Old Fitzgerald Very Special 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Bourbon Review #15: Old Fitzgerald Very Special 12 Year Old Bourbon

Category: “Go-To”

Price: $35

Availability: Distributed to select states within the USA.       

Proof: 90, 45% avb

Age: 12 Years

Mashbill: Wheat    

Distillery: Heaven Hill- Bardstown, Kentucky.

     Well folks, my four-part serious on rye whiskeys has come to a close. I had a blast reviewing these products, and look forward to reviewing more of them in the future. Now it’s time to jump back into bourbon land! I’m a fan of old (post 10 year) wheated bourbons. The subject for this episode falls nicely into that category.

     The Old Fitzgerald brand goes back to the late 1800’s. John E. Fitzgerald was the creator of this bourbon. It was later purchased by Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle, and produced at the Stitzel-Weller distillery in Shively, KY. Because of this, Old Fitzgerald shares the same historical “wheated” DNA as W.L. Weller and the Van Winkle bourbons.

     On the very first episode of the show, I reviewed W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Bourbon. Old Fitz 12 is often compared to Weller 12. Although these two bourbons can trace their roots back to Stitzel-Weller, are offered at the same proof, the same age, and both have wheated mashbills, they have evolved differently.

     In 1992, Diageo purchased the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Old Fitz sat dormant for a period of time before eventually being sold off to the Heaven Hill Distillery. 

     By contrast, the WL Weller brand had a more linear evolution. It, along with the Van Winkle brand went from Stitzel-Weller directly to Buffalo Trace (where it is being distilled today).

     Although this review is not intended to be a side-by-side comparison of the two bourbons, it will be interesting to see how I rank them. This will be fascinating to me simply because of how much they have in common.

     
     Overall: Quite simply, I’m not a fan of the Old Fitzgerald 12 Year bourbon. In my opinion, this “very special” wheated bourbon is….well….not so special! It just goes to show that sharing a past with the WL Weller and Van Winkle products doesn’t always translate to a “high quality” product on today’s market. I’m not trying to say that it started out great and deteriorated over time. I didn’t live back then, so I’ll never be able to speak to it’s original quality. I just know that I’m not a fan of the current juice that Heaven Hill is putting out under this old brand today.

     The finish is hardly there. The mouth-feel is watery and thin. The alcohol is not integrated well and serves to distract from the other flavors. It lacks both structure and complexity. I get a little of the sweet caramel/butterscotch notes. There is almost no spice. The wood is by-in-large absent. The Colonel’s score is a 3 out of 10. That’s a far lower score than the 6-7 that I gave to the Weller 12 year. If you asked me to choose between these two wheated bourbons, I would point you to the W.L. Weller 12 year with a high degree of confidence. 

         

Willett Family Estate- Two Year Old- Rye (Small Batch)

Whiskey Review #14: Willett Family Estate- Two Year Old- Rye (Small Batch)

Category: “Go-To”

Price: $36

Availability: Everywhere     

Proof: 108.1, 54.1% abv (Barrel Strength)

Age: Two Years Old

Mashbill: Ether- 51% rye + 34% corn. Or- 74% rye + 11% corn. Or a combination.   

Distillery: Willett Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky

     This is my fourth and final installment concerning rye whiskeys. That’s not to say that I won’t revisit them in the future! I will look forward to reviewing more ryes as they make their way into the Colonel’s pantry.

     Before I get into the meat of this review, let me take a moment to discuss the benefits of having a whiskey-sharing club. This can be as formal, or as informal, as you want. I happen to be in a three-person club (including myself). The main function of our club is to share the contents of our pantries, despite the fact that we live in different states.

     A few months back Dr. Joel Kilty purchased several small, 2oz, empty bottles. These bottles have screw down, airtight lids. Basically, he sends me stuff out of his pantry that I don’t have and visa versa. This is a great way to sample expressions, without the commitment of purchasing an entire bottle. The bottles are cheep and lightweight, making them easy to ship back and forth. My sample of the Willett 2 year rye was provided courtesy of Dr. Joel Kilty.       

