BHAKTA 1928 "Whiskey Perfected" Straight Rye Whiskey, Calvados & Armagnac Review

 

Blending spirits is nothing new. Some producers take all sorts of whiskeys to create something unique. They’ll make ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails using decent whiskeys as a base. Blending, when done right, is an art form.

 

There’s blending, and then there’s thinking way, way outside the box. Imagine sitting on some ancient stocks, going back almost a century, and wondering what you can do with them beyond just bottling them individually. Let’s say you get wild.

 

You start with XO Calvados. Calvados is a brandy made from apple or pear cider and exclusively in northwestern France’s Calvados region. While there are over 230 varieties of apple cider used in the production of Calvados, producers will use apples from four categories: bitter, used for flavor; tart, used for its acidity and freshness; sweet, used to aid fermentation; and bittersweet, used for its tannins.

 

Next, you peruse your stocks of ancient Armagnacs. Armagnac is France’s oldest distilled spirit, a brandy made from up to ten varieties of white grapes and made exclusively in the Armagnac region in southwest France. It was first recorded in 1310, and its name means burnt wine. You notice a cask that’s been aging since 1928. Nearby are barrels from 1941, 1962, 1973, and 1996. Take portions from each and blend those together.

 

Finally, you take an American straight rye whiskey from 2018. Use it as 60% of the base, add your XO Calvados to form 30% of it, and then the Armagnac as the remaining 10%. Then, barrel finish that concoction in virgin French oak twice, and viola! You have BHAKTA 1928.    

 

Raj Bhakta was the founder of Whistlepig Distillery back in 2008. He sold it in 2018, and in 2019, he and Leo Gibson founded BHAKTA Spirits and subsequently procured a collection of spirits, including whiskeys and brandies, dating back to 1868 and every year through 2023.

 

BHAKTA 1928 is a tribute to both the blend’s oldest component and the Roaring Twenties:

 

“The ultimate distillation of the Roaring Twenties, BHAKTA 1928 channels the unbridled optimism, unstoppable boom, and ‘extraordinary gift for hope’ — as F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote of fictional tycoon Jay Gatsby — that defined America’s most iconic era yet. BHAKTA 1928 offers consumers the chance to enjoy a spirit of astounding age for a genuinely jaw-dropping price, directly from the visionary creator of the modern rye category himself.” – Leo Gibson

 

BHAKTA 1928 is bottled at 50% ABV (100°), and a 750ml package can be acquired from its website for $69.00. BHAKTA Spirits calls this "Whiskey Perfected."

 

Before describing what this tastes like, I must thank BHAKTA Spirits for sending this sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious!

 

Appearance: I poured BHAKTA 1920 into my Glencairn glass and prepared to sip it neat. There was a mix of colors: orange, gold, and brown. The thinner rim released a wide curtain of massive tears.

 

Nose: As I set up this shot, the outside air filled with fruity goodness. Apples dominated, but there were also white grapes, apricots, and peaches. Once I settled back inside, I smelled rich crème brulee, baked apples, and raisins. When I drew that aroma into my mouth, it was a blast of raisins and caramel.

 

Palate: This spirit’s texture was silky and warm. It caused me to forget I was writing a review and lose myself in it: Oh, yeah, there are flavors. I found baked apples, vanilla bean, and nutmeg on the front of my palate. At mid-palate, the tastes of rye spice, cinnamon sticks, and raisins competed for attention. The back offered French oak, caramel, and white pepper.

 

Finish: When you’re on a train, you know it begins its journey lumbering out of the station, but once it gathers speed, nothing can stop it until the conductor hits the brakes, and even then, it can take over a mile to bring it to a halt. That’s the best way I can describe BHAKTA 1928’s finish. What stuck were baked apples, pungent raisins, French oak, and cinnamon.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’ve long enjoyed French brandies, although I’ll admit that Calvados has always been far down on the list when I’m in the mood for one. I’m more of an Armagnac and Cognac guy who leans more toward the single-distilled Armagnac than the twice-distilled Cognac. My only experience with whiskey-related French brandies has been finishing whiskey in those barrels and trying Armagnac, Cognac, and Calvados options. Most have been delightful.

 

But having a blend of brandies and whiskey is uncharted territory for me. I like it, or at least what BHAKTA has done with those components. When you can get all of this for $69.00, especially when 30% of the blend is over 30 years old, it becomes a slam-dunk Bottle rating for me. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.