Blended Whiskey Archives – Whiskey for the Ages

Blood Oath Pact 08 Bourbon

Posted on 18-September-202218-September-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Blood Oath Pact 08 Bourbon Review:

reviewed 05-September-2022

BLOOD OATH PACT 08 BOURBON REVIEW:

While preparing for this review, I remember thinking, “Apples and Bourbon — Yes please!” I am here to say Blood Oath Pact 08 Bourbon (Blood Oath P8) delivers. Those who come looking for earthy elements of flora and wood may be a bit disappointed, but the fruit, spice and sweet components shine. I am happy to have another bottle in my bunker.

BLOOD OATH PACT 08 VITAL STATS:

Category: Barrel Finished Bourbon Blend (Finished in Calvados Casks)
Region: Sourced from undisclosed distilleries in Kentucky
Blender: John E Rempe
Producer: Lux Row Distillers
Mash Bill: unpublished
Barrels: New Charred Oak, ex-Calvados Casks
Barrel Char: unpublished
Barrel entry proof: unpublished
Age: NAS (Includes 14 year old bourbon, 11 year old bourbon, and 8 year old bourbon)
Released: April 2022
ABV: 49.3% (98.6 Proof)
Price: $99.95 (Summer 2022, Idaho, USA)
NABCA CSC #: 87078
Price: $99.95 (Summer 2022, Idaho, USA … MSRP now $119.95)

_{A masterful union of three well-bred bourbons. One, a 14-year ryed bourbon. Two, an 11-year ryed bourbon. And three, and 8-year ryed bourbon finished in Calvados casks from the Normandy region of France to impart slight apple on the nose with hints of vanilla and cinnamon. With each sip, feel transported to Northern France by way of Kentucky.}
_{^{— Learn more at Blood Oath Bourbon.}}

WHAT IS CALVADOS?

Calvados is a variety of Brandy. To claim the name of Calvados, the apple-cider (or pear) brandy must be produced within the Calvados region of Normandy, France. Calvados is aged in Sessile or Pedunculate oak barrels for a minimum of two to three years prior to marketing. Aging can be much longer with four to six years being common.

ENJOYMENT METHOD FOR THE REVIEW:

Alternate pours, equaling about four ounces, were added into three Glencairns. My daughters and I enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

BLOOD OATH PACT 08 NOSE:

The first aromas are fresh, tart apples. Then the ethanol creeps in. Blood Oath P8’s heat is a bit surprising. At 98.6 Proof, my nose is accustomed to much higher. When I breath in, roasted corn blends in as the fresh apples return, this time covered in caramel with a hint of cashew butter in the blend. With continued nosing, I sense acidic notes, but is it citrus or tart apples? As I try to decipher the pair, I smell a hint banana and baking spices of faint cinnamon, pepper, and rye along with aromas of milk chocolate and vanilla custard. The confection builds with brown sugar enhanced buttery caramel hidden in light, sweet, dry-toasted oak. What a fragrant treat.

BLOOD OATH PACT 08 PALATE:

I get a warm bite of alcohol in each sip of Blood Oath P8. As my mouth acclimates, I taste roasted corn and dusty grain along with the apple and faint banana sensed on the nose. And like in the aroma, I pick up acidic, and bitter notes. As before, I cannot decide if the flavors are citric in nature, or from tart apples. Either way, they add complexity to the pour as the baking elements of Cinnamon red hot candies, pepper and rye marry with subtle milk chocolate and light vanilla. There are notes of caramelized sugar here and soft caramels as well. The flavors are light and fresh owing to the acidity with only a minimal amount of dry, toasted oak.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Blood Oath P8’s aromas and flavors are well balanced but for my tastes, are somewhat lacking in the flora and woody elements. Each sip is viscous and oily and gives my mouth and throat a pleasant tickle. As I enjoy the mahogany nectar, the liquid veil breaks inside the Glencairn falling in fast legs which leave behind small, widely spaced droplets.

BLOOD OATH PACT 08 FINISH:

Blood Oath Pact 08 has a medium-long throat warming finish. I feel the sensation of dusty grain and bitter citrus on my palate and taste the memory of vanilla enhanced caramel apples with a touch of cinnamon, pepper, and rye. And as these perceptions fade, dry-toasted oak drifts away leaving an empty Glencairn of vanilla and caramel infused sawdust.