     I will conclude my series on rye whiskies with a very timely review. The “Willett Family Estate 2 year old Kentucky Straight Rye (Small Batch),” is the first offering to emerge from the newly renovated Willett Distillery! Previously, the Willett Company (KBD) has been sourcing their whiskeys from other distilleries. In 2012 renovations were completed, and distillation/aging began.

     It’s no surprise that the first offering is a rye whiskey. As I have stated before, ryes are aged as younger expressions, as compared to bourbon. Two years however, is VERY YOUNG! Let’s face it, there was a large anticipation awaiting Willett’s first release.    However, are the folks at Willett capitalizing prematurely? One interesting offset to this very young product is it’s proof. In my opinion, a young barrel strength rye could go ether way. One thing is for certain, a lot is riding on the line for the folks at Willett with this first offering. I doubt seriously that they would produce a rushed, sub-par product with this much attention and hype.

     

     Overall: Although the alcohol is not distracting in an “off” sort of way, it is rather dominating the sip from mid pallet through to the finish. It warms up the spirit nicely, but serves to suffocate some of the more delicate notes. The +3 viscosity is helping to add to the finish, and creates a more luxurious mouth feel. It’s soft, delicate, sweet-fruit shines through the hefty punch of warm alcohol. The finish leaves you with butter-laced raisins and spiced cinnamon.

     I think it’s amazing that the folks at Willett can achieve a whiskey this nice in only two years. I’m not saying it’s the finest rye I have ever had, but it’s certainly not the worst! It does however beg the question, what could they turn out with more time? This young rye is only a foretaste of the wonderful offerings yet to roll out of Willett. I’m impressed with this expression, and look forward to the new whiskeys to come! The Colonel’s Score: 7 out of 10.    

Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye: 13 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Whiskey Review #13: Van Winkle 13 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 

Category: Boutique

Price: $70

Availability: Almost nowhere   

Proof: 95.6, 47.8% abv

Age: 13 years (although this expression is probably pushing 19.)    

Mashbill: an undefined marriage of Old Medley and Bernheim Rye  

Distillery: Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Kentucky/ Old Medley and Bernheim 

     Every million years or so, you can stand on a mountaintop in Greenland and hear the magnetic frequency of the northern lights zing overhead; their brilliant, playful, color-display flair across the sky above. You’re taking all of this in while simultaneously appreciating the stunning view of Saturn as it aligns on the low, pink horizon. The extremely rare northern migration of an African Blue Crane softly lands in the rocky bay below.

     Am I the only person who thinks it’s special that my 13^th review happens to be a 13-year-old product? I’m hard pressed to think of any other 13-year-old whiskey on the market. Maybe its because certain brands believed that the “13 year” mark would be unlucky in the minds of superstitious folks. I could see how this would incline them to make 10, 12 and 15-year old products in order to keep sales up. In all seriousness, the Van Winkle 13 Year Old Rye, is anything but unlucky! It seems fitting that this rare gym would fall just perfectly into this 13^th review spot. This extremely elusive whiskey is nearly perfect in every way! 

     While visiting my homeland of Kentucky, I had the opportunity to taste several expressions from my good friend Dr. Joel Kilty’s pantry. The V.W. 13-rye was one of the highlights of the evening! To make this review even more special, this bottle was hand signed for Dr. Kilty by Julian Van Winkle III! According to Joel, when he showed up in line to have Julian sign his bottle, Julian’s response was “Where in the world did you get this bottle of 13 rye?”  “Danville, Kentucky, ” he answered.  Julian responded with, “Ah those folks in Danville don’t know a thing about whiskey!” For the record, Danville is where Julian’s grandfather (Pappy) graduated from college, at Centre College. I just think it makes this story all the more funny!

     It is no mystery that the Van Winkle 13 rye is sourced, however when you start to dig into the particulars, it gets ambiguous. I’m not going to make claims for information that I don’t have. Unlike the other Van Winkle products, the 13-year rye (actually closer to 19 years old) is a combination of Medley (Owensboro, Kentucky) and Cream of Kentucky (old Bernheim in Louisville) rye whiskey. In regards to the mashbill, the rye sits close to the legal minimum of 51%, with a hefty dose of corn at slightly less than 30%. This would explain the softer, sweeter, more rounded quality.

