Chinese cinnamon | Sandalwood | French oak | Lemon | Lightly floral

Brown sugar | Toasted marshmallow | Graham cracker | Honey | Nutmeg | Sweet oak

French oak | Cinnamon | Maple sugar candy | Maraschino cherry | Lingering dry oak

RD One, which stands for Registered Distillery One, was founded in 2020 and is located in Lexington, Kentucky. Originally known as Ashland Distillery, it later changed ownership and became the William Tarr Distillery, which, coincidentally, was Lexington’s first federally registered distillery. In May, the company opened a new $4.8 million brand destination, which allows the brand to produce whiskey onsite.

Finished bourbons are not new to RD One, having recently released RD One Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished with Brazilian Amburana Wood and RD One Straight Bourbon Finished with French Oak. RD One Whiskey Finished in Mizunara & French Oak Finish takes it a step further by finishing with two wood types.

It begins with 5 year old Kentucky sourced bourbon that has medium-toasted French Oak wood “necklaces” inserted, which are finished twice as long as the company’s French Oak Bourbon. From there, it gets blended with Kentucky-sourced 7 year old bourbon and 8 year old rye. Finally, lightly toasted Mizunara wood staves are inserted for a “much shorter amount of finishing time” than the French oak component.

The aroma stands out the most with a delightful mix of Chinese cinnamon, sandalwood, French oak, lemon, and floral scents. The palate and finish provide a nice mix of flavors and are quite oak-forward. The sip could use a bit more sweetness to counter this, but there is enough to keep any drinker interested from start to finish.

RD One Whiskey Finished with Japanese Mizunara and French Oak definitely undergoes a unique creation process. Given the delicate nature of Mizunara flavors, it’s surprising the company went with the strong influence French oak staves typically impart. While the French oak stave finishing isn’t overdone, it is definitely assertive. Even with that said, RD One Whiskey Finished with Japanese Mizunara and French Oak is a flavorful and complex pour, and even though the two finishes find a way to co-exist, they leave a slightly muddled impression, leaving you wanting more.