RABBIT HOLE DROPPED A NEW 15-YEAR-OLD BOURBON FINISHED IN JAPANESE MIZUNARA BARRELS

Three years ago, Kentucky distillery Rabbit Hole released its first mizunara oak-finished bourbon as part of the high-end Founder's Collection. Now that whiskey has returned in very limited numbers, with each bottle priced at $1,500-or possibly more, once they hit the secondary market.

The Founder's Collection is said to be a series of whiskeys that allow Rabbit Hole founder Kaveh Zamanian to "develop unique expressions that showcase his creativity and commitment to the artistry of whiskey making," according to the brand. That means dipping into his private collection of whiskey, which presumably refers to barrels produced at another distillery that he held onto instead of using to blend into the core Rabbit Hole lineup. In the case of this new version of the Mizunara expression, the bourbon was aged for 15 years before being finished in Japanese mizunara barrels. (The source of the whiskey is not disclosed.)

"When I finally got my hands on a handful of elusive casks from a small family-owned cooperage in Japan, I knew I wanted to create something special to honor the mystique and beauty of Hokkaido's oak trees," Zamanian said in a statement. "I chose barrels from my personal collection of Kentucky straight bourbon-each aged to perfection for 15 years-and finished them in casks made of the finest Japanese mizunara oak for more than 11 months. This special-edition whiskey exemplifies the innovation and creativity that goes into each of our Founder's Collection releases." Other releases in the collection include bourbon finished in amburana wood, PX sherry casks, and French oak, as well as a bourbon made with chocolate malted wheat and barley and a cask-strength rye whiskey.

I was able to sample the new Mizunara expression, and it is very good with a rich, deep palate that is reminiscent of Michter's 10 Year-oaky and tannic, but not overpoweringly so. There are classic notes of vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, and honey, along with a bouquet of baking spices, black pepper, cherry syrup, and just a touch of the incense flavor you might expect from a mizunara-aged whiskey (sometimes incense is the dominant note, but that is not the case here). Mizunara is bottled at 103.8 proof, which adds some heat but doesn't blow out your palate.

Rabbit Hole Mizunara is available now from the distillery's website and at the distillery itself, as well as from select retailers around the country and websites like Caskers (check to see which edition you are buying). There are only 2,200 bottles available, so good luck and happy hunting.

2024-04-16T20:27:16Z dg43tfdfdgfd