The Story Behind The Whisky Agency x Casa de Vinos Bar Series
Released 17 June 2026
Some bottles are created to showcase a distillery. Others are created to celebrate a cask. The Whisky Agency x Casa de Vinos Bar Series was created for a different reason entirely.
This series was built to recognise the venues, bartenders and communities that help shape Australia's spirits culture.
Every year, thousands of Australians discover a new whisky, bourbon or rum through a recommendation across a bar top. A conversation with a bartender. A tasting flight. A shared bottle between friends. While distilleries produce the spirit and bottlers select the casks, it is often bars that create the experiences that turn curiosity into passion.
When Casa de Vinos began discussing future bottlings with German independent bottler The Whisky Agency, the conversation quickly moved beyond the liquid itself. We wanted to create something that acknowledged the venues that have helped build Australia's appreciation for great spirits.
The result is the inaugural release of The Whisky Agency x Casa de Vinos Bar Series.
The First Chapter
The first chapter of the series consists of two exclusive bottlings: Heaven Hill Single Barrel Bourbon and Foursquare Single Cask Rum.
Each release has been dedicated to three venues that have made a meaningful contribution to their respective categories.
Together they celebrate six venues, two world-class producers and one shared belief: great spirits deserve great places to be discovered.
Why We Created The Bar Series
Independent bottlings are often built around rarity.
A single cask. A unique maturation. A famous distillery.
Those things matter, but they are only part of the story.
The Australian spirits community is built on relationships. Distillers, importers, retailers, bartenders and enthusiasts all play a role in creating a culture that allows people to explore beyond familiar brands and categories.
For Casa de Vinos, some of our most rewarding conversations have taken place in specialist bars around the country. These venues are where enthusiasts discover new producers, compare styles and deepen their understanding of spirits.
The Bar Series was created to recognise that contribution.
Rather than dedicating a bottling to a single event or milestone, we wanted to dedicate these releases to the venues that consistently champion quality, education and hospitality.
The bars featured in this series were not chosen because they sell the most bottles or because they are the newest venues in the market. They were chosen because they have earned the respect of enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.
The Whisky Agency: Finding the Right Casks
Any successful independent bottling begins with the right cask.
Founded in Germany, The Whisky Agency has spent years building a reputation among collectors and enthusiasts for selecting distinctive single casks from some of the world's most respected producers.
Unlike large-volume bottlers, The Whisky Agency focuses on individuality. The goal is not simply to release another bottling from a famous distillery. The goal is to find casks that offer something memorable and distinctive while remaining true to the producer's character.
This approach has earned the company a loyal following across whisky and rum communities worldwide.
For the Bar Series, The Whisky Agency worked with Casa de Vinos to identify casks worthy of the venues they would represent.
The result was a pairing that felt natural from the outset: one of America's most respected bourbon producers, one of the most admired rum distilleries in the world, and two spirits categories that continue to grow in popularity across Australia.
Heaven Hill: A Bourbon Worth Celebrating
Few names carry more weight in American whiskey than Heaven Hill.
Founded in Kentucky in 1935 and still owned by the Shapira family, Heaven Hill has played a significant role in shaping modern bourbon. The company is responsible for some of the category's most respected brands, including Elijah Craig, Henry McKenna, Old Fitzgerald, Evan Williams, Larceny and Parker's Heritage Collection.
While bourbon has experienced extraordinary growth over the last decade, Heaven Hill's reputation has been built over generations.
The distillery has remained committed to traditional production methods, long-term maturation and the preservation of historic American whiskey styles.
For enthusiasts, Heaven Hill represents a connection to Kentucky's bourbon heritage. For bartenders, it represents reliability, quality and versatility. For collectors, it represents some of the most sought-after releases in American whiskey.
When discussing potential producers for the first bourbon release in the Bar Series, Heaven Hill quickly emerged as a natural choice.
It is a producer respected by newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts alike. It is equally at home in a classic cocktail, a tasting flight or a serious collection.
Most importantly, it is a producer that reflects the values we wanted the Bar Series to represent: authenticity, quality and long-term commitment to the category.
