Rabbit Hole’s launching a new series called the Rabbit Hole Founder’s Collection, in which founder Kaveh Zamanian develops “special” bottlings, according to a press release.

The first is Boxergrail Founder’s Collection Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, a limited edition, cask-strength expression made from the first batches of rye whiskey he ever made. At 114.6 proof, with a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, the Kentucky rye is $195 and will only yield 1,315 bottles.

Rabbit Hole came onto the scene a few years ago, making a splash locally in the Louisville investment community. They were a hot-ticket investment with their bold distillery plans and unique mash bills that were getting contract distilled at New Riff in northern Kentucky. (Note: Rabbit Hole has never disclosed their contract distillation partner, but like with Bulleit once being distilled at Four Roses, everybody knows.) Those investments paid off when Zamanian partnered with Pernod Ricard last year.

Today, with a distillery in the thick of Louisville’s NuLu district and an international look with Pernod, Rabbit Hole was on the verge of something special in both the tourism and whiskey scene. But as we can blame for just about everything else, Covid screwed most of their plans.

So, this release is a nice salvage of 2020.

Zamanian said: “I’m extremely proud of our collection of core offerings, each completely unique from all other whiskies. With Founder’s Collection and by extension, Boxergrail Founder’s Collection Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, we are showcasing an even deeper expression of our creativity as a brand, giving me and my team the ability to produce limited edition spirits that are made with originality and our unique approach to innovation. With this and future Founder’s Collection releases, we will hand select barrels that embody perfection. These ‘honey barrels’ will be bottled in numbered editions and offered at cask strength to ensure that connoisseurs experience the liquid as it’s meant to be, untouched.”

Featuring embossed-glass detailing of the brand’s sash label,  gold foil decoration and a sophisticated green and teal neck label that highlights the individual bottle number, Boxergrail Founder’s Collection also features a gold medal cork engraved with Kaveh’s family crest of “Amare et Opus,” which speaks to his motto of loving what you do. The bottle itself is presented in a keepsake gift box wrapped in Rabbit Hole’s signature linen pattern with an elegant gold foil text treatment.