How do you drink bourbon in the summer? It's a question we've asked ourselves plenty of times as the heat cranks up in Florida. In late 2024, many honey-finished bourbons sold out fast. Lots of people were staring at the "SOLD-OUT" button 5 minutes after each release. That got our creative juices flowing, and it was time for some R&D. I assumed it would be easy. You throw good honey into a barrel followed by good bourbon. That process has worked on many experiments. That couldn't be farther from the truth on this release! We experimented with different types of honey and finishing barrels. There are still a couple of dozen mason jars in my house from all the different tests. We wanted a bourbon-forward honey finished. Not a cloyingly sweet bourbon impersonation. We wanted the full viscosity of the honey without having to chill filter.
We found the ideal blend using honey from White Oak Pastures and ex-Light Whiskey barrels. White Oak is a regenerative farm in Southwest Georgia. Their beehives sit in the farm’s organic garden and orchard. The bees forage across the 3,000-acre regenerative farm. The bees can find blackberries, muscadines, apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, and native wildflowers. This mix creates a tasty, fruit-forward honey. It perfectly balances the spicy bourbon notes. Mix in some vanilla and aged oak notes from the 20-year Light Whiskey barrels, and a new favorite is born!
Seelbach’s Private Reserve "The Beekeeper" Honey Finished Straight Bourbon Batch 001
Proof: 113 proof
Finish: Straight Bourbon finished 4+ Months Honey Infused Ex-20-year Light Whiskey barrels
Mash Bill: 75/21/4 Corn/Rye/Malted Barley
Tasting Notes: Rich brown sugar, candied ginger, and Bit-O-Honey. The honey is subtle at first and adds some sweet and floral notes. The oak begins to fade as the nose opens up. It bounces between pecans and cloves on the nose. The first sip is syrupy and viscous. A great balance of the complex honey notes with Honeycomb cereal and orange zest. Fresh cracked pepper, oak spice, and honey notes start to develop on the mid-palate. The finish is clean. It has notes of orange bitters, blackberry jam, and toasted cinnamon sticks. The honey elevates this whiskey instead of overpowering it. The sweetness balances nicely with the spice of the bourbon. The dry and aged notes of the Light Whiskey barrels add to the complexity and balance.
I'm not sure I've ever made this suggestion before. But, pour this bottle over ice and it transforms into a cocktail in a glass! The perfect bourbon for the summer heat.