     When I travel, I keep a small whiskey diary with me. The following review was recorded in my diary:

     Van Winkle 13 year Old Rye Whiskey:

     Color: A Dark, rustic, amber.

     Nose: Candied granny smith apples, dipped in caramel. The nose is well structured with a hint of smoke and dry, rye spice.

     Palate: In order (from start to finish) Sweet Minnesota corn, white pepper, caramel, dry smoke, lemon zest, buttered vanilla, oak, candied cinnamon.

     Viscosity: chewy, sticky and somewhat thick.

     Finish: Very long. This is akin to all other post 10-year-old, Van Winkle products. 

     Overall: The corn is working well to add a touch of sweet roundness, while simultaneously softening the dry, spicy rye notes. The structure and overall quality of this expression immediately puts you in mind of the other Van Winkle products. It’s certainly unique among other rye whiskies. I would say it is sweeter and softer than most with a killer long finish! In fact, it has the longest finish of any rye I have ever had! The Colonel’s score: 9 out of 10! This one’s going to make the Colonel’s top five favorite boutique list! (Replacing Parker’s Heritage in the #5 spot) This means that there are currently three Van Winkle products on that list of five. It just goes to show you what I think in general about the Van Winkle whiskies!  

           

High West Double Rye

Whiskey Review #12: High West Double Rye

Category: Go to

Price: $38

Availability: Year Round-Everywhere  

Proof: 92, 46% abv

Age: 2 years and 16 years

Mashbill: 2 year old- 95% rye, 5% barley. 16 year- 53% rye, 37% corn 

Distillery: Sourced from MGP Distillery of Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

     And, now on to the second installment in my series on rye whiskies. This episode features the High West Double Rye Whiskey. High West is considered to be a “craft whiskey” company based out of Old Town Park City, Utah. The reason that they are considered to be a craft distillery is because they’re involved with innovative concepts regarding the whiskeys they source. These concepts include the small batching of whiskies that you would not normally think about putting together in order to create some truly unique expressions. The folks at High West are sourcing some of the best rye whiskey on mother earth! The Double Rye is just one of their amazing rye’s in the High West lineup.

     The “Double Rye” is a very unique because it combines two rye whiskies with different mashbills. One is a two-year-old rye with a high percent of rye in the mashbill. The other is a sixteen-year-old rye with a lower percent of rye and a fair amount of corn in the mashbill. These two ryes are married together to create a very complex and interesting expression.

     Overall: This is fantastically complex stuff! It hits you with an explosion of unexpected and even exotic flavors. It’s zesty, spicy, sweet and earthy characteristics are separated out in the sip. Sometimes I prefer this to a tightly compact blending of flavors, because I feel that it gives you more of an opportunity to taste each and every note as the sip progresses. The 37% corn in the 16 year old, helps round things out, and adds a touch of sweetness. This is a rye whiskey that can and should be sipped neat. At this price point, I’m going to have to restructure my top five favorite go-to list. Oh yes, it’s making the list at no less than the #2 spot, just under Elmer T. Lee!!! The Colonel gives the High West Double Rye a 9 out of 10! I can’t wait to try some of the other products coming out of High West!

Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whiskey B.I.B.

    Whiskey Review #11: Rittenhouse Straight Rye B.I.B

 Category: Go to


Price: $25


Availability: Year Round-Everywhere  

 Proof: 100, 50%avb

Age: No age statement

Distillery: Heaven Hill, Bardstown, Kentucky

     

     If bourbon had a brother, it would certainly be rye whiskey. These two uniquely American spirits go back to the foundation of our country itself. In fact, bourbon is the only spirit recognized by the US Government. In 1964 Congress passed legislation dubbing bourbon “America’s native spirit.” For the record, rye whiskey (commonly referred to as rye) is equally steeped in American tradition. Rye was the first true Colonial American whiskey and was the most popular spirit for more than a century!

