Heigold is the latest addition to the Rabbit Hole Distillery portfolio. It is their fourth whiskey and will fill the spot of a high rye bourbon offering in their lineup. According to Rabbit Hole, “Heigold was named after Christian Heigold, a German immigrant who was a stonemason by trade. Taken with his love of America and his hometown of Louisville, he adorned the facade of his 19th century mansion with American icons, honoring the U.S. for the opportunity given to immigrants like himself. Heigold mirrors the patriotism and passion for Louisville that is shared by Rabbit Hole’s founder/whiskey maker Kaveh Zamanian, he himself an immigrant who loved the U.S. before he ever set foot on American soil.”
Heigold is aged in #3 wood-fired, toasted and charred new American Oak barrels and has a barrel entry proof of 110. It is aged just under four years and is non-chill filtered. This will be a full-time regular addition to the Rabbit Hole collection and will debut in late September at the distillery as well as off-site retail locations for a SRP of $69.99 per 750 mL bottle.
BSG REVIEW:
Color: Amber
Nose: Vanilla, brown sugar, butterscotch
Palate: Lemon zest, white pepper, oak, light vanilla
Finish: Medium-short in length, mostly pepper
Heigold starts with an aroma that is all sweetness. The vanilla is front and center with brown sugar and a butterscotch note to round it out. When it hits the palate, though, the game changes completely. It approaches the front end with an initial touch of citrus in the form of lemon zest, followed by a transition to white pepper spiciness as it crosses the mid-palate. The sweetness from the nose is almost completely masked for me in the taste with just a touch of vanilla hanging on before it goes down. The finish is medium-short in length and stays on the spicy peppery note before fading away. I experienced almost no Kentucky hug with this finish, which made for an extremely easy sipping bourbon.
I enjoyed the swing from sweet to spicy as it switched from the nose to the palate. That keeps it interesting as the aroma is still experienced with every tip of the glass before taking the next sip. It definitely makes up for the lack of a long finish, which I don’t normally experience in most sub-100 proof offerings anyway. This is a welcome addition to the Rabbit Hole lineup and fills the gap nicely for the high rye bourbon aficionados.
BSG Score: 85/100
Disclaimer: Rabbit Hole provided this product in exchange for an honest review with no strings attached.
When Old Forester offered to send me an early sample of the 2019 re-release of last year’s wildly popular Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky, I jumped at the opportunity and was excited to ask Jackie Zykan all about it. Luckily, I still had one bottle from the original 2018 release to do a side-by-side comparison myself. You can read my final thoughts following the interview.
Here is the transcript of our exchange.
Jackie Zykan, Old Forester Master Taster (photo courtesy of Old Forester)
BSG: Please introduce yourself in as much or as little detail as you wish for the readers who may not know much about your background and current position with Old Forester.
Jackie: My name is Jackie Zykan, and I am the Master Taster of Old Forester Bourbon. As Master Taster, I act as the face of the brand and travel to share the story of Old Forester’s production and history, and am a part of making the delicious bourbon, overseeing the finishing and running our Single Barrel program. I have a background in Biology and Chemistry, and spent almost a decade prior to this role as a buyer and beverage director, which aids me in my pursuit to keep expanding the Old Forester Bourbon brand and tell our unique story.
BSG: What’s the background story behind the 1910 expression in the Whiskey Row series?
Jackie: Like all of the expressions in the Whiskey Row Series, 1910 Old Fine Whisky tells a piece of Old Forester’s history, representing a time when the Distillery suffered a fire that shut down the bottling line. From the fire, the whisky that was ready to be bottled (100 proof Old Forester) had to instead be stored in a second barrel until the bottling line was repaired. The resulting liquid, what’s today known as double barreled whiskey, did not taste like Old Forester, so it was presented as Very Fine Old Whisky. We have replicated this process, taking a batch of 100 proof Old Forester, and finishing it in a secondary barrel that has been very heavily charred, for 7-9 months.
Very Fine Old Whisky (photo courtesy of Old Forester)
1910 Old Fine Whisky (photo courtesy of Old Forester)
BSG: I really enjoy some of the other double-barreled bourbons like the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, also part of the Brown-Forman portfolio. How does 1910 differ from other double-barreled bourbon options on the shelf? Why is it so unique?
Jackie: The 1910 expression is finished in a barrel which has been charred to the point of near disintegration. Old Forester bourbon barrels are typically a 22 second char, whereas the 1910 secondary barrel is charred about 55 seconds. This is wildly different from Woodford Double Oaked, for example, in that the secondary barrel for that particular product is heavily toasted. The flavor profile which is yielded from the heavily charred barrel is expectedly slightly smokey, but also incredibly smooth and creamy, with heavy chocolate tones.
