Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

A few years ago, I went on a budget bourbon kick. I sought to find a bottom-shelf whiskey that was good enough to drink straight up. A lot of budget whiskeys are OK mixed in cola, but on their own, they miss the mark. I’m looking at you Ten High… My quest for something soothing and budget-friendly led me to a bottle of Rebel Yell. I recall it being a decent pour, but nothing to write home about. I eventually landed on another brand as my inexpensive daily drinker and forgot about Rebel Yell entirely. When we really got rolling with Wilderness Whiskey Women, I revisited my quest. I noticed Rebel 100 whiskey hanging out on the bottom shelf at my local liquor store, so I decided it was time to revisit the brand.

From Rebel Yell to Rebel

Since the last time I picked up a bottle, a few things changed about the brand. First, the whiskey doesn’t go by Rebel Yell any longer. Now, it is just Rebel. You may find some older bottles on store shelves that still have the Rebel Yell label, but for the most part, everywhere you look at present, the brand is simply Rebel.

Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the newest expression in the Rebel brand lineup. The initial release of Rebel 100 began appearing on store shelves in the spring of 2019. The release promised to be a step-up from the traditional 80 proof Rebel Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The 100 proof offering caught my eye because I enjoy high-proof whiskey. I find the flavor to be more robust and the intensity stronger. I like the lingering burn and the tingle on my lips from high-proof whiskey. The whiskey flavor hangs around a little longer, giving me more time to enjoy it before I take another sip. I was excited to try this new offering from Lux Row Distillers, even if I was a couple of years late to the release party.

Lux Row Distillers

In addition to a re-brand of their whiskey, Rebel parent company Luxco opened their distillery called Lux Row. They moved on from sourcing their corporate family of brands from MGP to distilling and aging their whiskey right in the heart of Kentucky bourbon country; Bardstown, Kentucky. According to the Lux Row website, opening a distillery allowed them to keep up with increased demand for their products. Lux Row can produce 3 million gallons per year at their new Bardstown facility.

Rebel 100

Rebel 100 is a 100 proof Kentucky straight bourbon. There is no age statement (NAS) on the bottle, but to be qualified as a straight bourbon, it must be aged for a minimum of two years. There are some out there who proclaim this bottle is aged 4-8 years. It seems unlikely considering Lux Row didn’t get their distillery off the ground until 2018.

As we’ve said before, whiskey that is aged longer doesn’t always mean it is better. It is why you shouldn’t shy away from a whiskey without an age statement, such as Rebel 100. You also shouldn’t simply rely on price to determine the quality of whiskey. Sometimes, the increased price per bottle just covers the cost of storing barrels. Rather than paying for a premium product, the warehousing cost is passed on to the consumer. You can learn more about whiskey aging in our “What is Whiskey” article. Click here and jump down to the section titled “Aging.”

The Rebel 100 mash bill is 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% barley according to Bourbon Paddy. The addition of wheat instead of rye in the Rebel 100 mash bill makes it a “wheated” bourbon. The use of wheat usually gives the whiskey a sweeter and more delicate flavor. Wheated bourbons are some of the most sought-after bottles on the market. Pappy Van Winkle and W.L. Weller are two of the most well-known wheated brands, but they are hard to find and absurdly expensive. There are affordable offerings of wheated bourbons on the market to explore, such as Rebel. We recommend trying this one before you start buying more popular whiskeys simply because of the name on the label. Popularity doesn’t always align to taste; it’s often all about money and marketing, baby. That’s why we’re here.

Tasting Notes

The aroma of Rebel 100 whiskey is very sweet. Alie picked up a fruity smell, similar to jam. I picked up light wood. Rebel 100 has a nice whiskey flavor with hints of oak and caramel sweetness. The Rebel 100 flavor is quickly overpowered by the intense heat. Rebel 100 immediately heated my tongue and left a decent tingle on my lips. I regretted holding it in my mouth and “chewing” to try and pick out more flavor. Instead, I think I burned my tastebuds. John Rempe, the head distiller at Lux Row boasted he created a bourbon “which brings more bite in the finish.” Bite, it certainly does. In other words, if you are looking for an easy-drinking bourbon, this probably isn’t going to be it.

After cleansing my palate with a whole lot of water, I picked up a bitter and leathery aftertaste. Perhaps, I’d cooked my tastebuds. We added a little water to our dram and it opened up the flavor and mellowed out the burn. While I don’t normally take water with my whiskey, Rebel 100 benefits with a splash.

Our Ratings

Drinkability: 3

Intensity: 5

Personal Preference: 3

Availability: 5

Beginner Friendly: 1

Overall: 3.4

Final Thoughts

Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a good budget bourbon, especially if you like a pour that finishes with a kick. The whiskey offers a good flavor profile with noticeable sweetness on the nose and palate. After a quick burst of flavor, the lingering burn takes over.

When we taste whiskeys, we usually sip them over a couple of days. Overall, I enjoyed the Rebel 100 heat, until the night we killed the bottle and I started writing this review. My tastebuds decided they weren’t in the mood for heat. My experience showcases why it is good to have a few different bottles to choose from on your bar. Some days, you may find the first bottle you picked wasn’t the right one to cap your day.

Rebel 100 is a versatile whiskey. You can add a little water without wiping out the flavor, which isn’t true of all 100 proof whiskeys. It is easy to adjust Rebel 100 to suit your taste depending on how you are feeling. If you want it hot, grab it neat. Need something a little mellower, add water or a rock.

It also makes a good cocktail mixer for a variety of cocktails. The bold and intense flavor shines through. We liked it best in our Whiskey Mint Lemonade. You can find the recipe here.

At 100 proof Rebel 100 is a great value and easy to find. Our bottle set us back less than $25 out the door. If you like a whiskey burn you can feel in your stomach, give this bottle a try. It will certainly keep you warm on a cold night.

Happy Exploring!