Purple Wax & Pinhook: Bourbon, Wine & Kentucky Racehorses

This week we're opening our first bottle of Pinhook—and Helen was sold before we'd even tasted it because it came dipped in purple wax. It's a Pinhook Single Barrel Cask Strength selected by Whiskey Hunt Australia: five years old, 115 proof and packed with fresh fruit, green apple, caramel and some rather unexpected fairy-floss vibes. But the story behind Pinhook might be even more interesting than the whiskey. We discover why its bottles deliberately resemble wine bottles, why Pinhook doesn't necessarily want every year's whiskey to taste identical, how thoroughbred racing inspired the brand, and what the term "pinhooking" actually means. We also get into sourced whiskey, single-barrel selections and why supporting Australian groups doing barrel picks ultimately means more interesting bourbon making its way to Australia.