Australian Bourbon Lovers enjoying one pour at a time, sharing the magic of bourbon whiskey with Australia. Whether it's a Whiskey Tasting, a Bourbon Flight, or just some stories of Bourbon Culture from a perspective Down Under ... you're in the right place.
Is it okay to buy a bourbon just because you love the bottle?
This week we're opening a Frank August Kentucky Bourbon Festival Single Barrel, and we might have found one of the most beautiful bourbon bottles we've ever owned.
It's barrel KBF01, bottle number 2 of just 186, and we're pretty excited about that.
We explore the story behind Frank August, its distinctive minimalist design, the founders' connections to New York and how a relatively young whiskey brand has created such a striking identity.
Then we get into the important stuff: how it tastes.
We're finding caramelised almonds, pecan brittle, apricot cake, dried fruit and a beautifully rich bourbon that absolutely deserves to be opened.
And that leads us to a question: how much does packaging influence the whiskey we buy?
We also debate whether a beautiful bourbon bottle actually becomes less attractive once you start drinking it.
Who says great bourbon has to come from Kentucky?
Kia and Jack from Honey Barrel are back, and they've brought a very special Ben Holladay Bourbon Lore 18-barrel blend to share with us.
This limited release helped introduce Holladay Distillery to a much wider whiskey audience, with reviewers discovering just how good Missouri bourbon could be.
We explore the juicy, biscuity flavours of the whiskey, why Holladay's commitment to making its own bourbon and sharing detailed production information matters, and how the distillery built its reputation without rushing whiskey to market.
Kia and Jack also explain why they chose to bring Ben Holladay into Australia and reveal the expanded range they're preparing for Australian whiskey drinkers, including High Rye Bourbon, Rickhouse Proof, eight-year single barrels and experimental finishes.
A great conversation about bourbon beyond Kentucky, doing things properly and an exciting future for American whiskey in Australia.
Cheers!
Is Kentucky Bourbon Festival worth flying all the way from Australia to attend?
We think so—and this week we're explaining why.
We're opening the Kentucky Bourbon Festival 35th Anniversary Commemorative Bourbon, a limited Heaven Hill release blending 10, 12 and 13-year-old bourbons to celebrate the festival's 35th anniversary.
It's a beautiful whiskey, full of buttery caramel popcorn, chocolate, hazelnuts and silky sweetness, and one of the more overlooked bottles we brought home from Kentucky.
Then we tackle some of the biggest misconceptions about attending Kentucky Bourbon Festival.
Are tickets really that difficult to get? Is it expensive? Do you have to pay for samples? And what else is there to do in Kentucky once the festival is over?
We share our experiences, why we love the atmosphere and community, and why we think every bourbon lover should seriously consider putting Kentucky Bourbon Festival on their bucket list.
Is it okay to buy a bourbon just because you love the bottle?
This week we're opening a Frank August Kentucky Bourbon Festival Single Barrel, and we might have found one of the most beautiful bourbon bottles we've ever owned.
It's barrel KBF01, bottle number 2 of just 186, and we're pretty excited about that.
We explore the story behind Frank August, its distinctive minimalist design, the founders' connections to New York and how a relatively young whiskey brand has created such a striking identity.
Then we get into the important stuff: how it tastes.
We're finding caramelised almonds, pecan brittle, apricot cake, dried fruit and a beautifully rich bourbon that absolutely deserves to be opened.
And that leads us to a question: how much does packaging influence the whiskey we buy?
We also debate whether a beautiful bourbon bottle actually becomes less attractive once you start drinking it.
Who says great bourbon has to come from Kentucky?
Kia and Jack from Honey Barrel are back, and they've brought a very special Ben Holladay Bourbon Lore 18-barrel blend to share with us.
This limited release helped introduce Holladay Distillery to a much wider whiskey audience, with reviewers discovering just how good Missouri bourbon could be.
We explore the juicy, biscuity flavours of the whiskey, why Holladay's commitment to making its own bourbon and sharing detailed production information matters, and how the distillery built its reputation without rushing whiskey to market.
Kia and Jack also explain why they chose to bring Ben Holladay into Australia and reveal the expanded range they're preparing for Australian whiskey drinkers, including High Rye Bourbon, Rickhouse Proof, eight-year single barrels and experimental finishes.
A great conversation about bourbon beyond Kentucky, doing things properly and an exciting future for American whiskey in Australia.
Cheers!
Is Kentucky Bourbon Festival worth flying all the way from Australia to attend?
We think so—and this week we're explaining why.
We're opening the Kentucky Bourbon Festival 35th Anniversary Commemorative Bourbon, a limited Heaven Hill release blending 10, 12 and 13-year-old bourbons to celebrate the festival's 35th anniversary.
It's a beautiful whiskey, full of buttery caramel popcorn, chocolate, hazelnuts and silky sweetness, and one of the more overlooked bottles we brought home from Kentucky.
Then we tackle some of the biggest misconceptions about attending Kentucky Bourbon Festival.
Are tickets really that difficult to get? Is it expensive? Do you have to pay for samples? And what else is there to do in Kentucky once the festival is over?
We share our experiences, why we love the atmosphere and community, and why we think every bourbon lover should seriously consider putting Kentucky Bourbon Festival on their bucket list.
Is 107 proof the sweet spot for bourbon?
This week we're opening Weller Antique 107 – The Cigar Cut, a special single barrel selected for Australia by The Drink Society.
And it's an absolute beauty.
We're finding crème brûlée, burnt sugar, buttery caramel, rich cherry, dark chocolate and even a little freeze-dried raspberry, all wrapped up in a wonderfully creamy mouthfeel.
We explore what makes Weller's wheated bourbon so appealing, the details behind this particular seven-year-and-five-month-old barrel, and why Antique 107 has become such a beloved bottle for so many bourbon drinkers.
