Templeton Fortitude Bourbon Whiskey
Templeton Fortitude Bourbon Whiskey is a 92-proof (46% ABV) 750mL high-rye bourbon — 55% corn / 40% rye / 5% malted barley — and the milestone release in Templeton's history: the brand's first bourbon distilled at its own Templeton Distillery in Templeton, Iowa (opened 2018), after years as a sourced-whiskey bottler. Launch materials describe it as 4+ years old (some reviews claim 5.5+; print the brand figure), aged in char-4 new American oak from corn grown within 15 miles of the distillery, non-chill filtered with natural color. It earned Gold and 93 points at the 2024 MLSA Global Spirits Competition. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 46% (92 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: no age statement (4+ years per launch materials)
- Mash bill: 55% corn / 40% rye / 5% malted barley; corn from farms within 15 miles
- Production: char-4 new American oak; column + Forsyths copper pot stills; non-chill filtered
- Origin: Templeton Distillery, Templeton, Iowa (Infinium Spirits)
Fortitude: The Distillery Comes of Age
Templeton spent its first decade as an independent bottler of sourced rye — good whiskey, but someone else's distillate. Fortitude is the pivot: the inaugural bourbon from Templeton's own distillery, and the name says what it took to get there. The high-rye mash bill keeps the brand's spicy DNA, the 3–4 day fermentation and Fermentis Safspirit yeast (per launch press-kit detail) give it a fruit-forward fermentation character, and the char-4 oak lays down the caramel backbone. Explore the Templeton collection and the bourbon whiskeys at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
A high-rye nose — cinnamon, clove, and baking spice over caramel and vanilla from the fresh char. The palate is bold and spicy with a creamy corn sweetness underneath, the 46% ABV carrying flavor without heat. The finish is long and warming with lingering rye spice and toasted oak.
How to Enjoy
Neat to taste what the new distillery can do, or in a bold Old Fashioned where the rye spice stands up to the sugar and bitters. It has the structure for cocktails without needing one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Templeton Fortitude distilled in Iowa?
Yes — the first Templeton bourbon distilled at the brand's own Templeton, Iowa distillery, opened in 2018.
How is Fortitude different from Templeton Rye?
It is a bourbon (55/40/5 mash bill) rather than a rye, and it is Templeton's own distillate rather than sourced whiskey.
How old is Templeton Fortitude?
No age statement; launch materials describe it as 4+ years old.
Iowa's own bourbon has arrived — buy Templeton Fortitude online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.