Gambit No. 6 Review | Layered Fruit, Wine Notes & Spice

Gambit No. 6
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Finished in 6 Different Casks
6 Years Old
92 Proof
SRP: $69.99
Review By Ed & Dean

Please enjoy our Gambit No. 6 Review by Ed & Dean!

Background

Gambit No. 6 is the second spirits release from Chip Tate since he joined Foley Family Wines & Spirits as Master Distiller for Innovation. The whiskey starts as a 6-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and is then finished in six different cask types.

The name Gambit refers to a strategic move in chess, and in this case, the calculated risk is the finishing process itself. Rather than using a single finishing cask, Gambit No. 6 brings together Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Apple Brandy, Oloroso Sherry, Muscatel and Tokaji casks.

Details – Gambit No. 6 Review

• Company: Foley Family Wines & Spirits
• Master Distiller for Innovation: Chip Tate
• Whiskey: Gambit No. 6
• Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Multiple Casks
• Age: 6 years old
• Mash Bill: 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley
• Proof: 92 proof
• ABV: 46%
• Finishing:
  • Approximately 15% of the whiskey was finished for 19 months in Cabernet Sauvignon American oak barrels sourced from Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery’s PreVail Wines.
  • Approximately 85% of the whiskey was finished for 3 months in Chardonnay French oak casks sourced from Ferrari-Carano. That bourbon was then divided between Oloroso Sherry, Muscatel, Apple Brandy and Tokaji barrels, where it aged for an additional 12 to 16 months.
• Filtration: Non-chill filtered
• SRP: $69.99

Tasting Notes

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass

Ed- Gambit No. 6 Review Tasting Notes

👉🏻 Nose: Sweet caramel and apricot leather candy are joined by dark plums, raisins and subtle red wine notes which become more noticeable later on; hints of tangerines and hot cinnamon; alcohol vapor appropriate for the proof.
👉🏻 Taste: Light honey and caramel provide a mild sweetness before red wine notes and developing tannins emerge. The wine influence is noticeable, but remains balanced and never becomes overwhelming.
👉🏻 Finish: Lingering red wine flavors and tannins gradually give way to apples and more pronounced sherry notes; black pepper spice develops and persists into the fairly long finish, which becomes progressively drier with hints of char, while traces of fruit and sweetness remain.

Dean – Gambit No. 6 Review Tasting Notes

👉🏻 Nose: An oaky muskiness is followed by grape notes, raisins and a fleeting floral quality; roasted fig adds additional depth, creating an unusual but enjoyable combination of aromas.
👉🏻 Taste: Red and black grapes lead the way, accompanied by a touch of maltiness, black pepper and a subtle green apple note that emerges toward the end of the palate.
👉🏻 Finish: The finish dries out while maintaining the whiskey’s grape-forward character. The heat builds slightly and lingers longer than expected for a 92-proof bourbon, while a touch of char helps balance the fruitier notes.

Layered Wine, Fruit and Spice Notes – Gambit No. 6 Review

Gambit No. 6 delivers one of the more unique and layered flavor profiles we have encountered recently. Given the six different finishing casks involved, we expected complexity, but what surprised us was how well the various notes remained balanced despite frequently changing throughout the sip.

For Ed, Gambit No. 6 opened with caramel and apricot leather candy before gradually revealing layers of red wine, dark and dried fruit and sherry character, with hints of citrus and hot cinnamon. The wine influence became increasingly noticeable from the palate into the finish, where apples, black pepper and light char added additional complexity.

Dean was immediately drawn to the whiskey’s distinctive nose, describing an oaky muskiness alongside grapes, raisins, floral notes and roasted fig. On the palate, he found both red and black grape flavors, subtle maltiness, pepper and hints of green apple. He particularly enjoyed how the char and lingering heat helped balance the whiskey’s fruit-forward profile.

A Complex But Balanced Finished Bourbon

Overall, we both really enjoyed Gambit No. 6. With six different cask finishes, it would have been easy for this whiskey to become muddled or for one finishing cask to dominate the others or the base whiskey to be completely masked. Instead, the flavors remained layered and fluid, with fruit, wine, sherry, spice and a touch of char each showing up at different points.

For us, the best part was how the whiskey kept changing from sip to sip. It was not simply sweet, fruity or wine-forward. There were enough tannins, pepper spice and dry oak notes to keep the fruitier elements in check, while still allowing the finishing casks to make their presence known. This is an excellent finished whiskey which should be enjoyed by fans of the genre.

Have you tried Gambit No. 6? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Gambit No. 6 Review! Next, read about these other whiskeys from Chip Tate in our Ampersand Opimus and Ampersand Malus Reviews.

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for our review. We appreciate it!

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