RD1 "Sister Cities" American Whiskey Review

 

Being first can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. There is a sense of adventure. There may also be a tinge of impending doom. Regardless, when you’re first, you get bragging rights.

 

The year was 1865, and the Ashland Distillery became the first federally licensed distillery in Lexington, Kentucky. It was assigned RD#1 (not to be confused with DSP-KY-1, registered to Beargrass Distillery, now Heaven Hill). In 1871, it was sold to William Tarr. In 1879, a fire broke out and destroyed the facility. It was rebuilt and called the William Tarr Distillery. This new, upgraded operation became one of Kentucky’s most prolific.

 

In 1901, Kentucky Distilling & Warehouse Co., also known as The Whiskey Trust, purchased the William Tarr Distillery. Tarr and his family re-acquired the distillery. In 1892, he bought the neighboring Lexington Distillery, took its entire inventory, and demolished it.

 

In 1897, Tarr’s financial troubles became a significant problem. In 1899, the Willaim Tarr Distillery was sold at auction and purchased by a straw bidder for the Stoll family, who were also involved in The Whiskey Trust. They sold off all of its assets after paying only $60,001 for it. Then, in 1902, Stoll & Company was incorporated and acquired multiple distilleries. In 1909, Maurice Greenbaum, also part of The Whiskey Trust, purchased all of the whiskey inventory held in Tarr’s warehouses.

 

In 1919, Prohibition was passed, forcing the distillery to shut down. But that wasn’t the end of the story. In 1920, “unknown” thieves overpowered the warehouse guards and stole the remaining whiskey barrels. Fires and repurposing took care of what was left of the distillery.

 

In 2020, RD1 Spirits was founded to revive the history behind the distillery bearing the RD#1 designation. It released whiskeys bearing Old Wm Tarr and Manchester Reserve labels. Then, in 2022, it began selling RD One as its core Bourbon offering.

 

We’re a few years beyond, and now RD1 Spirits features one called Sister Cities, a limited-edition Kentucky Straight Whiskey finished with French and Mizunara oaks – but the way RD1 Spirits went about it was a bit unusual. French oak “necklaces” were dropped in the barrels after maturation. Then, it was married to a differently-mashed Bourbon and a Rye, and subsequently, that concoction was subjected to toasted Mizunara oak staves.

 

“Through the Lexington (KY) Sister Cities Commission, RD1's hometown has sister cities in Shinhidaka, Japan, and Deauville, France. In this Limited Release, we introduce Kentucky Straight Whiskey to wood from both countries. This unique expression weaves the beautiful Sister Cities’ cultures into a rich patchwork of inspiring flavor.” – RD1 Spirits

 

RD1 Sister Cities is certainly put together differently. I’m excited to #DrinkCurious and see how it turned out. First, I must thank RD1 Spirits for providing me with this opportunity in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. 

 

• Whiskey Type: American Whiskey
• Distiller: RD1 Spirits
• Age: NAS
• Mashbill: A blend of a 5-year Bourbon (70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley), a 7-year Bourbon (75% corn, 13% rye, 21% malted barley), and an 8-year Rye (51% rye, 37% corn, 12% malted barley).
• Cooperage: 53-gallon new, charred oak barrels, finished with French oak “necklace” and Mizunara oak staves.
• Alcohol Content: 51% ABV (102°)
• Price per 750mL: $69.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this whiskey neat. Inside, the whiskey had a classic orange-amber color. It formed a medium rim with heavy, fast tears.

 

Nose: After allowing Sister Cities to rest for about 10 minutes, I brought the glass to my nose and started sniffing. My olfactory sense plucked lime zest, allspice, French oak, plums, and caramel. When I drew that air into my mouth, I found dessert pastries.

 

Palate: The whiskey’s texture was soft and creamy. The front of my palate discovered dark chocolate, nutmeg, and aged balsamic vinegar. Midway through, I tasted plums, strawberries, and sweet pipe tobacco. The back had flavors of French oak, rye spice, and white pepper.

 

Finish: Rye spice, white pepper, leather, dark chocolate, French oak, and ripe plums stuck in my mouth and throat. As it slowly ramped, it revealed each flavor. You’d think it was dry; however, that wasn’t the case. I timed the finish at 2:21, making it very long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The balsamic vinegar on the front of my palate was a tasting note I don’t recall using before, but that’s exactly what it tasted like. I found the fruity middle almost out of place with the rest of the whiskey. I know “out of place” sounds like a negative, yet, in this case, it was something that I honed in on and enjoyed.

 

Sister Cities drank a few points lower than its stated 102°. It is an easy sipper that lacks anything off-putting. I commend the folks at RD1 for thinking outside the box (or barrel?). Good or bad, it is something I always admire.

 

Thankfully, Sister Cities is a good example of creativity, and I’m happy to convey my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.