BEST KENTUCKY BOURBON 2023

Broken Barrel:

CALIFORNIA OAK

TWO WORLDS COLLIDE

Born in Northern California, raised in Southern California, our founder Seth has California running through his blood. Enamored with Kentucky, and loyal to home, he combined his two favorite states into one award-winning bottle of whiskey. Distilled in Owensboro Kentucky – this Straight Bourbon whiskey is finished with 80% Central Coast Cabernet barrel staves, and 20% French Oak staves. The charred virgin French oak gives a common character found in the wine, while also rounding the sweet dark fruit flavors bleeding from the freshly dumped wine barrels. The marshmallow forward, cherry center, and oak-heavy finish lingers, while remaining balanced and approachable. Aged a minimum of two years. As our Founder says.

“California Oak was created as a bourbon that could seamlessly bring the wine drinker into the world of whiskey. This is a step into our world and a every day sipping whiskey made to be drank neat, and often.”

Mash Bill:

  • 70% Corn
  • 21% Rye
  • 9% Malted Barley

Oak Bill™

  • 20% French Oak Staves
  • 80% Central Coast Cabernet Wine Barrel Staves

Broken Barrel California Oak Bourbon was awarded the Gold Medal in 2020
at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for finished bourbon.
Tasting Panel – 91 Points, January 2022

Batch 001 | Launched March 2020

44.0% ABV | 88° Proof

Broken Barrel:

Bourbon

Broken Barrel Bourbon features a unique blend of corn, rye, and barley that makes it perfectly balanced to infuse. We partnered with an incredible world-class Kentucky Bourbon distillery to select the finest bourbon base for our products. The bourbon is aged a minimum of two years to be called a Kentucky Straight Bourbon, which also ensures a specific quality we’re looking for before incorporate our Oak Bill™.

WHAT IS THE OAK BILL?

After a minimum of two years in new charred oak barrels, the bourbon is dumped to steel tanks, where each batch of Broken Barrel is hit with new French oak staves, ex-bourbon barrel staves, and a blend of ex-sherry cask staves.

Rich, complex, layered and beyond beautiful, Broken Barrel boldly goes where other whiskies won’t – and we wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Mash Bill:

  • 70% Corn
  • 21% Rye
  • 9% Malted Barley

Oak Bill™

  • 40% French Oak Staves
  • 40% Ex-Bourbon Cask Staves
  • 20% Sherry Cask Staves

A note about Staves – there is a tremendous amount of surface area when using staves to further mature a whiskey – much more than using the inside of a barrel. Over twice the total area of oak comes in to contact with the liquid, each stave furthering the depth of character and enhancing the whiskey’s flavor. 

Broken Barrel:

HERESY RYE

**OUR MOST AWARDED WHISKEY**

This Rye whiskey is distilled in Owensboro Kentucky – just like our bourbon. However, it is unlike any rye whiskey you’ve ever tasted. Charred French oak gives a woody body to the spirit, while ex-bourbon (still soaked from the previous tenant) and ex-sherry cask staves all join forces to create a fiery, yet balanced and smooth taste and finish. We use the same proprietary Oak Bill™ to embolden this rye whiskey and give it an uncommon and untraditional taste and character. Aged a minimum of two years.
Call it sacrilegious, call it untraditional, call it heresy—we won’t be offended. But trust us. Once you taste it, you may begin to question the tradition yourself.
Mash Bill:
  • 95% Rye
  • 5% Malted Barley
Oak Bill™
  • 40% French Oak Staves
  • 40% Ex-Bourbon Cask Staves
  • 20% Sherry Cask Staves
Heresy Rye Whiskey was awarded the Gold Medal in 2019 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for rye whiskies.
Tasting Panel – 93 Points, January 2022
Batch 001 | Launched August 2018
52.5% ABV | 105° Proof

Broken Barrel:

Americana

YOUR SLICE OF AMERICA IN A BOTTLE

We strive to create whiskey that reflects a certain style and profile. Each batch and each release is meticulously crafted to ensure it is unlike other whiskey on the shelves. There is little logic to creating more of ‘the same’.
That’s where the Americana comes in – as Bourbon prices soar and alternative American whiskeys styles like Light Whiskey and Single Malt gain popularity, we believe the appetite for new American whiskey styles is growing, and so we give you the Americana. A blend of light whiskey and bourbon, finished with three very American-favored oaks that combine beautifully – toasted, charred and Apple brandy barrel staves. The results of this Oak Bill is a sweet, soft and smooth sip-worthy whiskey that offers a lighter style than bourbon. A great alternative to Highland Scotch or Irish Whiskey, and a fun substitute in your next craft cocktail.
Mash Bill:
  • 80% Corn
  • 14% Rye
  • 6% Malted Barley
Oak Bill™
  • 40% Toasted American Oak Barrel Staves
  • 40% New Char #4 Oak Staves
  • 20% American Apple Brandy Staves
Batch 001 | Launched August 2018
50.0% ABV | 100° Proof

Broken Barrel:

LIMITED EDITION
SINGLE BARRELS

DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT.
RARELY REPODUCED.

As of late 2021, every few months Broken Barrel will release unique projects from its distillery and headquarters in Downtown Los Angeles. Each release is wildly different from the last or the next, with varying Oak Bills™ and crossing all categories of whiskey. The team in Los Angeles is constantly experimenting with new oak barrels and whiskey types, such as single malt, wheat, corn, bourbon and rye whiskeys. The team is also working with retailers, whiskey societies, and distribution groups on single barrel selections year round. Be sure to email if interested in a single barrel pick for your whiskey group or retail store.

Be sure to check back on our whiskey shop to see what is available from the Los Angeles warehouse. To stay on top of all that we produce, you may consider signing up for our quarterly whiskey club to guarantee yourself rare whiskey drops, discounted bottles, and
Past Releases:
  • The Single Oak Series – Mizunara [2019]
  • The Single Oak Series – The Cask of Amontillado [2019]
  • The Single Oak Series – Isle of Peat [2019]
  • Fen Walker [2020]
  • Rare Americana 7-Year #1, “Broken Dreams” [2021]
  • Rare Americana 7-Year #2 “Bourbon Lens” [2022]
  • Plank Walker – Winter [2021]
  • Maple Mizunara – Winter [2022]
  • The Wreckoner – Winter [2022]
  • Fen Walker II: Second Sighting – Spring [2022]
  • Cornucopia – Summer [2022]
  • Double Barrel Bourbon – Summer [2022]
  • Honey Smoke Rye – Summer [2022]
  • Luciferous American Single Malt – Fall [2022]
  • Rare Americana #3 – Rum & Curacao Finish [2022]
  • Rare Americana #4 – Amburana & Armagnac [2022]
Current Offerings At the Distillery As of February 13th, 2023:
  • Little Oak Rye – Distillery Exclusive [2022]
  • Rare Americana #5 – Oloroso & Toasted Barrels [2023]
  • Los Angeles Distillery Single Barrel Bourbon(s) [2023]