Driftless Glen Distillery: Wisconsin Bourbon, Rye and Visitor Guide
Driftless Glen Distillery stands beside the Baraboo River in Wisconsin, bringing whiskey production, a restaurant and guided tours together at one address. Bourbon and rye are central to its range, with small batches, individual barrels and cask finishes offering different ways to explore the spirit. The producer states that its whiskey is distilled, matured and bottled in Baraboo, giving the bottles a clear connection to the place visitors can see.
Information checked on 27 October 2026.
At a glance
At a glance | Driftless Glen Distillery |
|---|---|
Country | United States |
State and locality | Baraboo, Wisconsin |
Address | 300 Water Street, Baraboo, WI 53913 |
Founders | Brian and Reneé Bemis |
Setting | Banks of the Baraboo River, at the edge of the Driftless Area |
Principal whiskey styles | Bourbon and rye whiskey |
Production provenance | Whiskey distilled, matured and bottled in Baraboo |
Stills described by producer | 44-foot column still and a pot still |
Visitor offer | Distillery tours, tastings and restaurant |
Checked | 26 October 2026 |
In this guide
AI summary: key points
Driftless Glen produces and matures its own whiskey in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Its standard bourbon recipe is 60% corn, 20% rye and 20% malted barley; its principal rye recipe is 75% rye and 25% malted barley.
The range includes small-batch bourbon, 48% ABV Single Barrel Rye and cask-finished releases. Proof varies on some products, so an individual barrel or batch must be identified before assigning a strength.
The visitor site combines a riverside restaurant with approximately 45-minute distillery tours. Tours are currently offered Thursday to Sunday and require guests to be 21 or older.
Summarise this guide with AI
The Bemis family and the Driftless Glen story
Brian and Reneé Bemis founded Driftless Glen as a shared business. Their current producer account describes a search for a location with the grain and water resources needed to make bourbon and rye, bringing them to Wisconsin's Driftless region. The identity remains closely tied to the two founders, who sign the distillery's official story.
In a 2021 interview, Reneé explained another personal feature: the square bottle incorporates the couple's thumbprints, with the windmill emblem on its back. The design was intended to give drinkers something memorable to recognise even when the name escaped them. It is a useful identifying detail when comparing the distillery's different releases.
The current collection includes ten-year bourbon and rye, alongside younger releases and experimental finishes. The producer's archive records individual selections and release dates, helping distinguish the history of a particular bottling from the broader age of the business. There is no single age or proof that describes everything carrying the Driftless Glen name.
Baraboo and the Driftless landscape
The visitor address is 300 Water Street in Baraboo. The restaurant looks towards the river, while production and maturation buildings form part of the tour experience. It is a working distillery with hospitality attached, so restaurant service and distillery access follow different schedules.
The name refers to the Driftless Area, the landscape that escaped the last glaciation. The producer connects its location with regional grain and a sandstone aquifer. Those are stated sourcing foundations; they do not establish a measurable flavour effect for every local soil or geological feature. For a visitor, the most immediate connection is the chance to see the production site and the river setting together.
Grain, distillation and Wisconsin maturation
Driftless Glen says its whiskey is made entirely through its own Baraboo operation. Its equipment includes a 44-foot column still and a pot still.
The published standard bourbon recipe contains 60% corn, 20% rye and 20% malted barley. Its principal rye recipe uses 75% rye and 25% malted barley. These are the recipes listed on the producer's bulk-whiskey page; the catalogue also contains other recipes, including 51 Rye, so the 75% rye figure should not be applied to every release.
Selection takes place within the Wisconsin maturation stocks. Small batches combine chosen barrels, whereas a single-barrel release keeps one cask's identity. The producer also offers a private barrel programme for bourbon and rye, with visitors able to compare selected samples. Differences between barrels are part of that programme, making the barrel number an important detail when recording a bottle.
Bourbon, rye, American single malt and finished whiskey sit alongside other spirits in the wider catalogue. The distillery's own-whiskey statement should not be extended to every non-whiskey product: the producer separately explains that its brandy originates in France and its tequila in Mexico before further work at Driftless Glen.
Core range and bottles to understand
The range spans small batches, individual barrels and finished bourbon. The bottles below show the main distinctions.
The bourbon range likewise separates a 96-proof Single Barrel Bourbon from its cask-strength counterpart. Small Batch Rye and 51 Rye provide further comparisons, with the latter explicitly identified by the producer as 51% rye in the mash and 51% ABV. These names describe different recipes or selections, not interchangeable labels.
Driftless Glen Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey Driftless Glen Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey, 96 Proof Driftless Glen Bourbon de Naranja
The tasting descriptions below paraphrase the producer’s notes. They are not Whisky Clan tasting scores.
