Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon is the most well-known type of American whiskey. By definition, Bourbon is American-made and this criteria is protected by trade agreements. Although most Bourbon comes from Kentucky, it can actually be distilled anywhere in the US. Made from a minimum of 51% corn, the spirit is distilled to no more than 80% ABV, then matured in new charred American oak barrels at a maximum ABV of 62.5%.

Virgin oak barrels must be used for the maturation of Bourbon. As these barrels can’t have held any other beverage previously, they’re effectively single use – fortunately, the rest of the world prefers non-virgin barrels (ie. barrels that have previously held a spirit or other beverage), and a huge amount of ex-Bourbon American oak barrels find their way to Scotland. These are used for the maturation of Scotch whisky which typically introduces sweeter vanilla and fruit notes to the maturing spirit. You’ll also find whiskies from other countries finished in ex-Bourbon American oak barrels.

Best Bourbon whiskeys released by The Whisky Club

Here at Club HQ, we know that even though our Members are crazy about Scotch single malt whiskies, there’s a passionate portion who love and appreciate good quality Bourbon whiskey. Knowing that, we go the extra mile to bring extra special Bourbons to the Club directly from the US – whether it be hefty age statement releases or one-off single barrels from the most iconic distilleries, Members can rest assured they’re getting the best of the best whenever a Bourbon is released at the Club.  

Rabbit Tale Dareringer

A straight Kentucky Bourbon that’s been finished in Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks, Rabbit Tale Dareringer is the only of its kind. Earning itself back-to-back Double Gold at San Fran then another Gold at the World Whiskies Awards, this American drop shows off with notes of sweet tangerine, creamy caramel and dark cherries. Giving you the best of both worlds, Dareringer’s balanced expression blends both modern and traditional whiskey-making.

Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 Year Old

This mind-blowing Bourbon is the #1-rated Bourbon whiskey in the world with a 99 out of 100 rating from the World Spirits Championship. Intense and tantalising to both the nose and palate, this Kentucky Straight has a smooth nature with rich, sweet vanilla notes dancing with dried fruits, zippy oak and baking spices. Seriously, you haven’t experienced next-level Bourbon until you’ve tasted this.

Stagg Single Barrel

This amazing Bourbon was the first-ever Stagg Single Barrel in Australia and only one of a handful of single barrels ever released. Bottled at a rip-roaring 70.2% ABV, with charred orange, gooey marshmallow and creamy caramel on the nose and a gorgeously rich palate bursting with tropical fruits and chewy butterscotch. This wonder Bourbon was a very limited release only a handful of Members were able to get their hands on.

Wild Turkey Single Barrel 21-0039 & 21-0079

Made of two distinctive Wild Turkey barrels from a selection of only 25 barrels that fulfilled Wild Turkey’s high standard to be released worldwide, these two rare barrels were just for our Members. Not only that, they were selected by Master Distiller Eddie Russel, Wild Turkey’s own 35 year whiskey veteran and Kentucky Hall of Fame™ member. When the first barrel made available in Australia sold out in minutes, we made sure we doubled the volume so even more of our Members could get their hands on this amazing Bourbon.

Barrel 21-0079 delivers waves of candied citrus fruit with velvety white chocolate, and a sweet and spiced finish longer than Eddie's whiskey credentials. Barrel 21-0039 overwhelms beautifully with notes of rich toffee and chewy dried fruits and a lasting thick sugared wood spice finish.