Rebel Kyle Busch 108 Single Barrel Bourbon Review (2026 release)

 

For the last several years, distilling brands have been sponsoring NASCAR drivers. It is an easy way to get exposure with an almost built-in fanbase. Rebel Bourbon sponsors Richard Childress Racing (RCR), which boasts over 50 years of racing and has earned more than 200 victories and 16 championships. One of its legendary drivers was Dale Earnhardt, who won a half dozen himself!

 

One of RCR's drivers is two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle "Rowdy" Busch, who drives the No. 8 Chevrolet ZL1. And, for the third year in a row, Kyle picked barrels of Rebel Bourbon with the assistance of Master Distiller John Rempe.

 

"Kyle and the RCR team stand out as real rebels, doing things their own way with a defiant attitude to drive to win, and that lifestyle is what Rebel Bourbon is all about. Every bottle of our new Rebel Single Barrel is one-of-a-kind, made in tribute to that rebel spirit in Kyle and all of us." – Philip Lux, Rebel Bourbon Brand Manager

 

Rebel Kyle Busch 108 Single Barrel is a wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon with a mashbill dating back to 1849. Wheated means that instead of using rye as the second-most prevalent ingredient, the distiller uses wheat. Wheat does two things that rye does not. First, distilled wheat has no flavor; it allows the flavors of other ingredients, including those from the wood, to shine through. Second, wheat typically provides a softer, more rounded palate than rye, which often adds spice and/or sharpness. Rebel's wheat component is 20%.

 

The label does include the barrel number and fill date. Mine is from Barrel 86213, which was filled on 10/11/2021. I appreciate Rebel Bourbon for providing a sample of this limited-edition Bourbon in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let's #DrinkCurious and explore all it has to offer.

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Lux Row Distillers
• Age: 5 years
• Mashbill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrel, Barrel #86213, fill date 10/11/2021
• Alcohol Content: 54% ABV (108°)
• Price per 750mL: $39.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. The golden amber liquid formed a thicker rim with tiny, sticky droplets.

 

Nose: I waited for around 15 minutes before nosing the Bourbon, and when I was ready, I found a fascinating combination of roasted almonds, pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts, along with caramel, nutmeg, oak, and tobacco. When I drew the aroma into my mouth, I encountered toasted pecans.

 

Palate: With the first sip, I discovered a full-bodied, silky texture, yet the whiskey also clung to my tongue, inner cheeks, and throat. There was a mild palate shock of toasted pecans and cinnamon. With the second, I tasted caramel, honey, and baked coconut on the front. I plucked notes of powdered cinnamon, almonds, and pecans on my mid-palate. The back featured oak, milk chocolate, and leather.

 

Finish: The spice notes, while few, remained thick in my mouth and throat, including dry oak, powdered cinnamon, and clove. Rich toffee, hazelnuts, toasted pecans, almonds, and coconut joined those. Toward the end, there was black pepper, which, considering the lack of rye grain, caught me off guard. It was very level with no particular sensation dominating. In my mind, it seemed like a medium to medium-long finish. In reality, the duration ran 1:52, kicking it just over the line for a longer one.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Rebel Kyle Busch 108 Single Barrel Bourbon was spicy for Lux Row's Rebel line. It had the classic wheater mouthfeel, soft and well-rounded, and I enjoyed how it hung onto my tongue and inside of my mouth. The longer finish held my interest, forcing me to slow down and savor what was in the glass versus simply moving to the next sip.

 

Taking bang for the buck into account, Rebel Kyle Busch 108 Single Barrel Bourbon is a no-brainer, slam-dunk Bottle rating. Cheers! 

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.