The Whisky Show Sydney 2025: Where Honey Barrel’s Augusta Stole the Spotlight.

Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal has seen many arrivals and departures, but on this particular Saturday it became a port for a different kind of cargo: over 85 whiskies, each vying for four hours of our collective attention. The Whisky Show is no longer just an annual fixture - it’s a pilgrimage. Part discovery, part indulgence, and part theatre.

The staging was clever: Smoky Sue’s smokehouse brisket perfumed the air, a live band provided a loosened-up soundtrack, and the Rare Whisky Bar dangled unicorn bottles like forbidden fruit. Attendees arrived armed with tasting glasses, meal tokens hidden like golden tickets in the bowl, and the Show’s app - a sort of personalised dram GPS, one tap away from constructing your “must-try” fantasy list.

But the real measure of the Show is always in the pours that rise above the noise.

Honey Barrel Australia - Augusta Old Route 8 Collection

Honey Barrel has quickly earned a reputation for smart curation - selecting exceptional single barrels from Kentucky distilleries and bottling them with just enough Australian swagger. Their Augusta Old Route 8 Single Barrel 8-Year-Old, bottled at a formidable 54.15%, wasn’t merely a show exclusive; it was a declaration.

On the nose, there was warm pecan pie laced with nutmeg, underpinned by an oaky grip that promised heft. The palate strutted in with cherry cola syrup, caramelised brown sugar, and a leathery undertone that hinted at maturity beyond its age. By the finish, it leaned into a slow, tobacco-rich hum, as though rocking gently on a Kentucky porch.

What set Augusta apart was coherence. Many high-proof bourbons swing wildly between sweetness and burn, but Augusta balanced its muscle with elegance - power dressed in good tailoring. Honey Barrel’s other Augusta selections carried similar DNA: chewy oak, maple drizzle, and a steady spice line, confirming why they’ve become the whispered-about favourites of collectors and casual drinkers alike.

Wild Turkey - Beacon

Wild Turkey’s new Beacon expression was another star - a bourbon clearly designed to demonstrate that heritage can still surprise. The nose opened with grilled peaches dusted in cinnamon, segueing into honey-drizzled crumble. On the palate, there was a beautiful tension between orchard fruit brightness and deeper notes of saddle leather and pipe tobacco.

What made Beacon memorable was its pacing. It unfolded slowly, like a well-written story - not an immediate knockout, but a gradual deepening that rewarded patience. The finish lingered with toasted oak and a trace of pepper that encouraged another sip. It was, quite simply, dangerously repeatable.

1792 Barrel Proof

If Beacon was a storyteller, 1792 Barrel Proof was a prizefighter. Here was whiskey at its most primal: dense, muscular, unapologetic. The nose promised molasses and cocoa powder; the palate delivered black coffee bitterness, charred oak, and an almost savoury spice that clung to the tongue.

Barrel proof expressions often split a room, but 1792’s version had admirers nodding with a kind of grudging respect. It was less a dram to “enjoy” than one to wrestle with - and in winning, it left you exhilarated.

Elijah Craig 18 Year Old

Then there was Elijah Craig 18, the elder statesman and palate-resetter. At 18 years, bourbon risks becoming over-oaked, but Elijah Craig walked the tightrope with finesse. The nose evoked antique libraries - polished wood, leather bindings, a whiff of orange oil from a well-used desk drawer. The palate was a conversation between vanilla custard and candied citrus peel, softened by mellow tannins.

Its real triumph was the finish: not bombastic, but lingering and layered, the way a compelling argument echoes in your head long after it’s made. This was bourbon as philosophy - patient, articulate, and quietly persuasive.

The Carnival Around the Glass

Of course, the Show offered more than headline drams. There were ballots for Michter’s unicorns, the temptation of the Show shop’s exclusives (with that savvy 10% discount dangling like bait), and the camaraderie of whisky lovers comparing notes with the earnest intensity of sports commentators. Smoky Sue’s brisket - smoky, char-heavy, and unapologetically indulgent - became the unofficial sixth whisky of the day, as crucial a palate experience as anything poured.

Verdict

The Whisky Show has always thrived on organised chaos - a heady mix of discovery, excess, and occasional regret. But in 2025, the standouts made themselves clear. Honey Barrel’s Augusta bottlings commanded attention with their balance of power and elegance, Wild Turkey’s Beacon charmed with its narrative depth, 1792 Barrel Proof flexed with raw force, and Elijah Craig 18 demonstrated the art of restraint.

Together, they told the story of why whisky shows matter: not for ticking off names in an app, but for those fleeting moments when glass, conversation, and atmosphere converge. And if you left with a bottle of Augusta tucked under your arm, you left with more than a souvenir - you left with the best decision of the day.

—-

Words by AW.