Whisky News — Tuesday, March 31st, 2026

Blood Oath Pact 12 Introduces First Dual Italian Wine Cask Finish

Lux Row Distillers has unveiled Blood Oath Pact 12 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the twelfth annual limited-edition release from master distiller John Rempe. This expression blends 9-year and 12-year ryed bourbons with a 7-year ryed bourbon finished sequentially in Montepulciano casks then Sangiovese casks. Bottled at 98.6 proof (49.3% ABV), limited to 51,000 bottles.

The dual Italian wine cask finish is a first for the Blood Oath series. Montepulciano and Sangiovese are both central Italian red wine grapes, but they contribute distinct flavour profiles: Montepulciano tends toward dark fruit and soft tannins, while Sangiovese adds cherry brightness and herbal complexity. Sequential finishing in both cask types layers these characteristics into the ryed bourbon base.

Murray's Take: Two Italian cask types in one bottle is either genius or a gimmick, and John Rempe has earned enough trust to get the benefit of the doubt.

Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. Announces First 10-Year Bourbon

Henry Kraver's Old Reserve Bourbon will launch on April 22nd, 2026, at the Peerless Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky. This marks the distillery's first 10-year-old whiskey, a milestone that also represents a decade since the Taylor family revived the Kentucky Peerless name under the original distilled spirits plant number, DSP-KY-50.

Peerless operates as a true grain-to-bottle distillery using sweet mash production, with no outsourced whiskey in any release. The distillery won World's Best Bourbon at the 2024 International Wine and Spirits Competition. Henry Kraver's Old Reserve will be available one bottle per person at the distillery on launch day.

Murray's Take: Ten years of patience from an independent family distillery is worth more than a hundred limited editions from the big boys.

Loch Lomond Launches The Original Series With Two New Highland Single Malts

The Original Series from Loch Lomond Whiskies features three Highland single malts: the repackaged Loch Lomond The Original: Triple Oak, the new Loch Lomond Oloroso: Sherry Cask, and the new Loch Lomond Peated: Rioja Cask. Both new expressions showcase the distillery's unusual straight neck stills alongside traditional swan neck stills.

The Oloroso Sherry Cask is distilled in straight neck stills and finished for six months in certified Oloroso sherry casks. The Peated Rioja Cask combines swan neck and straight neck still distillation before a six-month finish in Rioja wine casks. Both are priced at £31 per 70cl bottle, available online now and rolling into Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons, and Asda through 2026.

Murray's Take: Peated Highland malt finished in Rioja casks for £31 is the kind of accessible experimentation the industry needs more of.

How Does Wine Cask Finishing Affect Bourbon Flavour?

Wine cask finishing adds residual sugars, tannins, and fruit compounds from the previous wine into the bourbon. Italian red wine casks like Montepulciano contribute dark berry sweetness and soft structure, while Sangiovese casks add brighter cherry and herbal notes. The sequential approach used in Blood Oath Pact 12 layers both profiles rather than blending them, creating more complexity than a single cask finish.

What Is Sweet Mash Production in Bourbon?

Most bourbon distilleries use sour mash, where a portion of spent stillage from the previous distillation is added to the new mash to control pH and ensure consistency. Sweet mash skips this step entirely, using only fresh yeast and grain in each batch. Kentucky Peerless is one of very few distilleries using sweet mash, which produces a lighter, fruitier spirit profile. Explore the differences between production methods in DramMaster's structured lessons.

Why Do Some Distilleries Use Multiple Still Types?

Loch Lomond is unusual in operating both traditional swan neck pot stills and straight neck stills under the same roof. Swan neck stills produce a lighter, more delicate spirit through increased copper contact, while straight neck stills create a heavier, more robust distillate. By combining spirit from both still types, Loch Lomond creates flavour profiles that most single-distillery operations cannot achieve. Discover how still design shapes whisky character in the regional knowledge base.