We also discuss the increasing availability of Buffalo Trace products in Australia, the excitement of local barrel picks, and which distillery we'd choose if we could select our own single barrel.
And H is already asking for another bottle.
What happens when you grow up in the Bourbon Capital of the World?
We're visiting Whitney Rye at The Parlor Room in Bardstown, Kentucky, where she's sharing a very special 15-year-old Willett barrel pick and some wonderful stories about her hometown.
We discover how Whitney selected the barrel alongside Drew Kulsveen and Pablo Moix, why she looks for chocolate when choosing a whiskey, and how blind tastings can completely change your mind about your favourite bourbon.
Then we get into life in Bardstown.
It's a conversation about great bourbon, great people and the joy of sharing the place you call home.
What makes a whiskey worth importing into Australia?
We're joined by Kia and Jack from Honey Barrel to crack a bottle we brought home from Kentucky Bourbon Festival: Brown-Forman's limited Kentucky Boy bourbon.
Created to celebrate Chris Morris and his remarkable career at Brown-Forman, Kentucky Boy brings together whiskey from King of Kentucky, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked.
We taste honey, maple syrup, pancakes, caramel, orange peel and plenty of rich dessert notes while debating limited releases, resurrecting historic labels, pricing and whether the whiskey ultimately lives up to the story around it.
Then we put Kia and Jack's importer hats on and ask what they actually look for when considering spirits for the Australian market.
Their answer leads us into flavour, proof, storytelling, authenticity—and the importance of only recommending bottles you'd actually be happy to spend your own money on.
Honey Barrel does not import Kentucky Boy or Brown-Forman products; Kia and Jack are joining us as guests and sharing their experience as importers of other spirits into Australia.
We bought this bourbon because it came in a bowling pin.
Seriously.
Fresh home from Kentucky Bourbon Festival, we're cracking one of the more ridiculous—and brilliant—souvenirs we brought home: Jim Beam Ten Pin.
It's a 10-year-old, 100-proof bourbon packaged inside a proper white-and-red bowling pin decanter.
The surprise? The whiskey inside is genuinely delicious.
We find peach crumble, whipped cream, stone fruit and plenty of confectionery sweetness before heading down the rabbit hole of bourbon decanters, why they became such a fascinating part of bourbon history, and why we're suddenly seeing so many fun examples again.
We also recap how we actually got the bottle at Kentucky Bourbon Festival and why we reckon a few more Aussies should make the trip next year.
Come for the bowling pin. Stay for the bourbon.
This week we're finally cracking a bottle that's been sitting unopened on our shelf for far too long: Heaven’s Door Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the expression now known as Revival.
We find spice, nutmeg, apricot, caramel and a lovely syrupy mouthfeel before disappearing down a few fascinating whiskey rabbit holes.
We talk about Bob Dylan and the story behind Heaven’s Door, the distinctive design of the bottle, and Dave tries to untangle the difference between Tennessee Whiskey and Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Then we head back to Louisville and The Last Refuge - the spectacular former church that's been transformed into a Heaven’s Door whiskey bar - and why sitting at a great bar, talking to strangers and trying unfamiliar whiskey can be one of the best parts of exploring bourbon.
Sometimes you need to stop choosing your own bourbon and let someone else put something in your glass.
That's how we discovered 2XO Sneakerhead Blend at Evergreen Liquors in Louisville.
We told an incredibly knowledgeable bartender what we liked, asked him to pour us something we hadn't tried—and ended up liking his recommendation enough to bring a bottle all the way back to Australia.
This week we're revisiting that bottle and finding buttery hazelnuts, candied orange, chocolate, oak and even some popping candy.
We also get into Dixon Dedman and the story behind 2XO, what "Two Times Oak" actually means, why this expression has a sneaker on the label, and why a high-rye bourbon can still surprise someone who doesn't normally go looking for high-rye whiskey.
The moral of this one is pretty simple: try new things.
This week we're opening our first bottle of Pinhook—and Helen was sold before we'd even tasted it because it came dipped in purple wax.
It's a Pinhook Single Barrel Cask Strength selected by Whiskey Hunt Australia: five years old, 115 proof and packed with fresh fruit, green apple, caramel and some rather unexpected fairy-floss vibes.
But the story behind Pinhook might be even more interesting than the whiskey.
We discover why its bottles deliberately resemble wine bottles, why Pinhook doesn't necessarily want every year's whiskey to taste identical, how thoroughbred racing inspired the brand, and what the term "pinhooking" actually means.
We also get into sourced whiskey, single-barrel selections and why supporting Australian groups doing barrel picks ultimately means more interesting bourbon making its way to Australia.
This week we're opening a particularly special bottle: a 2025 Michter’s 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon that Dave's friends gave him for his 40th birthday.
And it's an absolute cracker.
We find currants, dark chocolate, baked fruit, caramel and sweet oak before getting into some of the things that make Michter’s whiskey so distinctive.
We work our way through six production choices Michter’s makes differently, including its 103 barrel-entry proof, extended wood seasoning, toasted barrels, small batch sizes, custom filtration and heat cycling its warehouses.
We also revisit what Andrea Wilson and Dan McKee taught us at Michter’s Shively distillery, talk about Michter’s being named the World's Most Admired Whiskey for the fourth year running, and explain why a Michter’s 10 Year can actually be considerably older than the number on the bottle.
A special whiskey, for a special birthday, from some fabulous friends.
Cheers!
This week we're pouring Barrell Bourbon Batch 36, a fascinating blend of bourbons sourced from Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee.
The components range from 7½ years old all the way to 15 years, with a derived mash bill of 79% corn, 16% rye and 5% malted barley.
And it's bloody good.
We find citrus, marmalade, strawberry jam and a wonderfully chewy caramel character before getting into the bigger story behind the bottle: why being a non-distilling producer gives blenders the freedom to combine different ages, mash bills and distilleries to create something completely new.
