Blood Oath Bourbon Pact No. 5

AND WHAT BE A PIRATE’S FAVORITE CRIME? Okay. I think I understand now. Is it ARRRRRRRRSON? Pirate Milliardo stands up calmly, walks over toward his wiser but far-less-well-endowed friend, removes pegleg, and smacks him in the head with it. A TRUE BOURBON-LOVIN PIRATE WOULD NEVER RISK SETTING ANYTHING ON FIRE. There could be bourbon in there. IT BE LARRRRRRRRRCENY. This is the rum barrel finished bracket of my finished bourbon experiment. Tonight is the final taste test for best rum finish. Borough (who beat Dovetail) vs Blood Oath Pact 5 (who beat Jefferson’s). Side by side, these are both very good bourbons. The noses were equal in quality in my book. Very different, but very good. While excellent, the body for BOP5 fell short for me. On the other hand, the finish for BOP5 was phenomenal. Overall enjoyment pushed the tie in the direction of Borough for the win. Next blind taste test will be in the red wine cask finished category. Really excited about trying that whiskey space. The taste of Blood Oath Pact 5: This smells like so many old bourbons. I get a sour mustiness, lemon, and earthy scents. That oak left an impression, much like it does in Rhetoric or WTMK. Overall impression is sour lemon. The body delivers on the citrus, but it’s more of an orange note now. You can find a leathery grain, but it’s not the main flavor. There’s also honey, sugar, and loads of oak. The finish for this one is truly special. Depending on how I breathe, I can get chocolate, coconut, marshmallow, or vanilla. It’s definitely a desert finish, and it’s well executed. It takes a lot of discipline to enjoy this one. It’s so full of oak, it will be inaccessible to some. If I take a sip while focusing on something else, I get nothing but oak and brine. You really have to hone in to get past those, but if you do, you are rewarded. I’d wager if you come to this guy after a 25-year Rhetoric or some other comparable oak bomb, the flavors would be even more accessible.