“Armagnac is France’s oldest distilled spirit,” says Raj Bhakta, founder of BHAKTA Spirits, in Vermont, which specializes in it.

The vintage spirits brand started by Raj Bhakta (ex-WhistlePig) just released this rye expression that’s the result of one year’s harvest.

This new release from Bhakta is an Indiana 95/5 rye that’s nearly 11 years old.

"Do you have Bhakta 50-year-old gin?"

It's been a colorful life for spirits entrepreneur Raj Peter Bhakta, yet his greatest challenges lie ahead.

Leo Gibson, cofounder of BHAKTA, a brand that specializes in aged Armagnac, says the category offers three things that can attract collectors and soaring price tags.

Aged in whiskey barrels and finished in Armagnac casks, Bhakta 1990 promises to be a revelation for rum fans, says former Whistlepig honcho, Raj Bhakta.

Best Grail Rum: When it comes to rums aged for 20-plus years, Jamaica’s Appleton Estate is unmatched.

The second of Bardstown’s armagnac-finished whiskeys, this blend of Kentucky and Tennessee bourbons is dense with a palate of French toast, raspberry jam, bright apples, and nutty vanilla.

Raj Peter Bhakta is well-known for founding WhistlePig. He’s moved on to a new venture called BHAKTA Spirits and this included Armagnac.

The rye whiskey market is booming, as are super-aged high-end whiskies, but even those finds don’t quite have the juice (literally) that BHAKTA’s new 1928 Rye contains.

Not all of Bhakta’s blends are made from whiskey, but since the Vermont-based non-distiller producer has a handful of bourbons and whiskeys under its belt, it counts for the sake of this list.

Maybe technically not a whiskey, but this bottle is certainly interesting and whiskey adjacent.

What’s in the bottle is a nearly 100% corn bourbon distilled in Indiana in 2013, aged about nine years, finished in ex-Armagnac casks and bottled in Vermont.

It’s not just a vintage rum — BHAKTA’s rum release is actually a blend of column- and pot-stilled rum from 1985 and 1990

Aficionados have referred to Raj Bhakta as the Indiana Jones of spirits for his relentless pursuit of the rare and unusual.

Bhakta wanted to introduce armagnac to the American whiskey drinker, launching Bhakta 50, an armagnac finished in Islay whisky casks.

Former WhistlePig founder, Raj Peter Bhakta had recently started his own vintage spirits brand aptly named after himself.

US-based Bhakta Spirits has unveiled Bhakta 2013 Straight Rye Whiskey, marking its founder’s return to the category since leaving WhistlePig in 2016.

Raj Bhakta got started with brandy. Now he’s turned his sights to rum as well, starting with this vintage-dated blend of two Jamaican rums, one from 1990 and the other from 1985.

Bhakta Straight Rye Whiskey Distilled 2013 Finished in Calvados Casks

WhistlePig Founder Leaps Back Into Familiar Territory With 1st Rye Whiskey Release Under New Brand

However, this disparity in prestige and sales may slowly change, thanks in part to the 2020 opening of Bhakta Spirits, a U.S.-based company owned by WhistlePig founder Raj Bhakta.

Entrepreneur and media personality Raj Bhakta built a hallmark whiskey brand by founding WhistlePig, and he’s using his storytelling playbook to grow another — this time eponymous — spirits bottler with Bhakta Spirits.

Since its launch in 2020, Bhakta — the namesake of multi-time spirits entrepreneur Raj Bhakta — has built its name on brandy releases with eye-popping age statements.

WhistlePig Founder Raj Bhakta’s Latest Expression Blends Rye With Ancient Armagnac

WhistlePig, synonymous with top-notch American whiskey, witnessed a turning point in 2019 when founder Raj Bhakta departed to embark on a new venture.

Bhakta Spirits dominated the Beverage Testing Institute's recent brandy judging, sweeping all three of the Platinum Medal–Superlative awards and six out of seven top-ranked Gold medals.

Raj Bhakta is larger-than-life; a vibrant, driven man with good looks and swagger. It figures that this kind of personality, who founded the hyper-successful WhistlePig whiskey brand didn’t stop distilling after selling his piece of that business.

Since 2020, Raj Bhakta’s eponymous second act in spirits has built a reputation as one of the most interesting companies in alcohol.

Bhakta is on his way to great success and perhaps a revitalization of the Armagnac industry

This vintage rum gets a special French finish in Armagnac casks.

After selling his stake in WhistlePig in 2017, Bhakta embarked on a sabbatical in search of new... 120 character here...

The brand represents the transparency rum connoisseurs have been fighting for in recent years.

Bhakta Spirits 1973 Vintage Armagnac isn’t a gateway Armagnac. It’s the kind of expression you work your way toward, purchase and then savor slowly on a cool evening.

We recently visited Bhakta Spirits, the new home of the historic house of Ryst-Dupeyron Armagnac, to taste their legendary collection of ancient Armagnacs from 1888 to 2001.

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