Seelbach’s Private Reserve "The Beekeeper" Honey Finished Straight Bourbon Batch 002

Distilled in Lawrenceburg, IN. Finished and bottled in Jacksonville, FL

Proof: 111.5 proof

Finish: Straight Bourbon; Finished for 8+ Months Wild Honey Infused Barrels

Finishing Barrels: Blend of ex-20-year Light Whiskey, ex-16-Year Bourbon and ex-72 Month Air Dried Stave bourbon barrels

Mash Bill: 75/21/4 Corn/Rye/Malted Barley

Tasting Notes: Cherries jubilee and buttercream icing on the nose. There's a touch of pepper, dried chilies and oak. The nose is subtly sweet without a plain honey note outside of the dried fruit and vanilla sweetness. The palate is velvety with blackberry, honey simple syrup and buttered rye toast. It's initially sweet and builds up to a balance of spice. Toasted coconut and dark chocolate begin to develop on the back palate. The finish revives some of the elegant notes of buttercream frosting, rye bread, and toasted coconut. The spice punches through slightly more on the finish than on the palate. You're left with a complex but delicious pour from start to finish.

About: Seelbach's Private Reserve is a bespoke independent bottler. We're dedicated to "unlocking craft spirits." We embrace patience, waiting for that certain whiskey to cross our path. This finish gained popularity in the past few years. We've tried many producers' versions. We wanted to put our own spin on it. So, we sourced our own wildflower honey from Georgia. These bees roam among blackberries, muscadines, apples, peaches, pears, and nectarines. This wide variety adds a deep and sweet richness to the bourbon. Enjoy!

The Story: How do you improve on a bottle that sold out and earned a 4.5/5 from Breaking Bourbon? That was the challenge with The Beekeeper Batch 002. Last year's release surprised everyone. It sold out fast and left over 700 people on the waitlist, eager for another chance. Bringing it back was easy. Bringing it back to the same standard was not.

The Beekeeper Batch 002 begins with straight bourbon made from a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. It ages for over 8 months in barrels infused with wild honey. The goal is clear: develop a bourbon-forward honey finish. It should be rich, textured, and deep—never too sweet or flat.

This year’s batch is older and more complex. It includes a blend of ex-20-year Light Whiskey, ex-16-year Bourbon, and ex-bourbon barrels. The ex-bourbon barrels were 72-month air-dried staves. Each cask brings its own flavor: mature oak, floral, deeper caramel sweetness. A well-rounded mouthfeel from the honey and seasoned oak. The result is a more complete Beekeeper—richer, more complex, and, in my opinion, even better than Batch 001.

You can always wait for the reviews. Just know the 700+ people still on the Batch 001 waitlist tried that strategy last time.