Aussie Bourbon Lovers

Aussie Bourbon Lovers

Australian Bourbon Lovers enjoying one pour at a time, sharing the magic of bourbon whiskey with Australia.

  1. Treasure Island Whiskey And The Stories Bottles Carry

    19 MAR

    Treasure Island Whiskey And The Stories Bottles Carry

    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

    10 min
  2. 12 MAR

    Inside The Blending House With Master Blender Ashley Barnes [Extended Episode]

    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 proof 28:00 Holiday Toast and flavour goals 29:30 Keeping detailed notebooks 30:30 Final thoughts

    32 min
  3. WhistlePig 10 Year Rye: The Bottle That Changed Our Minds

    5 MAR

    WhistlePig 10 Year Rye: The Bottle That Changed Our Minds

    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

    10 min
  4. 12 FEB

    Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye (2016) Bottle Kill With Denver Cramer

    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

    12 min

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Australian Bourbon Lovers enjoying one pour at a time, sharing the magic of bourbon whiskey with Australia.

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