NOTE: This article is done in partnership with Kentucky Country Day School Charity Raffle. Feeling lucky? Here’s your chance to win some of the rarest Bourbons on the planet. $25 per chance for a Pappy 23 year is just unheard of?! There are four drawings in total, with all but one being $25 per ticket. Must be […]
NOTE: This article is done in partnership with Kentucky Country Day School Charity Raffle.
Feeling lucky? Here’s your chance to win some of the rarest Bourbons on the planet. $25 per chance for a Pappy 23 year is just unheard of?! There are four drawings in total, with all but one being $25 per ticket. Must be at least 21 years old to enter.
All charity raffle proceeds go towards the non-profit Kentucky Country Day (JK – 12). Gaming license materials are listed at the end of this feature. Let’s get to the prizes and how to enter, shall we?!
All proceeds benefit the students and faculty at Kentucky Country Day School.
Thank you for your support!
You must be 21 years old to buy raffle tickets. Only 1000 raffle tickets will be sold for each raffle except King of Kentucky with 500. One winner for each raffle will be drawn at 9:00 pm on March 9, 2024, at Kentucky Country Day School, 4100 Springdale Rd., Louisville, KY. A safe and legal transfer will be arranged with the winners. You need not be present to win. Void where prohibited.
Kentucky Charitable Gaming License #ORG0002179 Louisville Metro Temp Liq LIC-ABT-23-00399 Special KY Temp Alcoholic Auction LIC-056-TA-193969
Here’s your chance to win a 5 bottle Van Winkle Collection including the big dog 23 year Pappy. Best part, it’s all for a wonderful charity – Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass (Lexington, KY). EVERY TICKET MAKES A DIFFERENCE! ENTER RAFFLE: HERE PRIZE: 2023 5 BOTTLE VW FALL COLLECTION -Pappy Van Winkle 23 […]
Here’s your chance to win a 5 bottle Van Winkle Collection including the big dog 23 year Pappy. Best part, it’s all for a wonderful charity – Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass (Lexington, KY). EVERY TICKET MAKES A DIFFERENCE!
-Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year -Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year -Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year -Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year -Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year
BOTTLES SIGNED: All bottles signed by 4th generation family member Preston Van Winkle, son of Julian Van Winkle III.
COST: $100 per ticket. No limit on tickets purchased per person (exception of raffle cap).
TICKET CAP: 1,500 tickets. We hope you will join the RMHCLexington in hitting their goal of $150,000!
WHERE DO FUNDS GO? Each $100 raised (near to the dollar) will cover a family’s one night stay at the RMHC. Stay includes laundry, meals, and transportation. Just one ticket will make a tremendous difference! If the goal is met, each and every room for 3 months of the entire RMHCLexington will be paid for!
DRAWING DATE: Dec 15th, via Facebook Live @rmhclexington.
THE CHARITY: Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass THE PRIZE (6 Bottle Van Winkle Collection) Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year (2013) Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year (2021) Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year (2014) Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year (2014) Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year (2013) All bottles signed […]
DRAWING DATE: Friday, June 16th. Drawn on Facebook Live (@rmhclexington).
EACH TICKET MAKES A DIFFERENCE! At $100 per ticket, EVERY ticket purchased covers (almost to the dollar) ONE night of stay for ONE of the 21 guest families calling RMHC (Lexington, KY) their “home away from home”.
RMHC takes care of families whose children are critically ill and staying longer term in the hospital. Having a child in the hospital is not only terrifying but also devastatingly expensive. RMHC provides housing, meals, transportation and laundry to each of their families at absolutely no cost to them so they can focus on what really matters – the health of their child and being together.
A total of 1,500 tickets will be sold. If it sells out, $150,000 will be raised. This incredible amount of support will cover two entire months of stay for every single guest family.
Thank you for your support now lets raise some money for an incredible cause!
New York Times Bestseller “Pappyland” has just made its paperback debut, just in the nick of time for that Father’s Day gift you need. Author and ESPN Senior Writer, Wright Thompson, spent an extensive amount of time with the Van Winkle family capturing their fascinating journey through American Whiskey history. PURCHASE HERE Below is exert […]
New York Times Bestseller “Pappyland” has just made its paperback debut, just in the nick of time for that Father’s Day gift you need.
Author and ESPN Senior Writer, Wright Thompson, spent an extensive amount of time with the Van Winkle family capturing their fascinating journey through American Whiskey history.
