LoveScotch Blog: Discovering Rabbit Hole Whiskey
The LoveScotch Blog

Discovering Rabbit Hole Whiskey: A Journey Into Craft Bourbon

Rabbit Hole Distillery:
Craft Bourbon Built for the Curious

Founded by a former psychologist in Louisville, Kentucky. Four-grain mash bills, PX sherry finishes, 15-year Mizunara oak expressions, and a Metallica collaboration. Every Rabbit Hole whiskey, in stock and ready to ship.

Shop Rabbit Hole → Shop 15yr Mizunara
8+Rabbit Hole Expressions In Stock
4-Grain Mash BillsUnlike most Kentucky bourbon
3–15 YearsCore range to Founder's Collection
Louisville, KYIndependent craft distillery

Which Rabbit Hole Are You Looking For?

The signature four-grain bourbon Cavehill: corn, malted wheat, honey malted barley, malted barley. Nothing else like it.
Something PX sherry-finished Dareringer: cherry, raisins, caramel. The Scotch drinker's bourbon.
A high-rye Kentucky bourbon Heigold: 25% malted rye, spicy, bold, structured.
The most premium expression 15yr Mizunara Founder's Collection: Japanese oak, 15 years aged. Exceptional.
A Rabbit Hole rye whiskey Boxergrail Rye: the rye expression in the lineup.
Something for a rock music fan Blackened × Rabbit Hole: the Metallica collaboration. Gift-worthy.

The Rabbit Hole Core Lineup

Three core expressions built on unconventional mash bills and an obsession with craft. All in stock, ships direct.

Four-Grain Signature

Rabbit Hole Cavehill

Four-Grain Bourbon · Corn, Malted Wheat, Honey Malted Barley, Malted Barley

The expression that defined Rabbit Hole: a four-grain mash bill that uses both honey malted barley and traditional malted barley alongside corn and wheat, an approach almost no other distillery attempts. Toasted grain and warm caramel on the nose, ripe fruit and butterscotch on the palate, and a long oak and sweet malt finish. The best argument for what happens when a distillery refuses to follow convention.

Shop Cavehill →
High-Rye

Rabbit Hole Heigold

High-Rye Bourbon · 70% Corn, 25% Malted Rye, 5% Malted Barley

The bold, structured counterpart to Cavehill's softer four-grain character. 25% malted rye delivers real spice backbone, toasted malt, baking spices, citrus, butterscotch, and a finish with a clean peppery warmth. The cocktail-maker's Rabbit Hole: high-rye structure that holds up in any format, from Old Fashioneds to neat pours. The spice lover's pick in the lineup.

Shop Heigold →
PX Sherry Finish

Rabbit Hole Dareringer

Bourbon · Finished in Pedro Ximénez Sherry Casks

Finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, the same style of intensely sweet, raisin-and-fig-forward sherry used by some of Scotland's finest Speyside distilleries. Rich cherry, dark raisins, and currants on the nose; caramel, vanilla, and subtle oak on the palate; a luxurious, sweet-finish lingering finish. The most Scotch-forward expression in the Rabbit Hole lineup, and the one that converts Speyside lovers into craft bourbon believers.

Shop Dareringer →
Rye Whiskey

Rabbit Hole Boxergrail Rye

Kentucky Straight Rye · Malted Rye Mash Bill

Rabbit Hole's entry into the straight rye category, a malted rye mash bill that sets it apart from conventional rye whiskeys. Expect bolder grain character, more pronounced spice, and a depth that most standard rye expressions don't achieve. The best Rabbit Hole for rye drinkers, Manhattan builders, and anyone who wants a whiskey with genuine backbone and structure.

Shop Boxergrail Rye →

The Crown Jewel: Rabbit Hole 15 Year Mizunara, Founder's Collection

15 years in Kentucky oak followed by a finish in Japanese Mizunara oak, one of the rarest and most coveted cask types in the spirits world. Mizunara is prized by Scotch distilleries for the extraordinary sandalwood, incense, and coconut notes it imparts. Applied to a 15-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon, the result is genuinely unlike anything else in American whiskey: deep caramel, vanilla, baking spice, and exotic wood character that evolves long after the glass is empty. Rabbit Hole's most exceptional bottle, and a collector's piece for any serious whiskey enthusiast.

Shop 15yr Mizunara Founder's Collection →

The Founder's Collection, Premium Rabbit Hole

Beyond the core lineup, aged expressions and rare releases from Kaveh Zamanian's personal collection.

Founder's, 9yr

Adourra Founder's Collection 9 Year

9yr Aged Bourbon · Founder's Collection

Nine years of aging takes Rabbit Hole's craft approach to a new level of depth and complexity. A significant step up from the core expressions, richer, more layered, and with the kind of oak influence that longer maturation delivers: dried fruit, warm spice, caramel, and a finish that holds long and true. The collector's entry point into Rabbit Hole's premium tier.

