Blood Oath Bourbon Pact No. 3

Initially when I opened this up a couple of months ago I got a similar experience many seem to have encountered with this bourbon: very, very weak nose, but the palate and finish were still speaking to me. Now that it's been given some time to oxidize after a few pours it's definitely "opened up." Nose: The classic bourbon players are all here; vanilla, brown sugar, a little oak politely in the background. But the cabernet sauvignon finished bourbon (1 of 3 in this blend) adds a gentle pop of raspberry and other red fruit that plays nicely with everyone else. Palate: Rich and oily, 49.3% ABV is good for this, but I wouldn't mind if it was bumped up either. On the front end it's classic bourbon again: vanilla, brown sugar, some light tingling of cinnamon. The back end is oak, but it's pleasant and doesn't verge on being too bitter or overdone. Finish: Gentle, medium length, and warming. A brief flash of vanilla and cinnamon that slowly fades down into oak and light clove. It lingers nicely and surprisingly sits in the chest after swallowing. Overall I'd say it's successful as a cab finished bourbon; it offers something new without changing the overall experience too much. It honestly hovers around 3.75 to 4 for me; I'm not mad about paying 100 dollars for the bottle now that it's opened up given that I like new experiences and enjoy wine every now and again. If you enjoy both, have the money and want to give it a shot I'd say go for it. If you're on the fence or haven't enjoyed wine finished bourbon in the past, have a pour at the bar but make sure the bottle has been opened quite a bit.

Blood Oath Pact No. 3 2/4/2017 Classification: Whiskey (Kentucky Straight Bourbon with Secondary Maturation in Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels) Proof: 98.6 (49.3%) Age: NAS Mashbill: Undisclosed Distillery: Sourced Bottled: Luxco, River City Distilled Products, St. Louis, Mo Price: $100 Color: Dark Amber/Medium Copper Nose: Leather, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Hint of Oak, Blackberry Palate: Sweet, Warm, Rich, Smooth, Vanilla, Creamy Caramel, Background fruitiness similar to dark grape Finish: Medium-Long, Warm, Oak, Clove, Dry Personal Rating: 7.25/1 Notes: Altogether I enjoyed this pour as it tastes like a solid traditional bourbon to me...just with a little extra fruitiness added. The palate was especially enjoyable for me as I said, the tradition flavors of vanilla and caramel are sitting on top of this secret little dark berry/grape taste. Going into the finish it immediately brought Welch’s Grape Juice to mind. This is a good sipping bourbon so drink it neat. Or if you like it chilled, some whiskey stones or a single ice cube. I’ve heard of some people paying as much as $200 for a bottle, if that is the case, maybe pass it up, but if you find it for the MSRP of $99, you won’t be mad about adding it to your shelf

Complex wood and smoke. Hints of the Cabernet barrels give it a bit of wine flavor. Good mouthfeel, and pretty smooth for the strength. If left at full strength, has a slight bite at the end. A few drops of water diminishes the wine flavor, and seems to increase the bite slightly. But also seems to Mel's the flavors a bit more. Overall, would still sip it neat.

Definitely let this one open up for a bit. The flavors need a little time in the glass to really stand out.. Caramel, vanilla, strong florals, and black pepper (from the cab casks I presume) on the nose. Spicy rye with a hint of sweet caramel and apricot to taste and goes down really smooth.

$99 This was a very well balanced bourbon. One out the best I've had, sweet, spicy and oak nose. Rich palate that's mellow and smooth with a nice finish as well. Definitely buy IMO, great one for the collection.

N: Sweet caramel and herbal bouquet with a hint of Mexican spice P: Red fruit, creamy vanilla and a hint of spice F: Lingering oakyness but not much of anything remarkable. Missing that cab finish