MY RATING: 87/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 87/100 to access Brian’s other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Blood Oath.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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High West Bourbon Review

Posted on 05-June-202205-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s High West Bourbon Review

Original review written May 31, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

An introductory bourbon, if there ever was one. Balanced sweet, unaggressive alcohol, affordable price. Nothing to complain about, and a good intro to the line. 88/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Indiana, Kentucky, Utah (known widely to be Utah, USA)
– Distiller: undisclosed (MGPI, High West and speculated to be additionally sourced from Barton, Four Roses, and/or Heaven Hill)
– Classification: Blend of Straight Bourbons
– Age: 2 yrs. (plus a blend of older bourbons)
– Mash Bill: undisclosed (Blend of 3 or more straight bourbons)
– Casks: undisclosed char
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed
– ABV: 46% (92 proof)
– Price: $39.95 USD in Idaho 2022

Visit highwest.com/products/bourbon for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the spirit neat from a Glencairn glass with sister, as well as father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review of this bourbon here!

SETTING:

Have this bourbon with some flan dessert to bring out the sweetness of the bourbon and the depth of what flan can be. Everything will melt together well, I suspect, while making you feel torn between taking a bite… or taking a sip. Which one, which one?

Photo by Max Griss on Unsplash

NOSE:

This smells sweet like light brown sugar and cinnamon dusted, ginger shortbread cookies. There’s very subtle fruit like figs here, wrapped in pastry like that all-too-familiar fig newton snack (which I personally enjoy). There’s a dark berry fruit leather as well, but I couldn’t begin to pin down an exact fruit. Dusty, dried corn grain trails the aromas at the very end, along with a syrupy essence that is both rich and on the spicier side rather than an upfront sweet. The alcohol is nonexistent, but there is an ember of heat and wood smoke to offer depth.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Oily and viscous. It matches the sweetness of the bourbon’s flavors well.
– Balance: There’s a base of wood that sweet successfully plays off of, without overwhelming the palate.
– Visual: Honey in color, this leaves many droplets falling from a defined crown, and wow, do they cling to the side of the glass.

– Taste: The cinnamon, ginger cookies actually are present from the nose here on the first draw of the palate! It even comes with a bit of bite/crispiness to lighten the sip. There’s a bitterness that catches the flavors like a net just after the cookie, like not-yet ripe grapes and cherries. The bitterness eases as a plum takes over and offers acidity and extra sweetness. More draws find an almost flan-like flavor with vanilla custard and light caramel drizzled and set on top. It’s a unique flavor to bourbon that I have not ever found before, but I find that I quite like it.

The alcohol remains mild here as well, just as it was on the nose. The wood is textured but not necessarily deep; it offers a foundation, nonetheless. A Kentucky chew brings out more cake-like sweetness without greatly offending the alcohol. With that cake surprisingly comes more grain, rounding out the bourbon well.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. There is warmth here, but it goes a bit unnoticed unless you’re truly looking for it. Not much to say for aftertaste.
– Between Sips: Oak and extremely light vanilla linger between sips, but they fade quickly and are truly negligible.

– No More: It isn’t the most complex of bourbons, but it is really growing on me, and I’m happy with it. It’s easy to sip, easy to hold, and it has balanced sweetness, which isn’t always easy to achieve.

The empty Glencairn is a deep sawdust, perhaps a little waterlogged, but distinct enough to smell mostly fresh and welcoming.

WORTH THE PRICE?

In a bourbon world of growing prices by the month, $40 seems almost entry level bourbon, these days. That being said, I do most certainly contend that it is worth the $40, and it’s one I look forward to having again. A great value, and I think it’s a good introduction to bourbon for someone who may be anxious about the proof. Even as someone who has had many different bourbons, it provides an originality that still proves interesting. Note: Don’t let the lack of American Prairie Bourbon label fool you – this is that same stuff :).

HIGH WEST BOURBON REVIEW RATING: 88/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.