     Because of how our nation historically and culturally evolved, rye has always been associated with the American Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States. Bourbon, by contrast, remains closely linked to the American South, and Kentucky in particular. Both spirits have fallen in and out of vogue over the years. Bourbon experienced a slump in sales during the 1960’s, and then slowly made a comeback. Rye seems to be picking up popularity in recent years. Now, many of the major distilleries producing Kentucky bourbons also produce rye whiskeys.

     In order to keep this blog interesting, I have decided to take a small detour from KY bourbons in order to explore the wonderful world of rye whiskeys! This posting will be the first in a series of three reviews, all centering on rye.

     Rittenhouse is a B.I.B. Kentucky Straight Rye whiskey. It’s roots go back to an old recipe in Philadelphia, PA. For more information on BIB whiskies, check out my review on Even Williams BIB (White Label). In that review, I go into detail explaining what BIB whiskies are all about.

     Aside from the historic and cultural differences, what makes bourbon different from rye? The major difference is the mashbill (recipe). Bourbon has a minimum of 51% corn while rye has a minimum of 51% rye. This means that rye whiskeys are dryer, spicier and carry more of the oak notes. Bourbons, by contrast, are typically softer, sweeter and have more of a corn based roundness. Another difference is bourbons are typically aged a bit longer than ryes. For example bourbons are rarely younger than four years, while ryes can be as little as two.

      

     Overall: If I were judging all rye whiskeys based on the Rittenhouse alone, I would have to say that ryes are simply not for me. Thank goodness I have tried others that I enjoyed far more! I can see how this expression would make a great cocktail. It’s at the perfect proof, and its candied sweetness would really stand up and sing in a Manhattan. I find however, that Rittenhouse is just not enjoyable when sipped neat. I know others would perhaps disagree with me on that. But that’s my personal opinion. It lacks complexity, and that rye candied sweetness is overly dominant throughout the sip. The alcohol is there in a big way, but only serves to intensify those simplistic, disharmonious overly aggressive sweet/spicy/rye notes. The Colonel’s score for the Rittenhouse is a 4 out of 10.    

Dr. Kilty's Blind Tasting Challenge!!

     

     The Colonel recently made a trip to his native land, which also happens to be the motherland of all Kentucky Straight bourbons. During my stay, I visited with my old friend Dr. Joel Kilty. I knew ahead of time that Joel had something up his sleeve coinciding with my visit. A few weeks prior to my trip, he told me that he wanted to shoot an episode of Exquisite Libations on his home turf. We were kicking around some different ideas for the show when we got some interesting news.

     Jonathan’s Restaurant at Gratz Park in Lexington, KY was closing within two weeks of my visit. With one of the most prestigious bourbon menus in the state, Jonathan’s would be an excellent backdrop for the show. It was also the location where Joel and I first experienced truly boutique bourbon. Despite my best effort, it was too short notice, and therefore we could not book this nostalgic location for the episode.  

     For the record, Dr. Kilty is no stranger to high-end bourbon! His pantry is stalked to the gills with limited this, and private that. Regardless of what he chose for the episode, I knew that I’d be in for something special! With the unfortunate news of not being able to book Jonathan’s, I assumed that we would be doing a standard episode at Joel’s house. Another idea of his was to shoot an episode centered around a blind tasting.

     It’s one thing to do a blind tasting amongst friends, off the record. It’s another to be doing it live on a show! I knew that he could not disclose the bourbons he would be choosing, so I thought that I would ask him a simple question. How familiar will I be with these expressions? This was his response. “I thought I would chose three bourbons of three different brands. Each of them will be 10 years old. Each of them will be within a 20 proof range of each other. And, by the way, I don’t think you have ever tried any of these.” What the heck!!! Are you serious! How am I supposed to guess the exact expression of bourbon based on color, smell and taste alone, when I have never put any of these bourbons in my mouth!!

     After further explanation, I was put at ease…. but not entirely. Joel told me that after I had sampled, shared my thoughts, and made some educated guesses about the bourbons, he would then reveal the three bottles. The bottles would be in no particular order. It would then by my job to pin the tail on the donkey, matching up the bottles to their corresponding pours. I knew it would be risky, but I also knew it would make for an entertaining episode! The Colonel was ready to take on Dr. Kilty’s blind tasting challenge!

