Disclaimer: The whiskey reviewed was furnished for free courtesy of the spirit distiller. The distillery did not pay us for this review. This review is our honest and unbiased opinion based soley on how the spirit tasted.
The founder of Rabbit Hole whiskey Kaveh Zamanian and his team craft whiskey to challenge drinkers while also embracing tradition. Here are a few ways Kaveh and Rabbit Hole does just that:
- All Rabbit Hole’s bourbon recipes consist of 30% malted grains
- Rabbit Hole’s entry proof is 110, and its whiskey is never chill-filtered — optimizing flavor
- Rabbit Hole always uses hand-selected, wood-fired, toasted, and charred barrels
- All Rabbit Hole’s American whiskies are made in small batches of less than 15 barrels per batch.
What Kaveh and the team at Rabbit Hole have accomplished is admirable. They could’ve sourced whiskey. They didn’t. They could’ve come up with some far-fetched story about grandpappy’s recipes. They didn’t. Instead, Kaveh learned the craft under some of Kentucky’s most renowned distillers and crafted his own mashbills and recipes with the unique values and techniques we’ve highlighted above.
Apart from the whiskey, Rabbit Hole has a unique architectural flair against the downtown Lousiville distillery landscape. It’s a whiskey and distillery with swagger. Check it out below:
Start shopping for bourbon clothing and accessories for your journey. The Bard’s Shop has custom tees and hoodies, books, barrels, and more.
Table of Contents
Rabbit Hole Cavehill 4-Grain Bourbon Review
| Cavehill 4-Grain Bourbon | Details |
|---|---|
| Off the Still | No More Than 160 Proof |
| Barrel Entry | 110 Proof |
| In the Bottle | 95 Proof |
| ABV | 47.5% |
| Mashbill | 70% Corn, 10% Malted Wheat, 10% Malted Honey Barley, and 10% Malted Barley |
| Standards | Four Grains Three Malted Grains |
| Age | At Least 3YO |
| Barrels | Kelvin Cooperage Toasted & Charred |
| Fair Price | $65.99 |
| Company | Rabbit Hole Distillery 711 E Jefferson St. Louisville, KY 40202 |
| Pros | Phenomenal Nose, Unique Mashbill |
| Cons | Palate and Finish Fall Slightly |
| Rating | Silver 87.2 out of 100 Points |
| Inventory | Buy It |
Rabbit Hole Cavehill is not only a four-grain bourbon, but its mashbill contains three malted grains — malted wheat, honey malted barley, and malted barley. It’s one way Rabbit Hole demonstrates excellence and creativity in modern whiskey making.
Nose – 90 out of 100 Points
The minute I poured this four-grain bourbon into my Glencairn I could smell a malty sweetness and light caramel. I also pick up a bright peach and subtle citrus followed up with a warming baking spice. I keep coming back to try to put my finger on a flavor I keep catching a whiff of. I’m saying it’s a tangy Greek yogurt with honey. I’m enjoying the aromas present quite a bit.
Taste – 86 out of 100 Points
The front of the palate is cinnamon cream cheese and black pepper. Only after those savory flavors exit the stage do the delicate sweet notes show up. Just hints of honey and peach. The back of the palate is all toasted oak and more peppercorn pepperiness.
Finish – 85 out of 100 Points
The finish is medium with oak as the standout with maybe just a hint of that rock fruit sweetness and charred cinnamon stick.
Complexity – 87 out of 100 Points
The initial aromas had superb depth, complexity, and balance but the palate and finished lacked the more forward sweet notes to counterbalance the more savory notes. A solid whiskey overall and great sipping.
Value – 88 out of 100 Points
Cavehill retails for just north of $60. The attention to detail and craftsmanship that go into creating a four grain, three malted grain whiskey make this worth the price.
Verdict – Silver 87.2 out of 100 Points
Rabbit Hole Heigold High-Rye Bourbon Review
| Heigold High-Rye Bourbon | Details |
|---|---|
| Off the Still | No More Than 160 Proof |
| Barrel Entry | 110 Proof |
| In the Bottle | 95 Proof |
| ABV | 47.5% |
| Mashbill | 70% Corn, 25% Malted Rye, & 5% Malted Barley |
| Standards | High Rye High Malt |
| Age | At Least 3YO |
| Barrels | Kelvin Cooperage Toasted & Charred |
| Fair Price | $60 to $70 |
| Company | Rabbit Hole Distillery 711 E Jefferson St. Louisville, KY 40202 |
| Pros | Good Complexity on the Nose |
| Cons | Price Against a Crowded Category |
| Rating | Silver 86.8 out of 100 Points |
| Inventory | Try It |
Rabbit Hole Heigold is named after Christian Heigold, a German immigrant stonecutter from the 18th century. He was well known in Kentucky for his “beautiful renditions of his family, American heroes, and symbols of patriotism.” His bourbon namesake is a high-rye bourbon made with 25% malted German rye and 5% malted barley. Before the whiskey rests in the barrel, Rabbit Hole partners with Kelvin Cooperage to toast each barrel for 20 minutes followed by a char.
