Rabbit Hole Raceking Review: Chocolate Malt Bourbon Tastes Like Cold Brew | Five Minute Fridays

Five Minute Fridays is back, and this week Jake Lewellen pours Rabbit Hole Raceking — a Kentucky Straight Bourbon built around a five-grain, double chocolate malt recipe unlike anything else on the shelf. Jake breaks down what "chocolate malt" actually means (hint: it's about roast, not flavoring), then walks through the nose, palate, and finish to show how this bourbon balances roasty coffee character with fruit and sweetness in a way he didn't expect.

Raceking comes in at 95 proof with a six-year age statement, never chill filtered, and built from 70% corn, 13% rye, 10% malted rye, 4% chocolate malted wheat, and 3% chocolate malted barley. On the nose it leans surprisingly sweet — peach, apricot, vanilla, honey — before the palate shifts into stout-like coffee and toffee notes that Jake compares to cold brew or a latte, finishing with chocolate, tobacco, and a lingering roastiness.

If you're into bourbon tasting notes that go beyond the basics, this one's worth five minutes. Jake also breaks down where Raceking fits best — from a neat pour to darker cocktails like an espresso martini, a Boulevardier, or a Black Manhattan.

Notable quotes:

• "It does kind of taste like cold brew coffee, honestly."
• "I do think that this bottle is versatile as well."
• "If you're a coffee fan, let us know what you think."

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Five Minute Fridays returns with Rabbit Hole Raceking
• 00:29 – Breaking down the five-grain chocolate malt recipe and 95 proof age statement
• 00:59 – What chocolate malt actually means in bourbon
• 01:46 – First impression on the nose: sweetness instead of roast
• 02:27 – Palate shifts into coffee, toffee, and stout-like notes
• 02:52 – Balanced sweetness and roasty character in the middle palate
• 03:20 – Chocolate, tobacco, and coffee notes on the finish
• 03:47 – Where this bourbon fits best: neat or in cocktails
• 04:28 – Final verdict: approachable, but not an everyday pour

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