This Limited Edition whiskey is from the Rabbit Hole Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky. It is the cask strength expression of their 93 proof wheated Bourbon finished in Pedro Ximenex Sherry Barrels. The mash bill recipe is 65% corn, 25% wheat and 10% malted barley. The Distillery states that they put the whiskey into the barrel at a low entry proof, thus the barrel proof version comes in at 102.1 proof. I recently received this bottle from the Distillery. Matt and I sat down and tasted this whiskey and here are our tasting notes.

Rabbit Hole Dareringer Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Barrels

Proof: 102.1

Age: NAS

Nose:

  • Mike: Caramel, dates, brown sugar, baking spice and oak.
  • Matt: Caramel, cotton candy, rose water and plums.

Taste:

  • Mike: Caramel, dates, nutmeg, allspice, pepper and oak. Tasting a dried cranberry brings out a bit of chocolate and reduces the pepper. Tasting with a pecan brings out caramel, chocolate, raisins and dates.
  • Matt: Caramel, plums, spun sugar and rose water. The dried cranberry brought out raisin, Cadbury Egg and  hot cayenne pepper. The pecan brought out notes of chocolate caramel, raisins and cayenne pepper.

Finish:

  • Mike: Medium long with lots of pepper and oak. The dried cranberry brought out more oak and pepper with lingering brown sugar notes. The pecan made the finish medium long with oak, dates and baking spice.
  • Matt: Cayenne spice and oak wood. The dried cranberry emphasized the cayenne pepper and reduced the oak. The pecan produced the same finish— oak and cayenne pepper notes.

I would pair this Finished Bourbon whiskey with an Oliva Serie V Torpedo cigar. The rich vanilla and cedar spice of the smoke will complement the caramel, dates and baking spices of the whiskey.

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller