Great Lakes Distillery released its first batch of bourbon on March 20th.

The Milwaukee distillery claims the bourbon is the first produced in Wisconsin since Prohibition.

Great Lakes Distillery Test Batch bourbon, bottled at 92 proof, was released March 20 at a price of $44.95 per 375-ML bottle.

Great Lakes will held a release party that same day at the distillery and offered bourbon cocktails made from the Great Lakes’ test batch.

The batch of bourbon was distilled nearly three years ago and aged in smaller barrels. Since only 263 bottles of the bourbon were made, it was only be available at the distillery.

“We’ve been sampling it and it got to a point where we thought it was ready to go,” said Guy Rehorst, Great Lakes Distillery founder and distiller.

Since whiskey cannot be quickly scaled up and replicated, Great Lakes said it will be several more years before any additional bourbon becomes available after this batch sells out.

“We have more bourbon in the works but it’s years off,” Rehorst said.

Bourbon can take anywhere from two to 12 years to age, he said.

Great Lakes Distillery also produces premium vodka and gin sold under the Rehorst brand name. In September 2009, it introduced a new line of absinthe, a once-banned anise-flavored spirit.