Finished in toasted oak barrels
Alc/vol 49.3% Proof 98.6
Pact No.4 MMXVIII Bottled on 2/12/18
Blended with three well-bred bourbons.
I held on to this bottle for a few years before cracking it open while spending some time with a friend that enjoys whiskey just as much as I do. I purchased this bottle while I was at a whiskey charity auction. It was not in the auction. And I did not win anything at the auction either. The star that auction was a bottle of Pappy 23 that sold for $2300.00. The auction was held at a local liquor store and while I was heading out, I saw this bottle sitting on the counter for $129.00. I snagged it up. Over two years later I finally cracked it open to share with a good friend who appreciates whiskey. I poured us each a drink.
Smell – In anticipation I held the half tumbler glass to my nose and took a small sniff. Oak was on the forefront of the smell. Except it was not the standard oaky smell you would normally get. Not fresh charred oak. It was so to say “toasted.” It was pleasant. It gave it the oak smell a kind of warmth and age to it. This was my first time sampling a toasted barrel of any sorts. It was followed by a rich vanilla bean aroma with a hint of smokiness with a bit of sweetness like browning sugar with a torch. It also lacked the alcohol sting to the nose. I personally enjoyed it.
Taste – The first thing I noticed was the alcohol burn was faint. It was smooth from the moment it hit my tongue to the finish. It had an excellent flavor. I had a hard time picking out each of the different flavors. I can only describe in a way that refers to Dr. Pepper’s 23 different flavors. With so many flavors in it I was not able to distinguish each and every one. I was able to find the toasted oak, along with vanilla for a split second, and some sort of citrus. Then those quickly faded to just a rich, toasted, caramelized sugar, and savory flavor. It left a nice, long lasting, mouthwatering after taste.
Color – Rich deep amber. Almost resembling blood. Coincidental?
This was by far one of the most interesting whiskeys I had to date. I am not sure if my “palate,” I hate using that word. Let me say my ability to distinguish different flavors, is trained enough to pick up on the subtleties of this whiskey. But you know what? Who cares? I do not need to be able to pick out each and every flavor to have it be enjoyable. Blood Oath Pact No.4 is just flat out good. I enjoyed all the aspects about this whiskey. It even got more interesting after finishing a glass. With the residue in the bottom of the glass, I was able to smell a touch of spice, fragrant vanilla, sugary caramel, and the lovely toasted oak smell in the beginning. With those smells combined it almost smelled like dark chocolate. It made it that much better.
I could say that anyone who tries it and is new to or fan of whiskey will enjoy this. If you have a whiskey lover who is picky, they will also love or enjoy it. I had high hopes for this whiskey. The wood case looks great, the bottle shape is different, the labels are fancy and gives it an apothecary like appearance to it. With the name of Blood Oath and the proof being 98.6 the same and the human body temperature. It is a nice set up to an excellent whiskey. I would definitely recommend this to anyone.
Straight and Simple Whiskey 