Blood Oath Bourbon Pact No. 8

This is my fourth Blood Oath Pact. I thought the last release, the Sauternes Cask, was the best, and that each subsequent one I tried (5-7) showed significant improvement. The Calvados cask is an unusual selection—the first I’ve encountered of its type. I'm hopeful it will maintain this upward trend. Nose: A powerful apple scent. Caramelized apple. An intensely strong toasted almond aroma. Vanilla, toffee, and raisin. Green Apple Jolly Rancher. White grape and white chocolate. Brown sugar. Strawberry jam. Cinnamon Applejack cereal. Torrone (Italian nougat.) Peppercorn. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: Another prominent caramelized apple note. Raisin, vanilla, and toffee. Almond. Brown sugar. Raisin and strawberry jam. White grape. Vanilla frosting. Cinnamon Applejack cereal. Green Apple Jolly Rancher. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak. Finish: Apple, caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Raisin and grape. Brown sugar. Toasted almond. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. It lingers a long time. My written notes might not fully capture the actual experience. The apple and nut fragrances were by far the most dominant components throughout. The candy-like sweetness was abundant but mostly appeared as secondary and tertiary notes. Regardless, this was an exceptionally distinctive whiskey. The Calvados casks made for an enjoyable experiment. 4/5. This ranks third out of the four Blood Oath Pacts I've sampled. It didn't compare to the Sauternes Cask. And it's certainly superior to the Rum Cask. It's about equal to the Cognac Cask—I slightly prefer the latter. Considering the cost—this one is $50 more expensive—it's an obvious choice. It still meets expectations though. A strong performance from Lux Row and a worthy addition to the Blood Oath collection.

The aroma offers a robust, spicy bourbon with a noticeable kick and a strong ethanol scent that belies its actual feel. However, the taste and mouthfeel are quite smooth. There's a prominent rye spice and a distinct oakiness, as expected from a blend of older ryed bourbons, which pairs pleasantly with the vanilla sweetness and subtle apple notes from the Calvados cask finish. While I don't typically favor rye or high-proof bourbons, this is a truly exceptional offering. Recommended to buy before it's gone.

I truly like this bottle. On the nose, nothing overly complicated that stands out. Light cinnamon spice with brown sugar or caramel. The palate is smooth. A hint of oak, spice like a rye, and a very subtle apple. I do wish the apple was a bit more noticeable; you have to search for it somewhat. The finish is pleasant and long, slightly tannic as it goes down. Overall, quite an enjoyable, smooth, and easy drink. It is, however, quite difficult to locate. I was fortunate enough to grab the last bottle at my store and am pleased I did. The packaging and bottle are quite attractive and make for a nice display item.

Nose: Apple cinnamon with a hint of pear, sweet chocolate, and butterscotch. Also, sweet oak. Different notes emerge with each inhale. Taste: Cinnamon and butterscotch with sweet oak and vanilla. The rye spice is perceptible in the background. Hints of apple and pear are present. Finish: It lingers and coats the tongue effectively, leaving behind a persistent butterscotch and vanilla flavor. A truly excellent bottle! Check out my review here! https://youtu.be/qGCs22QsjNM

The aroma presents grapes, vanilla, cedar, and tart cherry, with a slightly musty undertone. It has an aged and wonderful scent. The palate features orange, cherry, grapes, sweetness, and some raisin. The finish is smooth, bringing back the cedar and a hint of cherry. It has a medicinal quality here, but it's acceptable. That medicinal cherry finish is the least appealing aspect of an otherwise excellent Blood Oath. It's still great, and I've yet to find a disappointing bottle in this line.

Aroma: almonds, apple, rye, pear, cherry, vanilla, bell pepper, bubblegum, cinnamon, caramel, berries, and oak. On the palate: sweet, smooth, and fruity with apple, caramel, oak, vanilla, charcoal, grape, rye, melon, peach, black pepper, chocolate, cherry, cinnamon, and bell pepper. A sweet finish.