We talk Barrell Craft Spirits, Seagrass, Pursuit Spirits, Ashley Barnes and The Blending House, and why the people who can take a collection of completely different barrels and turn them into something this cohesive still seem a bit like crazy scientists to us.
This week we're pouring a Maker’s Mark Private Select hand-selected by Whiskey Hunt Australia.
The Private Select program takes the wood-finishing idea behind Maker’s Mark 46 and gives groups the chance to create their own expression using a combination of different finishing staves.
And this particular selection is fascinating.
It's still unmistakably Maker’s Mark, with the familiar sweetness, cherry and creamy wheated mouthfeel, but there's considerably more oak, roast and toast than we're used to finding in Maker’s.
We talk about how Private Select works, why two selections from the same distillery can taste completely different, the fun and risk of buying barrel picks, and what actually happens inside Maker’s Mark's limestone cellar.
Plus, Dave spectacularly misreads the stave recipe before eventually getting it right.
Cheers!
Kentucky Bourbon Festival is only weeks away, so this week we're opening one of our favourite festival finds.
It's a Burton James Single Barrel Wheated Bourbon selected for Kentucky Bourbon Festival, and while we enjoy it we share our biggest tips for anyone making the trip to Bardstown.
From avoiding queues and pacing yourself to taking notes, staying hydrated and making time to meet people, these are the things we've learned after several Kentucky Bourbon Festivals.
If you're heading over this year, we hope these tips help you get even more out of an incredible weekend.
Dry July continues, so we're revisiting one of our favourite interviews.
This week we're back at Star Hill Farm with Dr. Blake Layfield from Maker's Mark.
Sharing a pour of Maker's Mark Cellar Aged, Blake explains the science behind maturation, how oak transforms spirit into bourbon, and why Maker's Mark continues investing heavily in understanding flavour.
It's one of the most insightful conversations we've had, offering a rare look behind the scenes at one of the world's most iconic distilleries.
Dry July continues, so we're revisiting another one of our favourite interviews.
This week we're back with Caryn Wells, National Brand Ambassador for Green River Distilling Co.
Caryn walks us through the difference between Green River's High Rye and Wheated Bourbons before sharing some fantastic advice on how to nose, taste and enjoy bourbon.
From the "Kentucky Chew" to why your first sip always tastes different, this episode is full of practical tips for anyone looking to get more enjoyment from their whiskey.
And most importantly...
Drink it however you like.
For Dry July we're revisiting another favourite interview.
This time we're back with Greg Keeley from Larrikin Bourbon Company in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.
Greg walks us through the creation of Larrikin Cigar Lounge, explains why he thinks "cigar blend" is mostly a marketing term, and shares how a tiny amount of Amburana became the missing ingredient in the final blend.
We also dive into American Light Whiskey, Kentucky bourbon culture and some brilliant stories about Jimmy Russell and the incredible generosity of the bourbon community.
For Dry July we're revisiting one of our all-time favourite interviews.
We roll back to sit down with Michter's Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson while enjoying their incredible 2024 Michter's 10 Year Bourbon.
The conversation explores why Michter's once delayed an entire 10 Year release because it didn't quite meet their standards, how heat cycling changes whiskey maturation, why lower barrel entry proof creates richer flavours and how every bottle is blended to create an unforgettable drinking experience.
It's one of the most insightful conversations we've had about what separates great bourbon from truly exceptional bourbon.
This episode we're pouring Old Grand-Dad 114.
A high-proof bourbon with a cult following, a recipe that dates back to the 1800s, and a surprisingly strong connection to Basil Hayden.
Along the way we discuss:
• What the 114 means
• The James Beam connection
• Why the bottle looks so old-school
• Bourbon value for money
• Vanilla, caramel and cinnamon tasting notes
• Why enthusiasts keep recommending this bottle
A classic bourbon that proves you don't need fancy packaging or limited releases to win fans.
This episode we're pouring one of the most unusual bottles we've ever brought home from Kentucky.
The Elijah Craig Barrel Select Grenade Bottle.
A tiny barrel-shaped release from Heaven Hill that bourbon fans actively seek out whenever it appears at the distillery.
Along the way we discuss:
• The Heaven Hill experience
• Bourbon hunting in Kentucky
• Single barrel whiskey
• Why rare doesn't always mean favourite
• Christmas cake and dried fruit tasting notes
• Elijah Craig's different expressions
A fun discussion about hype, scarcity, and finding what you actually enjoy drinking.
Dave and H taste Jack Daniel's Bonded (released May 2022), compare it to the classic JD No.7, and share tasting notes of dark chocolate, fruit & nut and banana on the nose and palate. They agree this bonded expression drinks nicely neat and highlights the higher proof character.
The episode explains the Bottled‑in‑Bond law (1897) and its rules: one distilling season, one distiller, one distillery, a minimum of four years aging in bonded warehousing, and bottling at 100 proof. They discuss historic bonded warehouses and what the designation means for quality and consistency.
Dave and H also unpack the Tennessee whiskey distinction — the Lincoln County Process (maple charcoal filtering) — and how it relates to bourbon.
This episode we open a bottle that nearly disappeared before we recorded it.
Weller Antique 107 Barrel & Batch Single Barrel Pick
A wheated bourbon packed with:
• Buttered cinnamon toast
• Vanilla pod
• Apricot notes
• Rich caramel sweetness
We also explore:
• The story of William Larue Weller
• How wheated bourbon changed whiskey history
• The connection between Weller and Pappy Van Winkle
• The famous Weller Rainbow lineup
• Why single barrel picks can be so special
And the story behind the friend who gifted us this bottle.
One pour. Ten minutes. Aussie Bourbon Lovers.
