RD One Spirits started business as the William Tarr Distillery in Lexington, Kentucky. They have changed their name to RD One, paying homage to the Ashland Distillery founded in 1865 and claims to be Lexington’s first registered distillery as the pre-Prohibition Old Tarr distillery was DSP 1 Seventh District Kentucky. William Tarr was the owner of the distillery at that time.
They sent me a sample box with three of their finished whiskeys. I tasted them with Susan Reigler for the third edition of the Bourbon Tasting Notebook and really enjoyed them. Matt and I sat down and tasted the samples the other day and here are our tasting notes.
RD One Bourbon Finished in Brazilian Amburana Wood Barrel
Proof: 110
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Rich caramel toffee, baking spices and oak wood.
- Matt: Vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, apples and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Caramel danish, raisins, cinnamon and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and a wild cherry note comes forward. Tasted with a pecan and a white pepper spice joins the party.
- Matt: Vanilla, apples, cinnamon and oak wood. The dried cranberry enhanced the cinnamon. The pecan brought out notes of caramel to join the party.
Finish:
- Mike: Long with oak wood, cinnamon and lingering caramel. The dried cranberry added lingering raisin to the finish. The pecan made the finish long and spicy with oak wood and white pepper.
- Matt: Medium long with oak wood and cinnamon. The dried cranberry made the finish spicier with a cinnamon red hot candy. The pecan made the finish long with oak, cinnamon and caramel.
RD One Bourbon Finished in French Oak Barrel
Proof: 101
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Caramel, apples, baking spices and oak wood.
- Matt: Caramel, apples, cinnamon and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Caramel, apples, cinnamon, ginger, and oak wood. The dried cranberry enhanced the ginger. The pecan brought out a note of milk chocolate.
- Matt: Caramel, apple, cinnamon and oak wood. The dried cranberry added a ginger note. The pecan enhanced the caramel.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak wood and cinnamon. The dried cranberry added ginger to the finish. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, chocolate and lingering caramel.
- Matt: Medium long with oak wood, apple and cinnamon. The dried cranberry made the finish shorter and sweeter with oak wood and cinnamon. The pecan made the finish longer with oak and lots of cinnamon.
RD One Bourbon Finished in Maple Syrup Barrel
Proof: 99.9
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Maple syrup, apples, baking spices and oak wood.
- Matt: Maple syrup, orange zest, cinnamon and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Maple syrup, vanilla, apples, cinnamon and oak wood. The dried cranberry enhanced the apple and cinnamon. The pecan enhanced the maple syrup and added a little black pepper spice.
- Matt: Maple syrup on pancakes with a little cinnamon and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out a red delicious apple note. The pecan added a caramel note.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak wood, maple syrup and cinnamon. The dried cranberry made the finish spicy with red hot cinnamon candy. The pecan made the finish long with oak, black pepper and lingering maple syrup.
- Matt: Medium long with oak and cinnamon with lingering maple syrup. The dried cranberry added a note of apple to the finish. The pecan made the finish long with oak and cinnamon.
I would pair these whiskeys with a cigar that is strong with lots of vanilla and cedar spice in the smoke. I think I would reach for a Rocky Patel Decade cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller