Blood Oath Pact 12 Arrives With Italian Wine Casks
John Rempe is bringing Italian wine country into the rickhouse with Blood Oath Pact 12, his latest annual bourbon release from Lux Row Distillers. This year's pact marries ryed Kentucky straight bourbon with a double finish in Montepulciano and Sangiovese wine casks from Italy, creating what Rempe calls his most complex blend yet. The limited release arrives at Lux Row's distillery April 25, with national retail distribution following in June at $129.99 per bottle. Like every Blood Oath before it, Pact 12 sits at 98.6 proof and arrives in those signature fire-branded wooden boxes.
The Mash Bill and Barrel Story
Rempe built Pact 12 around three distinct ryed bourbon components. The foundation starts with a blend of 9-year and 12-year ryed bourbons, bringing mature oak and spice to the equation. Then comes the Italian influence: a 7-year ryed bourbon that spent time first in Montepulciano casks, then moved into Sangiovese barrels for a secondary finish. Those Montepulciano casks—holding wine from Italy's Abruzzo region—bring ripe black cherry, leather, and spiced cocoa into the char. The Sangiovese barrels from Tuscany layer in red fruit, dried herbs, and what Rempe describes as sun-kissed tomato leaf notes. It's the first time Blood Oath has featured a double Italian wine cask finish, and Rempe chose both wines specifically for their fruit-forward but savory profiles.
Where This Release Fits in the Warehouse
Blood Oath has built its reputation on Rempe's annual pact with bourbon drinkers: one limited release per year, never the same twice, and never revealing the source distilleries behind the juice. Pact 12 continues that tradition while pushing into new finishing territory. Wine cask finishes have become serious business in bourbon—barrels that once held Bordeaux, Port, or Sherry are showing up everywhere from small batch releases to flagship expressions. What makes this one different is the double Italian finish and the choice of Montepulciano and Sangiovese specifically. These aren't the heavy, tannic reds you'd expect. They're balanced, fruit-driven wines that complement high-rye mash bills without overwhelming the bourbon character. Only 51,000 bottles are hitting the market, with 1,400 held back for a future Trilogy release down the road.
What's Inside the Bottle
Rempe's tasting notes paint a picture of how those Italian wine barrels shaped the final pour. On the nose, expect stone fruit and caramel with vanilla threading through. The palate develops into cocoa, leather, and oak—classic bourbon territory elevated by the wine cask influence. The finish brings spice and black cherry, a clear signature from those Montepulciano staves. That burgundy-colored label with gold highlights nods to the Italian reds that shaped this pact, and the embossed glass bottle arrives in the commemorative wooden box Blood Oath collectors know well. At 98.6 proof, it's sippable but structured enough to stand up to the complexity those double wine casks bring.
How to Get Your Hands on Pact 12
Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown opens sales Saturday, April 25 for in-person purchases while supplies last. That's your earliest shot at securing a bottle before the broader retail rollout. Come June, a limited allocation of 17,000 three-pack cases ships to retail nationwide at a minimum suggested price of $129.99 per 750mL bottle. Given how previous Blood Oath releases have moved, expect allocated distribution and secondary market activity. Check LuxRowDistillers.com for retailer locators and updates on availability. If you're chasing the full Pact collection, remember that 1,400 bottles are being held for the eventual Pact 10-11-12 Trilogy release, following the pattern Lux Row established with previous Trilogy bundles in 2018, 2021, and 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Blood Oath Pact 12 different from previous releases?
Blood Oath Pact 12 is the first in the series to feature a double Italian wine cask finish, using both Montepulciano and Sangiovese barrels. Previous pacts have explored various finishing techniques and bourbon blends, but this marks John Rempe's first pairing of two Italian red wine casks on a ryed bourbon base. The combination brings layers of black cherry, red fruit, leather, and cocoa that previous releases haven't delivered. Each annual Blood Oath pact is a one-time blend, so once the 51,000 bottles sell through, this exact expression won't be replicated.
Where can I buy Blood Oath Pact 12 and how much does it cost?
Blood Oath Pact 12 launches first at Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown, Kentucky on Saturday, April 25, 2026 for in-person purchases. National retail distribution follows in June 2026 with a suggested retail price of $129.99 per 750mL bottle. Only 17,000 three-pack cases are being released, making this a limited and likely allocated product at most retailers. Visit LuxRowDistillers.com to find participating retailers in your area, and expect this to move quickly given the limited bottle count and Blood Oath's collector following.
What does ryed bourbon mean in the Blood Oath Pact 12 blend?
Ryed bourbon refers to bourbon whiskey with a higher percentage of rye grain in the mash bill, typically producing spicier, drier flavor profiles compared to wheated or lower-rye bourbons. Blood Oath Pact 12 uses three ryed bourbon components: a 9-year, a 12-year, and a 7-year that received the Italian wine cask finishing. The rye content creates a spice backbone that works well with the fruit-forward Montepulciano and Sangiovese cask influences, balancing sweetness with structure. Rempe specifically sought out ryed bourbons for this pact to complement the wine barrel characteristics.
Why does Blood Oath never reveal which distilleries the bourbon comes from?
John Rempe's annual pact with bourbon drinkers includes a promise to source the finest bourbon available while keeping the distillery origins undisclosed. This allows Rempe complete creative freedom to blend based on flavor profile and quality rather than brand recognition or distillery reputation. It's part of Blood Oath's mystique and ensures each pact stands on its own merits—the liquid in the bottle, not the source. Rempe has maintained this tradition since the first Blood Oath release, focusing attention on the finished blend rather than the components' provenance.
What is the Blood Oath Trilogy and how does Pact 12 fit in?
The Blood Oath Trilogy is a special bundled release featuring three consecutive pacts packaged together as a collector's set. Lux Row has released three Trilogies so far: Pacts 1-2-3 in 2018, Pacts 4-5-6 in 2021, and Pacts 7-8-9 in 2023. Pact 12 will eventually be part of a Pacts 10-11-12 Trilogy release, which is why Lux Row is holding back 1,400 bottles from the current allocation. These Trilogy sets appeal to collectors building complete Blood Oath libraries and typically command premium pricing on release.