BSG: This turned out to be a bigger hit than anyone originally anticipated. Tell us a little about what happened last year when 1910 first released.
Jackie: We based our release volumes off of a year’s supply of 1920. As we all know, the 1920 expression has been incredibly successful, and we honestly thought we would be in a safe place to base our numbers from that. We did not anticipate the success of this product, and we had shipped all of our year’s stock to distributors within the first month! Obviously we can’t just pluck more 1910 barrels off a tree; the process from planning the secondary barrel construction plus waiting for the finishing period is a solid 10 months, so we all just had to find some patience this year.
BSG: What is Old Forester doing now to make sure you have enough stocks of 1910 to keep it on the shelves year round? What kind of scaling is this now taking compared to the original plan?
Jackie: When you have a product that undergoes such an intense secondary finishing, you have to be careful not to over-finish, as there is no way to turn back once you do. For business reasons, we also try to avoid over saturating our finished inventory. We have taken note of the success and are now in bi-weekly meetings discussing the status of our inventory to make sure we don’t run out again and are keeping an appropriate cadence of this fantastic product.
BSG: You are now widely known for your exceptional palate in the spirits industry. I’m always curious about the experts’ honest opinions on consistency of batches. How close do you think the re-release of 1910 is to the original profile of the 2018 release? What, if any, notes did you find to be a little different from the original batch to this latest release (however small those differences may be)? I still have a bottle left from the original release and plan on doing the side-by-side as well.
Jackie: Old Forester was founded on two principles: quality and consistency. I have literally had bottles of 86 proof from the 80’s tasted side by side to the 86 proof today and found no significant difference. That being said, the new run of 1910 has been closely analyzed, just like all of our other products, across our sensory panels to match the original release. I have tasted them, and I can assure you this second run is just as delicious as the first.
Old Forester Whiskey Row Series (photo courtesy of Old Forester)
BSG: Which bottle is your current favorite in the Whiskey Row series?
Jackie: I love all of my children equally of course, but I will admit that the 1910 is my new favorite. Second to that, the 1870 is such a solid, everyday sipper.
BSG: When and where can we expect to see 1910 in stores across the country? Is there a phase-in plan to get this out to the various markets?
Jackie: The 1910 product will be available in all of our markets across the U.S. We recently shipped to distributors, so look for it on a shelf soon!
BSG: Are there any plans for a price change from the original release price in 2018?
Jackie: No, we aren’t the brand that inflates price based on demand. The re-release of Old Forester 1910 Fine Whisky will have a suggested retail price of $55, just like the original release.
BSG: What should we be looking forward to next from Old Forester? From Jackie? Anything in the works that can be shared?
Jackie: We have a big anniversary year coming up in 2020 (the 150th anniversary!) so I would be on the look out for some special releases. From me? Best way to be in the know is to follow me on social media.
BSG: Where can our readers find you online/social media if they want to follow Old Forester and/or yourself?
Jackie: New and old fans of Old Forester Bourbon can always learn more about me, as well as all you need to know about the brand by visiting oldforester.com. I also encourage all who are in the Louisville area to visit and take a tour of the Old Forester Distillery at 119 W Main Street, I can guarantee you’ll love it! You are also more than welcome to follow Old Forester and myself on social at the below accounts:
After receiving the new sample of 1910, I popped the cork on the final bottle in my collection from last year for a side-by-side comparison. It is honestly unchanged to my palate. I couldn’t pick out any notable differences as I switched between the two glasses. A job well done by Jackie and the sensory panel to get this back out on the shelves virtually unchanged for us all to enjoy once again! Go read my full review of 1910 as well as the rest of the Whiskey Row series: 1870, 1897 and 1920, plus the movie tie-in Statesman. I’ve also reviewed the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon that we mentioned in the interview as well. You’ll have a completely different experience between the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked and Old Forester 1910 double-barreled bourbons. If you like the extra smoke/spice notes that seem to be brought out from that extra heavy char, then 1910 will be your bottle. The Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is a much sweeter option resulting from that heavy toast and lighter char on the second barrel. Both are very solid offerings from the Brown-Forman portfolio.
Thanks so much to Old Forester for the early sample and Jackie Zykan for taking the time to answer a few questions. In my opinion, the entire Whiskey Row series has been a home run for Old Fo! I keep them all stocked in my own home bar and now I won’t be so worried about holding back on consuming the rest of my final bottle from last year.