     The evening of the episode was a typical Kentucky summer night… hot and humid! Children of the family were running through the water hose in the back yard. My personal pilot (who flew me to KY) showcased his multitasking skills by also cooking dinner for us. Being a fan of KY bourbon, I invited him to be on the show. After the episode, several boutique bourbons made there way out of Joel’s pantry. Lets just say that the flight home was beyond bumpy, yet somehow the skies were silky smooth!

     In regards to the episode, I was least familiar with the first two expressions (1 and 2). They were more of a stab in the dark for me. On the other hand, the Four Roses, Single Barrel, Cask-Strength was much more familiar to me. Even though I had never tried this private selection offering, the tasting notes matched the classic Four Roses bourbon flavor profile. Think of it like this… you have tried regular Coke and Diet Coke. Now, you’re tasting Coke Zero for the first time blind, but you are somewhat clued into the Coke flavors. Once you look at it from this perspective, you can see why I was able to identify it amongst the others.

     My overall thoughts:

   

    (Bourbon #1) Russell’s Reserve Small Batch10 year- This is a big, bold bourbon with lots of oak and rye. The Alcohol is very present on the nose and sip.

   

   (Bourbon #2) Bullet 10 Year- A little less rye forward, with fruity notes. Warm and mellow with a longer decadent finish.

     (Bourbon #3) Four Roses 10 Year Single Barrel, Barrel Strength, Private Selection- This is a classic F.R. bourbon, showcasing a brilliant display of complexity and balance. This one had the longest finish of the group. In retrospect, I can see the kinship between this one and the Bullet expression. If I had been judging based more on flavor, and less on proof, I may not have made the switching mistake at the end of the episode. This was my favorite bourbon in the group!  

        

     I certainly had fun with this episode! It accomplished an interesting objective. I doubt that I would have been so open-minded when trying the Bullet label, because of my own bias regarding that brand. After having tasted it blind, I can really see the Four Roses influence on that expression. The bottom line is the juice is good, but the company behind the Bullet label has been shady. The shady part is likely to change, but that’s a different post for a different day.

     The best part of this entire experience for me was getting to spend time with my old friend, Dr. Kilty! I would very much look forward to doing this again in the future. If Dr. Kilty ever visits the Colonel on his home turf, I’d be happy to put him through one of these episodes!

Pappy Van Winkel's Family Reserve 20 Year

Bourbon review #10: Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 Year Old

Category: Boutique


Price: $125


Availability: Only for double naught spies and Kentucky Colonels 


Proof: 90.4, 45.2%avb


Mashbill: Wheated

Age: 20 Years


Distillery: Originally- Stitzel Weller, Now-Buffalo Trace

     Up for my next review is the Rolls Royce, “Silver Cloud” of Kentucky Straight Bourbons. Actually, it would be easier for most folks to own a vintage Silver Cloud than a bottle of Pappy 20. No other bourbon on the planet is more highly sought after and coveted. No other bourbon is more elusive and virtually impossible to find. Millionaires would love to get there hands on just one bottle of this juice, but most often, can not. Although Pappy 20 is expensive, as bourbons go, no amount of money will secure a bottle. How then does one come to own a bottle of this extremely rare juice? You must become a “Pappy Hunter”.

     What is a “Pappy Hunter”, and can an ordinary person become one? In short, yes, just as an ordinary person can become a Navy Seal, or a Secret Agent. In all seriousness, you don’t have to possess a special skill set to become a Pappy hunter, but you do have to be willing to put in a fair amount of leg work. 

     Before I discuss the steps involved in becoming a Pappy hunter, its important to know that Pappy, or any Van Winkle product for that matter, can not be purchased on a liquor store shelf. This seems strange to most folks, but it is normal regarding many brands of limited release bourbons. 

