Mix Yourself a 100-Year-Old Manhattan With This Unique Whiskey
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After a not-so-amicable split in 2019 from WhistlePig, the whiskey brand he founded in 2007 that ushered in a rye renaissance, American entrepreneur Raj Bhakta set off on a journey of self-discovery. He acquired a cellar of Armagnac in Condom, France, which housed brandy dating back to 1868. Inspired, Raj added two of France’s finest brandy styles, XO Calvados and the ultra-aged Armagnac, to a new rye whiskey: Bhakta 1928.
It's made from 2018 vintage American straight rye whiskey (60 percent), then enriched with XO Calvados (30 percent), and finally fortified with a mix of Armagnac from 1928, 1941, 1962, 1973, and 1996 vintages (10 percent)—and there’s a little brandy that’s over 100 years old. Bhakta 1928 then undergoes a double cask finish in virgin French oak.
“Beginning with a base rye superior to almost any I’ve created before, Bhakta 1928 finally achieves the dream of whiskey, perfected—through the transubstantiation granted by a magic touch of 1928 Armagnac," Raj says. "Isn’t it time we brought back the spirit of the Roaring Twenties? Let the new boom times begin.”
On the nose, the spirit offers aromas of custard, caramel, and vanilla. The palate delivers flavors of oak, spice, and more vanilla. The finish lingers with more oak alongside mellow tannins.
Since launching Bhakta Spirits, Raj has released a variety of spirits, including Bhakta 1990 Rum ($500 per bottle) and a 50-Year-Old Brandy (now priced at $450 per bottle). Bhakta 1928 is his most accessible product yet at $70 and can be purchased via the brand’s official website.
