Aussie Bourbon Lovers

Aussie Bourbon Lovers

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

  1. JAN 29

    Bardstown Origin High Wheat: 39% Wheat And The Science Of Entry Proof

    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

    9 min
  2. JAN 15

    Larrikin “Cigar Lounge”: Five Finishes, One Nine-Year Bourbon with Greg Keeley

    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

    15 min
  3. 12/18/2025

    The Zebra Barrel Rye | Bardstown's Origin Rye With Jake Sulek

    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

    12 min

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