Pappy Van Winkle

Top bottles of bourbon

My 10 most memorable bourbons

Leave a comment
Top bottles of bourbon
Here’s a handful of some of the best bourbons I’ve ever had. The list is always changing and rotating.

To commemorate International Whiskey Day, I’ve decided to list the top 10 most memorable pours of bourbon I’ve ever had. It’s hard to narrow this down to 10, but people always ask me for my favorites, so here they are in no particular order. 

1) William Larue Weller — I was still new to unicorn bourbons, but I was able to try the 2016 WLW the year it came out for $28 an ounce. I was blown away that a whiskey at 135.4 proof tasted as smooth as butter. 

2) Four Roses Al Young 50th Anniversary — I’m lucky to have called Al a friend, and he signed this bottle to me personally. It’s a memory I will keep forever. And the bourbon inside is a masterpiece in blending.

3) King of Kentucky — I’m not really sure I have a favorite year of this Brown-Forman release because they’re always solid pours. I just wish it didn’t cost the price of a castle to worship the King.

4) Old Crow Chessman Decanter — I was fortunate to get a pour of this rare bourbon from the late 1960s at the secret Vintage Library inside Bardstown Bourbon Company. I spent at least 30 minutes sipping less than an ounce of whiskey, and I’ll never forget it. 

5) Michter’s 20 Year Bourbon — Michter’s president Joe Magliocco isn’t afraid to pull out some amazing stuff sometimes, especially if you’re visiting with other members of the media. This 20-year bourbon blew my mind and my taste buds. It continues to haunt me in dreams — in a good way.

6) Belle Meade Honey Bourbon — Back when Belle Meade used MGP bourbon, this nectar of the gods featured straight bourbon finished in Trubee honey casks. The bottle I have is 116.4 proof, so it packs quite a punch. But that faint whisper of honey is perfection. 

7) Jack Daniel’s 14 Year — Just released this year, the buzz is real. I love that they kept it at barrel strength, as my sample I was fortunate to try was a whopping 126.3. It should taste like fire, but instead it’s Grandma’s country biscuits lathered in honey, butter and banana.

8) Russell’s Reserve 15 Year — I’ll always be a Wild Turkey girl at heart, so this latest unicorn release from the legendary distillery doesn’t disappoint. I just wish my last name was Russell and I had keys to their rickhouses. 

9) Maker’s Mark Denim Bottle — Made to celebrate the University of Kentucky basketball team winning the NCAA Championship in 1996, this highly sought-after prize is a butterscotch bomb through and through. I don’t know what they did back then that they don’t do now, but it is simply marvelous. 

10) Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year — Yes, I’ve had the complete vertical of Pappy products, but my favorite to this day remains the 15-year-old. Perfectly balanced and intricately nuanced, the wheated bourbon has just enough oak influence you want without going overboard. 

Pappy Van Winkle

Oh Pappy Days! This year’s Pappy will be plentiful … or will it?

Leave a comment

I just received the annual Pappy Van Winkle press release from Buffalo Trace, and it looks like all six expressions will be released this year — and there will be more bottles available than in the past. Does that mean you’ll be able to walk into Liquor Barn and find one on the shelf? Hell no!

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Van Winkle line partnering with Buffalo Trace Distillery.

 “(Buffalo Trace Master Distiller) Harlen Wheatley and his predecessors had been distilling the W.L. Weller wheated recipe for many years before our 2002 joint venture. We trusted their expertise in distilling and aging, and it paid off, as many of Buffalo Trace’s brands are just as sought after as our own,” said Julian Van Winkle III, president of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, in the news release.

“My son Preston and I still take care of the marketing and management of our brands, but we leave the rest of it to the team at Buffalo Trace. The 20-year partnership has flown by, and I feel confident we’re leaving it in good hands for the future Van Winkle generations.” 

Pappy Van Winkle
The full lineup of Pappy Van Winkle whiskeys. | Courtesy

The bottles should be hitting shelves in October. If you’re curious about the suggested retail pricing and tasting notes of each expression, here are the notes from the news release:

$69.99 — Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10-Year-Old 107 proof

Tasting Notes: 

Color: Tawny in color.

Nose: Very sweet, with notes of honey, dulce de leche, caramel corn, rooibos tea and lightly toasted nuts. Hints of the wheat and corn are present which enhances the complexity. 

Taste: Medium-bodied palate with dried fruit and nuts. Each sip finishes with a very long bold wave of floral honey, caramel, and toasted barrel flavors which counter the weight of the alcohol.

Finish: An elegant balance between oak, grain, and maturation.

$79.99 — Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12-Year-Old (90.4 proof)

Tasting Notes:

Color: Brilliant amber.

Nose: Rich and decadent with butterscotch, toffee, vanilla and hints of nectarine and satsuma adding to the complexity. There is still a wisp of bready wheat present which is perfectly balanced with the spicy and rich oak notes.

Taste: Butterscotch and toffee are prominent in the taste but there are also hints of spiced praline which contribute to the long, round finish that is sweet without being cloying.

Finish: An outrageously well-crafted bourbon that pays homage to its source ingredients but shows that oak, the right distillate, and patience can create unparalleled depth and balance.

$119.99 — Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13-Year-Old (95.6 proof)

Tasting Notes:

Color: Rich copper color.

Nose: An incredibly enticing and complex aroma with notes of toasted pumpernickel, plum, fig, and sweet-tobacco aromas

Taste: Smooth with medium-to full-bodied palate bursting with bold and delicious flavors of toffee, caraway, and dried cherry, and a hint of leather and mint.

Finish: A symphony of flavors sits endlessly on the palate, causing the unsuspecting drinker to wish there was an endless supply in their glass.

$119.99 — Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15-Year-Old (107 proof)

Tasting Notes:

Color: Striking, brilliant, copper color.

Nose: The aroma is seductive with intense sweet brown notes like maple, caramelized sugar, toffee, and toasted almond.

Taste: Waves of caramel and toffee meld into familiar memories of fresh-baked holiday spice cookies made with molasses. The mouthfeel is rich, supple, full-bodied and briefly veers toward decadent before the wood influences lend a balancing dryness.

Finish: Long, flavorful, and complex. An unbelievably opulent and flawless bourbon that takes wood and distillate to its absolute pinnacle.

$199.99 — Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20-Year-Old (90.4 proof)

Tasting Notes: 

Color: Dark amber in appearance with ruby highlights.

Nose: This full-bodied bourbon has a sophisticated forefront of leather with complementary notes of smoke, warm tobacco, treacle, espresso, and charred oak.

Taste: The aromas and flavors are endlessly complex and each new sip reveals something new to discover.

Finish: Suave and confident with layers of bold, integrated nuances.

$299.99 — Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old (95.6 proof)

Tasting Notes: 

  • Color: Rich mahogany color.
  • Nose: Reminiscent of a crisp fall day, with aromas of ripe red apples, cherries and tobacco.
  • Taste: Wood is the star here with supporting notes of caramel, apple, apricot, leather, walnuts, and vanilla Crème Brulé.
  • Finish: Long-lasting and rich, opening with bold flavors of oak and caramel that tease the palate before fading slowly and elegantly until the next sip.