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It seems at times Heaven’s door swings open into France—at least it does when it comes to the latest offering from Bob Dylan’s whiskey brand. The first launch in the new Exploration Series is a bourbon that has been finished in Calvados barrels, giving us an early taste to see what French influence brings to the spirit.

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Heaven’s Door stands among the more commendable celebrity-backed spirits brands, particularly notable given the rising number they now are. Its primary line up includes a bourbon, a rye, and a double-barrel whiskey. This range is further complemented by some exclusive, limited-edition launches such as the previous year’s Bootleg Series Vol. V, which is a bourbon aged 18 years, with a finishing touch in red vermouth casks. The latest addition in the brand’s catalog is the inaugural whiskey of the Exploration Series, featuring two new bottles annually. This Tennessee bourbon (the brand continues to source whiskey, despite owning its own distillery in Kentucky) receives calvados barrel finishing, a brandy variant derived from apples that are native to the eponymous French region. Conclusively, the whiskey gets a final touch by introducing medium-heavy toasted French oak staves into the barrels— a step you might find vaguely familiar if you follow the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series, renowned for their custom-cooked stave finishes.

“Our freshly introduced medium-heavy toasted French oak staves result in balanced complexity and boosted aroma, culminating into a dark color and a smoother, creamier mouthfeel, thereby offering a truly intensified flavor experience,” communicated master blender Alex Moore in a statement. He continues to indicate “baking notes associated with apples” as the outcome, like brown sugar, pastry, caramel, and biscuit notes. Such flavors are noticeable, alongside notes of green apple, fresh citrus, black pepper spice, and Concord grapes on the palate, exhibiting a slight spark of heat credited to the 108 proof at which the whiskey is bottled.

Heaven’s Door Exploration Series No. 1 is available now from and brick and mortar retailers. And you can find the rest of the lineup, including some of the recent Bootleg expressions and a set of whiskey stones (but seriously, don’t buy those), available to purchase now from ReserveBar.

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