Distillery: Bottled by Balthazar Rex – Shoreham, VT
Proof: 105.7
Age: Nine plus 125-day finish
Mashbill: 99% corn; 1% malted barley
MSRP: $149
Company
BHAKTA (“buck tuh”) Spirits was launched in 2019 in Vermont by Raj Bhakta. Seemingly, a launch in Vermont was fitting for BHAKTA Spirits because Raj Bhakta was the founder of WhistlePig Whiskey, also in Vermont.
It seems Bhakta and the WhistlePig board of directors had a significant disagreement back in the mid-2000s. As you would expect, the disagreement led to allegations of fraud, lawsuits, etc, etc.
A simple Google search with the terms “WhistlePig Bhakta fraud” and you can read all about it. But this review none of what happened between Mr. Bhakta and WhistlePig means anything, as I’m focusing on BHAKTA Bourbon Whiskey.
Production
For starters, BHAKTA is a ho-hum MGP distillate. That’s where the ho-hum ends. This is not your typical bourbon. Give Mr. Bhakta props for a daring variance.
At a whopping 99% corn, BHAKTA’s mash bill is more readily compared to a Corn Whiskey. The typical bourbon mash bill starts at 51% corn. Most bourbons top out at 80% corn. For comparison, Jim Beam and Knob Creek are 75% corn.
More interestingly, BHAKTA is first aged just as every bourbon (a new charred American Oak barrel) for nine years, then a secondary aging occurs in French Oak barrels for an additional five months. The French Oak barrels were previously used to age Armagnac.
Armagnac is distilled from grapes. The distillation chamber is made of copper and heated gently by either wood or gas. The eventual vapors are condensed and the heads and tails are removed. Sound familiar?
BHAKTA Armagnac Cask Finish Bourbon Whiskey (Distilled 2014) Review: Tasting Notes
Nose 4/5
Given the high corn content, you’d expect this bourbon to be very corn forward on the nose. It is not. There is a blast of caramel, butterscotch, and vanilla. A corn whiskey this is not and yet the sweetness of the corn comes through. There’s a bit of a green apple present.
Palate 3/5
There is a brief moment of the fruit coming forward. Immediately, Red Hots candy springs to mind as the sweet of the upfront fruit is mixed with a cinnamon punch. A small hint of a baking spice shows up. I’m betting this was a very spicy bourbon prior to what I would expect was the calming effect of the additional aging in an Armagnac barrel.
Finish 2/5
As the initial burst of flavor plays out, a sourness lingers. It suggests a vinegar’ish bitterness and lingers much too long, causing me to reach for some water. Oddly, going back again, I find myself anticipating the bitterness and I begin to embrace it.
Value 3.5/5
Given the daring uniqueness of this bourbon, I would have expected much more. This is a good bourbon……nope, that’s not strong enough language…. this is a very good bourbon.
A $149 price point plus shipping makes me struggle a bit with the value. At a $100-$125 price point, I’d be all about this expression.
That said, the additional $25 or so is well worth adding a daringly unique bourbon to your collection.
BHAKTA 2014: The Verdict
3.5/5
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 4.25 – 5
- Gold – 3.25 – 4.24
- Silver – 2.75 – 3.24
- Bronze – <2.75
Mike Long is a staff writer at Bourbon Inspector and has an Executive Bourbon Steward designation from the Stave and Thief Society. He’s a former “wine guy” who discovered his love for bourbon years back at a spur-of-the-moment bourbon tasting he attended. He also loves traveling throughout America with his wife of over 37 years, Debby.