We tried out the popular bourbon of the month club for at-home cocktails without ever leaving the house.
PourMore Bourbon of the Month Club Review: Must-Try Spirits Straight to Your Door
Published on Dec. 04, 2024
The PourMore Bourbon of the Month Club is a must-try for bourbon aficionados and curious newcomers alike. Each month, you’ll receive a full-sized 750ml bottle, complete with tasting notes, a backstory and a cocktail recipe, delivered straight to your door. With two subscription tiers—Intro for beginners and Explorer for seasoned sippers—it’s tailored to various tastes and preferences.
As a spirits enthusiast with years of experience crafting cocktails and reviewing subscriptions like Flaviar, I put PourMore to the test. From the quality of the bourbon to the value it offers, this subscription delivers an exceptional whiskey experience while helping you discover something new for your bar.
Editor’s note: While this article focuses on PourMore’s Bourbon of the Month Club, the company also offers subscriptions for whiskey, scotch, tequila, mezcal, rum and a bartender subscription featuring a mix of spirits.
TASTE OF HOME
PourMore Bourbon of the Month Club
Receive a 750ml bottle of bourbon monthly. Choose the Intro tier for beginners or Explorer for enthusiasts, and enjoy small-batch craftsmanship, tasting notes and cocktail recipes.
What is the PourMore Bourbon of the Month Club?
PourMore’s Bourbon of the Month Club delivers a 750ml bottle of bourbon straight to your doorstep each month. Along with the bottle, you’ll receive tasting notes, the story behind the spirit and an innovative bourbon cocktail recipe.
This Bourbon of the Month Club is all about expanding your palate. Each month, you’ll discover a new bourbon, explore its unique flavors and aromas and learn how to savor it best. The beauty lies in the variety—it’s a chance to uncover distillers and styles you might never have tried.
PourMore’s mission? To broaden your bourbon horizons and bring the magic of the distillery to your home bar.
PourMore Bourbon of the Month Club Features
PourMore collaborates with small-batch bourbon distillers and distributors to bring unique bottles to your collection—ranging from everyday sippers to rare, limited releases.
Membership Levels
The PourMore Bourbon of the Month Club comes in two tiers:
- Intro Tier: Perfect for novices, offering accessible yet quality selections.
- Explorer Tier: For enthusiasts seeking exclusive and rare bourbon options.
For a limited time, subscriptions are discounted:
- Intro Tier: $50/month (17% off)
- Explorer Tier: $80/month (11% off)
To customize your experience, select your bottle by the 4th of each month.
After receiving your bottle, provide feedback to help PourMore refine future selections based on your preferences.
Frequency
After you pick your booze, choose your delivery frequency: monthly or bimonthly. The subscription renews automatically monthly, but with PourMore’s month-to-month flexibility, you can pause or cancel anytime.
Shipping
Shipping costs vary by location but are typically $18-$20 per shipment. Orders ship in batches between the 5th and 15th of each month, arriving between the 10th and 25th. If you place your order after the 5th, it ships at the start of the next month.
Note: PourMore doesn’t ship internationally or to the following U.S. states due to liquor regulations: Utah, Mississippi, Alabama, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Hawaii, Michigan and South Dakota.
PourMore acts as a trusted middleman, partnering with third-party retailers, vendors and couriers to fulfill orders. While they don’t ship from their own inventory, they ensure smooth coordination with their partners.
Gifting
This subscription makes a thoughtful gift for bourbon lovers—or yourself. Gift packages are available at several price points:
- Year of Bourbon: $600
- Six Months: $300
- Three Months: $150
These prices apply to the Intro Tier, with premium Explorer Tier gifting options also available.
Whether you’re diving into the world of bourbon or gifting a curated experience, PourMore makes the journey as smooth as the spirits it delivers.
How We Tested It
Our month’s bourbon pick was Shortbarrel Bourbon Straight Rye Whiskey from Indiana, a single-barrel gem with a mashbill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. The non-chill filtered, straight rye whiskey is aged six years and bottled at a bold 115.3 proof. It snagged a Double Gold at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Before sipping, I opened my mouth slightly and inhaled gently, paying attention to the flavors that emerged. The Shortbarrel burst with notes of baking spice, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and a touch of mint candy, balanced by rich caramel, vanilla and spearmint. Aromas of rye grain filled the room, then faded into lighter, more tropical, fruity tones. The finish was surprisingly sweet yet boldly spiced as notes of clove, rye, oak and tobacco lingered.
The whiskey cocktail recipe featured an Apple Cider Smash: Combine one ounce of Shortbarrel Rye Whiskey, half an ounce of fresh lemon juice and four ounces of apple cider in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, then pour over ice in a glass.
