Rabbit Gap has carved out fairly a distinct segment inside the Kentucky bourbon neighborhood. Their Kentucky bourbon and rye whiskey has grow to be among the most beloved stuff offered nationwide. That’s not by chance, both. The whiskey within the bottle is stellar but approachable and covers a broad vary.
Coming off an unimaginable occasion thrown in partnership with Rabbit Gap at SXSW, we determined to interrupt down each expression from the distillery. Rabbit Gap has grown massively prior to now years, to the purpose that they’re now not even one single label — they added “Mary Dowling” together with a flavored whiskey simply final yr. And whereas Kentucky bourbon is their focus, in addition they have a rye whiskey that we love.
Under, we’re rating all 10 bottles from Rabbit Gap Distillery. The throughline right here is easy — style. Whereas all of those whiskeys are high quality merchandise, some go deeper than others. As with every model, you must begin someplace in your journey so let’s begin ours proper now!
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10. Mash & Mallow S’Mores Whiskey Roasted & Toasted
ABV: 35%
Common Worth: $32
The Whiskey:
This flavored whiskey is created from a mash of 97% corn and three% rye whiskeys. Flavors are added to create an essence of s’mores which are nonetheless heat from the yard firepit.
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: The nostril opens with a deep sense of buttery Graham Cracker with tender marshmallow, milk chocolate, and delicate oak.
Palate: The style may be very candy with a honeyed sense of Graham Crackers subsequent to singed marshmallow with a touch of campfire smoke, vanilla, and caramel over extra of that milk chocolate.
End: The tip leans into the sweetness with a contact of singed oak, toasted marshmallow, and vanilla sweet.
Backside Line:
The butteriness of the Graham Cracker on the nostril sells this as a well-made flavored whiskey. It feels actual. That each one stated, it is a very candy whiskey — your mileage with it might fluctuate relying in your candy tooth.
9. Rabbit Gap Cavehill Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 47.5%
Common Worth: $49
The Whiskey:
This four-grain Kentucky bourbon is made with 70% corn, 10% malted wheat, 10% honey malted barley, and 10% malted barley. That spirit is then aged for 3 years in toasted and charred barrels earlier than it’s small batched from solely 15 barrels, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: This has numerous apple cobbler on the nostril with candy and brilliant stewed apples, loads of darkish brown spices, brown sugar, buttery pastry cobbles, and a contact of honey sweetness.
Palate: The honey turns into creamy and spiked with orange zest because the malt shines by as a digestive cookie with a touch of contemporary mint and extra of that honey with a flake of salt.
End: The end brings about that spice once more with a little bit extra of a peppery edge this time because the fade slowly falls off, leaving you with a creamy vanilla tobacco feeling.
Backside Line:
That is the entry level to the broader world of Rabbit Gap bourbon. It is a good and really traditional fruit-forward Kentucky bourbon with a stability of woody spice. All that makes this your finest candidate for mixing cocktails.
8. Rabbit Gap Heigold Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 47.5%
Common Worth: $65
The Whiskey:
This Louisville whiskey is made with a “double malted” mash invoice. The recipe requires 70% corn, 25% malted German rye, and 5% malted barley. The recent juice goes into the barrels at a decrease entry proof and rests for simply over three years in toasted and charred Kelvin barrels (from the Louisville cooperage that many think about the very best within the recreation). Solely 15 of these barrels go into the ultimate batch.
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: This nostril is traditional bourbon with deep and darkish cherry, burnt orange, outdated vanilla pods, and a touch of licorice layered into cream soda with a sprig of contemporary mint.
Palate: There’s a way of fancy Almond Pleasure subsequent to clove-studded orange candies, vanilla cake with caramel frosting, and a light-weight mint tobacco in a cedar humidor with a twinge of leather-based.
End: The cedar, darkish cherry, singe orange, and daring woody spice all pop within the end and fade slowly away, leaving you with a well-rounded “bourbon” expertise.
Backside Line:
That is an important “high-rye” bourbon with a pleasant stability of grassy heat and caramel bourbon notes. The general vibe is “straightforward sipper” which additionally makes a killer Manhattan or quaint.
7. Rabbit Gap Boxergrail Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 47.5%
Common Worth: $52
The Whiskey:
This artful distillery makes its rye with 95% rye and malted barley proper in Louisville (and by way of contract distilling). The 95/5 rye scorching juice is aged for 3 years in closely toasted and charred barrels earlier than batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: This has an attention-grabbing nostril that’s half spicy pork stew (chili, umami, fats) with brilliant peaches, vanilla, and summer time wildflowers as a counterpoint.
