John Wayne Inspired This Bourbon Brand

John Wayne, nicknamed Duke, spent most of his life in front of the camera portraying mainly rough but good-hearted cowboys who enjoyed a belt of whiskey and a steak from time to time. Offscreen, Wayne was no slouch on the grill, cooking his peppered cowboy steaks for cast and crew. And his tipple of choice, perhaps not surprisingly, was that all-American spirit bourbon. His go-to brand was Wild Turkey, a favorite of U.S. President Harry Truman. When filming on location, Wayne would have crates of it shipped in. But his love for this spirit went way beyond what was available on the shelf. He had always dreamed of one day crafting his own bourbon.

Wayne died in 1979, before he was able to make this wish a reality. But his son, Ethan Wayne, finally fulfilled his father's dream in 2013 with the birth of Duke Spirits. Ethan partnered with winemaker Chris Radomski, who is behind popular brands such as Layer Cake Wines, to launch Duke Spirits. The brand doesn't just honor John Wayne. The bourbon is based on Wayne's bottles of experimental bourbon blends and notes from 1962, which Ethan discovered in a vault long after his father's death.

Ethan Wayne and Chris Radomski worked with the O.Z. Tyler Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky, to produce bourbon based on John Wayne's preferences. His tastes ran to smooth, well-balanced bourbons with a bit of pepper and oak at the finish. The flagship Straight Kentucky Bourbon — "straight" signifying strict legal requirements for age and purity — is a blend of bourbons that have been aged for at least five years. It's made with a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% barley, with an ABV of 44% and a price tag of around $50. 

The finished product has received mixed reviews. On one end, multiple reviews have described Straight Kentucky Bourbon as an accessible and easy drinking bourbon. However, it has also been unfavorably compared to a sweet liqueur, with some reviewers believing it isn't worth the expense.

Duke Spirits' other offerings, the Gran Cru Bourbon Founder's Reserve and the Double Barrel Rye Founder's Reserve, both of which come with a price tag of around $130, have fared better. The former has been described as having a rich mouthfeel and an extremely long finish. The latter has been praised for its creamy mouthfeel and classic rye spiciness. Aside from bourbon, Duke Spirits has also produced three tequilas inspired by John Wayne's blends for the agave-based spirit. So whether it's bourbon or tequila you prefer, you can drink like the Duke, if you so desire.