Imagine tasting a single barrel so good that you try to convince the distillery to bottle it under a different label. That happened to us with a Rock Hill Farms barrel sample, and it became the spark for a wide-open conversation about how great whiskey actually gets made, picked, and shared.

We bring you into the room for private selections at Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, and Nashville Barrel Co., comparing barrel proof to bottled proof and exploring why some bourbons sing at 100–103 proof while others demand the full, fiery ride. We break down a standout two-year honey cask from Nashville, no added honey, just a Beam-made bourbon resting in a honey-seasoned barrel, delivering a fragrant, balanced sweetness that feels like “cheating at bourbon” without crossing into liqueur territory. Along the way, we tackle unicorn culture, blind tasting reality checks, and the very real logistics behind allocated drops, including how a historic flood slowed bottling lines and why the three-tier system can stretch timelines.

You’ll also hear how our club runs: fair lotteries for pick trips, open communication with a growing waitlist, and travel traditions that turn a selection into a story, charter hops into Frankfort and Bardstown, Nashville hoops weekends, and Guthrie picks capped with dinner over the OKC skyline. We preview a stacked lineup: Stagg, Four Roses private selection, 1792 rarities, Larceny Barrel Proof, EH Taylor Single Barrel, and a craft red wheat barrel proof, while returning to the core truth: single barrels have no friends to hide their flaws, which is exactly why the best ones feel unforgettable.

If you love bourbon for the flavor, the hunt, and the people you share it with, this one’s for you. Hit play, subscribe for more deep pours and real talk, and tell us: which bottle would you bring to a desert island?

More About this Episode

The Art and Community of Barrel Picks: Inside the JS Bull Reserve Experience

There’s a growing movement in the bourbon world that blends passion, community, and connoisseurship: the private barrel selection club. At the heart of this experience is more than just sourcing whiskey; it’s about the people, the journey, and the stories each barrel tells. Through my experience with JS Bull Reserve, we’ve found a way to transform bourbon selection into something bigger: a shared adventure rooted in friendship, flavor, and flying a bit above the commercial fray.

Private barrel picks have taken off in recent years, especially among seasoned collectors and bourbon enthusiasts who crave something truly unique. But what we’ve built through JS Bull Reserve goes deeper than that. This isn't just about getting a label with your name on it. It’s about creating access to the best of the best, while building a tight-knit community along the way.

Building the Bourbon Club: Why It Works

JS Bull Reserve started with a simple idea: what if a group of friends could go straight to the source and select barrels that weren’t available to the public? What if we could do it with intention, not just picking what’s popular, but finding what’s special?

That first year, we didn’t know how it would play out. But the model quickly proved itself. Our inaugural year sold out, and as we moved into year two, retention was nearly perfect. Members weren’t just staying, they were inviting friends. The only cancellations were for serious life changes: sobriety, health issues, or, tragically, a loss.

We started with a few dozen members and grew to about 100, with a waitlist currently sitting around 30. And it’s not just the bourbon that’s keeping people in. It’s the fact that each bottle tells a story, from where it came from, to how we selected it, to who was there.

Sourcing Elite Barrels: From Sazerac to Same Old Moses

We’re fortunate to have built relationships with top-tier distilleries. We’ve done private picks with Buffalo Trace that include heavy hitters like Rock Hill Farms, Weller Full Proof, and Blanton’s Gold. These aren’t just "check-the-box" bottles; they’re barrels that stand out for their exceptional quality. And often, we’re offered things that aren’t usually available to just anyone.

Take Rock Hill Farms, for example. Typically proofed down to 100, we had the chance to taste it straight from the barrel, easily north of 120 proof. That experience blew me away. It was the best bourbon I’ve ever had. While it still ended up in the bottle at 100, having had that barrel-proof version makes you realize how magical these spirits can be before dilution.

Same story with Blanton’s Gold. After tasting the raw barrel version, we were surprised to find that the bottle proof (103) actually hit the sweet spot. Sometimes, the distillers do get it just right, but when they don’t, those rare barrel samples are unforgettable.

Beyond Sazerac, we’ve broadened our horizons with distilleries like Nashville Barrel Company, Heaven Hill, Four Roses, and upcoming picks from Holiday Distillery and Same Old Moses in Oklahoma. Each of these offers something unique. We’re not just chasing the names, we’re curating flavor experiences.

