Rabbit Hole Straight Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Casks

Awesome American Dream story behind this whiskey: a young Iranian child flees his country after it falls to forces loyal to the Ayatollah Khomeni. He settles in the United States and grows up to be a PhD psychologist. He marries an American from Louisville, KY (also a psychologist) who introduces him to the wondrous world of bourbon. He's hooked (in more ways than one). Years later, Kaveh Zamanian, after a successful career in psychology, founds his own distillery in Kentucky! As for this expression: there's something vinous in the aroma, and you know it was finished in sherry or port casks. A generous ABV with a decent mouthfeel. Then the oak appears, contrasting the sweet notes with a woodiness that doesn't quite meld very well - like something poking out of a stream of flavors. The nosing after the first sip is rich, sweet, and almost scotch-like. This bourbon does have character, no doubt. After successive tipples, the wood notes begin to blend well into the finish. What surprises me about this whiskey is that even though it's PX finished, the aromas aren't as sweet as those found in the Belle Meade Sherry (Oloroso) Cask Finish. Nor are they very nutty. (Someone let me know if my notion of the differences is invalid.) The PX dark fruits are on the palate, but just don't deliver the same degree of depth as those of the Belle Meade. Still, it's a congenial bourbon given it's younger pedigree - 6 yrs vs 9yrs. (Hopefully, they'll make available older stock in the future. And with new ownership by Pernod Ricard, that is a plausible outcome.) If you're getting into finished bourbons, this is a good place to start. Not as outstandingly good and sweet as the Belle Meade, this one retains enough bourbon notes that you'll recognize it as a son of Kentucky (and the extra finish is a bonus). Thanks @jonwilkinson7309 for the 50ml sample and introduction to a very fine craft distillery.

This is in the sherry-finish division of my finished bourbon bracket. It was Rabbit Hole vs Wild Turkey Revival, winner to go against Joseph Magnus. In a blind taste test, Wild Turkey Revival won. As always... this is for science. This one was a lot closer than I thought. WT comes in around $140, and Rabbit Hole around $70. I’d love to say this bourbon was half the bourbon of WT, but that’s simply not true. WT basically ticked more boxes and was a smidge more complex. As for this guy... Nose smells of sugar and butter. Body has a genuinely good flavor. I get watermelon, cherries, and the same butter from the nose. The finish is a bit of a let down for me, taking a very bitter turn away from the body, trailing off with walnuts and raw wood. This bourbon is really interesting. Compared to WT it packs a value for the dollars. Compared to other finished bourbons (port finished, for instance), not so much. Am I to believe that finishing in sherry barrels costs 50% more than port? Rabbit Hole, I can tell you’re young boo. Overall, very tasty, I’m a fan, not my favorite, and I’ll probably buy another one at some point. Fair? Edit: WT Revival won out for the Sherry bracket, beating Joseph Magnus.

Roxanne: this smells like when you forget to take your wet laundry out and put it in the dryer so you have to wash it again. Thankfully, it tastes better than that. Very woody with a little sweet from the sherry, I assume, but will still put some hair on your rabbit balls. Tom: Kinda like I was burning a body in a bonfire while having a glass of Jim Beam. At least the wood in the fire wasn’t hedge trees.

This is okay. I think it is overpriced. Considering this is finished in PX barrels, I am not sure what I was expecting. There is a slightly sweet, grape Cognac like smell and taste to this, but then it almost finished like a sour fruit medicine. So might really like this, but I’d rather have a straight bourbon or a bottle of PX. It doesn’t work for my palette.

Started neat then added ice halfway. Nose: immediately floral. Grassy like a bale of hay. Palate: quite complex and fun to decipher. Getting blackberry jam, red wine reduction, and toasted spice. Finish: long and lasting with the grassy/hay profile. Subtle spice comes back as the ice melts. Overall entertaining with it’s complexity and deep intertwined flavors.

The nose is mostly just alcohol with a hint of syrup and floral notes underneath. The palette is smooth, sweet, and rich with notes of syrup and baking spices. The finish is very smooth, with just a hint of spiciness lingering on the tongue.