Blood Oath, Pact 3, 49.3% abv.

This Luxco limited edition product is a blend of 12 year old high rye bourbon, 7 year old rye bourbon, and 7 year old rye bourbon finished in Cabarnet Sauvignon barrels from Swanson Vineyards in Napa Valley. Interestingly, when this blend/vat/whatever was released, Luxco supposedly had no whisky/malt distilleries in 2017, making this sourced like all it's other whisky products. Luxco does own the labels to Ezra Brooks, a rye bourbon, so rumors are that it's combinations of Ezra. Relase date of 1/11/2017.

Nose: again bbq and roasted almonds with caramel popcorn, very similar to Old Fitzgerald 11 Bottled-In-Bond but not as strong (crackerjacks, nutty, caramel bbq popcorn, burnt teriyaki sauce, sweet bbq, smoked pork ribs with some gasoline rub on there, chipotle, low levels of peppercorn, burnt rice in bbq sauce). After some time, the nose on this is more resilient and stronger than Pact 2.

Palate: slightly dry, initial palate was light sweet honey, good amount of oak, apricots? mid palate was spicey, smoother than other phases and aspects strangely enough, more apricots than peaches (Old Fitzgerald 11 had peaches), caramelized summer fruits in general, back palate wood and honey, light peach or apricot like fruit.

Finish: short to medium, light oak at the back of the throat, green pepper spices are all over, presence of dark fruits are short-lived.

Dry glass: light BBQ, chocolate bbq, salted caramel.

Wow another amazing bourbon, flavorful, hits all aspects, although not as intense as the Old Fitzgerald 11, but I'm not sure, the differences are sooo minute and hard to distinguish. Very very similar to Old Fitzgerald 11 though.

Grade: B

Thewhiskeyjug, Josh Peters, 86/100
Whisky advocate, John Hansell, 92 points
Barrels and Mash, Kris, 3/5

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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