Broken Barrel California Oak Bourbon Whiskey
Broken Barrel California Oak Bourbon Whiskey is an 88 proof (44% ABV), 750mL Kentucky straight bourbon — distilled in Owensboro, Kentucky, from a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley, aged a minimum of two years, then finished Broken Barrel-style: the barrels are dumped, the bourbon is batched in a tank, and broken staves go in. Its Oak Bill — the stave blend founder Seth Benhaim prints beside the mash bill on every bottle — is 80% Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrel staves and 20% French oak staves, a recipe Benhaim built to bring wine drinkers into bourbon. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Proof: 88 proof / 44% ABV
- Size: 750mL
- Mash bill: 70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley
- Origin: Distilled in Owensboro, Kentucky; aged a minimum of 2 years
- Oak Bill: 80% Central Coast Cabernet barrel staves, 20% French oak staves
- Awards: Gold Medal, 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition; 91 points, Tasting Panel 2022 (press coverage)
- Producer: Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. (founder Seth Benhaim)
A Bourbon Finished Like a Wine Blend
Broken Barrel finishes whiskey the way a winemaker blends: not in a second barrel, but with broken staves submerged in the tanked spirit, inside and outside of the wood in contact at once. For California Oak the stave recipe leans Californian — four-fifths Cabernet Sauvignon barrel staves from the Central Coast, one-fifth charred French oak — over a high-rye Kentucky bourbon aged at least two years in Owensboro. The Cabernet wood lays dark fruit and tannin over the bourbon's caramel, and press coverage records a Gold Medal at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and 91 points from Tasting Panel in 2022. Shop the range via the Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. vendor page or the bourbon whiskey collection.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Marshmallow and dark fruit (brand notes). Palate: A cherry centre with balanced caramel sweetness, dates and dark fruit from the Cabernet staves. Finish: Oak-heavy and tannic, rounded by the charred French oak.
How to Enjoy
Neat or on a large cube — at 88 proof it is built as an everyday sipper, and its wine-barrel finish makes it a natural bridge pour for red-wine drinkers. It also holds up in a Manhattan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Oak Bill? Broken Barrel's term for the blend of broken barrel staves used to finish each whiskey, printed on the bottle beside the mash bill. California Oak's is 80% Cabernet barrel staves and 20% French oak staves.
Where is it distilled? In Owensboro, Kentucky, per the brand's copy; it is aged a minimum of two years before the stave finish.
How strong is it? 88 proof (44% ABV).
Bourbon through a winemaker's lens — order California Oak from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.