Nulu Reserve Small Batch Bourbon Toasted French Oak Stave Finish 750ML

Nulu Reserve Small Batch Bourbon Toasted French Oak Stave Finish 750ML is a cask-strength Kentucky bourbon finished on toasted French oak staves, bottled at 54% ABV (108 proof) in a 750ml bottle. What distinguishes this expression is its secondary maturation on French oak staves charred and toasted to varying levels, adding layers of sweetness and complexity beyond what the original American oak aging delivers.

Quick Facts: ABV: 54% (108 Proof)  |  Origin: Louisville, Kentucky  |  Small Batch, Cask Strength  |  Distillery: PCS Distilling Company (Prohibition Craft Spirits)

Production & Heritage

Nulu is the bourbon brand of PCS Distilling Company — also known as Prohibition Craft Spirits — based in Louisville, Kentucky. The distillery sources its bourbon from MGP of Indiana, working with a mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. After initial aging in new charred American oak barrels, the whiskey undergoes a secondary finishing period on French oak staves at various toast and char levels, lasting anywhere from several weeks to months depending on the specific stave profile. The Reserve designation signals a cask-strength, non-chill-filtered bottling, preserving the full texture and flavor intensity of the finished bourbon.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Butter waffles and vanilla cream greet the nose first, followed by maple syrup sweetness and a soft suggestion of rose water. The French oak influence introduces a refined, almost pastry-like quality that sits beneath the traditional bourbon notes.

Taste: The entry is oily and generously sweet, with vanilla icing and fresh sugar cookies rolling across the palate. Mid-palate, lemon zest and caramel emerge alongside oak spice and nutmeg. At full proof, the 108-proof heat is present but well-integrated, never overwhelming the layered sweetness beneath it.

Finish: A smooth, lingering finish carries warm baking spice, toasted oak tannins, and a final echo of caramel. The French oak stave influence is most apparent here, adding a silky texture and gentle sweetness that extends well beyond the last sip.

How to Drink Nulu Reserve French Oak

At 108 proof, this bourbon rewards patience — pour it neat and let it sit for five to ten minutes, then add a few drops of water to unlock the full aromatic range. The cask-strength intensity also holds up exceptionally well in cocktails. An Old Fashioned benefits from the pronounced vanilla and caramel, which stand tall against bitters and sugar. A Boulevardier works well here, as the bourbon's oak spice and sweetness counterbalance Campari's bitterness. A Whiskey Sour gains extra body and depth from the oily texture and layered French oak character.

Best For

• Bourbon enthusiasts exploring secondary wood finishes and stave-finished expressions
• Side-by-side tastings comparing American oak versus French oak influence on bourbon
• Gifting a whiskey collector who values small-batch, cask-strength bottlings
• Building a barrel-proof home bar anchored by distinctive finishing techniques

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Nulu Reserve French Oak taste like? It delivers rich vanilla icing, caramel, and sugar cookie sweetness up front, followed by oak spice, nutmeg, and lemon zest on the palate, finishing with lingering toasted oak and warm baking spice.

How does Nulu Reserve French Oak compare to Old Forester 1910? Both use secondary wood treatments to enhance sweetness and complexity, but Nulu Reserve is bottled at cask strength (108 proof) versus Old Forester 1910's 93 proof, resulting in a bolder, more intense flavor profile. The Nulu also uses French oak staves rather than a second heavily toasted American oak barrel, which contributes a slightly different tannin structure and more refined sweetness.

Is Nulu Reserve French Oak good for sipping neat? Yes — the non-chill-filtered, cask-strength bottling delivers full body and concentrated flavor that rewards neat sipping, though a few drops of water help open up the aromatics at 108 proof.

Where is Nulu Reserve French Oak made? Nulu is produced by PCS Distilling Company (Prohibition Craft Spirits) in Louisville, Kentucky, using bourbon sourced from MGP of Indiana that is then finished and bottled in Louisville.

What foods pair well with Nulu Reserve French Oak? Pecan pie complements the caramel and toasted oak notes. Dark chocolate truffles mirror the bourbon's vanilla richness. Smoked pork belly or burnt ends match the oak spice intensity. Crème brûlée echoes the sugar cookie and vanilla character. Aged Gouda highlights the nutmeg and warm spice undertones.

What sizes does Nulu Reserve French Oak come in? This expression is available in the standard 750ml bottle size.

Is Nulu Reserve French Oak worth the price? Nulu Reserve positions as a premium small-batch bourbon, and the cask-strength, non-chill-filtered presentation combined with French oak stave finishing delivers a level of complexity and proof that competes favorably within the barrel-proof finished bourbon category.

Why Nulu Reserve French Oak?

The use of French oak staves at multiple toast and char levels — rather than a single secondary barrel — gives PCS Distilling a degree of control over the finishing profile that most double-oaked bourbons lack. The result is a bourbon that retains the robust MGP rye-forward backbone (21% rye in the mashbill) while gaining refined pastry-like sweetness and silky texture from the French wood. Bottled unfiltered at full cask strength, nothing is stripped or diluted before it reaches the glass. For drinkers who want to explore how stave finishing reshapes a familiar bourbon foundation, this is one of the more transparent and well-executed examples on the market.