Below is exert from us when the book initially debuted. Cheers as we hope you give this book a read!
“We make fine Bourbon at a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always, Fine Bourbon“ – Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr. (1874 – 1965)
1935. Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr. Opening year of Stitzel-Weller Distillery.
Pappyland is not a “smooth” one dimensional sipper. It’s complex. It has layers. Just like a fine bourbon should, damnit.
Does it deep dive into Bourbon’s
fascinating history at large? Sure. Does
it use the scalpel for an in-depth look at the world’s most coveted Bourbon brand?
Of course. And hey, that alone is certainly
enough to keep eyes glued downward and pages turning rapidly as shots at a
college bar.
But perhaps the magic ingredient, what
makes this book truly stand out is NOT the glamour and allure of the
brand. Quite the opposite. It’s the
author’s sensational ability to remove the cape and capture the vulnerability
of one man’s struggle through a long Odyssey-esque epic journey to save his
family’s legacy. To convey the
importance of family. To know what struggle
is and to somehow come out on the other side and emerge victorious. To be human. This is the story of Julian Van Winkle III.
Julian Van Winkle III. Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery President.
The author, Wright Thompson, Senior writer for ESPN and southerner from Mississippi, “had” to spend part of three years studying, sipping, and learning from Julian Van Winkle III in preparation for the book. Tough life.
Julian VW III and Pappyland author Wright Thompson
Julian’s grandfather, Julian Sr. “Pappy”, opened the Stitzel-Weller Distillery in 1935 just outside of Louisville. On his passing in 1965, Julian Jr. took over but was forced to sell the distillery in 1972. When Julian Jr. passed in 1981, his son Julian III became president of the family brand during a time when likely the last thing you wanted to own was a Bourbon Company. The American Whiskey Industry had been on a traumatic downward spiral going back over a decade prior.
1958. Julian VW Jr., Julian VW III, Julian “Pappy” VW Sr. at Stitzel-Weller Distillery 2003. Julian III and son Preston VW.
So how in the world did Pappy get to where it is today?! Well, you’ll just have to get the book and read about it
2006. Julian VW III and wife Sissy. Julian III and Sissy’s daughters (triplets if you couldn’t tell) and owner’s of PappyCo, L to R: Chenault VW James, Carrie VW Greener, and Louise VW Breen
WOW. Just wow…Whisky Auctioneer (Europe based) is hosting an online auction with a Bourbon range so incredibly rare, it’s borderline obscene. OK, it is obscene. In total, there are 7,000+ global whiskies in the kitty. For our viewership purposes, there are 900+ lots from the “USA & Canada Region”. Have a napkin ready as the […]
WOW. Just wow…Whisky Auctioneer (Europe based) is hosting an online auction with a Bourbon range so incredibly rare, it’s borderline obscene. OK, it is obscene.
In total, there are 7,000+ global whiskies in the kitty. For our viewership purposes, there are 900+ lots from the “USA & Canada Region”. Have a napkin ready as the selection is drool worthy. And yes, some of these will fetch $10’s of $1,000’s of dollars per lot. But to even see some of the relics on display is pretty dang cool. Truly, some of the rarest of the rare.
Whisky Auctioneer highlighted two bottles in particular in an outgoing email – D.H. Cromwell (15 year) and Boone’s Knoll (16 year). Incredible relics of American Whiskey with fascinating backstories. Boone’s Knoll stemming from the sacred original A.H. Hirsch stock of 1974, estimated fetch range $5,000 – $10,000. Cromwell, original Stitzel-Weller stock in a limited bottling of only 72 and a very cool backstory – fetch range $30,000.
Below, we’ve included detailed info of the Boone’s Knoll, D.H. Cromwell, Van Winkle Select 17 Year (Japan), and Red Hook Rye.
Here is a screenshot of the highest bid items (very early) in the auction.
US SHIPPING? Yes. Per the site: “Shipments to the US will be dispatched within 10 days following payment, you will receive a confirmation email once this has been completed. Shipments may take up to 3 weeks to arrive following payment. To comply with regulations, all bottles shipped to the U.S. will have a removable government health warning sticker applied.
