Aussie Bourbon Lovers

Bardstown Bourbon Company has built its reputation as the “modern bourbon maker” — blending, innovating, and crafting for some of the biggest names in the industry. 

In this episode, we sit down with Jake Sulek, Bardstown’s Head of Education and VIP Experience, to discuss the company’s first release in their origin series, their wheated Bottled-in-Bond bourbon, and why it represents a most significant milestone in their history.

Fo...

In this episode of Aussie Bourbon Lovers, we open a fresh bottle of Nulu Maple Brûlée Single Barrel, a Kentucky Bourbon Festival pick that delivers rich, dessert-like flavour in every sip.

We talk through how the maple brûlée process works, the unique way barrels are treated, and why this whiskey has a sticky mouthfeel and dessert-style notes like sticky date pudding, butterscotch, and dark chocolate.

We also share the story of why...

Recorded in the Heritage Room at Maker’s Mark in Kentucky, this episode marks a truly historic moment in American whiskey. We sit down with Dr. Blake Layfield, Master Distiller and Head of Innovation at Maker’s Mark, to discuss the launch of Star Hill Farm Wheat Whiskey.

This is the first new mash bill from Maker’s Mark since 1953, and it represents a turning point in American whiskey history. We cover:

• How Star Hill Farm Whe...

This might be the most unique bourbon story we’ve ever shared. Recorded at Larrikin Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, we sit down with Australian founder Greg Keeley to taste and discuss Larrikin Rosewater Bourbon.

Instead of using spring water, this bourbon is proofed with rosewater, inspired by Greg’s time in the Middle East and the cultural tradition of rose tea. The innovation took more than a year to be approved by the TTB...

Recorded live at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, this episode of Aussie Bourbon Lovers is all about Chicken Cock Bourbon — one of the most historic names in American whiskey.

We explore the legacy of Chicken Cock, from its rise in the 1800s to its role in Prohibition-era speakeasies, and its revival for today’s bourbon fans. Along the way, we share our tasting notes, talk about the energy of the festival, and reflect on why heritage...

We're getting ready for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and what better way to prep than with a bottle of Old Forester 100 Proof? In this pre-trip pour, Dave and Helen share their thoughts on the bottle, the quirky screw-top, and what it feels like to sip a bourbon that’s harder to find back home in Australia.

They also share updates on what they're excited about for the trip, how they’re preparing their palates, and the little joys ...

This pour started with a cork pop and turned into a conversation that blurred the lines between rye and bourbon.

In this episode, we try Minor Case Sherry Cask Finished Rye — a rye whiskey that brings the sweetness of sherry with the warmth of Kentucky-style grains. Helen and Dave dive into mash bills, argue about what counts as a bourbon, and compare the grassy, peppery ryes to this softer, sweeter alternative.

It’s not a bourbon…...

We’re pouring something a little extra special today — Blanton’s Gold. And to match the pour, we’re joined by someone extra special too: Denver Cramer from legendary Aussie glassware company Denver & Liely.

This one’s part bourbon tasting, part banter, and part deep appreciation for what makes bourbon and glassware such a great pairing. We talk about:

• The real reason Blanton’s Gold is smoother than you'd expect at 51.5%

• ...

Tonight’s pour is Rock Hill Farms – a 100-proof single barrel bourbon from Buffalo Trace that once earned the title “world’s finest” from Washingtonian Magazine. This one’s got mystery, nostalgia, and a dentist with bourbon in every cupboard.

Dave and Helen share the story of discovering this elusive bottle on a work trip to Kentucky, why it's so hard to find in Australia, and how it ended up in a blind flight by accident (with exc...

This week on Aussie Bourbon Lovers, we go off-book – literally – and dive into something local, legendary, and a little bit special: Sullivans Cove from Tasmania. Why? It’s Tassie Whisky Week, and what better way to celebrate than with a 14-year-old single cask from the distillery that put Australian whisky on the global map?

