Heading Back to Holladay: Anticipating the Next Ancient Cave Release
We’ve got a bourbon road trip on the horizon, and this one has us genuinely buzzing. On the calendar: a return to Holladay Distillery in Weston, Missouri to experience their next Ancient Cave Collection release — a series that has become one of the most intriguing distillery-exclusive expressions in any craft bourbon corner of the country.
For bourbon enthusiasts who chase nuance and craft over hype, the Ancient Cave Collection stands apart. Each edition starts with barrels matured in classic Holladay warehouses, and then — once they’ve hit the distillery’s ideal age — they’re relocated into the historic Ancient Cave itself for a secondary finish.
This isn’t a whimsical naming trick. The cave — a steady, 60-degree environment carved into limestone in 1837 — brings consistency and a silent touch to the slow alchemy of aging. Over time, variations in barrel toast, wood type, and finishing technique take on new meaning in this unique aging space
Many of the past Ancient Cave releases have been pocket-sized bottles with dynamic and surprising sensory profiles — from sweet honey and toffee notes to spice, smoke, and oak-rich complexity — often drawing raves from those lucky enough to snag a bottle.
We’re not just making a stop — we’re on a mission to capture why this series continues to excite people in the bourbon community.
Aroma: Past iterations offered layers of caramel, spice, fruit, and barrel char. We’ll be eager to see how the nose unfolds on the newest edition, particularly in a setting like the distillery itself.
Reddit
Palate: The Ancient Cave profile historically balances sweetness, oak, and spices that evolve from sip to finish. Expectations are for something equally thoughtful.
Reddit
Finish: Long or fleeting, the finish tells the final part of the story. In past releases, toffee, oak, black pepper, and dried fruit have lingered and impressed.
There’s an unmistakable buzz around Holladay’s limited runs — not just because they’re distilled and finished differently, but because they invite exploration. Bourbon lovers approach them wondering how decades-old limestone caves can subtly shape a spirit’s evolution and what new chapters the next release will write.
We’ll be there with glasses raised, notebooks ready, and sensors tuned — not just for tasting notes, but for the stories, moments, and experiences that make stops like this worth chasing in the first place.
This isn’t just another distillery visit — it’s a chance to revisit a living experiment, connect with the craft, and share what we discover on the next step of The Quest.
