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Please read and drink responsibly.
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Bushwood Spirits
Distillery: Sourced from an undisclosed Kentucky distillery
Release Date: Ongoing
Proof: 128.28
Age: 7 Years
Mashbill: 70% Corn, 21% Rye, 9% Malted Barley
Color: Mahogany
MSRP: $100 / 750mL (2025)
Honey | Caramel | Light citrus | Toasted oak
Toasted caramel | Honey | Vanilla custard | Aged oak | Butterscotch | Rich
Light baking spices | Butterscotch hard candy | Honey | Vanilla | Toasted oak
A barrel proof, single barrel bourbon from a golf-themed brand that proves high quality straight Kentucky bourbon with a quintessential flavor profile can be just as exciting as wacky, wild releases meant to push bourbon’s boundaries.
Bushwood Spirits is a golf-focused spirits company that was founded by golf enthusiast Brad Carpenter. The idea for Bushwood originated from an injury 13 years ago that prevented him from playing golf, and the concept became clearer while he was recovering. The company was formed a few years later in 2016 and sold its first bottle in 2021. Bushwood Spirits bottles are adorned with a heavy metal golf ball topper and other golf-themed imagery on their labels. The company’s bourbon releases fall under the “Long Ball” moniker, while their ryes fall under “Stillwater.”
Bushwood Long Ball Gold Label Single Barrel Barrel Proof Bourbon is an ongoing limited release, and because it’s released as single barrels, the exact flavor profile and bottling proof will vary. The particular barrel in review came up short with only an 80 bottle yield, which is due to high evaporation rate or a leaky barrel.
The color is intensely dark, and the flavors are rich and concentrated throughout the sip. Fairly traditional for a Kentucky bourbon, the sip offers honey, caramel, and a range of vanilla and oak influence throughout. Some light citrus on the nose and rich butterscotch flavors on the palate and finish bring some nuance, but this is a quintessential Kentucky bourbon through and through. It’s a velvety smooth pour for the proof, delivering high intensity of flavors but doing so with very little harshness or even much spice.
As for barrel proof, single barrel, Kentucky bourbon, this barrel of Bushwood Long Ball hits all the right marks. Golf is a traditionalist sport, and the brand draws consumers in with golf theming. As a result, keeping with a more predictable traditional Kentucky bourbon flavor profile makes sense as opposed to pushing the boundaries of unique or experimental territory. This one’s a winner.
The bourbon in review is bottle 33 of 80 from barrel number 41.
