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Aussie Bourbon Lovers

Aussie Bourbon Lovers

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.

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  • 20 episodes
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  • Avg 13 min
  • English

Episodes 20

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  • S1 · E128
    Yesterday · 11 min

    Ben Holladay Bourbon Lore with Kia & Jack from Honey Barrel

    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!

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  • S1 · E127
    October 22 · 13 min

    35 Years of Kentucky Bourbon Festival: The Bourbon & The Myths

    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.

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  • S1 · E126
    October 15 · 11 min

    Weller Antique 107 Cigar Cut: Crème Brûlée, Dark Cherry & 107 Proof

    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.

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  • S1 · E125
    October 8 · 13 min

    Whitney Rye: Bardstown, Bourbon & a 15-Year Willett in The Parlor Room

    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.

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  • S1 · E124
    October 1 · 12 min

    Kentucky Boy Uncorked: Brown-Forman's Tribute to Chris Morris

    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.

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  • S1 · E123
    September 24 · 12 min

    Exploring Jim Beam Ten Pin and Bourbon Decanter Culture

    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.

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  • S1 · E122
    September 17 · 11 min

    Cracking Open Heaven's Door Tennessee Bourbon: Apricot Jam & Spice

    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.

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  • S1 · E121
    September 10 · 12 min

    2XO Sneakerhead: The Bourbon We Never Would Have Picked

    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.

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  • S1 · E120
    September 3 · 11 min

    Purple Wax & Pinhook: Bourbon, Wine & Kentucky Racehorses

    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.

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  • S1 · E119
    August 27 · 13 min

    Michter’s 10 Year Bourbon: 6 Things They Do Differently

    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!

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  • S1 · E118
    August 20 · 11 min

    Batch 36 Breakthrough: Barrel Bourbon Tastes & Tales

    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.

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  • S1 · E117
    August 13 · 11 min

    Whiskey Hunt Australia’s Maker’s Mark Private Select

    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!

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  • S1 · E116
    August 6 · 12 min

    Vanilla Gorilla & Kentucky Festival Tips: Burton James Single Barrel Wheated Bourbon

    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.

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  • S1 · E115
    July 30 · 22 min

    Inside Maker's Mark: Cellar-Aged Secrets with Dr. Blake Layfield

    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.

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  • S1 · E114
    July 25 · 15 min

    Green River Wheated vs High Rye Bourbon Explained with Caryn Wells

    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.

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  • S1 · E113
    July 16 · 15 min

    Larrikin's Cigar Lounge Bourbon Explained in Dry July Replay

    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.

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  • S1 · E112
    July 9 · 30 min

    We Revisit Our Favourite Michter's Episode, 10 Year Bourbon with Dan McKee and Andrea Wilson (Dry July Recap)

    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.

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  • S1 · E111
    July 2 · 11 min

    Old Grandad 114: Small Jug, Big Personality

    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.

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  • S1 · E110
    June 25 · 14 min

    Elijah Craig Barrel Select 'Grenade': Tiny Bottle, Big Bourbon

    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.

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  • S1 · E109
    June 18 · 10 min

    Why Jack Daniel's Bonded Is Better Than You Expect

    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.

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