The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 25: Rebel Single Barrel (Kyle Busch Edition)

I included this one in my end-of-the-year posts, but this is the first time I’ve given it a post all to itself. And it deserves the spotlight.

Rebel has already proven it knows how to make a first-rate bourbon. The 100 and the Small Batch Reserve are both solid pours, but when I picked this one up late last year, I had no idea just how much I’d enjoy it. I’m talking about Rebel Single Barrel, Selected by Kyle Busch.

First, the name didn’t do it any favors for me. I like NASCAR just fine, but Kyle Busch was never my favorite driver. People who love him don’t mind that his nickname is Rowdy. That wasn’t exactly an endearing trait for me. In fact, I once used him as a teaching example with my daughter after his infamous crash with Ron Hornaday back in November 2011. If you’ve ever watched that clip, you can hear Busch’s crew chief repeatedly yelling, “Calm down, Kyle,” followed shortly by, “Damn it!”—because Kyle didn’t calm down.

So when I picked up this bottle, Busch’s reputation immediately came to mind. Still, the reviews were decent, and at around $40—right at the upper edge of Bourbon Cheapskate territory—I figured it was worth a shot.

Holy smokes. This one jumped up and got my attention.

It pours with a thick, syrupy texture and a deep, dark amber color that already signals you’re in for something richer than expected. The nose leads with dark cherries, caramel, and vanilla. Then comes the sip, and the palate absolutely lights up—cherry cola front and center, followed by vanilla, a touch of chocolate, and just enough oak to keep things grounded. That weighty mouthfeel carries through to a finish that’s sweet, rich, and deeply satisfying, with cola and chocolate notes lingering long after the swallow.

In the end, this bottle was a reminder not to judge too quickly—by a name, a reputation, or a first impression. Sometimes rowdy just means bold, unfiltered, and louder than expected—not reckless or unrefined. At around $40, this one may flirt with the top of Cheapskate status, but it drinks like it’s aiming higher. It has more than earned its place on my shelf, where it currently stands as the No. 3 Bourbon Cheapskate bottle in my collection.

About Douglas Blaine

Capnpen is a writer who was a newspaper and magazine journalist in a previous life. A college journalism major, he now works as an English teacher, but gets his writing fix by blogging about a variety of topics, including politics, religion, movies and television. When he's not working or blogging, Capnpen spends time with his family, plays a little golf (badly) and loves to learn about virtually anything.

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