Pursuit Spirits is one of those brands that doesn't shout about where its liquid comes from, and honestly, I respect the transparency of not slapping a famous distillery name on the label when the sourcing isn't confirmed. What they have done is put out a barrel proof bourbon at a hefty 60.6% ABV that demands your attention the moment you crack the seal. At that strength, this is whiskey that hasn't been watered down to fit a focus group — it's the real thing straight from the barrel, and that always gets my interest.
What to Expect
The name is a mouthful — Pursuit Spirits Barrel Proof Rye American Bourbon Whiskey — and it tells you a couple of important things. First, this is legally a bourbon, which means it meets the federal standards: at least 51% corn in the mashbill, aged in new charred oak, entered the barrel at no more than 125 proof. The "Rye" in the name strongly suggests a high-rye recipe, meaning rye grain makes up a significant portion of that remaining mashbill alongside the corn. In my experience behind the bar, high-rye bourbons tend to bring more spice and structure compared to wheated expressions — think pepper, baking spice, and a drier finish rather than soft sweetness.
At 60.6% ABV, or just over 121 proof, this sits comfortably in barrel proof territory. For anyone newer to cask strength whiskey, that means you're getting the liquid essentially as it came out of the barrel without dilution. The upside is massive flavour concentration. The trade-off is that it can be intense, and a few drops of water will open things up significantly. I'd actually encourage experimenting with water here — barrel proof bourbon at this strength often reveals entirely different characteristics as you gradually bring the proof down.
The NAS (no age statement) designation means Pursuit hasn't committed to a specific maturation period on the label. Under bourbon law, if it's under four years old they'd have to disclose that, so we know this has spent at least four years in oak. Beyond that, we're trusting the blenders' palates over a number on the bottle, which is a philosophy I can get behind when the results justify it.
The Verdict
At £99.95, this isn't an impulse buy, but for a barrel proof bourbon it sits in reasonable territory — plenty of well-known names charge more for similar or lower proofs. What you're paying for is intensity and authenticity. This is bourbon that hasn't been smoothed out or diluted for mass appeal, and the high-rye backbone should give it the kind of structure and bite that makes it genuinely interesting to drink rather than just strong. I'm giving it a 7.8 out of 10. It's a confident, well-positioned release that delivers on its barrel proof promise, and the price-to-proof ratio is fair. I'd like to see Pursuit be more forthcoming about the distillery source in future, but the liquid in the glass speaks well enough for itself.
Best Served
Pour it neat first and sit with it — give yourself ten minutes before adding water. Then try it with a few drops of filtered water to see how the flavour profile shifts at lower proof. If you want to mix, this is a monster in a Manhattan. That 60.6% ABV means the bourbon won't disappear behind the vermouth the way a standard 40% bottle might. Use a 2:1 ratio with a good sweet vermouth, two dashes of Angostura, and stir it long and cold. The rye spice in the mashbill was practically built for this cocktail.
Community Reviews
Marianne Blom
Punchy rye with real character
8/10
Big nose on this one — burnt sugar, black pepper, a hint of orange peel. On the palate it's full-bodied with plenty of oak and spice. I keep going back to it on cold evenings, works brilliantly with a single ice cube to tame the heat just enough.
2 April 2026
Connor McBride
Punchy rye with real character
8/10
Big nose on this one — burnt sugar, black pepper, a hint of orange peel. On the palate it's full-bodied with plenty of oak and spice. I keep going back to it on cold evenings, works brilliantly with a single ice cube to tame the heat just enough.
2 April 2026
Tiffany Nguyen
Punchy rye with real character
8/10
Big nose on this one — burnt sugar, black pepper, a hint of orange peel. On the palate it's full-bodied with plenty of oak and spice. I keep going back to it on cold evenings, works brilliantly with a single ice cube to tame the heat just enough.
2 April 2026
Ryan Mitchell
Good but pricey for what it is
7/10
Nose is all caramel and rye spice, palate delivers with some nice pepper and vanilla. It's a solid bourbon-rye hybrid but at a hundred quid I expected a bit more complexity on the finish — it fades quicker than I'd like. Worth trying before committing to a full bottle.
27 March 2026
Natasha Volkov
Good but pricey for what it is
7/10
Nose is all caramel and rye spice, palate delivers with some nice pepper and vanilla. It's a solid bourbon-rye hybrid but at a hundred quid I expected a bit more complexity on the finish — it fades quicker than I'd like. Worth trying before committing to a full bottle.
27 March 2026
Kwame Mensah
Good but pricey for what it is
7/10
Nose is all caramel and rye spice, palate delivers with some nice pepper and vanilla. It's a solid bourbon-rye hybrid but at a hundred quid I expected a bit more complexity on the finish — it fades quicker than I'd like. Worth trying before committing to a full bottle.
27 March 2026
Thomas Weber
Decent but needs water
7/10
Tried this neat first and honestly the 60.6% ABV just overwhelmed everything. Once I added water it settled into a nice rye-forward profile with some dried fruit and cinnamon. Not bad at all but I think there are better options in this price range if you're shopping around.
13 February 2026
Priscilla Nunes
Decent but needs water
7/10
Tried this neat first and honestly the 60.6% ABV just overwhelmed everything. Once I added water it settled into a nice rye-forward profile with some dried fruit and cinnamon. Not bad at all but I think there are better options in this price range if you're shopping around.
13 February 2026
Henrik Larsen
Decent but needs water
7/10
Tried this neat first and honestly the 60.6% ABV just overwhelmed everything. Once I added water it settled into a nice rye-forward profile with some dried fruit and cinnamon. Not bad at all but I think there are better options in this price range if you're shopping around.
13 February 2026
Suki Patel
Hot but rewarding
8/10
At 60.6% this thing is a beast straight out of the bottle. Give it ten minutes in the glass and you get waves of cinnamon, dark cherry, and toasted oak. I added a few drops of water and it opened up beautifully — brown sugar and baking spices for days. Serious sipper for rye lovers.
4 November 2025
Andre Dubois
Hot but rewarding
8/10
At 60.6% this thing is a beast straight out of the bottle. Give it ten minutes in the glass and you get waves of cinnamon, dark cherry, and toasted oak. I added a few drops of water and it opened up beautifully — brown sugar and baking spices for days. Serious sipper for rye lovers.
4 November 2025
Mei-Lin Wu
Hot but rewarding
8/10
At 60.6% this thing is a beast straight out of the bottle. Give it ten minutes in the glass and you get waves of cinnamon, dark cherry, and toasted oak. I added a few drops of water and it opened up beautifully — brown sugar and baking spices for days. Serious sipper for rye lovers.
4 November 2025
Zoe Chen
Barrel proof done right
9/10
I'm a sucker for barrel proof stuff and this delivers. The proof hits you but it's not harsh — there's a richness underneath with toffee, charred oak, and a long spicy finish. Poured it neat for my whisky club night and everyone wanted to know what it was.
22 October 2025
Marco Andretti
Barrel proof done right
9/10
I'm a sucker for barrel proof stuff and this delivers. The proof hits you but it's not harsh — there's a richness underneath with toffee, charred oak, and a long spicy finish. Poured it neat for my whisky club night and everyone wanted to know what it was.
22 October 2025
Natalie Ford
Barrel proof done right
9/10
I'm a sucker for barrel proof stuff and this delivers. The proof hits you but it's not harsh — there's a richness underneath with toffee, charred oak, and a long spicy finish. Poured it neat for my whisky club night and everyone wanted to know what it was.
22 October 2025
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