White grape | Apricot | Apple | Raisin | Dried red fruit | Seasoned oak

Raisin | Blackberry | Plum | Raspberry jam | French oak

Leather | Dry Oak | Dry red fruit | Clove | Plum | Chocolate-covered coffee bean | Oak tannins

Foley Family Wines & Spirits (FFWS) is best known for Minden Mill Distillery, located in Minden, Nevada. In May 2023, Las Vegas Golden Knights pro hockey team owner Bill Foley purchased the storied distillery for approximately $12 million. Since then, FFWS has brought on the co-founder of Balcones Distillery, Chip Tate, to spearhead the launch of the Ampersand brand of whiskeys and, more recently, the Gambit No. 6 brand.

Gambit No. 6’s mashbill of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye makes it likely that it was sourced from Heaven Hill, as Elijah Craig and Evan Williams also use this mashbill. Gambit No. 6 gets its name from the number of finishing barrels the bourbon undergoes. According to the company, “roughly 15 percent of the whiskey was finished for 19 months in Cabernet Sauvignon American Oak barrels sourced from Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery’s PreVail Wines. A secondary portion of the whiskey – approximately 85 percent – was finished for three months in Chardonnay French Oak casks also sourced from Ferrari-Carano. Then, the bourbon finished in Chardonnay casks was divided between the Oloroso Sherry, Muscatel, Apple Brandy, and Tokaji barrels, and aged for an additional 12 to 16 months.”

There was a time not that long ago when finishing with 2 to 3 barrels was considered extreme. Now, there are a surprisingly large number of brands going north of five barrels, with Blue Note topping out at nine.

Gambit No. 6’s aroma is nicely varied, with fresh-smelling scents of white grape, apricot, apple, and raisin, while dried red fruit and seasoned oak provide a deeper background. The palate sheds the lighter fruits and leads with raisin, blackberry, plum, and raspberry jam with a French oak base. This leads into the finish, as it sheds much of its fruitiness, revealing dry, dense, heavy, robust flavors of leather, oak, dried red fruit, clove, plum, and chocolate-covered coffee bean.

In many ways, Gambit No. 6 drinks like a merlot wine. Because of its 92 proof, this further adds to its softness and medium-to-full bodied texture. Blending acidity with ample dryness, fruity sweetness with oak tannins, there is a lot going on with this whiskey’s sip. Being a red wine drinker will give you a leg up in acclimating to its push-and-pull, sweet-and-bitter flavor profile. Beyond its overarching dryness, all of its flavors are well-balanced and come across as dense and complex. Its 92 proof is lower than expected, but it was likely designed to onboard as many casual wine and bourbon drinkers as possible. Given the intensity of the flavor offered, it makes a lot of sense the more time you spend with it. This is a whiskey that many may have trouble getting on board with at first, but its dynamic sip will likely win you over, as well as its price.