Rough Rider Double Casked Bourbon 750ML is a 90-proof (45% ABV) straight bourbon from Long Island Spirits in Baiting Hollow, New York, finished in local wine casks. This expression earned 94 points at the 2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, a strong showing for a craft distillery working outside traditional bourbon territory.Quick Facts: ABV: 45% (90 Proof) | Origin: Long Island, New York | Style: Double Casked / Wine-Finished | Distillery: Long Island SpiritsProduction & HeritageLong Island Spirits, based in Baiting Hollow on the North Fork of Long Island, distills this bourbon from a high-rye mashbill of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% barley. After initial maturation in new charred American oak barrels, the whiskey undergoes a second aging in Merlot and Chardonnay casks sourced from local Long Island wineries. What makes the process particularly unusual is that each wine barrel is tempered with a 180-proof brandy distilled from local Long Island Chardonnay before being filled with bourbon — a step that bridges the gap between grape and grain and leaves a distinctive vinous imprint on the final spirit.Tasting NotesAroma: The nose opens with bright, floral aromatics and a gentle maple-like sweetness. A light thread of smoke sits beneath notes of chewy caramel, toasty orange peel, and milk chocolate.Taste: The palate enters round and rich, with resinous depth giving way to dried apricot, baked fig, and roasted peanut. Mid-palate, caramel and vanilla come forward, balanced by a pleasant acidity and a peppery rye bite. The wine-cask influence emerges as a Sherry-like echo — subtle but present — adding dried-fruit complexity without overwhelming the bourbon's core character.Finish: The finish runs long and savory, with cinnamon, oak, and baking spices lingering well past the last sip. A gentle warmth carries the dried-fruit and spice notes to a clean, balanced close.How to Drink Rough Rider Double CaskedNeat or with a single ice cube is the ideal starting point — the wine-cask influence reveals itself most clearly without dilution. A few drops of water open up the floral and fruit aromatics further. Manhattan: The dried-fruit character and savory finish complement sweet vermouth without competing, adding a vinous layer that traditional bourbons lack in this classic. Old Fashioned: The built-in caramel sweetness and orange-peel notes mean this bourbon needs little embellishment — just a sugar cube, bitters, and an orange twist. Boulevard: A riff on the Boulevardier works well here; the wine-finished profile bridges bourbon and Campari more gracefully than a standard straight bourbon. Best For Wine lovers exploring the bourbon category for the first time Gifting to a craft spirits enthusiast who values regional provenance Adding a wine-finished option to a home bourbon tasting flight After-dinner sipping alongside cheese or dessert courses Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat does Rough Rider Double Casked taste like? It leads with dried apricot, caramel, and vanilla, balanced by rye spice and a Sherry-like dried-fruit undercurrent from the wine-cask finish. The finish is long and savory with cinnamon and oak.How does Rough Rider Double Casked compare to Angel's Envy Bourbon? Both are wine-cask-finished bourbons, but Angel's Envy uses port barrels while Rough Rider uses Merlot and Chardonnay casks from Long Island wineries. Rough Rider's high-rye mashbill (35% rye) also delivers more spice than Angel's Envy's lower-rye profile.Is Rough Rider Double Casked good for sipping neat? Yes — at 90 proof it has enough structure to hold up neat, and the wine-cask complexity rewards slow, attentive sipping without requiring dilution.Where is Rough Rider Double Casked made? It is produced at Long Island Spirits in Baiting Hollow, New York, located on the North Fork of Long Island. The finishing casks are sourced from wineries in the same Long Island wine region.What foods pair well with Rough Rider Double Casked? Aged cheddar or Gruyère highlights the caramel and dried-fruit notes. Charcuterie boards with dried apricots and figs mirror the palate directly. Dark chocolate with sea salt complements the oak and spice. Roasted pork tenderloin with a fruit glaze plays off the wine-cask sweetness. Crème brûlée ties into the vanilla and caramel core.What sizes does Rough Rider Double Casked come in? The standard offering is a 750ml bottle.Is Rough Rider Double Casked worth the price? It positions as a mid-range craft bourbon, and the double-cask finishing process — including the unusual brandy-tempered wine barrels — adds genuine production cost and complexity that justify its place above entry-level offerings.Why Rough Rider Double Casked?The defining detail here is the brandy-tempered wine barrel — very few American distilleries wash their finishing casks with a high-proof Chardonnay brandy before filling them with bourbon, and that extra step creates a cleaner, more integrated wine influence than a standard barrel finish. The 94-point score at the 2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge validates the approach. As one of the few bourbons finished in both red and white wine casks from a hyper-local source, Rough Rider Double Casked occupies a genuinely distinctive niche in the American whiskey landscape. For drinkers who find traditional bourbon finishes predictable, this Long Island expression delivers something harder to categorize — and harder to forget.
