Rabbit Hole Distillery Celebrates a Decade of Whiskey Making with ‘Tenniel’ – A 2x Barrel Cask Strength Kentucky Bourbon

Rabbit Hole Distillery - Rabbit Hole Celebrates 10 Years with the Release of Tenniel

Rabbit Hole Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky was founded in 2012 by Kaveh Zamanian. In a previous life, Zamanian was known as Dr. Zamanian, PhD, a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst. That was before he fell down the proverbial rabbit hole to start a distillery. Now, a decade later he’s made such an impact on the industry that not only is he the Founder and Chief Whiskey Maker at Rabbit Hole but he’s also a 2022 inductee into the infamous Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. You can see the ceremony here.

Celebrating 10 Years of Whiskey Making

To commemorate 10 years in the bourbon whiskey business Rabbit Hole has announced Tenniel, a limited-edition Double Barrel Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that reflects its relentless commitment to crafting original expressions of bourbon over the 10 years since the brand was founded.

Rabbit Hole Distillery - Rabbit Hole Celebrates 10 Years with the Release of Tenniel, Box and Bottle

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When Zamanian established Rabbit Hole he set out to honor the traditions of bourbon while expanding bourbon’s horizons through creativity. The result is Rabbit Hole’s portfolio of one-of-a-kind whiskeys. With Tenniel, Kaveh devoted his efforts to continuing the path he blazed for himself, creating an expression that melds his two signature Kentucky Straight bourbon recipes to an intriguing new creation.

Tenniel blends Cavehill, Rabbit Hole’s signature four grain triple malt bourbon with Heigold, the brand’s high rye double malt bourbon in perfect harmony and finishes the spirit in a number one char toasted barrel. The result is a luxurious sipping bourbon with an alluring aroma of baking spices, stone fruits, toasted nuts and almonds that unfurls into layers of oak, tobacco, nutmeg, cumin and vanilla on the palate and cascades to a captivating finish of custard, allspice and mint. The expression is presented at full cask strength with a proof of 108.8 (54.4% ABV).

“When it comes to creating one-of-a-kind bourbon, I have always kept one foot in the past, one foot in the present and my eyes firmly fixed on the future. Tenniel embodies this approach. As we reflect on our ten-year anniversary, it’s the perfect opportunity for me to give a nod to the original recipes that put us on the map and take them to the next level. By flexing my blending muscles and increasing the complexity from a whiskey-making standpoint with double oak, I believe we have created a spirit that speaks to how far we’ve come as a brand in a relatively short time and foretells how much more we will contribute to the American whiskey space in the decades to come.”

Zamanian recommends that Tenniel is enjoyed at full strength or with a touch of water to release added layers of detail and encourages imbibers to enjoy the spirit according to their personal preferences.

What’s with the name Tenniel?

Artist Sir John Tenniel - A Pen-Drawing by Himself c. 1889 — Artist Sir John Tenniel – A Pen-Drawing by Himself c. 1889.

Alice in Wonderland - Drawings by Artist John Tenniel, Published 1865 — Artist Sir John Tenniel – A Pen-Drawing by Himself c. 1889.

Tenniel is named in tribute to John Tenniel, the artist who boldly illustrated the original scenes of life down the rabbit hole in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and whose works inspired the spirit’s bespoke packaging. Against a teal background with gold artwork and accents, the box detail features an illustrated clock set to 10 which gives a nod to the ten years since Rabbit Hole’s founding. Upon opening, an ornate crystal bottle complete with a crystal stopper is revealed alongside a certificate with special messaging from Kaveh Zamanian.

Rabbit Hole’s Tenniel Double Barrel Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is now available. A total of 939 sequentially-numbered crystal decanters and premium gift boxes are being released for sale at Rabbit Hole Distillery and for purchase online in limited markets for a suggested retail price of $650.

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