Nutty base | Caramel | Dark cherry | Black raspberry

Black raspberry | Saddle leather | Graham cracker | Tobacco leaf | Savory | Velvety mouthfeel

Cigar box | Dark fruit | Cherry | Leather | Allspice | Long

Many whiskey drinkers are familiar with WhistlePig Whiskey, yet few know the name Bhakta. The company is named after Raj Peter Bhakta, the founder of WhistlePig and who you may recognize from his participation as a contestant in the second season of The Apprentice. Bhakta fully parted ways with WhistlePig in 2019 and went on to form Bhakta Spirits after finding a trove of 50-plus-year-old Armagnac on one of his trips to France. Since then, the company has expanded to also producing a number of vintage spirits. This is the second release of Bhakta Armagnac Finished Bourbon, and totals 1,500 cases.

This whiskey is complex, managing to keep each of its flavors well-integrated with one another throughout the sip. The aroma is light, laying out a nutty base that’s highlighted by delicate scents of caramel, black raspberry, and dark cherry. Black raspberry soaks into the palate, along with saddle leather, graham cracker, and tobacco leaf. Cigar box, dark fruit, cherry, leather, and allspice round out the long finish. The midpoint of the palate ultimately defines the whiskey, as it’s incredibly savory and has a rich, velvety mouthfeel.

The 2014 vintage is significantly more savory than the 2013 vintage, which by contrast leans heavily into bright summer fruit notes and rich butterscotch. Despite the notable variation, each is a well done finished bourbon in its own right. While I would snag a bottle of 2013 in a heartbeat, 2014 is a very well done follow up.