Dierks Bentley Once Got Kicked Out of the Grand Ole Opry—Now He’s Aging Bourbon Inside Its Walls

Dierks Bentley’s latest venture includes a special nod to the past. The country star’s bourbon brand, ROW 94, is set to launch a new addition to its lineup, Trespasser’s Proof.

The limited edition release, which will arrive in 2027, was inspired by Bentley’s pre-fame past time—sneaking backstage at venues across Nashville.

During a press conference at the Grand Ole Opry, Bentley admitted that the famed venue was one of the places that revoked his hall pass.

Later that night, after performing on the Opry stage, Bentley spoke more about his history of trespassing at the venue.

“I used to work across the street, for a place called TNN, The Nashville Network,” Bentley recalled. “I’d come by every Friday and Saturday to watch the greats, to learn from Porter Wagoner and Little Jimmy Dickens, the Osborne Brothers, Grandpa Jones. I came too often, I guess, ’cause I got told that I couldn’t come as frequently as I wanted to. I had to work to get that all access pass back.”

How Dierks Bentley Infused Country Music into His Bourbon

Now a Grand Ole Opry member, Bentley is, of course, welcome back on the property.

“I thought I couldn’t come back here anymore,” he said at the press conference. “I was here so often and had to find a way to come in through the proper door, being a member of the Grand Ole Opry, many years after I got kicked out of here.”

That story inspired the name of his latest release, with Bentley explaining, “I thought the idea was great for this Trespasser’s Proof… This one’s gonna be really special.”

Not only that, but the Opry invited him to do something incredibly unique within its hallowed halls.

Trespasser’s Proof began its minimum four-year aging process at Green River Distilling Co. in Kentucky. Now, the bourbon now finds itself at the Grand Ole Opry.

The four-barrel batch has been transferred to a secure, off-limits location at the Opry to complete its final chapter of aging. 

That’s not the only way that Bentley has infused country music in the bourbon. Rather, he opted to finish the bourbon with staves of hard white oak and sugar maple. That’s the same species of wood that makes up the famed circle on the Opry stage.

“We’ve brought it down here to Nashville, feeling the vibrations and sounds that come off of the stage. Then we’re gonna put a little extra finish on it with that sugar maple and those oak stages,” Justin Willett, the VP of Operations at Lofted Spirits, said. “It’s gonna be a beau beautiful deal.”

What to Know About Dierks Bentley’s Bourbon Brand

Bentley will release the batch in early 2027. It will be available for purchase online and at select bourbon bars and retailers. One of those bars is Bentley’s new establishment, ROW 94 Tasting Room, in downtown Nashville.

Housed at the Bode Hotel, guests at the bourbon bar can enjoy a bourbon flight or a craft cocktail as they take in the space, which features authentic tour memorabilia and autographed guitars.

Bentley is also teaming up with Mint Julep Experiences to launch The Music Whiskey Trail: Dierks Bentley & ROW 94. Set to take place every Saturday, the three-hour tour will take guests to some of the biggest spots throughout Music Row, Lower Broadway, and the Gulch to sample drinks and visit iconic music venues.

“I started drinking whiskey at a pretty early age. It was always a big part of my identity, hence the bars,” Bentley said. “… I’ve always wanted to have my own brand and just had to find the right time to do it. That’s why I’m doing it… I’m not trying to branch out into too much other stuff. I’m just really focusing on things that are important to me.”

Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for American Cancer Society