Want to hear my thoughts on other High West products?
–> Midwinter Night’s Dram Rye

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Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finish Review

Posted on 23-May-202228-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finish Review

Original review written May 17, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Dry wine, wood, and occasional dark fruit, this is unlike any bourbon I’ve had before – finish or no. It’s decent, and I remain intrigued by the line. Would I buy this particular special finish again? Perhaps not, but I won’t struggle to finish this bottle. 86/100

VITALS:

Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finish Review

– Made In: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Lux Row Distillers (specific distiller undisclosed)
– Classification: Special Finish Blended Bourbon
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: blend of ryed and wheated mash bills (specific volume ratios undisclosed)
Ryed: Corn=78%; Rye=10%; Malted Barley=12% (for spice)
Wheated: Corn=68%; Wheat=20%; Malted Barley=12% (for smoothness)
– Casks: undisclosed char; finished for six months in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrels
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed
– ABV: 48% (96 proof)
– Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho in 2022

Visit daviesscountybourbon.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the spirit neat from a Glencairn glass with sister, as well as father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

This bourbon is reminiscent of drought, where each sip makes you want more – not necessarily ever feeling entirely quenched. Instead of choosing a setting to balance this dryness, I wonder if finding someplace perhaps even drier would push this bourbon to perform with the potential I know it is capable of. Find dry earth with dusty air and let this bourbon stretch its legs with depth, fruit and richness – I know it can do it.

Photo by Micaela Parente on Unsplash

NOSE:

Despite this being a special finish, this is immediately recognized a bourbon even on the first inhale. It smells sweet with corn and deep with age. There are plenty of dark, dried fruits – like dry raisins, fig, prunes, currants, and a hint of ripe plum as well. These are coupled with a mixture of cinnamon and ginger that brightens the tone of this bourbon. There is earth here also with leather, and of course, the aforementioned grain. Caramelized oak and waffle cone round out the complex nose, absorbing any kind of alcohol burn right along with it. It’s a nose that’s right up my alley with fruity darkness, and I’m looking forward to taking a sip. This doesn’t necessarily smell like wine, but the wine influence is certainly there.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: There is a bit of raspiness, but it doesn’t cling to the palate at all.
– Balance: It’s on the simpler side with the notes it provides, but the flavors are unique to our bunker, all the same.
– Visual: Honey in color, there are many long legs that fall from a well-defined ring. They don’t cling much, but they are thick.

– Taste: There is little to no alcohol to be found on the palate, and I can sit with it for some time before feeling any kind of urge to aggravate it at all. When I do, I am met with a staunch black bread heavy with dark bittersweet molasses. The wine barrel tannins are more pronounced here on the palate than they were on the nose, and that depth is backed by sharp currants and a type of sweet custard spread, like what you’d find in a Boston Cream Pie. Additional richness comes from a nutty essence, like unsalted, chopped peanuts.

The fruitiness of wine influence isn’t as apparent as it was on the nose; however, the dryness coupled with oak, yeast, and earth is very strong. None of this affects the alcohol, which is inoffensive and gentle. At its most aggressive with a Kentucky chew, wood dominates and very little else comes through.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. I find a little remaining warmth at the back of the throat, and minor aftertaste.
– Between Sips: Yeast and wood are the most pronounced between sips, and it does feel a little like a one-note wonder, but it’s decent enough.

– No More: This grows a bit simpler and drier the further into the glass I get, with the pre-existing, minimal fruit becoming even more faint. It’s disappointing, as I was hoping for the fruit to be more intense.

The empty Glencairn smells like a pure bourbon with heavy rye, and spicy oak. I wish a bit more of that bite was in the pour itself, as this smells heavenly.

WORTH THE PRICE?

While this is decent, and while I also appreciate that each of the Daviess County offerings received by our stores hover at $50, I would say this is not their strongest pour. If you like dryness with oak and bread, this is beyond worth the price, but if you’re buying this, thinking that you’ll find a great deal of fruit, prepare to be a little let down. I won’t have any difficulty finishing this bottle, and despite this being unique to our collection, I’m not entirely convinced I’ll need another. That being said, I would be intrigued to try the French Oak Finish of this line just to know what it offers. $50 isn’t an offensive price (to me), and it’s an experimental price I don’t usually mind paying.

DAVIESS COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISH REVIEW RATING: 86/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 86/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To see other whiskies from this brand, click Daviess County.

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