Blackened Whiskey has announced it has collaborated with Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame Whiskey Maker Kaveh Zamanian, founder of Rabbit Hole, for the 2023 release of its “Masters of Whiskey Series.” Together, Blackened Master Distiller & Blender Rob Dietrich and Zamanian have created the Blackened x Rabbit Hole Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey Distilled in Tennessee & Kentucky. Finished in Calvados Casks, the blend is bottled at cask strength at a proof of 106.59.
Debuted in 2021 with the Blackened x Willett Straight Rye Finished in Madeira Casks, the “Masters of Whiskey Series” is built upon the brand’s core tenant of collaboration, uniting the unparalleled expertise of two master craftsmen to reimagine craft whiskey and create new, extraordinary expressions.
For this release, Dietrich and Zamanian crafted the expression from a base of 13-year-old straight Tennessee bourbon whiskey featuring a mash bill of 64 percent corn, 36 percent rye, and Rabbit Hole Heigold High Rye Double Malt Kentucky straight bourbon, made from a mash bill of 70 percent corn, 25 percent malted rye, and 5 percent malted barley. The whiskey is then finished in Calvados Casks, which impart sweeter apple brandy notes. The resulting expression features aromas of apple butter, rhubarb, honey-suckle, graham cracker, and macadamia nut on the nose, while the palate boasts hints of ripe pear, cinnamon stick, smoky campfire, field clover, honey, and black walnut.
During finishing, the whiskey is sonically-enhanced to extract more flavor from the finishing casks, using a process co-developed by the sound engineers at Meyer Sound. The process produces low hertz sound waves causing the whiskey to reverberate at a fast rate, interacting with the oak staves of the finishing barrel, measurably releasing wood compounds and flavors.
“It was great working with Kaveh, as we came in with different backgrounds and similar mindsets, with a passion to create something unusual and unique to see where we could take it,” explained Dietrich. “We were both interested in starting with the 13-year-old Tennessee bourbon whiskey, and then worked back to see what was going to pair well with that as far as mash bill and blending different whiskeys from their distillery. We were really looking for something that balanced and layered the flavor profiles together, then adding a dash of flavor through the Calvados cask finishing. I’m ecstatic at what we came up with!”
“It was so exciting to be able to work with Blackened Whiskey and Rob Dietrich,” added Zamanian. “It seems like it was just an organic process, more art than science when we came together. It’s always great to be able to work with whiskey makers who are doing new things, such as Blackened, as it helps us learn more and improve our game. And ultimately the consumers benefit from it too, because you get new expressions – something that’s genuinely different and a blend of our different approaches and voices.”
“The ‘Masters of Whiskey Series’ represents our dedication to innovation and speaks to our core principle of collaboration,” said Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo. “Just as Metallica always tries to blaze new trails with our music and artistic style, we love that we are able to do the same with our approach to crafting exceptional whiskey.”
The limited-edition 2023 “Masters of Whiskey Series” release, Blackened x Rabbit Hole Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey Distilled in Tennessee & Kentucky, is available both in-store and online for $149. For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.