We open and taste the Maker's Mark Cellar Age 2023, describing rich notes of maple syrup, stroopwafel-like caramel, cinnamon spice, and a lingering cherry sweetness with a long, sticky mouthfeel.
The episode also explores the bottle's story: how Maker's Mark finishes select barrels in a cool cellar to slow oak influence, the limited annual release, memories of visits to Kentucky, and why this expression is considered a standout value worth seeking out in duty-free or at festivals.
This episode we open a Las Vegas store pick:
Old Forester 100 Proof Barrel Pick from Liquor Lineup.
After a recommendation from listener Lee, Dave made the drive across Vegas during a work trip to visit one of the city’s best whiskey stores.
The result?
A ridiculously good Old Forester barrel pick packed with:
• Cherry pie notes
• Candy sweetness
• Molasses
• Caramel
• Jolly Rancher flavours
We also chat about:
• Why barrel picks are such a fun part of bourbon culture
• How whiskey stores in America differ from Australia
• Why travel bottles carry memories
• The challenge of choosing which bottles make it home in your luggage
This episode we open one of the more unusual bourbons we’ve brought back from America:
Frey Ranch Quad Malt Four Grain Bourbon.
A distillery-only release from Nevada that takes farm-to-glass whiskey seriously.
Every grain is grown on the property.
Every grain is malted.
Everything happens on the farm.
We talk about:
• Visiting Frey Ranch in Nevada
• The drive through Reno and Fallon
• Why this bourbon tastes unlike most Kentucky bourbon
• Whether fully malting all four grains changes flavour
• Farm-to-glass distilling done properly
Tasting notes include:
• Maltesers
• Malt biscuits
• Chocolate
• Butter
• Grain character
And one big regret:
Not bringing more home.
H & Dave enjoy Larrikin's Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey—an approachable 40% ABV, six-year-aged bourbon with a mash bill of 86% corn, 10% rye and 4% malted barley.
Tasting notes highlight caramel, vanilla, biscuity sweetness and warm spice (think apple pie, nutmeg/cinnamon), plus the brand’s laid-back Aussie charm and friendly distillery vibe.
Dave n H taste and celebrate the new Peerless 10-year Henry Craver edition, describing its stunning colour, rich mouthfeel and tasting notes like citrus, marmalade, coconut, vanilla and caramel. They discuss the bottle’s limited release, the queue at the distillery, and why this bourbon has a devoted following.
The episode also explores Peerless’s craft approach—sweet mash, barrel-proof bottlings and Corky Taylor’s commitment to quality—plus personal anecdotes about sourcing the bottle and why it’s hard to find outside Kentucky.
This episode dives into George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey — a widely available bottle that seriously overdelivers for the price.
We break down:
Why MGP whiskey has become so respected
What makes this a standout value bottle
And the wild story behind George Remus himself
From pharmacist to criminal lawyer to “King of the Bootleggers,” Remus’ story is one of the most fascinating in bourbon history — and possibly even inspired The Great Gatsby.
A great mix of accessible bourbon, great value, and one hell of a story.
00:00 Introduction to George Remus Bourbon
03:11 The Story Behind George Remus
06:02 The Legacy of Prohibition and Bootlegging
09:13 Tasting Notes and Final Thoughts
This episode dives into Virginia Black American Whiskey — a bottle backed by Drake that raises more questions than answers.
It’s not labelled as bourbon.
It’s distilled in Indiana.
It’s darker than it should be for its age.
So what’s actually going on?
We break down:
What likely sits behind the liquid (MGP sourcing)
Why it doesn’t qualify as bourbon
Whether flavouring or finishing is involved
And why, despite all that… it’s actually pretty enjoyable
This is a great example of judging a bottle too early — and being proven wrong.
To celebrate 100 episodes, we finally open one of the most hyped bourbons in the world — George T. Stagg from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.
At 135 proof and uncut, it’s everything you’d expect… and more.
But this episode goes beyond the pour.
We reflect on:
Our favourite moments from the podcast
The incredible people we’ve met along the way
What surprised us most about the bourbon industry
And why we feel like we’re only just getting started
This is part celebration, part reflection, and part appreciation for the journey so far.
This episode dives into Elijah Craig Kentucky Straight Rye — and the surprisingly confusing world of what “straight rye” actually means.
We break down the legal definition, taste profile, and why this particular rye is so approachable — especially for bourbon drinkers who aren’t usually fans of rye.
Along the way, we explore:
What “barely legal rye” means
Why rye can feel spicy or aggressive
How mash bill changes flavour dramatically
And why your taste in whiskey evolves over time
If you’ve ever struggled with rye… this is the episode that might change your mind.
This episode starts with a long-awaited moment.
We finally open a Peerless Double Oaked Bourbon, a bottle that’s been sitting on the shelf for a while, signed at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and calling out to be opened.
We talk through what makes Peerless different as a distillery, including their sweet mash process, barrel-proof approach, and double oaked finishing. The result is a rich, dessert-like bourbon that easily stands alongside some of the best double oaked expressions out there.
From there, the conversation shifts.
We discuss a creator attempting to visit every stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and ask whether it’s actually possible to have a “bad” distillery experience.
It leads to a surprisingly hard question:
What’s the least impressive distillery experience we’ve had?
And even then, the answer isn’t straightforward.
This episode is about great bourbon, memorable experiences, and why some distilleries, like Peerless, are worth going back to again and again.
Podcast chapters
00:00 Opening the bottle
00:45 What is Peerless Double Oaked
01:45 How Peerless is different
03:00 Colour and nose
04:15 First taste reactions
05:30 Why we opened it now
06:30 Bourbon trail creator discussion
08:00 Can you have a bad distillery
09:30 Least impressive experiences
11:30 Why Peerless stands out
13:00 Going back again
13:30 Wrap and cheers
This episode is a bit of a reset for us.