A Focus on Craft and the Underrated

One of our guiding principles is to include at least one pick each year from a lesser-known or emerging craft distillery. Why? Because there’s magic happening outside the mega-distilleries, and these smaller producers are pushing innovation with unique mash bills and creative barrel finishes.

Same Old Moses is a great example. Everything they release is double-barreled, and they were doing it before it became a trend. Their Amarone and PX Sherry cask finishes are knockout bottles, just stunning in terms of complexity and balance. We're honored to be doing their first-ever private barrel selection. That’s the kind of experience our group lives for.

In an industry where many people are chasing unicorns for the label alone, we want our members to trust the process. Blind tastings continue to prove what we already know: it’s not about hype, it’s about taste. And some of the best-tasting bourbon today is being made by names you haven’t heard yet.

The Travel Element: Private Planes and Barrel Adventures

What truly separates our club isn’t just the whiskey. It’s the experience.

Each pick involves a trip, and we do it in style. We're not hopping commercial flights and booking budget motels. We charter a King Air with members chipping in for the cost, fly directly into Kentucky (or Oklahoma or wherever the barrel takes us), stay in great accommodations, eat at top restaurants, and make the entire journey part of the selection process.

There’s something about sipping bourbon on a private plane with friends, reflecting on the pick you just made, that sticks with you. We’ve got a tradition: open a bottle from the trip and enjoy it on the flight back. That ritual has become just as meaningful as the pick itself.

Every trip is done via a lottery, and we’ve built fairness into the process. If you get selected once, you're out for the rest of the year unless spots open up. That way, everyone gets a chance to be part of the adventure.

The 2025 Lineup: A Bourbon Lover’s Dream

We take pride in curating a killer annual lineup. For 2025, our selections include:

  • Nashville Barrel Honey Cask – A standout two-year finish that’s rich, balanced, and full of sweet complexity without being syrupy.
  • Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – Always a crowd-pleaser, always deep and bold.
  • Rock Hill Farms – A once-in-a-lifetime pick made even more special by the straight-from-the-barrel tasting.
  • Blanton’s Gold – Sophisticated and smooth, proofed just right at 103.
  • Weller Full Proof – Classic wheated bourbon with punch and polish.
  • Same Old Moses – Our foray into double-barrel aged, craft-finished bourbon. Expect PX Sherry or Amarone casks here.

Despite delays caused by the massive Sazerac flood in early 2025, which halted bottling and slowed delivery, we expect to complete the year with a full, epic release of all bottles.

What’s Coming in 2026?

We’re leveling up again. The confirmed lineup includes:

  • Stagg (formerly Stagg Jr.)
  • 1792 “Rare” Selection – Possibly sweet wheat or another off-profile expression.
  • Four Roses Private Selection – Partnering with the U.S. head of their barrel program.
  • Larceny Barrel Proof – Essentially an Old Fitzgerald at full strength.
  • EH Taylor Single Barrel
  • Holiday Distillery Red Wheat (Craft Pick) – A new favorite with barrel-proof wheat expressions.

And yes, we’ll return to Nashville Barrel Co., their onsite bottling and honey-finish expertise are too good to pass up. We’ll plan the pick around March Madness for maximum fun.

Community, Charity, and Growth

While we’ll be adding some new members in 2026, growth is controlled and intentional. A few spots are reserved for the charity auction, and current members who have been in from the start or who contribute meaningfully to the group will get priority. We're not looking to just fill slots; we're building a community that appreciates the spirit and the spirit of what we're doing.

Membership is capped and curated for a reason: to maintain the culture of quality, transparency, and shared passion.

If you're interested in joining, the waitlist is open at jsbullreserve.com. Just be sure to list a current member as your referral, or mention "A Team Podcast" if you heard about it through us.

Final Thoughts: The Barrel as a Canvas

Each barrel tells its own story. From the warehouse it aged into the friends who flew across the country to taste it, to the night it’s opened at someone's home bar, it’s all part of the narrative. The juice in the bottle is only half the value. The rest comes from knowing where it came from, how it was picked, and who you shared it with.

Private barrel selection is no longer just for liquor stores or big collectors. It’s for people who want to connect more deeply with what’s in their glass, and with each other.

If you’re ready to be part of something more than bourbon, something about story, camaraderie, and real access, JS Bull Reserve might just be your next adventure.

Cheers to the next pour.