Palate: The palate has a touch of outdated cedar subsequent to cream soda, white pepper, and crusty rye bread with a touch of caraway seed and perhaps some dry fennel.
End: The end brings in closely spiced chewy tobacco packed into an outdated cedar field with creamy vanilla and a touch extra of that powdery white pepper.
Backside Line:
Rabbit Gap’s rye whiskey is the whole lot that you could possibly ever need from rye whiskey. It’s grassy, natural, peppery, and deeply fatty with a touch of candy fruit. Briefly, a posh rye that works in addition to a sipper because it does as a cocktail base.
6. Mary Dowling Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Completed in Tequila Barrels
ABV: 46.5%
Common Worth: $74
The Whiskey:
This new whiskey celebrates Mary Dowling, who helped create after which save the whiskey business in Kentucky again within the early twentieth century. The whiskey within the bottle is a three-year-old bourbon from Rabbit Gap. These barrels are batched and the whiskey is rested once more, this time in reposado tequila barrels, till excellent.
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: Floral honey and tender black licorice lean towards contemporary and actual root beer on the nostril with a light-weight second of white pepper and roasted agave that’s accented by daring winter spice barks and berries with a whisper of orange rind.
Palate: That orange drives the brilliant palate towards a second of smoked winter spices (smoldering barks if you’ll) earlier than creamy eggnog and vanilla buttercream drive the palate again towards warming winter spice and a fleeting notice of pepper.
End: That pepper builds in direction of sharp black peppercorns on the end with sharp winter spice, a touch of buttermilk, and softly spoken notes of roasted agave connected to candied orange and vanilla paste.
Backside Line:
It is a nice candidate for citrus-forward cocktails and on-the-rocks pours on a sunny day.
5. Mary Dowling Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Toasted Double Oak Barrel
ABV: 53.5%
Common Worth: $129
The Whiskey:
That is Rabbit Gap’s traditional wheated bourbon recipe with a particular end. The whiskey is “Double Oaked” with an preliminary relaxation in Kelven barrels with a heavy char and light-weight toast earlier than being re-barreled into a really evenly charred barrel with a heavy toast. As soon as excellent, the barrels are batched and bottled 100% as-is at cask power.
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: There’s a deep sense of mulled wine spices on the nostril subsequent to peach pits, warming winter spice muffins, rum raisin, and tender chocolate tobacco with a touch of espresso cream.
Palate: A contact of cherry and nutmeg lead on the style with deep woody winter spices — clove, anise, cinnamon — earlier than a contact of contemporary pipe tobacco and cedar bark merge with smudging sage and a twinge of soppy oakiness.
End: The smoothes towards vanilla beans, toffee, salted orange peels, and tender cherry with a touch of that tobacco including a warming buzz on the very finish.
Backside Line:
It is a very good sipper that works wonders in a cocktail (particularly in the event you’re in search of pure spiciness).
4. Rabbit Gap Heigold Singel Barrel Cask Power Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 52.8%
Common Worth: $173
The Whiskey:
It is a four-year-old single-barrel model of Rabbit Gap’s beloved Heigold expression. That’s the model’s double malt (malted rye and malted barley) that has a high-rye bourbon mash invoice (70/25/5 corn/malted rye/malted barley).
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: The nostril is lush with deep layers of maple syrup over pecan waffles with hit of salted butter (actually good butter) subsequent to darkish chocolate chips, outdated boot leather-based, smudging sage that’s simply smoldering, and a fleeting sense of outdated rickhouses on a crisp fall day.
Palate: The palate follows the nostril’s path with caramelized pecans completed with floral honey and dusted with candied orange peels, floor pear chips, and really darkish chocolate with a pinch of salt and apple blossom earlier than the sharp and woody winter spice kicks in.
End: The tip leans into the dryness of the winter spice combine earlier than silky marzipan and maple syrup creamed with butter create a luscious end that slowly fades from heat to comforting.
Backside Line:
That is the place we blast off into house with Rabbit Gap. Their single barrels are typically hearth. They’re deep, balanced, and supply a pleasant kick with out feeling overwhelming. General, pour this over a giant rock and sip it slowly. You’ll be rewarded with an excellent expertise.
3. Rabbit Gap Dareringer Kentucky Straight Bourbon Completed in PX Sherry Cask
ABV: 46.5%
Common Worth: $81
The Whiskey:
This contract-distilled wheated bourbon — 68% corn, 18% wheat, and 14% malted barley — may be very paying homage to wheated bourbons from the long-lasting Heaven Hill. The whiskey spends an undisclosed quantity of years ageing earlier than it goes into solely 15 Casknolia Pedro Ximenez sherry casks per batch (a really small batch of bourbon). These barrels are then blended and touched with that tender Kentucky limestone water earlier than bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: Fruit shines by on the nostril with contemporary raspberries mingling with strawberry jam, Bing cherries, and dried plums and apricots with a touch of leather-based and winter spice baking that fruit up.
