BHAKTA 27-07 took a turn in its final seconds of creation. Some say for the better. Some say for the worse. But there is no question of the culprit: Mssr. Giles Garnham, BHAKTA’s man in France. And there is no debate at all over who benefitted—spirits lovers everywhere—and who bore the cost (that was us, after all).

Let’s set the scene. On the final day of production for BHAKTA 27-07, Mssr. Giles, the  manager of Château BHAKTA in Armagnac, France, drew the wrong brandy from his oversize barrels, known as “foudres.”  Did Giles’ penchant for “quality control” tasting of our spirits factor into his oversight? Perhaps. . .

But the foudre from which he pumped to feed the bottling line was actually twice as old as the intended age statement of 27 to 7 years noted on the label. 

The bottles were filled and sealed before this mishap surfaced. . . and thus, “BHAKTA 27-07” became “BHAKTA 27-07 Limited Edition,” as our founder, Raj Peter Bhakta, has vowed to retain the spirit’s miraculous price—in spite of its liquid being twice as valuable—for a limited release only.

“For the drinkers, it’s great. For me, it’s a problem,” says Giles. “It was really a big blunder. I lost Mr. Bhakta a lot of money.”

BHAKTA 27-07 boasts a completely unique flavor profile. In order to freely express the cidery distillate, Calvados apple brandy makes up 90% of the blend, whilst the full-bodied Armagnac amounts to 10%.

It’s the perfect touch of dry, floral, candied apple notes. And, in the signature BHAKTA style, this brandy is finished in Islay casks to give a kiss of smokiness. It’s the perfect brandy for a whiskey drinker—and “The Frenchman’s Mistake” is certainly your gain.