Bondstone Triple Oak Bourbon Whiskey Review.

-

 

Bondstone Triple Oak Bourbon Whiskey


    Bondstone is one of those brands you’ll most often spot at Total Wine, living in the Spirit Direct section and sparking plenty of debate among bourbon fans. Some folks write those bottles off immediately, but the reality is a bit more nuanced. Spirit Direct can mean in-house bottlings, sourced projects, or partnerships with smaller distilleries, and Bondstone sits firmly in that sourced-project lane. This Triple Oak release had been on my radar for a while, and when Batch 2 landed in mid-2025 with a discount attached, curiosity finally won.

    Presentation-wise, Bondstone absolutely nails it. The bottle looks fantastic on the shelf and in the glass, immediately setting expectations higher than you might assume for a sourced bourbon. While Batch 1 passed me by due to pricing, this felt like the right moment to see whether the liquid could live up to the looks.

    Details are limited, as expected with a sourced product. Bondstone does not disclose the distillery or mash bill, though industry speculation points toward Wilderness Trail, a distillery known for contract distillation. What we do know is that this starts as a four-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon that undergoes a double oak process, followed by additional aging with toasted oak staves, hence the “Triple Oak” designation.

    Initially, I questioned the use of staves rather than a full third barrel. After spending time with a wide range of double oak bourbons recently, the choice makes sense. Staves allow for more controlled oak influence without pushing the whiskey into over-oaked territory, and they offer a more cost-effective way to build complexity.


For the full video review visit the link here: https://youtu.be/z6BZvHgdxog.

Age Statement: +4 years.

ABV: 45%.

Mash bill: N/A. (Rumored to be Wilderness Trail High rye mash bill).

Area of Distillation: Danville, Kentucky.

Finishing: New charred oak & toasted oak staves.

Appearance: Deep mocha.


On the nose:
    The nose is immediately impressive. Light chocolate, caramel, and vanilla lead the way, followed by notes of fresh-baked chocolate brownies and custard. There’s a layered oak sweetness here that feels mature and well-integrated, with gentle spice and a touch of tannin. It smells far older than four years, with no youthful grain or sharp ethanol to be found.


Taste:
    The palate is lighter than the nose suggests, but still enjoyable. Vanilla cream, custard, cinnamon stick, and a subtle rye-driven spice come through first. Oak is front and center without overwhelming the sip, and a cocoa powder note adds depth. The mouthfeel is respectable for 45% ABV, coating the palate cleanly and evenly.


Finish:
    The finish is medium in length, leaning sweet and oak-forward. A slight bitterness creeps in toward the end, flirting with over-oaked territory but never crossing the line. As the whiskey opens up, green apple and a mild tartness emerge, adding a bit of brightness to the overall profile.


Final Thoughts: 
    Bondstone Triple Oak is one of those bottles that quietly defies expectations. It’s approachable, easy-drinking, and surprisingly well-balanced for a multi-oak bourbon at this proof. Pricing remains the biggest hurdle. At its $70 MSRP, it’s a tougher sell, but closer to the low-$60 range, it starts to make sense, especially when compared to other premium double and triple oak offerings.

    While I still wish we had more transparency about the source and mash bill, the experience in the glass is undeniably enjoyable. This is a bourbon I’m genuinely interested in revisiting after some time and oxidation.


Rating: B (Above average).

Cost: $69.99 for 750ml.

For the full video review visit the link here: https://youtu.be/z6BZvHgdxog.

Social platforms to follow me: https://linktr.ee/thelastcallyt

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Maker's Mark Cask Strength 7 Year Bourbon Whiskey Review.

-
Image
Maker's Mark Cask Strength 7 Year Bourbon Whiskey Review.           As 2025 winds down, Makers Mark surprised everyone with what appears to be a limited-age-stated run of their beloved cask strength bourbon. I’ve always had a soft spot for Makers Mark. It wasn’t a brand I fell in love with immediately, but somewhere along the way, it became a comfort bottle, a pour I reached for between bigger, flashier releases. Their lineup consistently offers strong value, and while I still haven’t tried the Cellar Aged, the rest are genuinely solid. Seeing this on the shelf at standard cask strength pricing made it an easy pickup.      This release is still their classic wheated bourbon, although Makers Mark doesn’t publish the exact mash bill. The side label offers some intriguing production details: a 110-proof barrel entry, 378 hand-rotated and hand-selected casks, and the note that each batch is “aged to taste.” That wording alone hints at future vari...
Read more

Old 55 Distillery Single Barrel Cask Strength Sweet Corn Bourbon Whiskey Review.

-
Image
Old 55 Distillery Single Barrel Cask Strength Sweet Corn Bourbon Whiskey Review.           Old 55 Distillery is a small craft operation tucked away in Newtown, Indiana, just south of Lafayette, and they’ve built a name for themselves by doing something very few dare to try, making bourbon with 100% sweet corn. I’ve crossed paths with a few of their spirits before and have always respected the level of care they bring to the table: all distilling, aging, and bottling is done in-house, with a heavy emphasis on local grains. Their Bottled-in-Bond Sweet Corn Bourbon is the bottle most people around here know, but this release, a single barrel, cask strength version, was something I’d only ever seen at the Market District in Carmel, Indiana.       Sweet corn isn’t just a novelty for Old 55, it’s an expensive, labor-intensive choice. A bushel of the common yellow dent corn runs about $4 (2020 prices), but the sweet corn they use costs over $1,...
Read more

Ampersand Opimus 15 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review.

-
Image
Ampersand Opimus 15 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review.      Ampersand is one of those new labels that seemed to appear almost overnight at the start of 2026, and it immediately caught the attention of enthusiasts. Founded by legendary blender and distiller Chip Tate, this release feels like a statement piece rather than a tentative first step. Seeing his name attached to a 15-year Kentucky straight bourbon finished in Tokaji casks was enough to send me bottle hunting the moment it hit the radar.      Opimus is clearly positioned as the flagship of the lineup, and the transparency here is refreshing. From mash bill to finishing time, there’s a level of openness that builds confidence before the cork is even pulled. Add in the fact that this is cask strength and reasonably priced for its age, and expectations were already running high. The mash bill is disclosed at 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, a combination that closely mirrors classi...
Read more