Palate: The palate actually embraces these fruits with a tart and bitter vibe to the cherries and purple berries whereas the leather-based leans uncooked and the spices lean towards cinnamon and tobacco with a caramel mid-palate.
End: The sweetness fades rapidly because the end continues with berries and spice whereas the cherry attaches to the tobacco and tender cedar on the top.
Backside Line:
That is the very best total sipper on the record. Purchase this one if you need one thing dependable and really deep and rewarding as a sipper. That is additionally very approachable with a refined demeanor that turns darkish and warming on the finish.
2. Rabbit Gap Mizunara Founder’s Assortment Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Completed in Japanese Oak
ABV: 57.1%
Common Worth: $2,158
The Whiskey:
The newest addition to the Founder’s Assortment is a really small batch of 15-year-old whiskey. The bourbon rested for 15 lengthy years in Kentucky in new oak earlier than being transferred to contemporary Japanese Mizunara casks from the famed Ariake Snagyo cooperage in Shochu Island. Just one,403 bottles had been crammed for this restricted launch.
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: The nostril reveals the age in that the profile turned again towards its fruity yeast with bruised banana, tart apple, and tender pear resulting in bitter salted cherries, a contact of mint, and deep vanilla.
Palate: A deep sense of forest moss and cedar bark leads towards eggnog pudding, cinnamon bark, and honey reduce with florals earlier than a tart purple berry arrives with a contact of tobacco leaf.
End: The tip leans into the tender forest moss with a twinge of pipe tobacco dipped in cherry and vanilla earlier than a fleeting sense of contemporary rose petals flutters within the background on the very finish.
Backside Line:
It is a complicated whiskey and a very good instance of the high-end of Rabbit Gap’s line. That is an academic whiskey — that means it should develop your palate whereas providing you with deep satisfaction. Pour this one neat and take it slowly, it’ll take you on a journey.
1. Rabbit Gap Heretofore Straight Bourbon Whiskey Completed in Apera Casks
ABV: 58.6%
Common Worth: $50 (half bottle)
The Whiskey:
This particular launch from Rabbit Gap is their Distillery Solely launch. The whiskey is their traditional wheated bourbon mash that’s been completed in an Apera cask (an Australian wine just like sherry). The whiskey was solely in a number of barrels and bottled at cask power for this very restricted launch.
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: A wealthy sense of winter spice muffins brimming with actual vanilla oils, allspice, clove, and rum raisin drives the nostril towards hints of mint chocolate cream, Nutella, and candied citrus.
Palate: Salted caramel opens the style towards tender black licorice, fatty roasting herbs, eggnog creaminess, and a contact of black peppercorn with a faint whisper of cedar kindling.
End: Dank wine cellars and cedar barks spherical out the end with a deep sense of salted caramel tobacco simply kissed with blood orange, vacation muffins, and mince meat pies subsequent to a contact of star anise, mulled wine, and marzipan.
Backside Line:
That is the deepest and most satisfying pour on the record. It’s heavy on winter nostalgia however goes past with a darkish sense of outdated Kentucky bourbon. That is the pour that you just save for a special day.
HIDDEN BONUS TRACK: Blackened x Rabbit Gap A Mix of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Distilled in Tennessee & Kentucky Completed in Calvados Casks Cask Power
ABV: 53.3%
Common Worth: $160
The Whiskey:
This collaboration between Metallica’s Blackened and Rabbit Gap is masterful whiskey. The mix is a 13-year-old Tennessee high-rye bourbon batched with Rabbit Gap Heigold Excessive-Rye Double Malt Bourbon (with malted rye and malted barley). As soon as batched, the whiskey was re-barreled into Calvados casks (an apple brandy) for a closing relaxation earlier than 100% as-is bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nostril: There’s a pleasant sense of chili pepper heat on the nostril with a touch of macadamia cookie nuttiness, honey Graham Crackers, gentle summer time florals, and a whisper of darkly stewed apple.
Palate: Cinnamon-infused pear brandy sparks on the palate with a way of clover honey, walnut loaf, and this skinny line of smoked applewood with sense of barrel heat.
End: The honey and walnut drive the end towards a tender heat that leaves the gentlest of numbness on the senses.
Backside Line:
This was an excellent launch from 2023. It’s nonetheless on the cabinets! It’s additionally an excellent sipper to have available for whenever you’re spinning some Metallica and in want of a sluggish sipper with nice nuance that’s a little bit funky and contemporary.
