Billy Idol has got great style! Whether you like his music or not, you have to admire his unabashed and unapologetic approach to his life and his fame. He openly admits to drug use, and has said he uses recreationally, but hasn’t ever been addicted to anything. Again he states the truth, he chose to take the drugs, and whether he is dependent or not, he knows that he has the choice to take it or not! Refreshing! Whether he is or is not an addict is up for debate, and I really don’t care, it doesn’t affect my life, but you have to give it to a guy that is approaching 50 and still has six pack abs, and looks to be in better shape now then when he was in his twenties fronting for Generation X.
In the same way Billy Idol is in your face with his celebrity and is surprisingly unapologetic for a B-List celebrity, so is a whiskey that has come to be synonymous with singer…
Rebel Yell Bourbon is a wheat bourbon that is aged in oak for 5 years and is 80 Proof. It is very light and looks like it really isn’t worth buying, but I thought that since I was doing a special series on wheat bourbons that I would pick it up, but wasn’t expecting much from it. It was a bottom shelf offering and only cost $13.95 so if I didn’t like it, it wasn’t that big of an investment.
The nose on this whiskey was much more pronounced than I expected given its price and color. It had some sweetness and some alcohol mixed with old leather and oak. Taking a sip was just as surprising. It has good flavor, with sweet notes up front and then turning to a little old leather and char with a typical subdued wheat finish lasting about 45 seconds. I wasn’t expecting this because of the overall color of this bourbon. It is very light in color and gives the initial impression that it won’t be much on flavor or finish.
Neat
Very good neat whiskey. Drinks well with a nice finish.
On the Rocks
Holds up surprisingly well to ice. Cooling this whiskey brings out the old leather and oaky barrel notes on the finish, and shortens it.
With a Splash
This bourbon holds up surprisingly well to water with good flavor, but that is about all. The finish is extinguished but the overall experience is that of a wheat bourbon.
Surprisingly this is a good wheat bourbon and a bottom shelf find! I wasn’t expecting much, but this is good stuff. Like Idol it keeps surprising, and is unapologetic. Try it, you’ll be surprised too.
-Don
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
Nice Picture, Don!
I love you way you review these, Neat (my pref), rocks, and water. Don’t know too much about bourbon, So where does this one stack up against like Makers Mark or the other extreme Baysil Haden?
I’d say this is way better than both. Basil Hayden is so light it has almost no rye and tastes more like a corn whiskey. Makers is just like drinking from a gasoline hose! I really don’t care for it. I would say you should give it a try. It is great to back a nice beer with a good whiskey. It is a match made in heaven, and spoke about here! Watch for my reviews of all the beer and whiskey I had on my trip to Portland Oregon.
I am sure you saw my review of this on BE. It just didn’t do anything for me at all. I am glad you liked it and maybe it has gotten a sight better after the rebel reserve was introduced this year. Who knows but it took a lot of vatting with OGD for me to finish off this bottle.
Dan You are right it was light. I guess after reading your review and some others I thought it would be almost non existent, but to me it wasn’t. I thought it was another Heaven Hill well done product. The people there just get it. Mine was the newer vintage with just the two crests, and perhaps that makes a difference. Also I’ll come clean here, I was in a little bit of a bourbon funk at the time so a lighter bourbon probably hit the spot better than a heavier Four Roses or Old Fitz.
-Don
Good review! Rebel Yell is the best bourbon value out there, and best kept secret. If you want to impress your friends with an expensive bottle on the bar, it’s your money. But if you just want a good bourbon to enjoy on the weekend, why buy anything else?