Dark Arts — 13-Year Double Oaked French Oak: Deep, Rich and Remarkably Balanced Review

A 13-year Kentucky bourbon meets French oak at 125.2 proof, bringing chocolate, vanilla, gingerbread and deep oak without going overboard.

Stats

Type: Finished Bourbon
Age: 13 Year
Proof: 125.2 (62.6% ABV)
Mashbill: 78% Corn │ 10% Rye │ 12% Malted Barley
Origin: Undisclosed distillery — Kentucky
Additional Aging: Dark Arts Whiskey House — Lexington, Kentucky
Finish: French (Double) Oak
Finishing Time: Undisclosed
Release: Limited release, KBF Exclusive (Sept 10-13)
MSRP: $199.99 / 750 mL (only available at Kentucky Bourbon Festival)

Tasting Notes

Nose: This opens with homemade gingerbread, milk chocolate, vanilla ice cream and fig. It’s immediately rich and dessert-like without becoming overly sweet.
Palate: The texture lands somewhere between robust and creamy, with chocolate and vanilla carrying through. A substantial oak presence develops underneath it all without turning drying.
Finish: White pepper arrives immediately and carries into a long chocolate-and-date linger. There’s a familiar old-Kentucky-bourbon character underneath the spice, with a particularly Heaven Hill-esque quality.

Dark Arts at the 2026 Kentucky Bourbon Festival: Six Limited Releases

You are Here: 13 Year French Oaked Finished KY Bourbon
“Supernova” 21 Year American Light Whiskey
Tres Vieux 15 Year MGP Rye
“Chief Alchemist Reserve Cuvée” 19 Year Mizunara Finished KY Bourbon
“Flight of Icarus” 11.5 Yr Hazmat Kentucky Bourbon
KBF Oloroso Sherry Finished Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon

This is probably the most immediately approachable of the six KBF releases, even though it’s bottled at 125.2 proof. The 13-year bourbon has plenty of age and oak character, while the French oak adds chocolate, vanilla, gingerbread and baking spice without pushing the whiskey into over-oaked territory. It isn’t the wildest or most experimental pour in the lineup, but that simplicity is part of what makes it work so well.

*_{Dark Arts KBF Special Release: 13 Year Kentucky Bourbon French Oaked lying on past blue label releases.}*

Distinctiveness

French oak finishing is still relatively uncommon compared with the more familiar secondary barrel choices, and it works particularly well here with a 13-year-old bourbon.

The finishing adds a deep sweetness and spice component while preserving the character earned during the bourbon’s initial maturation.

I wouldn’t call this the most complex whiskey of the six, but complexity isn’t necessarily the goal. What makes it distinctive is how successfully the French oak adds another dimension without turning the bourbon into a showcase for the finishing barrel.

_{(Author’s Note: Presentation is not judged when a small sample is provided)}

*_{Dark Arts collection of blue label bottles}*

“Sometimes a whiskey works because it knows exactly what it wants to be.”

Transparency

Dark Arts clearly identifies the important details: 13 years, Kentucky straight bourbon, French oak finishing, 125.2 proof and a 78/10/12 mashbill.

The one piece I’d still like to know more about is where that unusual mashbill comes from. It’s an interesting enough composition that its provenance could actually make the story of the whiskey more compelling.

For now, the finishing and age story are clear, but the sourcing story remains incomplete.

*_{Dark Arts Empyrean Vol. 2 back label}*

Value

AAt $199.99, this is expensive, but I think the price is more defensible than it initially appears.

You’re getting 13-year Kentucky bourbon, cask strength at 125.2 proof and a relatively uncommon French oak finishing treatment.

The quality of the whiskey also matters here. The finish isn’t compensating for mediocre bourbon underneath it.

Of the six KBF releases, I’d put this second in value, particularly for someone who already knows they enjoy French oak-finished bourbon.

*_{Dark Arts Blunt Blend Batch 3 glass topper}*

Buy if:

You love French oak finishing
You want well-aged bourbon
You enjoy chocolate and vanilla-rich profiles
You want depth without over-oaking

Skip if:

You want extreme complexity
You dislike oak-forward bourbon
$200 is outside your comfort zone
You prefer younger, brighter bourbon

Verdict

This might be the simplest of the six KBF releases, but that isn’t necessarily a criticism. Sometimes a whiskey works because it knows exactly what it wants to be. Here, that means deep French oak, dark sweetness, vanilla, chocolate and spice, without trying to become something it isn’t.

It’s also one of my favorites of the group. The oak is substantial but never drying, and the French oak adds another layer without burying the underlying bourbon. The finish is particularly impressive, with a long progression of white pepper, chocolate and date.

Bourbon Bishop Bottom Line:

A beautifully balanced French oak bourbon that lets the finish enhance rather than dominate.

For those who prefer numbers, here’s the full score breakdown:

Nose: 6.25 / 7
Palate: 6 / 7
Finish: 6.5 / 7
Presentation: N/A
Distinctiveness: 5 / 7
Transparency: 6 / 7
Value: 5.75 / 7

Bourbon Bishop Rating: 5.92 / 7 – Divine

Top-shelf. Must-buy for fans of the style.

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 sample was provided to me free of charge for review. All opinions are my own.}

Explore More from Dark Arts

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.