American Whiskey in Australia
Whiskey Hunt Australia is a place for all Aussie fans of American whiskey to learn, share and experience all things bourbon!
Checkout some answers to our FAQ's below. If you have any questions about single barrel picks, special releases, where to find rare whiskey or anything American whiskey related please do not hesitate to reach out to us by email or socials, if we can't help you we'll point you in the direction of someone who can! Happy Hunting!
FAQ's
Barrel Picks
What's a barrel pick?
A "barrel pick" is a single barrel or private release that's been chosen by a person, store or group from a selection of samples either on-site at the distillery or by samples sent out. Barrel picks have become one of the hottest things in the US whiskey market due to their uniqueness, rarity and collectability. We here at Whiskey Hunt Australia are proud to have released over a dozen barrel picks so far and have helped opened the door to others in Australia following suit, brining even more amazing whiskey into Australia! A huge thank you to the amazing teams behind Old Forester, Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey, 1792, High West, Barrell Craft Spirits and others for making this crazy dram a reality!
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How can I buy your single barrel releases?
As single barrels usually only yield 130 - 160 bottles we often sell out almost immediately on release. The best way to get access is subscribe to our mailing list. No membership, no opt out, no mandatory purchase, you'll just get a heads up when our releases go live! We also post plenty of warning on our socials so follow us on Instagram and Facebook if you have! Checkout our current library of single barrel picks here
If you've missed out on any release you can always check in with one of our VIP partner retail stores, they might have one hidden away in the back for you! Find a store in your area here - Shop American Whiskey Now
Whiskey Events
How often do you hold events?
We hold multiple events across Australia throughout the year. We hold events around special releases we're doing, but also partnering with some of the best brands in Australia to help showcase American whiskey
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How do I get tickets to your events?
Subscribe to our mailing list to get early access to all our special events, and make sure you're following our socials to keep up to date! Checkout our previous events with Michter's, Willett and others here - Past Whiskey Hunt Events
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What's your big annual event? #WHISKEYHUNT #SYDNEYBOURBONTRAIL
Our annual VIP event "The Whiskey Hunt" is the premiere American Whiskey event in Australia. Bringing all the best brands and people together for a one day American whiskey extravaganza! Last year included activations with Wild Turkey, Old Forester, Buffalo Trace, Barrell Craft Spirits & Michter's. Guests must apply for tickets, and due to demand and limited capacity will be chosen based off their involvement in the whiskey community. Checkout some highlights from WH2022
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Get in touch to apply for a spot on WH2024!
Best Whiskey Cocktails
What's your favourite Bourbon & Rye cocktails and how do I make them?
The big bold flavour of Bourbon and rye whiskey hold up very well with other flavours and ingredients making them ideal for cocktails. Some of my favourite recopies for Old fashioned, whiskey sour, Manhattan and more are available here - Whiskey Cocktails
Best Whiskey Bar
What's your favourite Bar's for American whiskey in Australia?
With the popularity of bourbon exploding in the cocktail world, its no surprise Australia has some amazing whiskey bars on offer. Some are cocktail focused, others do an incredible job of sourcing some of the rarest whiskey in the world available by the dram. Checkout our favourite bars here - Best Whiskey Bars in Australia (ps. you'll also find some of our barrel picks on the back bar!)
Bourbon Rules
What's the difference between bourbon and whiskey?
All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon! Now that I have you confused even more; for a spirit to be classified as bourbon by law it must adhere to the following rules:​
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Geographic region: All bourbon must be distilled and aged in the United States. It is closely associated with Kentucky and the Southern US, but it can be made anywhere in the country.
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Grain makeup/mash bill: Bourbon is a grain whiskey. To meet the legal requirements, it needs to be distilled from at least 51% corn. The remainder can be any other type of cereal grain such as rye, barley, or wheat. This combination of fermented grain is called the mash bill.
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Aging process: Bourbon must be aged in new, charred barrels made from American white oak. Aging in the barrel is what gives bourbon its colour, along with added flavour from contact with the wood barrel. The aging process can last anywhere from a few months to many years. Whiskey bottles are often labelled with the number of years they are aged in the barrel. This is called the age statement.
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Proof: Bottled bourbon must be at least 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume). There are standards for what proof the bourbon must be at other points in the production process, too. Legally, bourbon must be distilled to no more than 160 proof (80% ABV) and must be at 125 proof (62.5% ABV) when the barrel aging process begins.
Best Bourbon
What's the best bourbon in the world?
Some bourbon's have become what the community refers to as "unicorns" after winning awards. Pappy Van Winkle 20 year bourbon is the most famous example of this. The Pappy craze didn’t start until 1996, after the Beverage Testing Institute rated the 20-year Pappy Van Winkle a 99 out of 100 — the highest rating for a whiskey ever given by the institute. Bottles of Pappy van winkle have been hunted by fans around the world, meaning bottles are commonly seen for thousands of dollars about RRP, even getting press such as "The Bourbon So Exclusive That Even Billionaires Can't Buy It"!
Price doesn't always mean quality, and every persons palate is different, so going to events and trying samples is a great way to find out what you enjoy best.
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What whiskey awards are most recognized?
Awards can be a great way to stay up to date with new and exciting whiskey in the market. A few of my favourites below:
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Fred Minnick - 100 Best American whiskey of the year
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San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC)
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