We’re drinking Jack Daniel’s Triple Mash, a blend of Tennessee whiskey, rye and American malt, and it opens up a conversation we probably should have had earlier.
What exactly is a “triple mash”? How does it taste? And how does Tennessee whiskey actually differ from bourbon?
We talk through the flavour, which is far more complex than expected, with notes of caramel, cinnamon, fruit and a surprising balance at 50% ABV.
From there, it turns into something bigger. Why have we avoided Jack Daniel’s for so long? Is that an Australian thing? And are we missing out on some genuinely great whiskey because of old perceptions?
We also dig into the Lincoln County Process, the definition of Tennessee whiskey, and the story behind Jack Daniel’s and Nearest Green, which is one of the most important and increasingly recognised stories in American whiskey.
And with an upcoming trip to Lynchburg, there’s more to come.
Podcast chapters
00:00 Opening the bottle
00:45 What is Triple Mash
02:00 Nose and first impressions
03:15 Cinnamon and caramel notes
04:30 Palate reaction
05:30 Banana and spice flavours
06:30 Avoiding Jack Daniel’s
07:00 Tennessee whiskey vs bourbon
08:00 Lincoln County Process explained
08:30 Nashville and Lynchburg plans
09:00 The Nearest Green story
09:30 Rethinking Jack Daniel’s
This episode is about a whiskey with a story that changed after we bought it.
We’re drinking Treecraft Small Batch American Whiskey, picked up directly from a small distillery on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. At the time, it stood out because it was local, unusual, beautifully packaged, and worth supporting. It wasn’t a favourite pour then, and it still feels a little young now, but the story behind it has become far more meaningful.
Since that visit, Treecraft has shut down. That means this bottle has become something rare: a whiskey from a distillery that no longer exists.
We talk through what it tastes like today, why the nose and palate feel so different, whether more barrel time might have changed everything, and why trying and supporting small distilleries is still worth doing, even when the end result isn’t perfect.
This one also turns into a broader reflection on the people who take a chance on distilling, the stories they create while they’re doing it, and why some bottles matter for more than just the liquid inside them.
Chapters
00:00 No pop and first impressions
00:45 Treecraft Small Batch American Whiskey
01:30 Why it’s not bourbon
02:10 Treasure Island and the distillery visit
03:40 Buying the bottle to support them
05:30 Finding out Treecraft shut down
06:20 Nose vs palate
07:00 Should it have stayed in the barrel longer
07:35 Supporting small distilleries
0:800 Young whiskey and what distillate matters
09:05 Redwood Empire and future trips
09:20 A toast to the people who have a crack
This is a different kind of episode and an extra long one, because Ashley Barnes takes us deep into the actual process of blending bourbon at The Blending House in Kentucky.
Ashley is the Master Blender here, and instead of simply pouring us a finished whiskey, she walks us through how a real blend comes together. Starting with 18 barrels, she explains how she evaluates them, separates them into flavor groups, and builds them back up into something balanced, expressive and true to the intended profile.
We talk about base notes, fruit notes, top notes, vanilla-forward barrels, and why some barrels are better as single barrels while others need to be part of a bigger blend. Ashley also explains how blending can work across mash bills, how she can often predict when a barrel will nose-dive with age, and why proofing is one of the biggest turning points in the whole process.
Along the way, she shares the chemistry behind flavor, how compounds behave differently in ethanol and water, why she lets blends rest before making decisions, and how she brings in outside palates to challenge her assumptions and refine the final product.
If you’ve ever wondered how a bourbon brand keeps its flavour profile consistent, or how much work really happens behind the scenes before whiskey hits the bottle, this episode is a proper masterclass.
Chapters
00:00 Why this episode is different
00:45 Meet Ashley Barnes
02:00 Starting with 18 barrels
04:30 Separating flavor groups
05:45 Evaluating barrels
07:15 Vanilla, corn and chemistry
09:15 Blending across mash bills
10:45 Predicting ageing performance
12:00 Learning from legends
14:15 Tasting the base blend
15:30 Mixing paint and building flavor
16:15 Vanilla-forward barrels
17:30 Single barrels vs blend-friendly barrels
19:30 Letting others taste the work
20:45 Why technique matters
22:10 The “dump and pray” blend
23:30 Same barrels, different result
24:45 Gathering outside feedback
26:00 Letting a blend rest
27:10 Finding the perfect...
This episode is all about rethinking rye whiskey.
We’re drinking WhistlePig 10 Year Small Batch Rye, a Vermont whiskey that helped change our minds about rye.
WhistlePig started as a non-distilling producer, sourcing whiskey before eventually building its own distillery. Under the guidance of legendary Master Distiller Dave Pickerell, the brand became one of the most recognised names in American rye.
The whiskey itself is surprisingly fruity and approachable. We’re picking up apricot, nectarine, spearmint freshness, white chocolate sweetness and a gentle pepper spice on the palate.
Along the way we talk about why rye grows better in northern climates, how bourbon drinkers often evolve into rye drinkers, and the growing whiskey tourism scene including WhistlePig’s impressive tasting experience in Louisville called The Vault.
Most importantly, we talk about how one bottle can completely change your opinion about a style of whiskey.
If you’ve ever said “I’m not a rye drinker”, this episode might convince you otherwise.
Chapters
00:30 WhistlePig 10 Year Small Batch Rye
01:10 The WhistlePig backstory
02:00 What an NDP is
03:00 Stone fruit notes on the nose
04:00 White chocolate and mint notes
05:00 Fruity palate with pepper spice
06:30 The Liquid Death collaboration
07:00 Where rye grows best
07:30 WhistlePig’s Louisville tasting experience
08:40 Becoming a rye drinker
09:20 Gateway rye whiskeys
We’re cracking open a New Riff Single Barrel from Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2025, signed by Master Distiller Brian and chosen as a Distiller’s Row pick.