Produced in the early 2000s, this is an exceptionally rare collaboration between Julian Van Winkle III’s Old Commonwealth company and Gordon Jackson of Louisville’s Old Town Liquors. It was originally sold to raise money for the American Cancer Society and is also a tribute to legendary bar owner, Helen Cromwell: – The Dirtiest Mouth in Milwaukee
Helen Cromwell (b.1886 – d.1969) was the owner of the Sunflower Inn, a small bar in Milwaukee which was named after the flowers that grew in the front yard. The bar started out as a speakeasy during prohibition and became popular with local factory workers and gangsters from across the United States. Cromwell famously only served two types of alcohol, Scotch and bourbon. If anyone dared to ask for something different she would retaliate by screaming violent and filthy language towards the unlucky recipient, gaining her the nickname “Dirty Helene Cromwell.” Despite the venue being incredibly small in size and having no chairs, the Sunflower Inn became known as Milwaukee’s best-kept secret.
When Julian Van Winkle II discovered that Cromwell was serving rival whiskey brand, Old Forester, he launched a personal and succesful campaign to convince her to switch to his Old Fitzgerald products. After subsequently discovering “Old Fitz” was the ony bourbon brand she now offered in her bar, Julian Van Winkle Snr (as known as Pappy) called her on the phone and personally invited her to the annual Stitzel-Weller sales meeting, later paying for 400-mile taxi ride to Louisville as she refused to fly. Following three days of being wined and dined, a new personal relationship was born. Eventually, in the late 1950s Cromwell would lose the bar in what she described as a “dodgy loan deal”.
In a nod to Cromwell’s taste for foul language, the bottle carries the acronym VGS (Very, Good, Sh*t).
The Stitzel-Weller company was officially established in 1933 at the repeal of National Prohibition in the US. It was the result of a merger between the A. Ph. Stitzel distillery and its biggest customer, W.L. Weller & Sons. The Stitzel-Weller distillery opened on Kentucky Derby day in 1935, and quickly developed a reputation for its high quality wheated bourbon, and its main brands were Old Weller, Old Fitzgerald and Cabin Still.
The original ownership was shared between Alex T. Farnsley, Arthur Philip Stitzel and Julian Van Winkle. The former passed-away in 1941 and 1947, respectively, leaving the Van Winkle family as the sole heirs to the business. ‘Pappy’ died in 1965, having handed the reigns to his son, Julian II the year prior, who ran it until 1972 when the board of directors forced him to sell it to the Norton-Simon subsidiary, Somerset Imports. When they were bought over by the American arm of Scottish distillers, DCL, its subsequent iteration invested heavily in bourbon. So much so in fact, that their newly rebuilt Bernheim distillery had such capacity that Stitzel-Weller was rendered surplus to requirements.
It was shut down in 1992. Still part of the Diageo portfolio, it has never re-opened and instead now houses the visitor experience for their Bulleit brand.
This is one of only 72 bottles ever produced.
Boone’s Knoll 16 Year
Courtesy
DISTILLERY: PENNCO (MICHTER’S)
AGE: 16 YEAR OLD
VINTAGE: 1974
REGION: PENNSYLVANIA, USA
BOTTLER: OLD COMMONWEALTH
CASK TYPE: NEW CHARRED AMERICAN OAK
BOTTLED STRENGTH: 45.8%
BOTTLE SIZE: 75CL
DISTILLERY STATUS: CLOSED
BACKSTORY (Whiskey Auctioneer Provided)
Distilled in Spring 1974, this bourbon is bottled from a single 400 barrel batch commissioned by Adolph Hirsch and distilled under contract at Michter’s distillery (then known as Pennco), just outside Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania. Hirsch was a former Schenley executive who had briefly worked at Michter’s during his time there, and it is believed he commissioned the whisky as financial favour to the distillery, and actually had little plans for its use. So, it lay ageing in the warehouses for much longer than generally expected for a bourbon at the time.
With the closure of Michter’s distillery, the bourbon was sold by Hirsch to Gordon Hue in 1989, who set about bottling it immediately. Responsibility for the early bottling was entrusted to Julian Van Winkle III at his Old Commonwealth site in Lawrenceburg and together they established one of American whiskey’s most collectable brands, the A.H. Hirsch Reserve. Predominantly destined for the Japanese market, there were a variety of presentations at every age-statement between 15 and 20 years old, and even the occasional barrels bottled as other brands, such as Colonel Randolph or in this case, Boone’s Knoll.
