Blood Oath is effectively Lux Row’s most premium product. Although keen-eyed Kentucky natives and visitors alike may point to the brand’s 12-Year Double Barrel, it’s a pipedream for most folks outside of the Bluegrass state. This isn’t to suggest that Blood Oath is easy to come by, but the chances are at least plausible by comparison.

The idea behind Blood Oath, though simple, is somewhat creative. Look past the marketing lingo of creating previously “unimagined” bourbon blends and you’ll find a seemingly straightforward formula: two well aged bourbons combined with one younger bourbon, the latter of which is finished in casks that vary from year to year (or oath to oath). Lux Row discloses neither the sources nor portions of these bourbons and goes so far as to suggest that this nondisclosure is a guiding principle behind Blood Oath.

Regardless, I’m going to take a quick look at the 2023 release of Blood Oath, Pact 9. This version consists of a blend of bourbons aged 16, 12, and 7 years, with the youngest finished for an unspecified amount of time in Oloroso sherry casks from the Sherry Triangle in Spain. As with all Blood Oath releases, it’s proofed at 49.3% ABV and carried an MSRP of $130.

Nose: Trail Mix, Honey, Peanut Butter, Nutmeg

Approachable, Balanced, Woody

Palate: Fig Newton, Brown Butter, Tobacco, Hazelnut

Dusty, Dry, Flat

Finish: Pecan, Toast, Tobacco, Barrel Char

Dry, Tannic, Warm

I often bemoan the use of finishing casks in bourbon. The corn base often handles the process awkwardly and can feel heavy-handed in some instances. This is where Blood Oath gets a slight edge. Theoretically, finishing the younger (but still decently aged) portion in a blend of otherwise nicely matured bourbon is a smart way to incorporate additional cask influence without overpowering the entire experience. To that end, the notes I got from Blood Oath Pact 9 felt more in-line with the older whiskey than bourbon finished in sherry. Perhaps that’s because I’m so used to sherry finishes being sweeter, considering how prevalent PX seems to be. Oloroso is a drier varietal, so using it to achieve a less sweet profile makes sense.

Does this make Pact 9 a winner? Tough to say. On one hand, it’s definitely a good, well blended product that makes fair use of its finishing component. Yet I can’t say I was enthralled by the experience, especially if we consider the rather daunting price tag. I’d say Blood Oath Pact 9 is a pour that I appreciate more than I enjoy, but just barely so. And I enjoy it about as much as whiskeys that cost far less and are way easier to find. A good product, just not the most statistically appealing.