New Riff built its name on transparency and tradition, non chill filtered, bottled in bond releases, and a commitment to quality. This single barrel clocks in at 116 proof and delivers deep caramel, dried fruit, leather and earthy richness from nose to finish.
But the bigger question we explore is this: when you’re surrounded by incredible bourbon at a festival like KBF, how do you decide which single bottle gets the precious luggage space?
We unpack what makes a single barrel special, whether blends are actually more reliable, and whether the market is starting to feel saturated with “single barrel” labels that don’t always carry the same meaning.
This one stood out not because it shouted the loudest, but because it felt balanced, layered, and genuinely unique.
Chapters
00:00 The pour and the signature
00:45 New Riff’s backstory
02:00 Philosophy – non chill filtered and bottled in bond
03:10 Nose – Werther’s and leather
04:45 Palate – caramelized date richness
06:00 Choosing one bottle at KBF
08:00 Unique vs too different
09:30 Single barrel vs blend
This episode is about more than bourbon. It’s about travel, memory, and the way a bottle can take you straight back to a moment in time.
We’re drinking the Maker’s Mark Singapore City Expression from the Wood Finishing Series, one of the international airport exclusives that can only be purchased in that specific city.
Using Maker’s unique stave finishing process, this release builds on the familiar Maker’s profile but layers in rich cherry confectionery notes, milk chocolate, custard sweetness and gentle spice.
We unpack how the stave finishing works, why these bottles are surprisingly difficult to get, and what makes airport-exclusive bourbon hunting such a strange and wonderful challenge.
Most of all, we talk about how certain bottles carry personal meaning. This one takes us straight back to a family holiday in Singapore, late nights, incredible food, and a few slightly questionable footwear decisions outside a bar.
Sometimes the best story in the glass is your own.
Chapters
00:10 The pop and first impressions
00:40 What the Singapore City Expression is
01:50 How Maker’s stave finishing works
03:10 Tasting notes – cherry and chocolate
04:40 What makes this different to standard Maker’s
06:00 Airport-only exclusives explained
07:40 The Singapore family trip memories
09:00 Why Maker’s is always approachable
10:40 Sentimental bottles and storytelling
12:00 Can you still find these
Denver Cramer is back, and we’re finishing a bottle the right way: on the mic, with a Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye (2016).
We talk about the signature Michter’s profile and why it hits so consistently. Denver’s take is simple and convincing: barrels, careful temperature control during ageing, and that lower barrel entry proof mindset that prioritises flavour over efficiency.
Then we get nerdy about glassware. Denver explains what the glass is doing by pushing off volatile alcohol so the flavours show up cleaner, which becomes immediately relevant when we wildly underestimate the proof.
From there it turns into a broader conversation about rye. Why it’s harder to distil, why a truly great rye is rare, and how the real world of whiskey includes commercial decisions: barrels that don’t fit the “house profile”, blending constraints, and why some great liquid never becomes the product people expect.
If you’ve ever wondered why Michter’s feels so recognisable, this one connects a lot of dots.
Chapters
00:00 Intro and bottle kill
00:26 Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye (2016)
00:55 Why rye is difficult to distil
01:15 The Michter’s profile
01:55 Proof guess and reveal
02:28 What the glass is doing
03:00 Passion vs commerce
03:30 Do we actually like rye?
04:50 Secret samples and rye rabbit holes
05:35 Barrels that don’t fit the profile
06:40 Why Denver loves Michter’s
07:35 The “no 10-year release” philosophy
09:10 Picking Michter’s in a blind tasting
This episode is a little different. We’re drinking Casey Jones Cinnamon Cut Whiskey, a pour that doesn’t pretend to be subtle and doesn’t try to be bourbon.
The aroma hits instantly. Cinnamon scrolls, bakery air, full-bodied spice. If you love cinnamon, this one is impossible to ignore.
We unpack the incredible Prohibition-era story of Casey Jones, the master still maker whose square copper stills were designed to be portable and fit into getaway vehicles. Today, the brand is being revived by the family using the final still Casey himself built.
We also break down the two bourbon rules this whiskey deliberately breaks, why it’s labelled as a whiskey instead of a bourbon, and why starting with real bourbon before adding natural cinnamon, vanilla and clove makes all the difference.
This isn’t Fireball. It’s smoother, richer, and more intentional. It might even be the perfect gateway whiskey for someone who loves cinnamon but hasn’t quite found their way into bourbon yet.
Chapters
00:00 Pour and first impressions
00:40 Cinnamon on the nose
01:45 Why we bought this bottle
02:30 Casey Jones and Prohibition stills
03:40 Square still design and portability
04:45 The bourbon rules it breaks
06:10 Why it’s a cinnamon cut whiskey
07:10 Gateway whiskey conversation
08:30 Fireball comparison
09:45 Who this is for
We’re back at Bardstown Bourbon Company with Jake Sulek in the Heritage Library to taste the Origin Series High Wheat, the newest addition to Bardstown’s flagship lineup.
This one pushes wheated bourbon into a big territory, with 39% wheat and only 53% corn in the mash bill. Jake walks us through what makes a bourbon “wheated”, why wheat tends to drink softer than rye, and the flavour lane he gets from this bottle: stone fruit, baked peaches, crème brûlée, lemon cake, and a mellow, easy-sipping finish.
Then we go deep on one of the most interesting parts of the conversation: barrel entry proof and why Bardstown fills this whiskey at 108 proof, far lower than the 120 proof used across the rest of the Origin series. The key idea is solubility: some oak compounds dissolve better in water and some dissolve better in alcohol, which means entry proof can influence whether you pull more wood sugars (caramel, butterscotch, toffee) versus more vanillin.
We also talk about Bardstown’s custom distilling program (300+ partners), and the very real experiment happening in their glass-fronted warehouse, where sunlight and heat exposure could be creating entirely new ageing outcomes over time.