H pours us the very last drops of bottle TD0275 – a second-fill American oak cask filled in 2008 and bottle...

Dave and H uncork Booker's Bourbon (Batch 2023-01 "Charlie’s Batch"), a 63.3% ABV barrel-proof bourbon from the Jim Beam Distillery in Kentucky, and find it brimming with rich flavor and stories. They’re amazed at the deep caramel and maple syrup notes in this whiskey and how smooth it drinks despite its high proof. Along the way, the guys share plenty of laughs and bourbon insights in their signature unscripted style.

This tasting...

In this episode, we crack open a half-finished bottle of Penelope Toasted Bourbon (because we’ve already been loving it) and dig into what makes it so damn tasty.

We cover:

• 🔥 The toasted barrel finish – what it is and why it matters

• 🛢️ Char level 5 – how intense barrel prep changes the profile

• 🌽 This Penelope’s mash bill (75% corn, 20% rye, 4% malted barley)

• 🪵 Vanilla, marshmallow, subtle campfire — this is the s’mo...

What happens when an Aussie distiller takes on bourbon on its home turf?

In this episode, we sip and unpack the Larrikin KBF Single Barrel — a true bourbon made by the team at Larrikin, distilled and aged in Kentucky.

We explore the flavour, the story behind the distillery, and whether this cross-continental endeavour delivers the goods. It's Australia meets America in a bottle, and it makes for a bold conversation.

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What happens when you pour a Champagne-finished bourbon into two completely different glasses… with Denver Cramer, co-founder of Denver & Liely?

In this episode, Denver brings two distinct glasses to the table as we do a side-by-side of Dumangin Batch 010, a French-finished bourbon with serious flair. We compare pours, geek out over glass design, and discover how much glassware truly changes your tasting experience.

It’s not ju...

This isn’t your average bourbon origin story. It starts with a house swap — and ends with a bottle of Fernhill Station on the shelf in Australia.

In the second ep with James from HP Bowlo, we hear how a simple home exchange led to a deep dive into American whiskey, inspired a brand name, and sparked a whole new obsession. We talk through the journey of building a label from scratch, balancing work and passion, and finding a flavour...

This week we’re tasting something with a name that sounds like an insult from the 1800s — Linkumpinch Single Barrel Bourbon.

But don’t let the label fool you. Behind the wild name is a bold Kentucky pour that hits with spice, complexity, and just enough mystery to keep us talking.

We dig into the brand's frontier backstory, the experience of drinking it freshly cracked, and where it lands on the flavour spectrum — all while swappin...

In this first Fernhill Station episode, we crack open a single cask whisky from Mount Pleasant Club in Washington D.C., and chat with James Sommerlad, the man bringing this bourbon gem to Australia.

We sip and chat through:

• 🥃 What makes this 5 year, 7 month four-grain whisky so special

• 🌽 A mashbill packed with yellow corn, winter red wheat, barley & rye

• 🏡 The uncanny connection between Mount Pleasant, Washington DC...

Pour yourself a dram and join us as we crack open a 2019 Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel pick — courtesy of Kitty Hawk & Harry Stubbs. This is a bottle with character, and we’re joined by Denver from Denver & Liely to sip, share stories, and swirl some opinions.

We get into: – What makes a single barrel pick special – The Wild Turkey connection with the Russell family – Tasting notes, glassware talk, and why this dram hits ...

In this episode of Aussie Bourbon Lovers, Dave cracks open a near-empty bottle of Michter’s Fort Nelson Reserve — hand-bottled at the Michter’s experience in Louisville and personally labelled “Dave Collins.”

We chat about:

• 🥃 The Fort Nelson bottling experience on Whiskey Row

• 🛠️ Whether it's single barrel or vatted bourbon

• 📖 Writing your name in Michter’s bottling ledger

• 🤩 Bourbon joy that rivals Christmas morning

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