Aussie Bourbon Lovers

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.

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 history — and possibly even inspired The Great Gatsby. A great mix of accessible bourbon, great value, and one hell of a story.

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 And why we feel like we’re only just getting started This is part celebration, part reflection, and part appreciation for the journey so far.

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, dessert-like bourbon that easily stands alongside some of the best double oaked expressions out there.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 specify their own unique barrel profiles, and why something as simple as seasoning time can dramatically change flavour.

We’re kicking off the year with a bourbon that doesn’t come from Kentucky, and that’s exactly why we wanted to talk about it. This episode features Fray Ranch straight bourbon whiskey from Fallon, Nevada. A true farm-to-bottle operation where every grain is grown, malted, distilled, and bottled on site. That approach gives this bourbon a flavour profile that surprised us straight away, with bright fruit notes, a waxy mouthfeel, and a personality that feels genuinely different.

Merry Christmas from Aussie Bourbon Lovers. For this special Christmas Day episode we crack open a gift bottle: an Angel’s Envy Whiskey Hunt Australia single barrel pick. Angel’s Envy is famous for its port finished bourbon and it’s easy to find in Australia, but this one is different. It’s a single barrel pick chosen by the Whiskey Hunt team, and it arrives in a bottle that just feels made for gifting. We talk about why Angel’s Envy has become such a well known finished bourbon, why we love the novelty and sweetness of finished whiskey, and why barrel picks are one of the most fun ways to drink something familiar in a completely unique way. Merry Christmas and cheers.

To close out the year we pour a Larrikin single barrel Delta 5 from Kentucky, signed by Greg, and use it as the starting point for a chat about our bourbon highlights from 2025. The idea was simple. Each of us had to choose a bourbon of the year and then pick a single bourbon memory that fits inside 120 seconds. In practice it was a lot harder, because 2025 has been full of ridiculous opportunities, generous hospitality and moments we never imagined we would have. If you have enjoyed following along with our trips, tastings and distillery visits this year, this episode is an easy, end of year reflection with two special pours and a look ahead to 2026.

We’re back at Star Hill Farm in Kentucky, sitting in the Heritage Room at Maker’s Mark, joined by Dr. Blake Layfield, the master distiller and head of innovation and blending. It’s the perfect day for bourbon, and Blake takes us through one of the most fascinating tastings we’ve ever done on the show. In front of us are three glasses that tell the whole story of Maker’s Mark: the classic cask strength expression that represents the founders’ original taste vision, an eleven and a half year over-aged barrel that shows what happens when oak and tannin push a whiskey outside those guardrails, and finally the new Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged release, a blend of eleven, thirteen and fourteen year old whiskey that is rich, dark and complex without drifting into bitterness. Blake explains how Maker’s Mark has kept the same mash bill, yeast and process since 1953 and why they focus on intensity, velocity, complexity and finish instead of simply naming tasting notes. He talks about what makes wheat spice feel so different to rye spice, why age is not a measure of quality in American whiskey, and what “age to taste” really means inside the distillery. We hear the story of the limestone cellar, why dynamiting a hill changed what was possible for Maker’s Mark, and how the Cellar Aged project shows a new dimension of the classic house style. Blake also lifts the curtain on their blending process, where weeks of blind tasting eventually shape each year’s release. If you’ve ever wondered how far Maker’s Mark can push maturity, what really happens in their warehouses, or why Cellar Aged tastes the way it does, this episode is a brilliant deep dive right from the source.