Rabbit Hole Cavehill

Cavehill is a Kentucky straight bourbon from Rabbit Hole, bottled at 47.5% ABV. The producer's own description points to a four-grain mash bill that includes double malted barley. That is unusual for the category, since most bourbons rely on corn, rye and a small amount of malted barley. The details supplied here don't give an age, a proof statement beyond the ABV, or an official tasting profile. What follows describes what a bourbon built this way typically delivers, not a measured profile of this bottle. With a corn-led, multi-grain recipe and a malted barley component, expect a rounded, grainy sweetness. Styles like this usually show caramel and vanilla from charred new oak, with a toasty, biscuit-like note from the malt. Rye or a second small grain generally adds a dry, peppery edge so the sweetness doesn't become cloying. At 47.5%, the spirit sits a little above the 40% baseline of many bottlings. That tends to mean a fuller texture and a longer finish without much alcohol heat. Try it neat first, in a Glencairn glass, to get the most from the aroma. The tapered bowl concentrates the oak, grain and sweet notes. Then add a few drops of room-temperature water. At this strength a small splash is often enough to open up the nose and soften any spice, and it is easy to overdo. For slower sipping, use a rocks glass with one large cube. Large cubes melt slowly, so they chill the pour without diluting it quickly. A single cube will mute the aroma somewhat, though, so you may prefer neat for the first glass. In cocktails, the 47.5% strength helps this bourbon hold its character against sugar, bitters and citrus. An Old Fashioned is the clearest fit. Use a sugar cube or a teaspoon of rich syrup, two dashes of Angostura and an orange peel, and the grain sweetness and oak will carry the drink. In a Manhattan with sweet vermouth, expect the rye-style spice to cut through the vermouth. A Whiskey Sour with fresh lemon and a short shake of egg white or plain syrup keeps the bourbon's vanilla in front of the acidity. For a Highball, pour 2 ounces over ice and top with 4 to 5 ounces of cold soda water or ginger beer. A lemon wedge works as a garnish. The result is long and dry, and it shows off the grain more than the oak.