     Pappy is released once a year in the fall. It goes from the distillery, to the distributors truck, to a liquor store manager's office. The manager then calls folks on a waiting list (assuming you live in a state with a waiting list system). It  usually operates on a first come, fist serve basis. In Fargo, ND, I was on a waiting list of 30 this year. If I were still living in Lexington, KY, I would have been on a list of 500ish. In Fargo, the entire supply of Pappy came and went in 2.5 hours. In Lexington, folks started lining up outside the liquor store at 4:00AM! They waited in line for 8 hours before the distributor even arrived at the store. Sound crazy? Welcome to the world of Pappy hunting! Remember, if your not willing to put in the effort, you simply won't get a bottle of Pappy. 

     If there is such a limited supply and people really want this stuff, why don't they just make more? I will address this question later in the post. First I will discuss the steps necessary in becoming a Pappy hunter.   

     Becoming a Pappy Hunter involves getting to know your store managers and distributors on a first name basis, knowing when the distributors make their weekly rounds, knowing when specific labels will be released, getting on multiple waiting list months in advance and having all of your local liquor stores on speed dial/caller ID. Seem like a lot of work? Well, it is! But lets face it, Pappy 20 is not just going to materialize in your pantry. Most folks who are not willing to seriously involve themselves in ALL of the above steps, will never get their hands on a bottle. 

     But what makes Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon so rare? Is it just hype, or is there something truly magical associated with Van Winkle bourbon? Those questions cannot be answered without taking a closer look at the history and current state of the Van Winkle Company. Until we know how Pappy originated and evolved, we will never fully appreciate why it is so highly regarded.

The History: (Sourced from O.R.V.W.)

                    Photo: Julian "Pappy" Van Winkel, Julian II and Julian III.

     The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery has a four generation history. The Van Winkle family’s involvement in the bourbon industry began in the late 1800s with Julian P. "Pappy" Van Winkle, Sr. He was a traveling salesman for the W.L. Weller and Sons wholesale house in Louisville, traveling around the state by horse and buggy. Pappy and a friend, Alex Farnsley, eventually bought the wholesale house and also purchased the A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery, which made bourbon for Weller. They merged the two companies and became the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Their prominent brands were W.L. Weller, Old Fitzgerald, Rebel Yell, and Cabin Still.

     In May of 1935, at the age of 61, Pappy opened the newly completed Stitzel-Weller Distillery in South Louisville. He had a heavy influence on the operations there until his death at the age of 91. His son, Julian, Jr. took over operations until he was forced by stockholders to sell the distillery in 1972. The rights to all of their brands were either sold with the distillery or to other distilleries.

     After selling the distillery, Julian, Jr. resurrected a pre-prohibition label, the only one to which the Van Winkles kept the rights, called Old Rip Van Winkle. He used whiskey stocks from the old distillery to supply his brand. Julian junior’s son, Julian, III took over in 1981 when Julian, Jr. passed away. Julian, III has continued with the Van Winkle tradition of producing the highest quality wheated bourbon available. His son, Preston joined company in 2001 and the Van Winkles look to continue that tradition for generations to come.

                                      Photo: Pre-Prohibition Original Old Van Winkle Label   

     Recently, the Van Winkles entered into a joint venture with the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, KY. All of the Van Winkle’s whiskey production now takes place at Buffalo Trace under the same strict guidelines the family has always followed in order to produce a superior quality product. 

     Julian now has his whiskey produced for him under his grandfather's original wheated bourbon recipe, and ages and bottles the Old Rip Van Winkle brands in Frankfort, Kentucky. His whiskeys are the highest rated whiskeys available. The 20-year old "Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve" has received a rating of 99 by the Wine Enthusiast magazine. His 13-year old rye whiskey was the first premium aged rye whiskey. In 2001 Julian's son Preston joined the business with his dad. He is the fourth Van Winkle to sell these premium bourbon and rye whiskeys.

                                 Photo: Julian Van Winkle III, at Buffalo Trace 

     Now that you know a little about the history, I’ll try to explain why it’s so rare in today’s market. The O.R.V.W. vintage products that we enjoy today were placed into production as much as 23 years ago. My bottle of Pappy 20 was released in the Fall of 2012. This means that it was distilled and began it’s aging process in the early 1990’s. Just for reference, I was 13-14 years old at that time. I’m now enjoying this same bourbon at age 35-36.

