The number on a bottle does not always tell the whole aging story. Whole Hogsworth The 18 takes its name from an average age, combining relatively young American bourbon with French spirits that reach back more than half a century.

The new release contains 66 percent bourbon and 34 percent Armagnac. Tennessee bourbon from 2021 accounts for 34 percent of the blend, while Indiana bourbon from 2017 contributes 32 percent. Three Armagnac vintages—2012, 1982, and 1973—complete the composition, aged 13, 43, and 52 years respectively. The bourbons were aged five years and two months, and nine years and three months. Master blender Giles Garnham and founder Raj Peter Bhakta selected the components for a one-time batch totaling just 8.25 barrels.

That distinction between average age and youngest component matters. The 18 is not an 18-year-old straight bourbon, and its French brandy is part of the liquid itself rather than merely a finishing-cask influence. It starts with the structure of aged bourbon and builds a different category of blend around it.

Hand-bottled in Vermont at cask strength, it registers 104.8 proof. Suggested retail is $100 for a single bottle at select retailers. Online, three bottles of The 18 cost $300; mixed packs containing the release start at $195.