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Parent Company: Louisville Distilling Co. (Bacardi Ltd since 2015)
Class: KY Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels
Proof: 86.6 (43.3% ABV)
Age: NAS (believed to be 4-6 years old)
Mashbill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey finished in port wine casks is a blend of 8 to 12 barrels per batch. There is no age statement, but, according to the distillery, it is aged for up to 6 years. After the bourbon is done aging in its original barrel, ruby port wine casks are used to finish the bourbon for an additional 3 to 6 months depending on the taste. The barrels used for finishing are 60-gallon ruby port barrels made of French oak. They are imported directly from Portugal. The name Angel’s Envy comes from the story line that, though they lose about 5% of the spirit in the barrel each year to evaporation or “the Angel’s Share,” what’s left behind is what’s worthy of envy.
BSG REVIEW:
Color: Goldenrod
Nose: Cherry, brown sugar, black pepper, oak
Palate: Cherry, baking spices, brown sugar, slightly astringent
Finish: Medium length, cherry/plum, licorice, dry
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the biggest fan of port wine. That being said, there were some enjoyable notes that came out of this whiskey for me. The nose started with a nice pop of cherry and brown sugar that then faded into black pepper and oak. The taste kept that cherry note on the front of the palate, but switched to brown sugar and baking spices as it crossed over the middle of the tongue. The flavors just hung out in the mid palate for me while leaving a bit of astringency immediately after it went down. The finish was a medium length that kept hints of cherry and also a plum fruitiness. The kicker for me was the black licorice note in the end while it dried up the palate rather quickly. Black licorice is one of my least favorite notes and will always skew my opinion of the whiskey to the negative side. Because of this, I cannot keep my score for this one in the 80’s and will have to let it slip just under the mark.
This bottle of Rabbit Hole’s signature 4-grain bourbon is from Batch #4 Bottle #1929 and is age stated at 2+ years. It is now known as Rabbit Hole Cavehill Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey as they have rebranded all of their offerings with a distinct name. Cavehill bourbon now brings an age statement of 3+ years.
This bourbon is distilled in a Vendome 24-inch copper column still. The distillate enters the Kelvin Cooperage #3 wood-fired, toasted and charred barrels at 110 proof. Each batch contains 15 barrels or less and is not chill filtered.
BSG REVIEW:
Color: Caramel/Amber
Nose: Brown sugar, nutmeg, floral, grains
Palate: Red apple, almonds, black pepper, oak, light vanilla and honey
Finish: Medium-short in length, grassy notes, lingering pepper, a hint of honey sweetness and mint
The standard bourbon offering from Rabbit Hole starts off with brown sugar and nutmeg on the nose, immediately followed by a floral note and then the grains eventually round it out. The taste transitions to a red apple note with a bit of almond up front. The oak barrel note and black pepper show up before giving up a hint of sweetness in the form of honey. The finish is short to medium in length that starts with a grassy note. There is a little black pepper that lingers for a short time before giving off a bit of that honey and some mint at the very end. I think this is a solid offering for the initial bourbon release from Rabbit Hole.
I’m looking forward to comparing this bottle to both the new Cavehill branded version of this 4-grain bourbon as well as their latest high-rye version called Rabbit Hole Heigold Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Class: KY Straight Bourbon Whiskey partially finished in wine & sherry casks
Proof: 94 (47% ABV)
Age: NAS (appx. 4-5 years)
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley
Legent is a Beam Suntory collaboration between Fred Noe, Master Distiller at Jim Beam, and Shinji Fukuyo, Chief Blender at Suntory. It starts its life as a typical Jim Beam bourbon. Some of the bourbon is finished in wine and sherry casks before being blended back in with more straight bourbon to create this unique offering of Japanese style blended whiskey using Jim Beam bourbon as its base. The bottle is very nice with an image of the facial profiles of both Fred and Shinji on either side of the black brush stroke down the center. It also has a large engraved wooden topper on the cork with both “Kentucky” and “Japan” across the top and “Two Legends One Bourbon” underneath. The price is right at $35 for a 750 mL bottle.
BSG REVIEW:
Color: Amber/Red-tinted
Nose: Peaches, raspberries, brown sugar
Palate: Molasses, brown sugar, plum and a little hint of peanuts
Finish: Short-medium length and dry, cinnamon and oak with a very light KY hug
I get all sugary sweet aromas on the nose, with peach and raspberry dominant notes. This is typical for me with the wine and sherry finished whiskies. The taste switches it up a little with a molasses and brown sugar front end that transitions to more of a plum fruit flavor before giving off a hint of peanut as it goes down. The finish is short to medium in length and dry, which I also typically get from wine finished whiskies. It finally picks up a little spice with the cinnamon and oak coming through at the very end. This whiskey doesn’t give much of a KY hug, but the dryness lingers on the palate and is all I can concentrate on after it goes down. Legent was a cool experiment, and at this price I would recommend giving it a try if you like wine and sherry finished bourbons, but I cannot say this would be a repeat purchase for me. The nose had me reeled in, but, ultimately the finish turned me away in the end.
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