Blackened x Rabbit Hole Limited Edition Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Calvados Casks
Blackened x Rabbit Hole Limited Edition Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Calvados Casks is the 2023 release of BLACKENED's Masters of Whiskey Series — a collaboration between BLACKENED master distiller & blender Rob Dietrich and Rabbit Hole founder Kaveh Zamanian. A blend of 13-year-old straight Tennessee bourbon and Rabbit Hole's Heigold High Rye Double Malt Kentucky straight bourbon, finished in Calvados apple-brandy casks and subjected to Blackened's Black Noise sonic-enhancement process, it is bottled at cask strength — 106.59 proof (53.3% ABV), non-chill filtered — in 750mL. It's available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 53.3% (106.59 proof) — cask strength, non-chill filtered
- Size: 750mL
- Age: no age statement (blend includes 13-year-old straight Tennessee bourbon)
- Blend: 13-yr straight Tennessee bourbon (64% corn / 36% rye) + Rabbit Hole Heigold High Rye Double Malt Kentucky straight bourbon (70% corn / 25% malted rye / 5% malted barley)
- Finishing: Calvados (apple brandy) casks + Black Noise low-hertz sonic enhancement; blended/bottled by Sweet Amber Distilling Co., Shoreham, VT
- Award: Gold, 2023 New York Wine & Spirits Competition
Metallica, Rabbit Hole, and the Sound of Whiskey
BLACKENED is Metallica's whiskey brand — co-created by the late Master Distiller Dave Pickerell — and its Masters of Whiskey Series (debuted 2021 with a Willett Madeira rye) pairs the brand with heavyweight distillers. Here it's Kaveh Zamanian of Rabbit Hole: Tennessee and Kentucky straight bourbons meet in Calvados casks while Black Noise — low-frequency sound waves co-developed with Meyer Sound engineers — agitates the whiskey against the staves to pull more character from the wood. The official profile: apple butter, rhubarb, honeysuckle, graham cracker and macadamia nut on the nose; ripe pear, cinnamon stick, smoky campfire, field clover, honey and black walnut on the palate; a beautiful, long finish. Explore bourbon whiskey or the Blackened range at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Per brand and press copy: nose of apple butter, rhubarb, honeysuckle, graham cracker and macadamia nut; palate of ripe pear, cinnamon stick, smoky campfire, field clover, honey and black walnut; long, beautiful finish. The Calvados finish reads as baked-apple richness over cask-strength rye spice.
How to Enjoy
Neat, or over a big rock to calm the 106.59 proof. A sipping whiskey — not a cocktail base.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Blackened x Rabbit Hole?
The 2023 Masters of Whiskey Series collaboration between BLACKENED (Metallica) master distiller Rob Dietrich and Rabbit Hole's Kaveh Zamanian — Tennessee and Kentucky straight bourbons finished in Calvados apple-brandy casks.
Is it really cask strength?
Yes — bottled at 106.59 proof (53.3% ABV), non-chill filtered, straight from the casks.
What is Black Noise?
BLACKENED's sonic-enhancement process: low-frequency sound waves agitate the whiskey against the barrel staves to extract more wood compounds during finishing.
A rock-star collaboration, finished in apple brandy wood — order Blackened x Rabbit Hole Limited Edition online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.