Blood Oath Pact No. 8 is the 2022 annual release in the Blood Oath series from Lux Row Distillers, and one of the most distinctively European-inflected pacts in the series’ history. Pact No. 8 is finished in Calvados casks casks sourced from Normandy, France, that previously held Calvados, the celebrated apple brandy of the Calvados AOC region imparting a distinctive apple, vanilla, and cinnamon character that transports the bourbon into genuinely unexpected aromatic territory. The blend brings together three well-bred rye bourbons, including a bold 14-year old, a luscious 11-year old, and an 8-year old finished in the Calvados casks from Normandy, creating a layered and complex expression with an old-world French finish. Presented in Pact No. 8’s distinctive green label and wood crate with “Finished in Calvados Casks” engraved on the lid, this is a back vintage pact that is now several years out of active retail circulation. As with every Blood Oath release, the label confirms: “This rare Pact shall never again be made.” Signed by John E. Rempe, dated 3/06/22.

ABV / Proof

Tasting Notes

Color: Rich warm amber with golden copper tones from the three-bourbon rye blend and Calvados cask finish

Nose: Bold rye character from the 14-year component oak, leather, spice layered with a bright apple and vanilla note from the Calvados cask finish. The Normandy apple brandy influence is clear and distinctive, transporting the nose well beyond a standard bourbon profile.

Palate: Rich and layered, with dark oak and rye spice anchoring a wave of apple, cinnamon, vanilla, and a subtle floral note from the Calvados influence. The 14-year component adds age and depth while the Calvados-finished 8-year lifts the blend with a uniquely French-orchard character.

Finish: Long, warm, and elegantly complex, with oak spice, dried apple, vanilla, and cinnamon fading slowly one of the most memorable finishes in the Blood Oath series.

FAQ

What is Calvados and what does it add to a bourbon finish?
Calvados is an apple brandy from the Calvados AOC region of Normandy, France, aged in French oak. Finishing bourbon in Calvados casks imparts a distinctive apple, pear, vanilla, and cinnamon character that gives Pact No. 8 a uniquely French-orchard dimension unlike any other finish in the Blood Oath series.

Is Pact No. 8 a back vintage?
Yes. Pact No. 8 was a one-time 2022 release. Now three years out of active production and confirmed never to be replicated, surviving bottles are established back vintage collector acquisitions. We also carry Pact No. 2 (2016) and Pact No. 11 (2025) in store for Blood Oath series collectors.

Where can I buy Blood Oath Pact No. 8 online?
Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.