also noted sweet dried fruits like cherry, orange marmalade, char, and a long dry finish. Pretty remarkable that it was so much less hot but about the same ABV.
More
News from Facebook: Frey Ranch was just named ASCOT’s 2025 Most Awarded Distillery, with five double platinum, 16 platinum, and six gold medals.
From the technical sheet: (They are) crafting award-winning whiskeys from high-quality grains 100% grown on our farm and distillery in Northern Nevada, just east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
One of only a few true “estate distilleries” in the U.S. The Frey family has a long legacy of farming in this region dating back to 1854.
Frey Ranch is one of the top-selling ultra-premium bourbons in Nevada and California, and one of the largest whiskey producers on the West Coast.
Colby grows, malts, distills, and ages 100% of his whiskey grains on the more than 2,500-acre Frey Ranch farm. Experimenting with the corn, wheat, barley, and rye that Colby cultivates has become a hallmark of the brand.
All single barrel expressions, including the Frey Ranch Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey and the Frey Ranch Single Barrel Rye Whiskey, are offered as exclusive store picks or as part of our Distiller’s Reserve offerings at the Frey Ranch Tasting Room in Fallon, NV.
Links: Flagship four grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey, and Single Barrel Bourbons and Ryes
Instagram: @freyranchdistillery
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.
