Our Distillery

Frequently Asked Questions

Products

What do you make?

Our core offerings include bourbon (aged in a char 3 barrel), sour mash whiskey, and specialty releases such as our heavy char (aged in a char 4 barrel) and honey-finished whiskeys.

What’s the difference between the Bourbon and Sour Mash Whiskey?

Bourbon must be aged in a new toasted & charred American white oak barrel, and entered into that barrel at 125 proof or less. When the barrel is used again, this final product is whiskey - our Sour Mash Whiskey. When making Sour Mash Whiskey we use some of our backset from the previous batch.

Do they taste different?

Yes they taste different, but the difference is very subtle since both products are made the same way from the beginning, but aged differently. Bourbon is aged in a new charred barrel and has the caramel, vanilla and smoke associated with a new American white oak barrel. Sour Mash Whiskey is aged in the used bourbon barrels imparting the caramel, vanilla and smoke from the bourbon barrel.

What are the size of your bottles?

Our bottles are 750ml, also known as a fifth.

I keep hearing about Char 3 and the heavier char, Char 4 bourbon - what is that?
The "Char" in Char 3 and Char 4 refers to the level of charring applied to the inside of the barrel before aging. Bourbon barrels are first toasted and then exposed to an open flame, creating a charred layer that influences the whiskey's color, flavor, and aroma.
Char levels typically range from Char 1 (lightest) to Char 5, often called an "Alligator Char" because of its distinctive cracked appearance. Heavier char levels can impart deeper notes of caramel, vanilla, oak, and spice.
When Irons One first opened, we offered our flagship bourbon alongside a heavier-char specialty bourbon. Today, those expressions are known as our Char 3 Bourbon and Char 4 Bourbon. To celebrate our 10th anniversary in 2025, we also released a limited-edition Char 5 Bourbon, showcasing the bold character that comes from an intensely charred barrel.

Availability

Can I buy your bourbon at the distillery?

Yes! All of our products are available for purchase at the distillery. Subscribe to our newsletter here to be the first to know about new product releases.

I don’t live in Huntsville, can you ship me a bottle?

Absolutely! While we can't ship bottles directly from the distillery, we do offer online ordering through our third-party retail partner, Tipxy. Currently, our Char 3 Bourbon and Sour Mash Whiskey are available for purchase online here.

Can I buy your bourbon at ABC stores or restaurants?

We sometimes send our products to distribution through the ABC warehouse. Unfortunately, once we hand the product to the distributor, we have no information on where it is shipped from the ABC warehouse. We do not know what retail store, restaurant or bar may receive our product. Our product is only distributed in the State of Alabama.

Information

Can I get a tour of your distillery?

Of course! You can schedule a tour here or contact us for a Private Tasting Event here

How long does it take to make your whiskey?

The process from mashing to distilling is about two weeks. We produce about 30 gallons of unaged whiskey per week. The length of time in the barrel depends for each barrel but our 15 gallon barrels typically age 3-4 years. Smaller barrels have an "accelerated " aging process and deliver a fully mature product ina shorter amount of time compared to a 53 gallon barrel.

How do you determine when the whiskey is ready to bottle?

There is really only one way to determine when the whiskey is ready – we have to taste it. As the barrels reach their time for maturity, they are meticulously nosed & tasted by our entire team, samples are provided for the owners, and then bottled when it reaches our standard.