MGP

Short Overview of the Distillery

MGP is an industrial producer of distilled spirits and food ingredients with roots dating back to 1941. The company operates in several U.S. states as well as in Mexico and Northern Ireland, and delivers a broad catalog of mashbills and finished whiskey products to both brand-name and industrial customers. On its site, MGP presents both technical documentation and sample requests, making them a key supplier for distillers and food producers.

History

The company's history traces back to 1941, when its work with grain began and later evolved into a comprehensive activity in both spirits production and ingredient solutions. Over time, the operations have expanded to several American states — Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio — as well as operations in Mexico and Northern Ireland. The company combines production of its own brands with industrial solutions and technical support. The organization highlights professional expertise in blending and quality management; a named key figure is Master Blender and VP of Quality & Compliance David Whitmer, underscoring the focus on quality and product development.

Raw materials and Production

MGP works with classic grain varieties such as corn, rye, barley and wheat, and offers a set of standardized mashbills for different end products. Product descriptions show percentage breakdowns directly in mashbills (e.g., 51% rye with 45% corn and 4% barley malt or bourbon with 99% corn and 1% barley malt), and the product portfolio covers bourbons, ryes, wheat- and malt-whiskeys as well as light- and corn-whiskey. The website offers technical information and sample requests to customers, and the company’s blending and quality functions are clearly highlighted as part of the production work. There is a focus on delivering reproducible flavor profiles at industrial scale rather than handmade small-batch production.

Maturation and Barrel Types

The available product texts mention influence from barrels and used barrels; for example, notes refer to notes stemming from 'used barrels'. There are no details on specific barrel types, new American oak, or exotic finishes on the product pages, but several descriptions link flavors such as caramel, vanilla, chocolate, and light smoke to aging in wooden barrels.

Whiskeys

The range consists of a broad set of standardized industrial and bottling products: several rye variants (e.g., 51% rye and 95% rye), wheat- and malt-whiskeys, corn-based light- and corn-whiskeys, as well as several bourbon variations with differentiated shares of rye or wheat. Each product description includes a mashbill, brief aroma and flavor notes, and the option for technical documentation and samples, making the portfolio suitable for blending, private label, and further processing.

Whiskey	Type / Series	Cask and Style	Flavor Profile	Status
51% Rye Whiskey	Rye Whiskey		Mash bill: Corn 45%, Rye 51%, Barley Malt 4%. Described as a bold and spicy rye with fruit, spice and mint notes, as well as sweeter tones from aging. Nose: Sweet and spicy, with a hint of mint.	Current; Core range
95% Rye Whiskey	Rye Whiskey		Described as a rye-dominant whiskey with significant caramel- and vanilla-sweetness that evolves toward a complex spice and smoky body. Finish: Caramel and vanilla forward notes fade to a complex spice and smoky body.	Current; Core range
Bourbon (99% Corn)	Bourbon		Mash bill: Corn 99%, Barley Malt 1%. Noted for strong sweet notes of candy and corn. Nose: Sweet, reflecting strong notes of candy and corn; Finish: Sweet candy notes dominate. The finish follows this sweetness, eventually fading to corn grain.	Current; Core range
95% Wheat Whiskey	Wheat Whiskey		Characterized by creamy sweetness and vanilla, with a subtle wood note finishing the flavor. Finish: Sweet, creamy, with vanilla notes and a hint of wood.	Current; Core range
Malt Whiskey (100% Barley Malt)	Malt Whiskey		Bold malt and fruit flavors dominate the forward and body notes of the flavor profile. Slight hints of smoke, chocolate, and oak develop at the end of the body and fade into the heavily malted finish.	Current; Core range
Light Whiskey (99% Corn)	Light Whiskey	Used barrels	Heavy chocolate and cream notes complement those from the used barrels, leading to light fruit in the body. Finish: A sweet finish fades to mellow notes from the barrel.	Current; Core range
Corn Whiskey (15% Rye)	Corn Whiskey		Described with fruit, grain and hints of oak in the body and finish; rye notes occur to a lesser extent.	Current; Core range
Bourbon (36% Rye)	Bourbon		Heavy caramel and vanilla dominate the forward notes; slight complexity from cocoa, chocolate and smoke in the body. Finish: The finish balances roasted nuts, rye spice, and caramel.	Current; Core range
Bourbon (21% Rye)	Bourbon		Sweet profile with layers of fruit, vanilla, caramel and creamy mouthfeel that develop into a finish with rye spice.	Current; Core range
Bourbon (45% Wheat)	Bourbon		Rich sweetness from creamy vanilla and fruit combined with a soft mouthfeel from the high wheat content in the mashbill.	Current; Core range
Kentucky Bourbon (20% Wheat)	Bourbon		One of MGP's Kentucky Bourbon variants with a focus on cherry- and vanilla-like creamy notes and a sweet, spiced finish. Finish: Cherry Syrup & Vanilla Cream. Finishing with Rich Caramel Cream, Slight Notes of Spiced Cinnamon and Brown Sugar.	Current; Core range
Kentucky Bourbon (10% Rye)	Bourbon		A variant under the Kentucky Bourbon name with a slightly higher focus on traditional bourbon sweetness and spice from a lower rye content. Finish: Cherry Syrup & Vanilla Cream. Finishing with Rich Caramel Cream, Slight Notes of Spiced Cinnamon and Brown Sugar.	Current; Core range

The Whiskeys' Style and Flavor Profile

Across the documented flavor profiles, there is a clear sweetness (caramel, sugar, and candy), vanilla and fruitiness, as well as noticeable rye spice in rye and some bourbon expressions. There are also repeated references to chocolate/cream and, in some cases, light smoke. These directions recur across mashbills with different grain compositions and reflect a portfolio spanning from sweeter corn-driven whiskeys to spicy rye expressions.

Visiting the Distillery

The distillery does not accept visitors.

Philosophy and Craft

MGP articulates a customer-centric set of values: 'Your vision is our passion' and 'Perfecting the art of grain since 1941'. The company prioritizes offering ingredients and mashbills that support the customer's product development, and makes technical information and samples available as part of its service concept.