A Jammy, Smoke-Laced Port Finish That Falls Just Short of Dark Arts’ Best
Stats
- Age: 8 year
- Proof: 111.5 (55.75% ABV)
- Mashbill: 60% Corn│ 36% Rye │ 4% Malted Barley
- Origin: Ross & Squibb (MGP) — Lawrenceburg, Indiana
- Finish: Separately finished in white port and red port barrels before blending
- Release: Limited release (2026), cask strength
- MSRP: $99.99 (Dark Arts)
Tasting Notes
- Nose: The nose opens with deep honey, jammy blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry layered over soft vanilla ice cream sweetness. Beneath the fruit sits a familiar thread of charred “MGP oak“, while the overall profile leans far sweeter and more dessert-like than spicy despite the rye spice that appears later on the palate.
- Palate: The palate delivers blackberry syrup, dark fruit compote, and heavy port influence before transitioning into a more tannic and smoky mid palate with subtle patchouli-like spice. While flavorful, the mid palate feels flatter and less viscous than expected for a heavily finished Dark Arts release, preventing it from reaching the depth of previous blue label bottles.
- Finish: The finish carries lingering rye spice, smoky oak, and chewy dark fruit candy notes with blackberry gummies and red fruit syrup lingering well after the sip. While medium in length initially, the lingering sweetness and spice help bring the whiskey back into balance.
There’s a certain expectation that comes with a Dark Arts blue label release. Between the blending, finishing, presentation, and the Macaulay’s growing reputation for creative whiskey making, you anticipate something layered, bold, and deeply memorable.
Empyrean Vol. 2 certainly checks many of those boxes on paper: an 8-year-old MGP bourbon, separately finished in both white and red port casks before blending together and bottled at 111.5 proof. And while the whiskey undeniably carries the quality and craftsmanship expected from Dark Arts, this release ultimately feels a bit more restrained and uneven than some of the brand’s stronger recent offerings.
That said, this is also a bottle that improved noticeably with time. My initial pour felt aggressively tannic and overly smoky through the mid palate, but after revisiting it several times, the whiskey began to open up considerably, revealing richer fruit character and a more balanced sweetness underneath the heavier finishing influence.
Presentation
This is classic Dark Arts presentation. The bold mystical label design, substantial glass topper, and side release labeling once again make this one of the more physically satisfying bottles to handle, open, and pour.
The brand continues to excel at making bottles feel intentional and premium without crossing into gimmick territory. Even before the first sip, Empyrean Vol. 2 feels like a special release.
Distinctiveness
The dual use of both white and red port finishing creates an undeniably interesting profile, especially in how the whiskey balances dark fruit sweetness against smoky tannic structure. The jammy berry notes that begin on the nose and carry through the finish are particularly enjoyable.
That said, this release feels somewhat less distinctive than previous Dark Arts blue label offerings. The mid palate flattens out considerably, and the finishing influence occasionally overwhelms rather than elevates the base bourbon. It’s still unquestionably quality whiskey, but compared to the stronger recent releases under the label, this one lands slightly lower in memorability.
“A profile that somehow manages to feel both robust and remarkably approachable at the same time.”
Transparency
As always, Dark Arts remains commendably transparent regarding both sourcing and finishing practices. The brand openly communicates the use of MGP bourbon alongside the separate white and red port finishing process, giving enthusiasts more than enough information to understand how the whiskey was constructed.
While every minute detail of finishing duration or blend percentages isn’t disclosed, the overall approach still feels honest, thoughtful, and enthusiast-forward in a way many modern sourced brands fail to achieve.
Value
At $99.99, Empyrean Vol. 2 sits in a competitive but challenging price bracket for an 8-year-old finished bourbon. The price itself is not unreasonable given the finishing process, presentation quality, and overall execution, particularly for fans of heavily port-finished whiskey.
Still, this feels slightly expensive relative to other recent Dark Arts blue label releases that delivered more depth and distinction. The value isn’t unfair or unjustified — especially if you enjoy tannic, fruit-forward finished bourbon — but this isn’t necessarily the bottle that best showcases the ceiling of what Dark Arts can do.
Buy if:
- You enjoy port-finished bourbon
- You like jammy dark fruit profiles
- You appreciate heavily finished whiskey
- You’re already a fan of Dark Arts releases
Skip if:
- You dislike tannic or smoky finishes
- You want a more robust mid palate
- You prefer traditional bourbon profiles
- You’re looking for the strongest recent Dark Arts release
Verdict
Dark Arts Empyrean Vol. 2 is a good whiskey from a producer increasingly known for making great ones.
The nose and finish deliver excellent layers of dark fruit sweetness, the presentation remains among the best in modern American whiskey, and the bottle improves meaningfully after opening up over time. However, the flatter mid palate and heavier tannic influence prevent it from reaching the heights of some previous Dark Arts releases.
Even then, this is the kind of “lesser” release many finishing-focused brands would still love to claim as a flagship product.
For those who prefer numbers, here’s the full score breakdown:
- Nose: 5.25 / 7
- Palate: 4 / 7
- Finish: 5 / 7
- Presentation: 6.5 / 7
- Distinctiveness: 3.5 / 7
- Transparency: 6.5 / 7
- Value: 4.7 / 7
Bourbon Bishop Rating: 5.06 / 7 – Angelic
Good to great. Often high value for the price.
| Score | Descriptor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1 | Hell No | Drain pour. Seriously undrinkable. |
| 1.1–2 | Purgatory | Bad, but could be worse. Only in extreme cases. |
| 2.1–3 | Only Earthly | Just okay. Best used as a mixer. |
| 3.1–4 | Bliss | Passable to Good sipper. Works well in cocktails. |
| 4.1–5 | Angelic | Good to great. Often high value for the price. |
| 5.1–6 | Divine | Top-shelf. Must-buy for fans of the style. |
| 6.1–7 | Holy Heaven | Out-of-this-world. A true unicorn. |
Disclosure: This bottle was provided to me free of charge for review. All opinions are my own.
About Dark Arts Whiskey House
Alchemy over convention. Flavor over formula.
Dark Arts doesn’t position itself as a distillery in the traditional sense. It’s a blending, rebarreling, and finishing house built around a single idea: good whiskey can become something more.
Their philosophy leans heavily into the language of alchemy, not just as branding, but as process. Wood, fire, grain, and water aren’t endpoints; they’re starting materials. Through unconventional finishing techniques and deliberate blending, the goal is transformation into what they call “liquid gold.” It’s equal parts technical control and willingness to push into less-charted territory.
At the center of that identity is the figure of Damos, a mythologized ancient alchemist who represents curiosity taken to its edge: the pursuit of meaning over mere knowledge. It’s a narrative device, sure, but it mirrors the brand’s ethos. Not just making whiskey, but trying to redefine what it can be.
That mindset shows up in their process. Dark Arts sources high-quality barrels, then applies non-traditional maturation and finishing methods, often layering casks or using less common wood profiles, to create blends that prioritize flavor impact over category expectations. In a region defined by heritage and consistency, they’ve carved out space by leaning the other direction: experimentation with intent.
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