Review: BHAKTA 2013 Bourbon

BHAKTA 2013 Bourbon is the first-ever bourbon release from BHAKTA Spirits and WhistlePig Whiskey Founder Raj Peter Bhakta.

Distilled in 2013 from a 99% corn/1% malted barley mash bill by MGP of Indiana, BHAKTA 2013 Bourbon was initially matured in new American oak, then finished in French oak barrels — which previously held Armagnac vintages dating back to 1868 — before being bottled at a cask strength of 50.3% ABV at 9 years, 5 months old.

BHAKTA 2013 Bourbon is limited to 12,000 bottles and has a suggested retail price of $149.

BHAKTA 2013 Bourbon Specifications:

• Spirit: American Whiskey.
• Classification: Bourbon Whiskey.
• Region: Indiana.
• Age: 9 Years 5 Months.
• ABV: 50.3% (100.6 Proof).
• Mash Bill: 99% corn and 1% malted barley.
• Cask Type: Matured in new American oak and finished in French oak barrels which previously held Armagnac.
• Price Paid: N/A (Sample from BHAKTA Spirits).
• MSRP: $149 for 750 mL.

Tasting Notes:

• Color: Amber.
• Nose: Sweet. Leads with aromas of grilled corn on the cob and Big League Chew Original bubble gum, followed by butterscotch, caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and a hint of dark chocolate.
• Palate: Moderate mouthfeel. Extremely sweet to start, with the bubble gum, butterscotch, caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak from the nose continuing on through the palate, accompanied by apples and grapes. There’s a slightly astringent, bitter quality towards the tail end of the palate, intermingled with baking spices – cinnamon and nutmeg – and the faintest hint of mint and tobacco.
• Finish: Medium length. The bitterness continues alongside notes of bubble gum, toasted oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, and grapes.

Due to the high corn mash bill and Armagnac cask finish, I was expecting BHAKTA 2013 Bourbon to be sweet – and it is. However, it’s less fruity than I was expecting, especially compared to other Armagnac and Cognac cask finished bourbons that I’ve sampled. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’d rather a light touch from the Armagnac cask finish than too much cask influence, which can throw a whiskey off-balance. Unfortunately, the astringency that’s present on the palate and finish does detract slightly from the overall experience.

I tend to gravitate towards whiskeys that are less sweet in nature, and because of that, BHAKTA 2013 Bourbon is a little too sweet for my palate. If you’re the type that enjoys a sweeter whiskey, you’ll like this more than I did. I have several friends that picked up bottles of BHAKTA 2013 Bourbon at launch and they love it. For me, it falls in the realm of just good. I wouldn’t turn down a dram, but I wouldn’t go out and spend $149 on a bottle.

Rating: C (73-76%).

• BHAKTA Bourbon
• BHAKTA Spirits
• Bourbon