Lux Row debuts 2023 Blood Oath Pact No. 9 Bourbon
Lux Row Distiller and Blender John Rempe has just offered up his latest, highly-anticipated limited creation – Blood Oath Pact 9 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. With Blood Oath Pact No. 9, be ready to experience the ultimate union of three distinguished ryes.
SEE ALSO: Bourbon Release Calendar 2023
This release includes a timeless 16-year-old oaky bourbon that’s been patiently sitting in its barrel for over a decade and a half and counting. A luscious 12 year old with notes so deep it will leave you wanting more; rounded out by an enchanting 7 year old finished off with Sherry casks filled with delightfully sweet aromas plus flavors like dark fruit, molasses, chocolate and tobacco – all combined into one smooth sipping whiskey.
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Rempe is the creator of this limited release Blood Oath bourbon, which is on its ninth iteration. However, he’s been blending beverages and spirits for more than 20 years. Those creations span different types of spirits within the parent company Luxco’s portfolio.
Expect this beautiful bourbon to hit shelves in April 2023 at a price of $129.99 per 750ml bottle. So get your wallets ready for some exceptionally blended distillates at the consistent Blood Oath 98.6 proof (49/3% ABV) with special Oloroso Sherry finishing casks!
As a bourbon connoisseur, the goal was to seek rare bourbons, “famous and forgotten.” Created in small batches, this annual release is a rare whiskey that isn’t intended on being reproduced.
Lux Row Distillers only produces 1 batch of Blood Oath bourbon each year. The Bardstown, Kentucky distillery is now on Blood Oath Pact 9 of this finished bourbon which was introduced in 2015. Hence the 9th nameplate, it debuted as Pact 1 of the ultra-premium Blood Oath whiskey. This product blends multiple bourbons with various age statements, then finishes that blend additionally in other casks.
SEE ALSO: Blood Oath Pact 7 Bourbon Release, Proof, Price, & Review
In Pact 9, it is a robust and unforgettable blend combining the best of extra-aged ryed bourbons – including two aged 16 years and 12 years, respectively. It’s even more special thanks to its 7 year old addition finished in Oloroso Sherry casks from Spain’s famed Sherry Triangle region which imparts distinctive woodsy aromas with a rich backdrop sweet ripe fruit flavors.
“That every batch of Blood Oath is the undertaking of one man — a student of both bourbon and science. Loyal to no one family, favoring no one distillery and bound by no one philosophy – this bourbon connoisseur has one goal in mind – to seek out bourbons rare and wonderful, famous and forgotten. Then bottle them in combinations previously unimagined for a lucky few. Not to cater to anyone’s loyalties, he has sworn to never reveal where he finds his bourbon, but only to promise to choose and make the best he knows. Loose lips never tasted something so special.”
The Lux Row website gives the outline about the Blood Oath Pact.
–The Blood Oath Attests
Review & Tasting Notes
Master Distiller John Rempe continues his pact with bourbon fans with nine renditions of this rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey release. Rempe is the creator of limited blend of bourbons produced by a newer Bardstown, KY distillery, Lux Row Distillers. In this post, we’ll cover the Blood Oath Pact 9 bourbon release, review, price, proof and more!
Toasting the 9th installment of their whisky series, Blood Oath 2023 has bottled another masterpiece – this one adorned with a luxuriously deep crimson label. The journey from casks to your cupboard is completed when you open up the fire-branded wooden display box that each and every bottle arrives in!
The distillery describes this finished bourbon as, “sweet sherry with hints of ripe fruit and cinnamon,” on the nose. The palette is distinguished as “a melody of ripe fruits including figs, plums, and raisins, with notes of molasses and chocolate.” Additionally, Pact 9 Blood Oath picks up flavor notes of long lasting fruit notes complemented by hints of spicy oak. This Blood Oath release gets its unique flavor notes come from its finish in Oloroso Sherry casks sourced from the Sherry Triangle region in Southwest Spain.
You might ask, how does this Pact No. 9 compare with other Blood Oath releases? We look forward to doing a blind tasting in the near future to “research” more on that front personally.
“Blood Oath Pact 9 contains three great bourbons, and the Oloroso Sherry cask finish has resulted in a deep, dark amber liquid with long legs,” said Rempe. “The Oloroso Sherry casks also bring out tasting notes of sweet sherry with hints of ripe fruit on the nose and flavor notes highlighted by ripe fruits including figs, plums and raisins, with notes of molasses, chocolate and tobacco. This bourbon also provides a long-lasting finish characterized by fruit notes and complemented by hints of spicy oak. I’m proud to share Blood Oath Pact 9 with bourbon lovers.”
Color
Deep dark amber with long legs
Nose
Aroma: Sweet sherry with hints of ripe fruit and cinnamon.
Palate
Taste: A melody of ripe fruits including figs, plums, and raisins, with notes of molasses and chocolate
Finish
Long lasting fruit notes complemented by hints of spicy oak
Barrel Details
Blood Oath Pact 9’s unique flavor notes come from its finish in Oloroso Sherry casks sourced from the Sherry Triangle region in Southwest Spain
SEE ALSO: MGP Buys Luxco for $475M, Including Bardstown Distillery
Release Date & Availability
This batch or expression is suggested to have an allocation of 17,000 three-pack cases. That is the equivalent of 51,000 bottles. Those 750ml bottles should be hitting shelves at your best local liquor stores in April 2023. Roughly 1,400 of those bottles will be held back for future Trilogy Pack releases.
Therefore, 49,600 bottles of Blood Oath bourbon Pact 9 will be released immediately. TheBlood Oath Trilogy Pack gives you a bit more opportunity to snag up a few bottles of rare whiskey. The next Blood Oath Trilogy Pack, featuring Pacts 7, 8 and 9, will be offered in 2024. Otherwise, if you are not able to locate the Pact 9 release in 2023, Pact 10 will be on shelves in 2024.
If you’ve been following over the last few years, you’ll recognize the allocation and distribution is all pretty consistent with the the prior release.
Update:
Blood Oath Pact 9 will be available at the Lux Row Distillery Gift Shop in Bardstown, Kentucky on July 14th, 2023 from 9:00am to 4:00pm ET, or until supplies last. Good luck!
Lux Row Distillers: 1 Lux Row, 3050 E John Rowan Blvd, Bardstown, KY 40004
Proof & ABV:
The Pact 9 release of this Blood Oath bourbon blend lands at 98.6 proof. That’s an equivalent of 49.3% ABV if you prefer the percentage alcohol by volume measurement. This is a familiar territory if you’ve been following this annual finished bourbon release. Each of the latest releases have all landed at this 98.6 proofing, even though they are otherwise drastically different.
Blood Oath Pact No. 9 MSRP & Secondary Price
The MSRP of the latest Blood Oath Pact 9 release comes in at $129.99. That is up $10 from the prior release. However, true bourbon hunters will know the secondary price of this could be inflated immensely. It is expected the Blood Oath Pact 9 secondary prices will be in the $220 to $250 range.
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