BHAKTA 50: The Armagnac secret that Whiskey drinkers need to know about

BHAKTA 50: The Armagnac secret that Whiskey drinkers need to know about

Raj Peter Bhakta, founder of WhistlePig and now Bhakta Farms, has found a stunning equilibrium with BHAKTA 50. He’s forged an entirely new category, taking 50 year-old Armagnac brandy and finishing it in Islay casks for the whiskey lover. This juice carries flooring complexity that keeps you coming back for more – from honeyed nose, to fruity-smoky interplay, to an almost minty finish. Throughout, Bhakta has included the perfect balance of Islay peatiness. This one’s for the bourbon lovers, the Scotch savorers: BHAKTA is the new “it” spirit, and it’s time to swap your snifters with the finest and rarest.

Photo Credit: Homer Horowitz

What is BHAKTA 50?

BHAKTA 50 is a deeply aged blend of 8 rare Armagnac vintages, dated between 1868-1970 and finished in Islay whisky casks. The youngest spirit in the bottle is 50 years old, and the oldest reaches 152 years. It’s older than any whiskey on the market today; there’s simply nothing like BHAKTA 50 in the spirits industry.  

Given BHAKTA’s rarity and exquisite taste, stocks are incredibly limited. There are only 38 barrels of this line in existence. Each contains distinct vintages, flavors, and stories to create an instant collector’s item with vast investment potential. BHAKTA 50’s first two barrels have flown off shelves within just 60 days, as connoisseurs recognize its greater complexity, age, and value than most fine whiskeys– for a fraction of the price. 

Just as Raj did with rye when he founded WhistlePig, he is reviving a new spirit – this time wooing whiskey drinkers with ancient French brandy tradition and a modern twist.

Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Homer Horowitz

Armagnac is to Cognac as Mezcal is to Tequila

While Cognac makes up about 6% of US spirits consumption (and growing), we’re seeing an increasing appeal for Armagnac, it’s single-distilled cousin to the south. I keep seeing headlines written by those in the know.  

Raj likes to joke that, “Cognac the French exported, Armagnac they kept to themselves.” Indeed, while only 3% of Cognac is actually consumed in France, about 40% of all Armagnacs are drunk on French soil. This makes sense, since Armagnac is the oldest brandy tradition in France, acclaimed since the 1300s as an artisanal spirit, tender for trade, and even sanctified holy therapy. It has remarkably never lost its small-scale emphasis, and the vineyards of Gascony remain as pristine and sleepy now as they did before modernity.

Barrel 3: Pendragon

I had an opportunity to try Barrel 3: Pendragon, which includes vintages from 1868, 1897, 1939, 1946, 1952, 1963, 1964 and 1970 and a proof of 90.

You can read my full review here: BHAKTA 50 Armagnac Barrel 3 Review

And you can buy BHAKTA 50 here: Buy BHAKTA 50