The selected single barrel captures the rich, full-bodied style that has made Heaven Hill a benchmark for Kentucky bourbon.
Dedicated to Deadwood, Jolene's and Alice Bar
Deadwood - Dromana: Located on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, Deadwood has become a destination for whiskey enthusiasts seeking a carefully curated selection and genuine hospitality. The venue's commitment to American whiskey has helped establish it as one of the country's most respected bourbon destinations.
Jolene's - Sydney: Jolene's has become synonymous with bourbon culture in Australia. With a strong focus on American whiskey, Southern hospitality and accessibility, the venue has introduced countless drinkers to the diversity and depth of Kentucky bourbon.
Alice Bar - Brisbane: Alice Bar has earned a reputation as one of Queensland's leading spirits venues. Known for its exceptional selection and deep appreciation of whiskey culture, the venue continues to play an important role in growing Australia's enthusiast community.
Together, these venues represent the spirit of bourbon in Australia: knowledgeable, welcoming and passionate.
Foursquare: A Modern Rum Benchmark
If Heaven Hill represents the heritage of bourbon, Foursquare represents the modern evolution of premium rum.
Located in Barbados, Foursquare Distillery has become one of the most influential producers in the category.
Under the leadership of Richard Seale, the distillery has earned international recognition for its commitment to transparency, quality and traditional production methods.
At a time when many consumers are seeking greater authenticity from premium spirits, Foursquare has become a benchmark producer.
Its releases are admired for their balance, complexity and integrity.
The distillery's reputation extends well beyond rum enthusiasts. Increasingly, whisky drinkers are discovering Foursquare as a category-leading producer capable of delivering the structure, maturity and depth they often seek in single malt whisky.
For Casa de Vinos, Foursquare was the obvious choice for the inaugural rum release in the Bar Series.
Like Heaven Hill, it is a producer respected throughout the industry. Like Heaven Hill, it has helped define its category. And like Heaven Hill, it reflects the values that sit at the heart of the Bar Series.
Dedicated to Rude Boy, Hats and Tatts and Old Loves
Rude Boy - Hobart: Rude Boy has become one of Australia's most respected rum-focused venues. Through its commitment to education, quality and community, it has played an important role in developing Tasmania's growing appreciation for premium rum.
Hats and Tatts - Melbourne: A long-standing institution among spirits enthusiasts, Hats and Tatts has introduced generations of drinkers to premium spirits across multiple categories. Its commitment to quality hospitality and carefully curated selections has earned it widespread respect throughout the industry.
Old Loves - Sydney: Old Loves has become one of Sydney's leading destinations for cocktails and premium rum. The venue's focus on quality ingredients, hospitality and education has helped introduce many drinkers to the diversity of modern rum.
Together these venues represent the continuing growth and evolution of Australia's rum community.
More Than Bottles
While the Bar Series begins with two bottlings, the project is ultimately about something larger.
It is about recognising the people who create great experiences around great spirits.
Distillers produce remarkable spirits. Independent bottlers discover remarkable casks. Retailers connect bottles with customers. But bars create the moments that inspire people to explore further.
Every venue featured in this inaugural release has helped build Australia's spirits culture through hospitality, education and community.
The Bar Series exists to acknowledge that contribution.
Looking Ahead
The Whisky Agency x Casa de Vinos Bar Series has been designed as an ongoing project rather than a one-off release.
Future bottlings will continue to spotlight outstanding producers, carefully selected casks and the venues helping drive Australia's appreciation of premium spirits.
Some may focus on whisky. Some may focus on rum. Others may explore entirely different categories.
What will remain constant is the philosophy behind the series: celebrate great producers, celebrate great casks, and most importantly, celebrate the people and places that bring those spirits to life.
Explore the Bar Series
The inaugural releases are Heaven Hill Single Barrel Bourbon, dedicated to Deadwood, Jolene's and Alice Bar, and Foursquare Single Cask Rum, dedicated to Rude Boy, Hats and Tatts and Old Loves.
You can explore both releases online at Casa de Vinos, experience them through future tastings at Casa de Vinos Lounge, and discover more independent bottlings from The Whisky Agency through our growing collection of exclusive releases.