Pros
- Collaborates with small-batch distilleries to deliver rare and high-quality bourbons
- Offers Intro for beginners and Explorer for seasoned enthusiasts, tailoring to different experience levels
- Each shipment includes detailed tasting notes, backstory and a creative cocktail recipe for added enjoyment
- Options for monthly or bimonthly deliveries with the ability to pause or cancel anytime
- Makes an excellent gift with 3-, 6- or 12-month packages available
- Provides a full-sized 750ml bottle per shipment, offering better quantity compared to sample-based subscriptions
Cons
- Additional costs ($18–$20 for shipping) can increase overall price
- Not available in certain states due to liquor regulations
- Returns only accepted for damaged bottles, with an $80 restocking fee for undeliverable shipments
Why You Should Trust Us
As Senior Shopping Editor for Reader’s Digest, Taste of Home and Family Handyman, I bring over a decade of experience reviewing products across food, travel and lifestyle categories. Having written for Southern Living, Forbes and Better Homes & Gardens, I’ve built a reputation for delivering well-researched, hands-on product reviews. For this review of PourMore’s bourbon of the month club, I applied my expertise in spirits—honed through cocktail crafting and culinary exploration—to offer an informed, genuine perspective on the bourbon of the month club’s selection, quality and overall value. I’ve tested the Flaviar whiskey subscription, 2023 and 2024 Flaviar Advent calendars and over 50 bourbons.
In addition to my commerce editorial work, I’m a food and travel writer for Garden & Gun, The Local Palate and Covey Rise, where I’ve toured distilleries and interviewed top bartenders and spirit makers. This experience and my passion for crafting cocktails and hosting equip me to assess the PourMore bourbon of the month club’s offerings with a discerning eye for variety and craftsmanship.
FAQ
How does a bourbon club work?
Typically, a bourbon of the month club delivers a full-sized bottle of bourbon to your door regularly, once a month like PourMore or quarterly. Or, it could be three sample vials of bourbon once a quarter, like the Flaviar bourbon subscription.
What is the number one bourbon drink?
The most popular bourbon drink is an old-fashioned cocktail. Developed in the early 19th century, it consists of spirits, bitters, water and sugar.
Product Comparison
When comparing the PourMore bourbon of the month club to a Flaviar whiskey subscription, each caters to distinct audiences. Flaviar excels in variety, offering a global selection of whiskeys, spirits and an expansive online community with resources like tasting notes, recipes and rare bottles. It’s perfect for whiskey connoisseurs seeking a quarterly subscription with added perks like discounts, events and a vibrant spirits community.
Conversely, PourMore focuses on bourbon enthusiasts, delivering one full-sized bottle monthly. It emphasizes small-batch distillers and personalized selections. While PourMore offers a more frequent delivery schedule and tailored experience, Flaviar provides broader spirit exploration and additional educational tools.
Value is a key factor to consider, with Flaviar costing $100 per shipment and PourMore costing around $70-$90 per shipment after shipping fees ($70 at Intro level and $90 at Explorer level). Overall, PourMore delivers more bang for your buck with a higher quantity of whiskey. A Flaviar shipment includes three 50ml samples of different whiskeys, and PourMore delivers a single 750ml bottle of bourbon.
Both subscriptions shine in their respective niches, with Flaviar leading in diversity and PourMore excelling in bourbon exclusivity.
Final Verdict
PourMore Bourbon of the Month Club is a standout subscription for bourbon lovers, delivering expertly curated, small-batch selections with tasting notes, backstories and cocktail recipes. With two tiers—Intro for beginners and Explorer for seasoned sippers—it offers a personalized experience, featuring a full-sized 750ml bottle each month. While shipping fees and state restrictions may pose minor drawbacks, the subscription’s focus on quality and variety sets it apart, offering excellent value compared to sample-based services like Flaviar. Whether for yourself or as a gift, PourMore is a rewarding way to explore and enjoy the world of bourbon.
Note: PourMore only accepts returns if your bottle of bourbon arrives damaged. If that happens, email [email protected] for assistance. Double-check your address before placing an order. Refused or undeliverable deliveries incur an $80 restocking fee to cover partner and return shipping costs.
Where To Buy the PourMore Bourbon of the Month Club
TASTE OF HOME
PourMore Bourbon of the Month Club
Receive a 750ml bottle of bourbon monthly. Choose the Intro tier for beginners or Explorer for enthusiasts, and enjoy small-batch craftsmanship, tasting notes and cocktail recipes.
The PourMore Bourbon of the Month Club subscription starts at $50/month for the Intro Tier and $80/month for the Explorer Tier, with discounts available for longer commitments or gifting packages. Shipping costs range from $18–$20 per month, depending on your location. You can only purchase the subscription directly from PourMore’s website.
