Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1050740
88 / the tasting panel / november 2018 REPORT whiskey ourbon and Louisville go together like the Kentucky Derby and Louisville or Mint Juleps and . . . well, Louisville. Stepping off the escalator at the city's airport, visi- tors are greeted by a huge "Welcome to Bourbon Country" sign—fitting, considering Kentucky produces 95 percent of the world's bourbon. With more than a third of that production unfolding within the city limits of Louisville, the pressure on spirits companies to make their prod- ucts stand out can be weighty. Kaveh Zamanian, the owner of local producer Rabbit Hole Distillery, believes the transparency of the brand's distilling process is what makes its spirits so unique. A large, modern structure of steel and glass, the distillery opened in downtown Louisville in May 2018. A former psychologist and psycho- analyst, Zamanian says he launched Rabbit Hole to help remedy his growing frustration with "white labeling," a term applied to brands' attempts to obfuscate the source of their spirits. "We wanted to be trans- parent about everything related to our spirits from crafting to bottling," Zamanian explains. As a result, visitors to the distillery can view the entire facility as part of the daily tours, which makes stops at the 24-foot-wide, 48-foot-tall Vendome copper column still and the barreling room. Guests can also view the tast- ing room, where Rabbit Hole's group of distillers taste everything before it's released. According to Michael Motamedi, Chief Marketing Officer for Rabbit Hole, the distillery made it a point to forgo employing a Master Distiller. "For many brands, the Master Distiller simply serves a figurehead or face of the brand," Motamedi explains. "The Rabbit Hole philosophy is to embrace the notion that there are many people who contribute to the liquid that goes into our bottles." With a capacity to produce 20,000 barrels annually, Rabbit Hole currently crafts four spirits: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, made with four grains and aged three and a half years in new American oak barrels; Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, a 95% rye and 5% malted barley mash bill bottled at 95 proof for mixability in cocktails; Straight Bourbon Whiskey aged in PX Sherry casks for six to nine months; and a London Dry Gin finished in Kentucky rye barrels for six to nine months. Rabbit Hole Distillery owner Kaveh Zamanian seeks to be as transparent as possible about the company's production practices. Rabbit Hole Distillery opened in downtown Louisville, KY, in May 2018.