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Rabbit Hole debuts high-rye Heigold Bourbon
Pernod Ricard-backed Kentucky distillery Rabbit Hole has expanded its whiskey portfolio with a new high-rye Bourbon at the same time as unveiling “enhanced branding” across its range.
Heigold is comprised of 70% corn, 5% malted barley and 25% malted rye
The new super-premium expression, called Heigold Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, features a “high concentration” of malted grains.
Bottled at 47.5% ABV, Heigold is comprised of 70% corn, 5% malted barley and 25% malted rye.
It is aged in wood-fired, toasted and charred new American oak barrels. Heigold is aged for just under four years and is non-chill-filtered.
“My mission has always been to bring thoughtful innovation to the spirits landscape,” said Rabbit Hole founder and distiller Kaveh Zamanian.
“So when it came to developing the recipe for Heigold, a process I started four years ago, I stepped away from the conventions of high-rye Bourbon to create a unique mash bill that features the highest quality malted rye imported from Germany.
“The rye is sourced from one of Europe’s most important regions for rye grains and it really comes through in the glass with a one-of-a-kind taste.”
On the nose it has “toasted malt” and “creamy notes of butterscotch with bursts of citrus. The finish has notes of pepper and spice. Heigold is recommended serve neat or over ice.
Heigold joins Rabbit Hole’s whiskey range, which includes Cavehill Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Boxergrail Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, and Dareringer Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in PX Sherry Casks.
The new Bourbon is named after Christian Heigold, a German immigrant who was a stonemason. His 19th-century mansion was adorned with American icons to honour the US for giving opportunities to immigrants. Like Heigold, Zamanian is also an immigrant.
The bottle design for Heigold features the brand’s rabbit marque. Heigold, along with the rest of the range, follows a “new approach to branding” developed more than a year ago.
The new Bourbon and brand identify comes just months after French firm Pernod Ricard acquired a majority stake in Kentucky distillery Rabbit Hole. It joins Smooth Ambler in the group’s American whiskey portfolio.
Michael Motamedi, chief marketing officer of Rabbit Hole, said: “In early 2018, the buzz for Rabbit Hole really began building.
“At that time, we had already planned for the launch of Heigold and Kaveh [Zamanian] had other new expressions in development.
“Knowing that the Rabbit Hole portfolio would continue to grow, we decided to give each of our spirits a distinctive name that evokes the ethos of Rabbit Hole.
“Now and moving forward, every product will have its own identity, while laddering up to the Rabbit Hole brand.”
Heigold will launch in on- and off-premise locations in the US from late September for US$69.99 per 750ml bottle.