Rabbit Hole Dareringer Straight Bourbon Whiskey

This super-premium Straight Bourbon Whiskey is carefully crafted by taking fine wheated bourbon aged in #3, wood-fired alligator char barrels and resting it in hand-selected casks from Spain’s renown Casknolia Cooperage. The resulting whiskey is an unmistakably refined, balanced expression that blends modern and traditional whiskey making. The mash bill on this particular expression is 68% corn, 18% wheat, and 14% malted barley. According to Rabbit Hole, Dareringer is a small batch release made up of no more than 15 barrels. This Straight Bourbon Whiskey is bottled at 93 proof, has no official age statement. The whiskey’s name is a nod to Zamanian’s wife, Heather, who first got him to drink bourbon. “The sherry cask finish is a very elegant, sweet expression of one of our bourbons,” Zamanian says. “My wife, Heather, is a Louisvillian, and equally elegant, sweet, and charming. And she’s been, in a sense, a muse for me behind the brand.” Color: Light Caramel Nose: Lightly sweetened fruit hits the nose first followed by full floral notes. There are hints of vanilla, oak, and caramel. Palate: The palate is fairly smooth and there is not much spice on the first sip but that does not discount the flavor. The second sip coats the mouth with notes of raisins, vanilla, and almonds. There are also floral notes followed by rich dried fruit notes. Finish: The finish is relatively short in comparison to other finish bourbons I have had. There is a bit of dryness from the sherry casks but a very balanced amount. 93 Proof/46.5 ABV This special PX cask finish earned Platinum at the 2017 SIP Awards, and a Gold medal at the 2017 Los Angeles Spirits Competition.