Aussie Bourbon Lovers

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...

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 recommendi...

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...

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 distill...

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 •...

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 expr...

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 al...

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 bou...

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...

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 histo...

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...

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...

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 m...

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, desser...

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...

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 st...

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 f...

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 r...

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 n...

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 famili...

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 abo...

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...

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...

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 spec...