Shop Adourra 9yr →
Founder's Select

Raceking Founder's Collection

Founder's Collection · Limited Release

A hand-selected Founder's Collection expression representing Kaveh Zamanian's personal vision for what Rabbit Hole's premium tier should taste like. Complex, refined, and built with the same unconventional thinking that defines every Rabbit Hole expression, just taken further. For the enthusiast who wants more than the core lineup offers.

Shop Raceking Founder's →
15yr — Mizunara

15 Year Old Mizunara, Founder's Collection

15yr · Japanese Mizunara Oak Finish · The Pinnacle

The most extraordinary expression in the Rabbit Hole lineup. 15 years of patient aging, finished in Japanese Mizunara oak, a cask type that costs 10× more than standard American oak and imparts sandalwood, incense, and tropical coconut notes found nowhere else. A genuinely rare American whiskey experience. The bottle that shows what Rabbit Hole is truly reaching for.

Shop 15yr Mizunara →

Blackened × Rabbit Hole, The Metallica Collaboration

Blackened American Whiskey is Metallica's official whiskey brand and they chose Rabbit Hole as their Kentucky distillery partner. The result is a Kentucky bourbon finished using Blackened's proprietary "Black Noise" sonic enhancement process, where low-frequency sound waves from Metallica's music are played through the barrels during finishing. Rich, bold, and genuinely distinctive and one of the most compelling gifts for any whiskey and music fan combination.

Shop Blackened × Rabbit Hole →

The Rabbit Hole Bourbon Combo Pack, Best Gift in the Lineup

The 375ml combo pack includes multiple Rabbit Hole core expressions in one package, the ideal gift for a curious whiskey drinker, a sampler for anyone new to the brand, or the perfect way to try the lineup before committing to a full bottle.

Shop Combo Pack →

Compare Every Rabbit Hole Expression

Expression Style Mash Bill Best For Key Notes Shop
Cavehill 4-Grain Bourbon Corn, malted wheat, honey malt, barley The signature — everyday sipper Caramel, fruit, butterscotch, sweet malt Buy →
Heigold High-Rye Bourbon 70% corn, 25% malted rye, 5% barley Cocktails, rye lovers, bold sipper Spice, citrus, butterscotch, pepper Buy →
Dareringer PX Bourbon · PX Sherry Finish Bourbon base, PX sherry finish Scotch lovers, dessert-style sipper Cherry, raisins, caramel, luxurious finish Buy →
Boxergrail Rye Straight Rye Malted rye mash bill Rye drinkers, Manhattans Bold grain, spice, structure Buy →
Adourra 9yr Founder's · 9yr Founder's select Premium sipper, collector step-up Dried fruit, spice, rich oak depth Buy →
15yr Mizunara Founder's · 15yr · Mizunara Founder's select · Japanese oak finish Collectors, the pinnacle experience Sandalwood, caramel, incense, coconut Buy →
Blackened × Rabbit Hole Collaboration Kentucky bourbon · sonic-finished Gifting, collectors, music fans Rich, bold, unique finishing process Buy →

The Rabbit Hole Story: A Psychologist, a Distillery, and an Obsession

Kaveh Zamanian didn't plan to build a distillery. A clinical psychologist born in Tehran and practicing in Louisville, Zamanian was introduced to bourbon through his wife, a Louisville native and found himself consumed by the craft, the history, and the creative possibilities within the category. In 2012, he left his psychology practice to pursue a vision: a distillery that would honor Kentucky's whiskey tradition while refusing to be bound by it.

Rabbit Hole Distillery opened in Louisville's NuLu neighborhood in 2018, with a six-story facility designed by architect De Leon & Primmer and a production philosophy built on unconventional grain combinations and premium ingredients. Where most Kentucky distillers use a corn-rye-barley formula unchanged for generations, Zamanian designed mash bills that incorporated honey malted barley, malted wheat, and high malted rye percentages, each expression built from scratch to deliver a specific flavor profile, not replicate tradition.

In 2019, Pernod Ricard acquired a majority stake in Rabbit Hole, providing the resources to expand production while maintaining the founding philosophy of craft and innovation. The distillery continues to operate from Louisville under Zamanian's creative direction, producing what has become one of America's most critically recognized independent bourbon portfolios.

Every Rabbit Hole expression in stock, from the four-grain Cavehill to the 15yr Mizunara Founder's Collection.

Shop All Rabbit Hole →

3 Rabbit Hole Cocktails Worth Making Tonight

Each Rabbit Hole expression has a cocktail application it was practically built for. These three prove it.

Rabbit Hole Old Fashioned

2 min · Cavehill's sweet malt shines here
  • 2 oz Rabbit Hole Cavehill Bourbon
  • 1 sugar cube (or ½ tsp demerara syrup)
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Large ice cube · Orange peel to garnish

Muddle sugar and bitters in a rocks glass. Add Cavehill and ice, stir until well chilled. Express orange peel over the glass. Cavehill's four-grain character, particularly the honey malted barley, adds a natural sweetness and complexity to the Old Fashioned that a standard two-grain bourbon simply can't replicate. One of the most interesting Old Fashioneds you can make with any Kentucky bourbon.