Chapters
00:00 Back in the Heritage Library
00:25 Origin High Wheat overview
00:55 Wheated bourbon basics
01:40 What wheat contributes to flavour
02:40 Low barrel entry proof explained
03:20 Water vs alcohol extraction
03:50 Ageing water in a barrel?
04:40 Proof reveal and why it drinks easy
05:30 Rye vs wheated preferences
06:05 “Barrel-aged water” as a concept
06:35 Custom distilling program
07:10 The glass rickhouse wall
08:20 Why the experiment matters
This episode is all about barrels and why they matter more than most bourbon drinkers realise.
While sipping Booker’s bourbon, we unpack our visit to Independent Stave Company in Kentucky. From hand-selecting oak staves to steam-bending barrels with no glue, the craftsmanship behind every barrel blew our minds. We talk through why barrels are built the way they are, how different distilleries specify their own unique barrel profiles, and why something as simple as seasoning time can dramatically change flavour.
We also learned something surprising. An empty barrel has a shelf life. Once it’s made, it needs to be filled quickly or it starts losing its ability to function properly. It’s a detail we’d never considered before and it completely reframed how we think about bourbon production.
If you’ve ever wondered why two bourbons made from similar mash bills can taste wildly different, this episode gives you a big part of the answer.
Chapters:
00:00 Opening pour and Booker’s
00:45 Why barrels are everything
01:40 Visiting Independent Stave Company
02:45 From tree to stave
04:10 Building barrels without glue
05:45 Steam bending oak
07:10 Distillery barrel specifications
08:40 The two-week barrel window
09:45 Why cooperage tours matter
10:10 Final thoughts on wood and flavour
We’re back in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky with Greg from Larrikin Bourbon Company to taste a fresh release that just launched at the Bourbon Festival: Larrikin Cigar Lounge.
It’s a nine-year-old, high-rye bourbon built from five finishing barrels, including French cognac, Spanish Madeira, maple syrup barrels, and Brazilian jackfruit wood, plus the smallest possible “whisper” of Ambarana to make the whole blend snap into place. Greg explains why the goal was to get the Ambarana on the nose without letting it take over the palate, and why Cigar Lounge is designed as that end-of-the-day, after-dinner pour whether or not you ever touch a cigar.
We also get into what a “cigar blend” actually means (and doesn’t mean), what flavors show up when you taste it, what’s coming next at Larrikin (including a surprisingly good American Light Whiskey around 145 proof), and why Kentucky’s bourbon industry has such a strong culture of generosity and camaraderie. Plus a classic Jimmy Russell story that says everything about the community here.
Chapters
00:00 Back at Larrikin in Lawrenceburg
00:35 Cigar Lounge release details (age, proof, high rye)
01:10 “What is a cigar blend?”
02:00 The five finishing barrels
02:45 The Ambarana “whisper”
04:05 Tasting reactions and dessert notes
06:10 Why Cigar Lounge needed cigar-blend DNA
07:05 Next release: American Light Whiskey explained
09:05 Aussie culture and bourbon culture
10:10 Kentucky distilleries helping each other
11:35 Jimmy Russell stories
13:45 Wrap and where to find Larrikin
We’re kicking off the year with a bourbon that doesn’t come from Kentucky, and that’s exactly why we wanted to talk about it.
This episode features Fray Ranch straight bourbon whiskey from Fallon, Nevada. A true farm-to-bottle operation where every grain is grown, malted, distilled, and bottled on site. That approach gives this bourbon a flavour profile that surprised us straight away, with bright fruit notes, a waxy mouthfeel, and a personality that feels genuinely different.
From there, the conversation opens up into plans for the year ahead. Distilleries we want to visit, trips we’re planning around bourbon, and why meeting other bourbon lovers in Australia has become one of the most rewarding parts of the journey so far.
A relaxed start to the year, a bottle with a great story, and a reminder that some of the most interesting bourbons live well outside Kentucky.
Chapters
00:10 Opening pour and a bold choice
00:45 Why this bourbon isn’t from Kentucky
01:50 First tasting impressions
03:00 What makes Fray Ranch farm-to-bottle
04:30 Growing and malting grains on site
06:10 Why this bottle matters to us
07:30 Bourbon travel plans for the year
09:00 The Aussie bourbon community
10:00 Final thoughts and cheers
This is a different kind of Aussie Bourbon Lovers episode. There’s no pop, no pour, and no whiskey consumed during the recording.
While visiting Michter’s in Shively, Kentucky, we spent the day with Dan McKee and Andrea Wilson and surprised them with something unexpected: Australian chocolate. We brought Cadbury Caramello Koalas and Cadbury Furry Friends and asked them to pair each chocolate with Michter’s whiskeys.
What followed was not polite answers or throwaway suggestions. It became a genuinely insightful exploration of flavour, texture, sweetness, and balance, and an eye-opening look at how professionals think about pairing whiskey with food.
This episode is funny, warm, and surprisingly educational, and it perfectly reflects the curiosity and joy that runs through everything Michter’s does. If you want to play along at home, grab a couple of Michter’s expressions, some Aussie chocolate, and see where your palate takes you.
Recorded in Shively, Kentucky with Dan McKee and Andrea Wilson.
Merry Christmas from Aussie Bourbon Lovers. For this special Christmas Day episode we crack open a gift bottle: an Angel’s Envy Whiskey Hunt Australia single barrel pick.
Angel’s Envy is famous for its port finished bourbon and it’s easy to find in Australia, but this one is different. It’s a single barrel pick chosen by the Whiskey Hunt team, and it arrives in a bottle that just feels made for gifting. We talk about why Angel’s Envy has become such a well known finished bourbon, why we love the novelty and sweetness of finished whiskey, and why barrel picks are one of the most fun ways to drink something familiar in a completely unique way.
