Category: 15

Pappy Van Winkle 23-Year-Old Sold For $52K At Auction

A bottle of Buffalo Trace-owned Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Old Family Reserve bourbon garnered a $52,000 sale price at a recent Sotheby’s auction earlier this month in New York – setting a new auction record for the brand. The bottle held a pre-sale estimate between $3,000 and $4,000 but whenever a bottle of Pappy […]

A bottle of Buffalo Trace-owned Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Old Family Reserve bourbon garnered a $52,000 sale price at a recent Sotheby’s auction earlier this month in New York – setting a new auction record for the brand.

The bottle held a pre-sale estimate between $3,000 and $4,000 but whenever a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle appears, a predictable bidding frenzy ensues and this one escalated to create a final sale price approximately 17 times higher than the original estimate.

Released in 2008, the 23-year-old bourbon was sold with its original black velvet bag.

As expected, all 14 of the individual bottles of Pappy Van Winkle at the Sotheby’s auction sold for more than their estimates. Individual records were also reached for Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old ($9,375) and 20 Year Old ($27,500).

The Pappy Van Winkle brand has achieved a cult-like following among collectors as much of the bourbon was distilled at the now-closed [in the early 1990s] Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky, with production having since moved to the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky.

WC Holiday Bourbon And Whisky Taste Test Review Extravaganza

It is the holiday season and that means it is time to have some notable bourbon and whiskies undergo a rigorous taste test to – you know, make sure they would be appropriate gifts. Somebody has to do this and Whisky Critic has volunteered themselves to undergo this arduous task. For the 2022 version of […]

It is the holiday season and that means it is time to have some notable bourbon and whiskies undergo a rigorous taste test to – you know, make sure they would be appropriate gifts. Somebody has to do this and Whisky Critic has volunteered themselves to undergo this arduous task.

For the 2022 version of the WC Holiday Bourbon and Whisky Taste Test Extravaganza, two dollops of Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon – 10 and 15-year-old versions – were taste-tested alongside similar dollops of 12-year-old whisky from Loch Lomond, Glenglassaugh and Highland Park.

First, WC’s two Pappies: it is seemingly impossible to go wrong with any Pappy Van Winkle age statement but taste buds and palates are different and everybody will have their favorites. The Pappy 15 [which typically goes for north of $4000 per bottle] is clearly smoother than the Pappy 10 [which generally goes for a mere $1200 or so per bottle] but that is like saying you prefer a Mercedes 300 SL over a Ferrari Dino – both iconic cars and both with their fanbases. So, WC really could not go wrong here, but if WC has to attach a numeral to the taste test, then 93 [out of 100] for Pappy 10 and 97 for Pappy 15.

The trio of 12-year-old single malt whiskies was much the same conundrum – all had their charms and it just depends on individual palates – but WC tended to enjoy, linger and savor the Glenglassaugh 12 a few minutes longer than the Loch Lomond and Highland Park, which both seemed to be in the same enjoyment levels of the ballpark. WC festoons a numeral of 91 on the Glenglassaugh 12 and twin 85’s on the Loch Lomond and Highland Park [with Loch Lomond getting the nod if WC were ever forced into a World Cup-style penalty kicks tiebreaker]

All, of course, are good and appropriate for holiday gift giving ideas – according to one’s budget, naturally.