Foley Family Wines & Spirits (FFWS) has released Gambit No. 6, a 6-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon finished in six distinct barrel types, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, apple brandy, Muscatel, Oloroso sherry, and Tokaji casks.
The 92-proof whiskey is the second spirits release from master distiller Chip Tate since he joined FFWS as master distiller for innovation in January 2024.
Tate, best known as the founder of Balcones Distilling, named the expression after the chess term for a calculated strategic move. He originally envisioned a double wine barrel-finished bourbon but found that four additional barrel finishes delivered “unique structure, palate, and finish”, according to a brand press release.
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“The nuance of barrel finishing has piqued my interest since I started in the whiskey business more than 20 years ago, and access to these barrels opens a world of possibilities,” said Tate. “Gambit No. 6 is a testament to the depths of innovation, flavor, and craftsmanship we can achieve in whiskey making at Foley, building on more than 30 years of heritage as a family-owned, fine wine and luxury estates company.”
The base spirit features a mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. Roughly 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% was finished for three months in Chardonnay French oak casks, also sourced from Ferrari-Carano. That portion was then divided among Oloroso sherry, Muscatel, apple brandy, and Tokaji barrels and aged for an additional 12 to 16 months.
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READ THE STORYAll barrels were housed at Minden Mill Distillery near Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where Tate monitored their progress.
Official tasting notes from the brand describe a non-chill-filtered whiskey with layers of baking spice on the nose and a balanced palate with hints of cacao, sweet tobacco, and ripe fruit.
In November 2025, Tate and FFWS released their first collaboration, Ampersand, a collection of small-batch spirits including blends of rye whiskey with Calvados and grain spirit aged in XO Cognac casks, as well as a 15-year-old Kentucky bourbon aged in Tokaji casks.
Tate signaled further projects ahead. “We’re just getting started, as I am also spending time in Mexico working on developing new distillation techniques for our agave projects,” he said.
Gambit No. 6 is priced at $69.99 and is available at retail locations in California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Texas, and Washington, as well as online.
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