Just about any American whiskey drinker who has been paying attention in the last decade knows about the pervasive influence of the former Seagram’s plant known as MGP of Indiana. Since turning its production to (very high quality) bourbon and especially rye manufacturing, the plant’s massive capacity has allowed it to become the nation’s #1 supplier of well-aged, sourced bourbon and rye to young distilleries, which has occasionally been the source of controversy when distilleries fail to acknowledge this in their marketing. In particular, the plant’s 95 percent rye, 5 percent malted barley recipe for rye whiskey has completely changed the country’s perception of “rye whiskey” as a taste profile, because it’s everywhere in the liquor aisle, whether drinkers realize it or not. Brands such as Bulleit Rye, Templeton Rye, High West, Sagamore Spirit Rye and many others all make use of that same 95 percent rye MGP juice, albeit in significantly different ways. But the point is, when you see “95 percent rye,” it’s almost always a safe assumption to guess that you’re drinking spirit from Indiana.
But then there’s Rabbit Hole, which is the reason we have to write “almost.” Their two year rye is also 95 percent rye and 5 percent malted barley, but the difference is that their product doesn’t hail from Indiana. Rather, it’s distilled in Kentucky—albeit, under the supervision of a master distiller (Larry Ebersold) who learned his craft at that old Seagram’s plant, before it ever became MGP. So perhaps it’s safe to say that the Rabbit Hole Rye is a contemporary—a scion, if you will—of that original Seagram’s tradition, taken root in Kentucky.
That’s the kind of unusual little wrinkle that makes me curious about a whiskey—along with the fact that I’m genuinely a fan of the 95 percent rye recipe from MGP. Coupled with an equally unusual twist in terms of the grain bill on their Rabbit Hole Bourbon, it left me curious to sample both of these young Kentucky whiskeys. So let’s get to it.
Rabbit Hole Bourbon
The most intriguing and unusual aspect of Rabbit Hole’s (2+ year old) bourbon is its weirdo grain bill. This bourbon is composed of 70 percent corn, 10 percent malted barley, 10 percent malted wheat (fairly rare) and 10 percent “honey malted” barley, which is quite unusual indeed. The only time I’ve heard of this specific malted barley offshoot is within the world of homebrewing, where I’ve actually brewed with it, but I’ve never seen it in a whiskey mash before. It is reported to contribute a strong sense of malty sweetness, with substantial honey character. It certainly implies that Rabbit Hole Bourbon will be on the sweeter and richer side, especially without the presence of any rye.
On the nose, this bourbon immediately strikes me as grainy, with a lot of butterscotch richness/sweetness, light herbaceousness and a whole lot of semi-aggressive booze. For 95 proof, the alcohol seems a tad on the wild side, and it makes it slightly difficult to get the full profile on the nose.
On the palate, however, the alcohol is less obstructive. Here I get a lot of grainy notes, which segue into caramel and bread crust/toastiness and more spice than one might expect for a non-rye bourbon: Cinnamon, clove and fennel seed. There isn’t much oak to be found, but moderate sweetness—it’s not the cloying, sugary thing you might fear after reading the “honey malt” passage above. There is a touch of maple syrup sweetness which works well, fading into a finish that is Cheerio-grainy, with a touch of smoke.