New whiskey releases from Bardstown Bourbon Co., Rabbit Hole, Wild Turkey
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As the holiday season ramps up, so does the hunt for the perfect gift. And if you’ve got a bourbon lover on your list, here are new releases to look for.
Bardstown Bourbon Normandie
Bardstown Bourbon Company’s latest version of its Distillery Reserve marries French tradition to American craft with Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish.
“Three generations of meticulous craftsmanship and nearly 300 gold medals have made Christian Drouin House an icon of Calvados,” said Dan Callaway, master blender of Lofted Spirits, parent of Bardstown Bourbon Co. “Over the course of the past two years, these five barrels have become the apple of my eye – the most attention per barrel project aging in Bardstown. The result: a cross-continental conversation in a glass that bridges centuries of tradition on both sides of the Atlantic.”
According to a news release, the distillery took five 59-gallon Calvados casks and filled them with a custom bourbon blend of stock aged between 12 and 13 years. The whiskey aged there for 28 months, then went into new medium-toast American white oak barrels.
The result is layers of caramel, spice, roasted almond with crisp orchard fruit and bourbon sweetness, wood smoke and vanilla. It’s 104.2 proof.
It’s the third and final Distillery Reserve release of 2025; previous small batch releases in the series included Cathedral French Oak and Hokkaido Mizunara Oak.
Extremely limited in quantity and available in a 375mL, it has a suggested retail price of $99.99 in the distillery gift shop and Louisville Tasting Room.
The distillery also will host a digital raffle, so a limited number of bourbon fans can purchase all three of the 2025 Distillery Reserve releases and will offer tasting experiences with Callaway. For more information about these experiences, go to BardstownBourbon.com and sign up for their email list.
Rabbit Hole Distillery AMRÛLÉ
Louisville’s Rabbit Hole Distillery has a new limited edition Distillery Series release, Amrûlé, available only at the distillery.
It’s their signature Sour Mash Rye that has “rested in Maple Brûlé barrels, each one a testament to the precision and artistry of the masters at Tonnellerie Moreau in Quebec,” according to a news release. It’s 104.4 proof, with a suggested retail price of $49.99.
“Amrûlé is my exploration of what happens when fire meets sweetness, when rye’s bold spirit encounters the quiet poetry of maple. It’s my effort to push boundaries without breaking faith with the craft. In those maple brûlé barrels, I found a new way to tell rye’s story, one that’s darker, richer, and deeply personal,” said Kaveh Zamanian, founder of Rabbit Hole.
According to the tasting notes, it has a nose of bright floral notes, caramel, dark toffee, roasted pecans and brown sugar. On the palate, it’s dark cherries, stone fruit, cardamom, oak and herbaceous undertones with a vicious mouthfeel and finish of cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper.
Wild Turkey Private Select Rye
Wild Turkey master distiller Bruce Russell has released a hand-picked rye from the Lawrenceburg distillery’s private barrel program in November.
It was distilled in October 2018 and aged on the sixth floor of the Tyrone D warehouse. A limited number of bottles are available online at wildturkeybourbon.online.
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It’s 101 proof and $79.99, with warm vanilla and bold spice flavors that Wild Turkey Rye is known for.
If that’s sold out, you also can do your own single barrel selection, either in person at the distillery in Lawrenceburg, or pick from samples Wild Turkey will send you.
Or just let Wild Turkey pick out a barrel for you — the fastest way to get a barrel pick. Only a few hundred private barrel picks are available annually, and you can add customization to the label, according to the distillery.
