Some animals become more than wildlife. They turn into part of a place, and people feel their absence long after they’re gone. Grizzly 399 was one of those animals. Now, nearly two years after her death, a Wyoming distillery has put out a limited-edition bourbon in her honor. It’s called Queen of the Tetons Second Edition, and it arrives ahead of the second anniversary of her passing.
The announcement came out of Kirby, Wyoming, on October 12, 2026. Wyoming Whiskey said the bottle is meant to honor the legendary bear, who was killed in a car accident near Grand Teton National Park on October 22, 2024. This is the second time the distillery has marked her memory with a bourbon. This time, whiskey fans across the country can get their hands on a bottle for the first time.
Who Was Grizzly 399?
Grizzly 399 was an icon of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. For nearly three decades, she drew photographers and visitors from around the world who hoped to catch a glimpse of her. She lived much of her life near the Snake River, and she became a familiar sight to the people who spend time in that part of Wyoming.
By the time of her death, she was 28 years old. That made her the oldest known reproducing female grizzly in the region. Over her life she raised 18 known cubs, a record that says a lot about how tough she was in a landscape that isn’t easy on bears. Two years after she died, her story is still being told.
A Co-Founder Speaks About What She Meant
David DeFazio, co-founder of Wyoming Whiskey, said the bear still comes up in conversation around the distillery.
“It’s been two years and people still stop us to talk about 399. She belonged to this place. This bottle keeps her story alive, and carries it to those who never got to see her,” said Wyoming Whiskey co-founder David DeFazio.
His words get at why a bourbon makes sense as a tribute. For people who live near the Tetons, or who traveled there just to watch her, the bear was part of the scenery. For everyone else, a bottle with her picture on it is one more way to learn who she was.
A Film That Follows Her Final Year
The new release lines up with a documentary called 399 Forever, directed by Alex Stavrou. The film covers the final year of Grizzly 399’s life and the community that formed around her. It will be available on demand through Amazon Prime Video on October 16.
Wyoming Whiskey says it is proud to support the film and to help carry her story to a wider audience. For anyone who followed the bear’s life from a distance, or who only learned about her after the news of her death, the film offers a closer look at the people who watched over her.
Giving Back to the Park
The bourbon is not only a keepsake. Wyoming Whiskey will donate $5 from every bottle sold to the Grand Teton National Park Foundation. That money is meant to support grizzly bear education, conservation and research programs in Grand Teton National Park.
For readers who care about wildlife and public lands, that detail matters. Grizzlies live close to roads, trails and towns in this part of the country, and the loss of 399 showed how fast things can go wrong when people and bears share the same ground. Funding for education and research is aimed at helping both sides live alongside each other.
What the Bottle Looks Like
The label carries two photographs of Grizzly 399. The image on the front was taken by photographer Savannah Rose. The one on the back is the work of Thomas Mangelsen. Putting two different photographers’ work on one bottle fits the way the bear was followed by so many people with cameras over the years.
Image credit: Wyoming Whiskey
Wyoming Whiskey made fewer than 1,000 bottles. That’s a small run, which makes this a collector’s piece as much as something to pour. The release begins on October 16, the same day the documentary becomes available.
The Whiskey Inside
Queen of the Tetons Second Edition is a bourbon bottled at 99 proof, which works out to 49.5% ABV. It is an 8 barrel blend, meaning whiskey from eight separate barrels was combined to get the final taste.
Wyoming Whiskey shared tasting notes for the bourbon:
- Nose: Berries with a honey drizzle, honeysuckle
- Palate: Sweetened huckleberry, coffee cake
- Finish: Caramelized sugar, hint of brown baking spices
The huckleberry note stands out. Huckleberries are a wild mountain fruit, and for a bourbon honoring a bear from the Tetons, it’s a fitting flavor to find in the glass. The coffee cake on the palate and the brown baking spices on the finish round out a profile that leans sweet and warm.
About Wyoming Whiskey
Wyoming Whiskey is based in Kirby, Wyoming. The company was founded with a simple goal: to create America’s next great bourbon. That goal has since grown to include all styles of American whiskey. The brand describes itself as a true collaboration between its partners and the state of Wyoming itself.
The distillery was founded in 2006 by Brad and Kate Mead, together with partner David DeFazio. It uses corn, winter wheat, winter rye, barley and water sourced from the Bighorn Basin. By using those local ingredients, Wyoming Whiskey says it shows off the state’s natural and human resources, and that every drop is truly made of Wyoming.
Why This Story Sticks
Grizzly 399 spent nearly three decades in front of people who admired her, and she raised 18 known cubs along the way. When she died on October 22, 2024, the loss was felt well beyond Wyoming. Two years later, a film, a donation to park programs and a limited bourbon are all keeping her name in front of the public.
For those who knew her story, Queen of the Tetons Second Edition is a way to remember an animal that belonged, as DeFazio put it, to the place she lived. For those who didn’t, it’s an introduction to a bear who became a symbol of the wild country around Grand Teton National Park.