Make it with Cavehill →

Kentucky Mule

2 min · Heigold's rye spice loves ginger
  • 2 oz Rabbit Hole Heigold Bourbon
  • ½ oz fresh lime juice
  • Ginger beer to top
  • Copper mug · Ice · Lime wheel garnish

Fill a copper mug with ice. Add Heigold and lime juice, top with ginger beer and stir gently. The Kentucky Mule is a natural match for high-rye bourbon, Heigold's 25% malted rye delivers a spice foundation that complements ginger beer beautifully, while its citrus and butterscotch character keeps the drink balanced rather than hot. Better than a Moscow Mule.

Make it with Heigold →

Dareringer Manhattan

3 min · The most luxurious Manhattan you'll make
  • 2 oz Rabbit Hole Dareringer PX Bourbon
  • 1 oz sweet vermouth
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Maraschino cherry or expressed orange peel to garnish

Stir bourbon, vermouth, and bitters with ice for 30 seconds until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. The Dareringer Manhattan is extraordinary because the PX sherry finish, already rich with cherry, raisin, and caramel, deepens everything the Manhattan is trying to do. This is the cocktail for people who want their Manhattan to feel like a dessert and a digestif at the same time.

Make it with Dareringer →

Rabbit Hole Whiskey, Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Rabbit Hole different from other Kentucky bourbons?

Two things: mash bill innovation and ingredient quality. Most Kentucky distilleries use corn-rye-barley in standard proportions unchanged for decades. Rabbit Hole uses unconventional combinations, a four-grain mash with honey malted barley (Cavehill), a high-malted-rye formula (Heigold), PX sherry finishing (Dareringer), and Japanese Mizunara oak aging (15yr Founder's Collection). Every expression is designed from scratch for a specific flavor outcome, not to replicate tradition.

Is Rabbit Hole top-shelf bourbon?

Yes — Rabbit Hole is consistently regarded as premium craft bourbon. The core expressions (Cavehill, Heigold, Dareringer) sit firmly in the premium tier. The Founder's Collection expressions — especially the 15yr Mizunara — are collector-grade releases that rival the finest aged American whiskeys available.

How old is Rabbit Hole bourbon?

The core expressions (Cavehill, Heigold, Dareringer) are aged 3–4 years — standard for Kentucky straight bourbon and well-executed for the price. The Founder's Collection goes significantly further: the Adourra is 9 years old, and the flagship 15yr Mizunara expression speaks for itself. The age difference between the core lineup and the Founder's Collection is substantial.

What is the best Rabbit Hole expression?

Depends on what you want. For the signature Rabbit Hole experience: Cavehill. For sherry-finished luxury: Dareringer. For cocktails: Heigold. For the absolute pinnacle: 15yr Mizunara Founder's Collection.

What is the Blackened × Rabbit Hole bourbon?

Blackened × Rabbit Hole is a collaboration between Rabbit Hole Distillery and Blackened American Whiskey — the official whiskey brand of the band Metallica. It uses Rabbit Hole's Kentucky bourbon base finished through Blackened's proprietary "Black Noise" sonic maturation process, in which low-frequency sound from Metallica's music is played through the barrels. A genuinely distinctive bottle and one of the most unusual (and gifted) American whiskeys on the market.

Who founded Rabbit Hole Distillery?

Kaveh Zamanian, a former clinical psychologist who left his practice to pursue bourbon-making after falling in love with the craft through his Louisville-native wife. He founded Rabbit Hole in Louisville in 2012, opened the distillery in the NuLu neighborhood in 2018, and built one of the most critically recognized independent craft bourbon portfolios in the country. Pernod Ricard acquired a majority stake in 2019.

Love Rabbit Hole's Craft & Innovation? Scotch Goes Further.

Rabbit Hole drinkers are exactly the kind of whiskey enthusiasts who love Scotch. The same appreciation for unconventional grain choices, creative cask finishing, and genuinely craft-focused production translates perfectly. Dareringer's PX sherry finish is lifted directly from the Speyside playbook and if that's what drew you to Rabbit Hole, Scotch has an entire world of similar (and more extreme) versions waiting.

You love Dareringer (PX sherry finish) → Try Macallan 12 Sherry Oak, the gold standard for sherry cask maturation.
You love Cavehill (soft, grain-forward) → Try Glenlivet 12, clean, fruity Speyside with similar approachability.
You love Heigold (high-rye, spicy) → Try Highland Park 12, structured spice, heather honey, Islands complexity.
You love the 15yr Mizunara (exotic wood) → Try Japanese-influenced Scotch expressions, Scotch finished in Mizunara or exotic casks.
Explore the Full Scotch Collection →

Craft Bourbon for the Curious. In Stock Now.

From the four-grain Cavehill to the 15yr Mizunara Founder's Collection — every Rabbit Hole expression ships direct from LoveScotch.

Shop All Rabbit Hole →
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