Merry Christmas and cheers.
Chapters
00:00 Merry Christmas and the bottle pop
00:35 What this bottle is and why it’s a great gift
01:10 Angel’s Envy, port finishing and why it’s everywhere in Australia
02:10 Finished bourbon, the tour experience and why it’s fun
03:15 Nosing and tasting, and the “nose vs palate” surprise
04:25 Plum and Christmas spice notes arrive
05:35 Cinnamon bark and where the heat hits
06:30 Creamy jammy texture and mouthfeel
07:20 Why Aussie barrel picks are worth chasing
08:30 Price, scarcity and the single barrel dilemma
09:30 Merry Christmas wrap
We’re back at the Bardstown Bourbon Company with Jake Sulek, the experience and education manager, recording in the Heritage Library surrounded by dusty bottles and stories from Kentucky’s whiskey past.
We’re tasting the Origin Series Rye, a minimum six year rye that’s produced, aged and bottled at Bardstown Bourbon Company and available in Australia. While the mash bill looks familiar at 95 percent rye and 5 percent malted barley, the flavour comes from a finishing barrel designed for innovation.
The conversation turns to whiskey history. Jake shares stories about defunct distilleries around Bardstown, preserved warehouses still used today, what Prohibition did to the industry, how brands consolidated afterward, and how the bourbon glut pushed Kentucky down to just nine active distilleries by the year 2000.
If you want a rye that feels different, or you love the history behind American whiskey, this episode is for you.
Podcast chapters
00:00 Back at Bardstown with Jake Sulek
00:27 Origin Series overview
00:59 Mash bill and why this rye is finished
01:20 The cherrywood barrel challenge
01:55 Zebra barrel and infrared toasting
02:52 What flavours cherrywood and toasting bring
03:12 Tasting notes and the rye that doesn’t burn
04:26 Label transparency and what you’re drinking
05:01 Single barrel and cast strength talk
05:36 Heritage Library and defunct distilleries
07:14 Prohibition impact
08:28 Rebooting distilleries after Prohibition
09:17 The bourbon glut and the year 2000 low point
11:08 Growth across Kentucky and the US
11:22 Cheers and wrap
To close out the year we pour a Larrikin single barrel Delta 5 from Kentucky, signed by Greg, and use it as the starting point for a chat about our bourbon highlights from 2025.
The idea was simple. Each of us had to choose a bourbon of the year and then pick a single bourbon memory that fits inside 120 seconds. In practice it was a lot harder, because 2025 has been full of ridiculous opportunities, generous hospitality and moments we never imagined we would have.
If you have enjoyed following along with our trips, tastings and distillery visits this year, this episode is an easy, end of year reflection with two special pours and a look ahead to 2026.
We visit the Blending House in Kentucky and sit down with Ashleigh Barnes, the master blender behind Lucky Seven and Curley. Ashleigh brings us the New Yorker, an Amburana finished bourbon that tastes like hummingbird cake, oatmeal cream pies and dessert in a glass. She explains how she manages such a powerful finishing wood by tasting at day five, pulling liquid at the exact moment it peaks, and reusing the same barrels to create deeper and more controlled layers.
Ashleigh also walks us through the new blending and bottling facility, the innovative rick houses and the approach to scaling without losing craft. She tells stories about the teams she works with, the people she blends for, and the festival moments that make the bourbon world feel like family.
Chapters:
00:13 The perfect pop
00:49 Meeting Ashleigh at the Blending House
01:23 What Amburana really does
02:23 Dessert notes and childhood memories
04:47 Building the blending facility
06:11 Rick houses and innovation
07:42 Blending and meeting drinkers
09:10 Bourbon, stories and family
10:35 Ashleigh’s path through Buffalo Trace and Four Roses
11:30 The Elmer T. Lee project
12:17 Keeping memories in every bottle
We talk through her background at Buffalo Trace and Four Roses, the skills she learned from legendary mentors, and the moment she helped blend the commemorative Elmer T. Lee release. It is a conversation filled with flavour, memory and joy, and the perfect look at what it means to shape a bourbon from idea to bottle.
We’re back at Star Hill Farm in Kentucky, sitting in the Heritage Room at Maker’s Mark, joined by Dr. Blake Layfield, the master distiller and head of innovation and blending. It’s the perfect day for bourbon, and Blake takes us through one of the most fascinating tastings we’ve ever done on the show.
In front of us are three glasses that tell the whole story of Maker’s Mark: the classic cask strength expression that represents the founders’ original taste vision, an eleven and a half year over-aged barrel that shows what happens when oak and tannin push a whiskey outside those guardrails, and finally the new Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged release, a blend of eleven, thirteen and fourteen year old whiskey that is rich, dark and complex without drifting into bitterness.
Blake explains how Maker’s Mark has kept the same mash bill, yeast and process since 1953 and why they focus on intensity, velocity, complexity and finish instead of simply naming tasting notes. He talks about what makes wheat spice feel so different to rye spice, why age is not a measure of quality in American whiskey, and what “age to taste” really means inside the distillery.
We hear the story of the limestone cellar, why dynamiting a hill changed what was possible for Maker’s Mark, and how the Cellar Aged project shows a new dimension of the classic house style. Blake also lifts the curtain on their blending process, where weeks of blind tasting eventually shape each year’s release.
If you’ve ever wondered how far Maker’s Mark can push maturity, what really happens in their warehouses, or why Cellar Aged tastes the way it does, this episode is a brilliant deep dive right from the source.
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome from Star Hill Farm and the Heritage Room
00:13 Introducing Dr Blake Layfield and why this room matters
00:35 Heritage, culture and what makes Maker’s Mark unique
01:08 Returning to Maker’s, where you first fell in love with bourbon
01:20 Three glasses on the table and what each o...
