Lock & Load Pistol Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Lock & Load Pistol Straight Bourbon Whiskey (375mL) puts 80-proof straight bourbon into a pistol-shaped glass bottle where the grip holds the whiskey. It is the smallest full-size format in the line and the one that reads as a stocking stuffer rather than a centerpiece — the buyer is someone shopping a novelty gift under $60.

Process & Profile

Lock & Load is a firearm-decanter bourbon portfolio from AIKO, an American importer and brand house that builds its entire catalog around the shape of the glass: 100mL bullet miniatures sold by the box of twenty, carbines, break-action shotguns, and rifles up to 1.75 liters. The pistol sits at the entry point. Inside is straight bourbon whiskey at 40% ABV / 80 proof in a 375mL half-bottle. AIKO does not publish a distillery source, mash bill, or age statement; the straight bourbon classification requires at least two years in new charred oak and permits no additives beyond water.

On the nose, vanilla, sweet corn, light toasted oak and a trace of cinnamon.

On the palate, caramel and brown sugar up front, then baking spice, a soft red-apple note, and mild char.

The finish is brief and gentle, sweet with a light oak tail and no burn worth mentioning.

Format is the whole argument for this bottle over the rest of the line. The 375mL pistol costs a fraction of the 1.75L rifle and the shotgun gift set, takes up almost no shelf space, and empties fast enough that the bottle becomes the keepsake — which, for a novelty decanter, is the point. It also travels: this is the Lock & Load that fits in a gift bag.

Serve on the rocks, or build it into an Old Fashioned where the sugar and bitters give the 80-proof bourbon some backbone. Good with barbecue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this whiskey?
A straight bourbon whiskey bottled in a pistol-shaped glass decanter, with the whiskey filling the grip.

What are the specs?
375mL, 40% ABV / 80 proof, straight bourbon whiskey. AIKO does not publish a distillery source, mash bill, or age statement.

What does it taste like?
Vanilla, corn and light oak on the nose; caramel, brown sugar and baking spice on the palate, with a short sweet finish.

How should you enjoy it?
On the rocks, or in an Old Fashioned.

Why is this release notable?
It is the smallest and least expensive full-bottle format in the Lock & Load line, which makes it the practical gifting size.