Nose – 87 out of 100 Points
The nose is toasted oak and caramel. Imagine sitting around a fire and dropping some marshmallow on the burning wood. I’m also picking up dried cranberries, subtle floral notes, and spices.
Taste – 87 out of 100 Points
I get just a pop of butterscotch on the front followed by rye spice, fresh wood, and toasted peppercorn (which leaves a nice tingle on your tongue).
Finish – 88 out of 100 Points
The finish is medium with toasted oak and sweet, charred cinnamon.
Complexity – 86 out of 100 Points
The nose offered the best complexity while the palate and finish were more straightforward. All the flavors worked well together and were enjoyable.
Value – 86 out of 100 Points
Rabbit Hole Heigold at 3YO retails for around $60. Heigold is a bourbon for drinkers who love sweet maltiness and the unique production value.
Verdict – Silver 86.8 out of 100 Points
Rabbit Hole Dareringer Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Casks Review
| Dareringer Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Casks | Details |
|---|---|
| Off the Still | No More Than 160 Proof |
| Barrel Entry | 110 Proof |
| In the Bottle | 93 Proof |
| ABV | 46.5% |
| Mashbill | 68% Corn, 18% Wheat, & 14% Malted Barley |
| Standards | Wheated PX Sherry Finished Bourbon |
| Age | NAS |
| First Barrel | Kelvin Cooperage – Toasted & Charred |
| Second Barrel | Casknolia Cooperage — PX Sherry Casks |
| Fair Price | $80 plus |
| Company | Rabbit Hole Distillery 711 E Jefferson St. Louisville, KY 40202 |
| Pros | Coming Soon |
| Cons | Coming Soon |
| Rating | Coming Soon |
| Inventory | Coming Soon |
Rabbit Hole Dareringer is inspired by Kaveh’s wife who started him down the bourbon rabbit hole. Like Heigold, the first barrels are toasted than charred. That bourbon is then laid to rest in Pedro Ximenez Sherry Casks from Spain’s renown Casknolia Cooperage. In addition to corn, the mashbill contains 18% wheat and 14% malted barley.
Full Review Coming Soon. Notes Above Provided by Rabbit Hole.
For more information on how Rabbit Hole crafted Dareringer Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in PX Sherry Casks check out the video below:
Rabbit Hole Boxergrail Rye Whiskey Review
| Boxergrail Rye Whiskey | Details |
|---|---|
| Off the Still | No More Than 160 Proof |
| Barrel Entry | 110 Proof |
| In the Bottle | 95 Proof |
| ABV | 46.5% |
| Mashbill | 95% Rye and 5% Malted Barley |
| Age | At Least 2YO |
| Barrel | Kelvin Cooperage – Toasted & Charred |
| Fair Price | $50 to $60 |
| Company | Rabbit Hole Distillery 711 E Jefferson St. Louisville, KY 40202 |
| Pros | Coming Soon |
| Cons | Coming Soon |
| Rating | Coming Soon |
| Inventory | Coming Soon |
Boxergrail Rye Whiskey is named after the gritty boxing culture Lousiville is well known for. We all know the legendary Muhammad Ali grew up there. The mashbill is a 95% rye mash with the remainder being malted barley. The rye flavor packs a punch.
Full Review Coming Soon. Notes Above Provided by Rabbit Hole.
Rabbit Hole Founder’s Collection
Rabbit Hole Founder’s Collection whiskeys are unique in character and flavor and hand-selected by founder Kaveh Zamanian.
Founder’s Collection 2020 – Boxer Grail Cask Strength 6YO Rye Whiskey
Rabbit Hole says, “Our founder and whiskey maker, hand-selected seven barrels from our 6-year-old stock for this limited release. Only 1,315 bottles will be made available.” These are exceptional rye whiskey barrels that shine at cask strength with the maturity of aging for six-season cycles.
Full Review Coming Soon
Founder’s Collection 2021 – 15-Year-Old Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Japanese Mizunara Oak
I believe 2021’s Founder’s Collection will be the oldest whiskey released by Rabbit Hole with the added twist of it also being aged in the luxurious Japanese Mizunara Oak barrels. Mizunara oak is rare and hard to work with. It tends to leak for one, grows in knots for another, and is best used for casks after growing 200 years. But with patience and expertise, it offers flavors of “sandalwood, coconut, spice and Japanese incense” (Wine Enthusiast).
Full Review Upon Release
Start shopping for bourbon clothing and accessories for your journey. The Bard’s Shop has custom tees and hoodies, books, barrels, and more.
About Matty Sims
Written by Matty Sims
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