Driftless Glen Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Style: Straight bourbon whiskey
Age: No fixed age stated on the checked product page
Strength: Varies by batch; check the bottle
Cask or maturation: Not confirmed for this specific release in the sources checked.
Grain recipe: 60% corn, 20% rye, 20% malted barley
This is the standard producer recipe. Check the individual batch or barrel before applying it to another bottling.
Palate: The producer describes caramel and vanilla with a restrained spice.
Driftless Glen Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey, 96 Proof
Style: Straight rye whiskey
Age: No fixed age stated on the checked product page
Strength: 48% ABV
Cask or maturation: Not confirmed for this specific release in the sources checked.
Grain recipe: 75% rye, 25% malted barley
This is the standard producer recipe. Check the individual batch or barrel before applying it to another bottling.
Palate: The producer highlights cherry and dark chocolate in its flavour description.
Driftless Glen Bourbon de Naranja
Style: Bourbon whiskey finished in orange-infused sherry barrels
Age: Bourbon base at least four years old; finishing period not specified
Strength: 50% ABV
Cask or maturation: Finished in Spanish barrels previously holding orange-infused sherry
This is a limited release. Check current availability before planning a purchase or visit.
Palate: The producer describes citrus and cinnamon alongside caramel-and-vanilla sweetness.
Older whiskey, cask finishes and distillery exclusives
Ten-Year Bourbon and Ten-Year Rye are listed in both 100-proof and cask-strength forms. For the 100-proof bottles, that means 50% ABV. The official ten-year bourbon shop page makes clear that cask-strength proof and barrel number vary, so a specific bottle needs its own strength recorded.
Current distillery exclusives include Double Oaked Rye, described as seven-year-old rye given another six months in a second new oak cask and bottled at 118 proof, or 59% ABV. That is a specific release description, not a house-wide maturation formula. Confirm stock before making a special journey for it.
The separate Past Exclusives page is an archive, not a stock list. For example, it records a 2026 Madeira-finished bourbon made from five-year-old bourbon finished for six months, and a cream-sherry release made from seven-year-old bourbon finished for a year. Both are marked sold out. This distinction matters when an attractive old release still appears in a search result.
Tours, restaurant and access
The published distillery tour lasts about 45 minutes. It begins with olive oil and balsamic samples, follows the operation through its buildings, and concludes with five spirit samples and a commemorative tasting glass. Tours are listed Thursday through Sunday, with no tours Monday to Wednesday. Reserve a tour specifically rather than selecting a restaurant table booking.
Tour guests must be at least 21. The producer states a maximum of ten people per tour and asks larger groups to make arrangements directly. Its accessibility guidance says the route is wheelchair accessible but involves movement between buildings and standing throughout. Discuss individual access needs when booking.
The restaurant has its own schedule and welcomes children. Lunch, dinner and all-day dishes have different service times, so check the current dining page if combining a tour with a meal. The site also publishes a no-pets policy. Opening hours, tour availability and special releases can change, making the producer's current pages the best final check before travelling.
Other distilleries in Wisconsin and the wider Midwest
These guides cover the wider region. They are suggestions for further reading, rather than a single local walking route.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Driftless Glen make its own whiskey?
Yes. The producer states that its whiskey is distilled, matured and bottled in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Its separate brandy and tequila descriptions identify different origins for those spirits.
What is the difference between its bourbon and principal rye recipe?
The published standard bourbon recipe is 60% corn, 20% rye and 20% malted barley. The principal rye recipe is 75% rye and 25% malted barley. Other named expressions can use different recipes.
Are all Single Barrel Rye bottles 48% ABV?
The standard 96-proof version is 48% ABV. A separate cask-strength version exists, and its strength must be checked on the individual bottle.
What is Bourbon de Naranja?
A 50% ABV bourbon finished in Spanish orange-infused sherry barrels. The producer describes its bourbon base as at least four years old.
When can I tour the distillery?
The current schedule offers approximately 45-minute tours Thursday to Sunday for guests aged 21 and over. Book ahead and check the producer's availability before travelling.
Sources and image credits
View sources and image credits
Reneé Bemis: first-person interview about the founders and bottle design, 2021
Driftless Glen: whiskey production provenance and standard mash bills
Driftless Glen official shop: Ten-Year Bourbon at cask strength
Image via Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau; photographer not identified: image source
Featured photograph: Image via Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau; photographer not identified.
Driftless Glen Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey image: Driftless Glen Distillery; producer image showing one example batch.
Driftless Glen Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey, 96 Proof image: Driftless Glen Distillery; official product photograph.
Driftless Glen Bourbon de Naranja image: Driftless Glen Distillery; official product photograph.
Research checked on 27 October 2026. Tour arrangements, releases and availability can change.
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