DigitalArc
Rabbit Hole Straight Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Casks
Bourbon — USA
Reviewed
July 1, 2020 (edited March 10, 2021)
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.
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@BeppeCovfefe Yup, the cognac finish was very enjoyable. (I bought a full bottle after a sampling.) I like the direction the distillery went with all the finished editions.
I thought the cognac finish Belle Meade was phenomenal, the oloroso sherry kind of meh...
@DigitalCork exactly! I’ve had a few of those in Mumbai, in the Parsi restaurants. Those are amazing. Now...imagine adding a bit of Kentucky distilled juice with it...
@PBMichiganWolverine Now that's a thought! I don't think post-Zoroastrian Persian culture had much in the way of a brewing or vinting tradition. But I know they have many non-alocholic beverages made from fruit, herbs, and seeds. Maybe an infusion, like absinthe or gin?
@Anthology Thanks, I wrote it up thinking it'd make for a nice 4th of July read.
Great backstory ! One part of me is curious if he’ll ever do a fusion KY - Iranian spirit —that would be interesting
Nice review! Cool back story, which I wasn’t aware of. Thanks for sharing that.
I've been interested in this and the various Belle Meade cask finishes for a while now. Thanks for going into detail about the differences between this and the Belle Meade Sherry! I didn't expect that the Belle Meade would be the sweeter of the two.