Rebel Bourbon Stave Showdown: Mocha Magic or Toasted Tragedy?

Oct 15

Every bourbon has a story. But some stories end with a happily ever after… and others end with your tastebuds begging for mercy.

In this week’s episode of Tortured Bourbon, we pit two Rebel Bourbon stave-finished single barrel picks against each other to answer one very important question:

Can a clever finish save a wheated bourbon? Or will it send it straight to the whiskey doghouse?

🥊 The Contenders

1. Rebel Bourbon – NC Barrel Select (Mocha Staves)

Proof: 110
Finish: Mocha-inspired custom oak staves
Notes promised: Espresso, mocha, cocoa nibs, roasted oak
Availability: North Carolina ABC pick

2. Rebel Bourbon – Toasted Oak Stave Finish

Proof: Barrel strength (varies)
Finish: Toasted oak staves
Notes promised: Caramel, honey, sweet vanilla, toasted marshmallow
Availability: Select limited single barrel programs

These are not your standard Rebel Bourbons. Both picks play with stave finishing — a process that’s exploded in popularity thanks to brands like Maker’s Mark, Penelope, and Woodford Reserve. When done right, stave finishing can transform a good bourbon into something magical. When done wrong? It can taste like you left your pour in a campfire too long.

🔬 Our Process

We did what we always do: poured, sniffed, sipped, paused, judged each other silently, and then said what we really thought.

We tasted these side-by-side, gave each pour time to open up, and even circled back after the initial impressions. Why? Because sometimes a bourbon hits different on the second go. And sometimes… it just gets worse.

👃 First Pour Impressions

Let’s just say one of these bottles had us leaning in with raised eyebrows and happy nods. The other? We tried to stay professional. Really, we did.

One brought a well-integrated bouquet of dark chocolate, espresso, and sweet oak — balanced, rich, and warming. The mouthfeel was full, the finish long. The kind of pour you revisit and appreciate more each time.

The other? The sweetness was flat, the finish felt rushed, and the toasted influence felt more like burnt wood than baking spice.

❗ We’re not naming names here — you’ll have to watch the episode to find out which is which.

🧠 Why This Matters

Stave finishing is one of the hottest trends in the bourbon world right now. It allows distillers and retailers to take a base product and tailor it in ways that create entirely new tasting experiences.

For Rebel, a brand sometimes overlooked in the wheated bourbon conversation, these finishes are a chance to punch above their weight.

But it also raises the stakes. One bad stave finish and suddenly your bottle becomes a shelf-sitter. Or worse, a drain-pour.

💭 Final Thoughts (No Spoilers)

One of these Rebel picks is a bottle we’d gladly chase again. The other? Let’s just say we’ll be finishing it slowly… over time… possibly in a cocktail… with a lot of ice… and maybe some soda.

If you’ve ever wondered how much a stave finish can really influence a pour — or whether Rebel can hold its own in a sea of Maker’s, Penelope, and toasted this-and-that releases — this episode is for you.