     Bourbon culture was very different in the early 90’s. Single barrel bourbon was a relatively new concept. The idea of boutique bourbon was non existent, or at best, completely under the radar. Although the Van Winkle family never intended for their products to be mass produced, by contrast they also never intended for them to reach the cult popular status that they have today.

     It boils down to a supply and demand issue. There is just simply not enough Pappy supply to meet the demand of the current boutique bourbon market. According to Preston Van Winkle, the supply is growing by 2-3% each year. Julian Van Winkle III jokingly reported in an interview that he wanted to be careful not to make drastic decisions to ramp up the supply in the event that marijuana becomes legal. He said, “If that happened, I’d be sitting on a pile of bourbon that I couldn’t sell”. I think his decision to not make a knee jerk reaction to the current demand is wise. Even if he did, we wouldn’t see those results for a couple of decades.

     The other aspect that makes the O.R.V.W. products so unique, is that they are one of the few Companies producing very old wheated bourbon. This is a niche category within bourbon. W.L. Weller and Old Fitzgerald make a 12-year-old wheater. Buffalo Trace also annually releases William Larue Weller bourbon as part of their “Antique Collection”. It’s a wheated, 12-year bourbon offered at barrel strength. Few, if any companies are producing wheaters older than 12 years. The Pappy line consists of 15, 20 and 23 year old products.

           

     My bottle of Pappy 20 was picked up in the Fall of 2012. This means that it was either entirely Stitzel Weller juice, or a blending of Stitzel Weller and Buffalo Trace bourbon. Stitzel Weller closed its doors in the early 90’s. Once the remainder of the stalks was used up, the Van Winkle line was rolled over to Buffalo Trace, where it is made today.

     Why would this matter? From a quality perspective, it does not. Buffalo Trace is an outstanding distillery, fully capable of carrying on the Van Winkle legacy. From a bourbon nerd prospective, it’s huge because Stitzel Weller is a mythical distillery from days gone by. Once we drink up the last of what rolled out during the final days at S.W., it will be no more than a memory. Forever part of Kentucky bourbon folklore. I do have one other bottle of S.W. bourbon in my pantry, and yes, it is entirely S.W. juice. That’s a different post for a different day.    

     A Side Note On This Episode: This installment of Exquisite Libations was shot in NYC with my brother, Cedric Warner Sparkman, as special guest. The trip was very celebratory, as it centered around his wedding. This called for a very special bourbon to review. Pappy 20 fit the bill perfectly!

     The day leading up to the shooting of the episode was perfect in every way. That morning, my brother and I had delicious pastries and coffee for breakfast from a Hungarian pastry shop. After that, we walked approximately120 blocks exploring the city. The weather was perfect with bright, blue, sunny skies. At 4 in the afternoon, we stopped for a bite at Russ and Daughters, where I had one of the best sandwiches of my life! I could try to explain the sandwich, but it would be in vain. It’s just something you would need to experience. After filling up on this amazing food, it was on to prepare for the episode.

     Above Photo: Although this was not the sandwich I ordered, this will give you an idea of a typical Russ and Daughter sandwich.

                        Above Photo: Interior of Russ and Daughters

     The video was shot on a rooftop of a newly constructed condo overlooking the skyline of NYC. We waited until “magic hour” (sunset) to roll the camera. It was very meaningful to toast to my newly married brother with one of the greatest bourbons of all time. After the filming of the episode, we enjoyed additional refreshments while talking amongst friends. The view was stunning, as the entire skyline of the city glowed against the night sky.

     At 11:30pm, we stopped for falafels before heading back to Warner’s place via the subway. This ended one of the best days that I can remember! Looking back on it will no doubt provide memories for a life time.    

                                      Above Photo: Falafel at Oasis.

     Overall: Pappy 20 year is a sensational vintage wheated bourbon, worthy of the highest praise! I dare say that it is the most mature, elegant bourbon I have ever tasted. It’s complexity presents itself in the form of soft, buttery, decadent, sweet and smoky notes. It rolls around in your mouth like a silk blanket. After returning from NYC, I’m still tasting the finish! Ladies and Gentleman, it is with great pleasure and confidence that I, the Colonel, give this classic bourbon a 10 out of 10!!