We bought this bourbon because it came in a bowling pin.

Seriously.

Fresh home from Kentucky Bourbon Festival, we're cracking one of the more ridiculous—and brilliant—souvenirs we brought home: Jim Beam Ten Pin.

It's a 10-year-old, 100-proof bourbon packaged inside a proper white-and-red bowling pin decanter.

The surprise? The whiskey inside is genuinely delicious.

We find peach crumble, whipped cream, stone fruit and plenty of confectionery sweetness before heading down the rabbit hole of bourbon decanters, why they became such a fascinating part of bourbon history, and why we're suddenly seeing so many fun examples again.

We also recap how we actually got the bottle at Kentucky Bourbon Festival and why we reckon a few more Aussies should make the trip next year.

Come for the bowling pin. Stay for the bourbon.

This week we're finally cracking a bottle that's been sitting unopened on our shelf for far too long: Heaven’s Door Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the expression now known as Revival.

We find spice, nutmeg, apricot, caramel and a lovely syrupy mouthfeel before disappearing down a few fascinating whiskey rabbit holes.

We talk about Bob Dylan and the story behind Heaven’s Door, the distinctive design of the bottle, and Dave tries to untangle the difference between Tennessee Whiskey and Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Then we head back to Louisville and The Last Refuge - the spectacular former church that's been transformed into a Heaven’s Door whiskey bar - and why sitting at a great bar, talking to strangers and trying unfamiliar whiskey can be one of the best parts of exploring bourbon.

Sometimes you need to stop choosing your own bourbon and let someone else put something in your glass.

That's how we discovered 2XO Sneakerhead Blend at Evergreen Liquors in Louisville.

We told an incredibly knowledgeable bartender what we liked, asked him to pour us something we hadn't tried—and ended up liking his recommendation enough to bring a bottle all the way back to Australia.

This week we're revisiting that bottle and finding buttery hazelnuts, candied orange, chocolate, oak and even some popping candy.

We also get into Dixon Dedman and the story behind 2XO, what "Two Times Oak" actually means, why this expression has a sneaker on the label, and why a high-rye bourbon can still surprise someone who doesn't normally go looking for high-rye whiskey.

The moral of this one is pretty simple: try new things.

This week we're opening our first bottle of Pinhook—and Helen was sold before we'd even tasted it because it came dipped in purple wax.

It's a Pinhook Single Barrel Cask Strength selected by Whiskey Hunt Australia: five years old, 115 proof and packed with fresh fruit, green apple, caramel and some rather unexpected fairy-floss vibes.

But the story behind Pinhook might be even more interesting than the whiskey.

We discover why its bottles deliberately resemble wine bottles, why Pinhook doesn't necessarily want every year's whiskey to taste identical, how thoroughbred racing inspired the brand, and what the term "pinhooking" actually means.

We also get into sourced whiskey, single-barrel selections and why supporting Australian groups doing barrel picks ultimately means more interesting bourbon making its way to Australia.

This week we're opening a particularly special bottle: a 2025 Michter’s 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon that Dave's friends gave him for his 40th birthday.

And it's an absolute cracker.

We find currants, dark chocolate, baked fruit, caramel and sweet oak before getting into some of the things that make Michter’s whiskey so distinctive.

We work our way through six production choices Michter’s makes differently, including its 103 barrel-entry proof, extended wood seasoning, toasted barrels, small batch sizes, custom filtration and heat cycling its warehouses.

We also revisit what Andrea Wilson and Dan McKee taught us at Michter’s Shively distillery, talk about Michter’s being named the World's Most Admired Whiskey for the fourth year running, and explain why a Michter’s 10 Year can actually be considerably older than the number on the bottle.

A special whiskey, for a special birthday, from some fabulous friends.

Cheers!

This week we're pouring Barrell Bourbon Batch 36, a fascinating blend of bourbons sourced from Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee.

The components range from 7½ years old all the way to 15 years, with a derived mash bill of 79% corn, 16% rye and 5% malted barley.

And it's bloody good.

We find citrus, marmalade, strawberry jam and a wonderfully chewy caramel character before getting into the bigger story behind the bottle: why being a non-distilling producer gives blenders the freedom to combine different ages, mash bills and distilleries to create something completely new.

We talk Barrell Craft Spirits, Seagrass, Pursuit Spirits, Ashley Barnes and The Blending House, and why the people who can take a collection of completely different barrels and turn them into something this cohesive still seem a bit like crazy scientists to us.

This week we're pouring a Maker’s Mark Private Select hand-selected by Whiskey Hunt Australia.

The Private Select program takes the wood-finishing idea behind Maker’s Mark 46 and gives groups the chance to create their own expression using a combination of different finishing staves.

And this particular selection is fascinating.

It's still unmistakably Maker’s Mark, with the familiar sweetness, cherry and creamy wheated mouthfeel, but there's considerably more oak, roast and toast than we're used to finding in Maker’s.

We talk about how Private Select works, why two selections from the same distillery can taste completely different, the fun and risk of buying barrel picks, and what actually happens inside Maker’s Mark's limestone cellar.

Plus, Dave spectacularly misreads the stave recipe before eventually getting it right.

Cheers!

Kentucky Bourbon Festival is only weeks away, so this week we're opening one of our favourite festival finds.

It's a Burton James Single Barrel Wheated Bourbon selected for Kentucky Bourbon Festival, and while we enjoy it we share our biggest tips for anyone making the trip to Bardstown.

From avoiding queues and pacing yourself to taking notes, staying hydrated and making time to meet people, these are the things we've learned after several Kentucky Bourbon Festivals.

If you're heading over this year, we hope these tips help you get even more out of an incredible weekend.

Dry July continues, so we're revisiting one of our favourite interviews.

This week we're back at Star Hill Farm with Dr. Blake Layfield from Maker's Mark.

Sharing a pour of Maker's Mark Cellar Aged, Blake explains the science behind maturation, how oak transforms spirit into bourbon, and why Maker's Mark continues investing heavily in understanding flavour.

It's one of the most insightful conversations we've had, offering a rare look behind the scenes at one of the world's most iconic distilleries.

Dry July continues, so we're revisiting another one of our favourite interviews.

This week we're back with Caryn Wells, National Brand Ambassador for Green River Distilling Co.

Caryn walks us through the difference between Green River's High Rye and Wheated Bourbons before sharing some fantastic advice on how to nose, taste and enjoy bourbon.

From the "Kentucky Chew" to why your first sip always tastes different, this episode is full of practical tips for anyone looking to get more enjoyment from their whiskey.

And most importantly...

Drink it however you like.