Rare Character Whiskey Company "Single Barrel Series" - 'Old Mate' Straight Bourbon Whiskey

“The new IT brand. Will This Be the next American Whiskey Brand to command big $$$ at Auction?”

The Whisky Advocate

Overview

Old Mate is the first single barrel selection Rare Character has put together outside the USA, made exclusively for the Australian market. Not marketing fluff – an actual barrel hand-picked just for us. Distilled in Indiana on a high-rye mash bill, aged six years and one month in new charred American oak with heavy toasted heads, and bottled at full cask strength.

Expect brown sugar, cherry, and a solid hit of baking spice up front, with clove, liquorice and nutmeg coming through on the finish. There's a creamy, soda-fountain sweetness underneath, balanced by oak and tannin that gives it real backbone. A bourbon with proper finesse at natural strength.

The Bottler

Rare Character Whiskey Company is run by Pablo Moix and Jordan Roman, two blokes with a serious eye for picking barrels and an obsession with traceability. Every Rare Character bottle has a code that tells you exactly where the whiskey came from and what's in it. They source carefully, age patiently, and bottle without chill filtration.

The Single Barrel Series is where they let individual barrels speak for themselves – no batching, no smoothing things out. Old Mate is the Australian chapter of that series, and the name fits the bottle.

What Sets This Bottle Apart

• Single barrel, cask strength, exclusive Australian release
• 6 year and 1 month age statement, plenty of oak time at full proof
• High-rye mash bill: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malt
• Heavy toasted barrel heads add extra depth and sweetness
• Bottled at 58.3% with no chill filtration
• First Rare Character single barrel selection outside the USA

Who This Bottle Is For

• Bourbon drinkers who love a high-rye, cask strength pour
• Anyone after a proper single barrel with real story behind it
• Drinkers ready to step up from standard shelf bottles
• Cask strength fans who appreciate balance over heat

How to Enjoy

At 58.3% it's punchy but not aggressive. Try it neat first to see what the barrel's giving you, then a few drops of water to open up the sweetness and spice if you want. Works well in a heavy-bottomed glass with a single big rock for a slow Sunday afternoon pour.

Why We Curate It at Bourbon Brothers

Old Mate is a one-off. A barrel hand-picked for the Australian market by Rare Character themselves, high-rye and cask strength, with six-plus years in oak and those toasted heads doing the extra work. It drinks above its price and won't be back when the barrel's gone. If you've been looking to upgrade what's in your glass, this is exactly how you do it.

Product Details