Rebel 100 Proof has been quietly building a reputation among bourbon drinkers who want something with backbone but don't want to remortgage the house. This 6 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey sits at 50% ABV — that's the full 100 proof — and it delivers exactly what that label promises: a bourbon that doesn't pull its punches.
For those unfamiliar with the Rebel lineup, this expression represents the brand's commitment to a wheat-forward mashbill. Where most Kentucky bourbons lean on rye as their flavouring grain, Rebel goes with wheat, which tends to produce a softer, rounder spirit. At 100 proof though, don't mistake soft for weak. That extra ABV compared to the standard bottling gives the whiskey real presence in the glass, and six years in new charred oak has given it enough maturity to carry that proof without burning.
What to Expect
As a wheated bourbon at this proof point, you're looking at a spirit that sits in interesting company. Think of it as occupying the space between everyday sippers and the allocated wheated bourbons that people queue around the block for. The wheat in the mashbill should lend a gentler sweetness — less spice-forward than a high-rye recipe — while six years of Kentucky ageing and that 100 proof bottling strength ensure there's plenty of oak influence and depth to keep things engaging.
At £62.25, it's positioned as a mid-shelf bourbon that punches into credible territory. You're paying for genuine age statement whiskey at a solid proof, which is increasingly hard to find at this price point. No chill filtration gimmicks, no fancy packaging — just straightforward Kentucky bourbon that tells you exactly what's in the bottle.
The Verdict
I'm giving Rebel 100 Proof 6 Year Old a 7.7 out of 10. It earns that score by doing the fundamentals well: honest age statement, bottled at a proof that rewards attention, and priced without pretension. The wheated mashbill gives it a distinct personality that sets it apart from the rye-heavy bourbons dominating most shelves, and six years is a sweet spot for bourbon — old enough to have developed genuine complexity, young enough to retain some vitality.
Where it really wins is value. In a market where age-stated bourbons are disappearing behind NAS labels and climbing price tags, Rebel is still putting the numbers on the bottle and keeping the cost reasonable. It's not going to compete with top-shelf wheated expressions, but it's not trying to. This is a reliable, well-made bourbon that over-delivers for the money.
Best Served
This is a bourbon that was practically built for an Old Fashioned. The wheated mashbill's natural sweetness pairs beautifully with a sugar cube and a few dashes of Angostura — you won't need to overdo the sugar because the wheat is already doing half the work. At 100 proof, it stands up to dilution from the ice without losing its character, which is exactly what you want in a cocktail base. If you're sipping neat, give it a few drops of water to open it up; that proof can be assertive on the first pour but settles into something very approachable after a minute in the glass.