Van Winkle Selection 17 Year Lot H
DISTILLERY: BOONE COUNTY
AGE: 17 YEAR OLD
REGION: KENTUCKY, USA
BOTTLER: OFFICIAL
BOTTLED STRENGTH: 47.8% ABV / 95.6 US PROOF
BOTTLE SIZE: 75CL
DISTILLERY STATUS: CLOSED
BACKSTORY (Whisky Auctioneer Provided)
The Old Rip Van Winkle brand was a pre-prohibition bourbon label, revived by the Van Winkle family after they were forced to sell their Stitzel-Weller distillery by its board of directors. New owners, Somerset Imports, granted Julian Van Winkle II (son of the famous ‘Pappy’) the continued use of an office at the distillery, and first option on purchasing casks to bottle his new brand with. When he died and the business passed to his son, Julian III, this courtesy was no longer extended, and he moved bottling to the old Hoffman distillery in Lawrenceburg in 1983, renaming it Old Commonwealth. He was still able to buy Stitzel-Weller stock though, and introduced the famous Pappy Van Winkle range in homage to his grandfather, using well-aged barrels from the distillery the now-legendary figure once so lovingly ran. When Stitzel-Weller was closed down by United Distillers in 1992, it was only a matter of time before stock would run out. This necessitated a partnership between Julian Van Winkle III and Buffalo Trace distillery in 2002, seeing all bottling move there, initially using the remaining Stitzel-Weller barrels, with these eventually replaced by Buffalo Trace distilled stock. The product from all eras is revered, and the brand is considered to be the first premium bourbon line to have been produced in the US.
Bottled in the early 1990s by Julian Van Winkle III, this incredibly rare example has since been confirmed to hail from Boone County distillery. It was originally destined for the Japanese market.
Van Winkle III continued to bottle at Old Commonwealth until 2002, when thinning stocks necessitated an agreement with the Sazerac company, who warehoused his remaining barrels, and produced limited quantities of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve on an annual basis until it finally ran out. It is now distilled at Buffalo Trace using Pappy’s old recipe.
Red Hook 23 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Rye #2 / LeNell’s
BACKSTORY (Whisky Auctioneer Provided)
In 2007 and 2008, Tonya LeNell Smothers, owner of LeNell’s Ltd in Brooklyn, New York met with Drew Kulsveen of Kentucky Bourbon Distillers in Bardstown. Together they selected just four barrels of 23- and 24-year-old rye from the depths of Warehouse G. These casks were individually bottled between 112.8 to 117.6 proof. This example was drawn from barrel #2.
The title Red Hook is taken from a nickname given to the 21,000+ Brooklyn dockworkers who were provided with purpose-build accommodation in the early 20th century. These became known as Red Hook Houses. A total of just 852 bottles were drawn from the four single barrels.
Kentucky Bourbon Distillers are the owners of the Willett distillery in Bardstown. Willett distillery was built in 1936, just a few years after the repeal of National Prohibition by Lambert Willett, a former distiller for Max Selliger & Co. The distillery was initially a success, principally through its Old Bardstown and Johnny Drum brands, however it was hit hard by the bourbon slump of the 1970s. The result was an ill-advised move into producing ethanol for the production of “gasohol,” spurred by the 1979 energy crises. When that market re-stabilised, Willett was left floundering and eventually closed in the early 1980s.
Lambert’s granddaughter, Martha Willett and her husband, Even Kulsveen, then purchased the distillery and established Kentucky Bourbon Distillers in 1984. They originally bottled the remaining barrels of 1970s-distilled stock, however as that gradually diminished, they began sourcing barrels from other producers in order to replenish it, becoming one of the most important independent bottlers in Kentucky. The majority of their barrels were believed to have come from neighbouring Heaven Hill, and with these casks they developed a wealth of important brands, including the Willett Family Estate, Noah’s Mill and Rowan’s Creek.
In addition, they contract-bottled brands for other companies, such as the Very Olde St Nick and Black Maple Hill brands. Revered for the quality of their whiskey, their products have become some of the most collectible to come out of Kentucky. One January 21st, 2012, the company re-opened Willett distillery, and have been slowly replenishing its warehouses with its own whiskey ever since.
Charitable organizations have held raffles forever, but usually for a low ticket price and for modest items, especially when compared to silent and live auction items. In the bourbon world, though, raffle item value has been increasing, and now 2023 is taking shape as…
Charitable organizations have held raffles forever, but usually for a low ticket price and for modest items, especially when compared to silent and live auction items. In the bourbon world, though, raffle item value has been increasing, and now 2023 is taking shape as the year of the bourbon raffle.
Not only have more bourbon raffles been launched so far this year than we typically see in an entire year, but we’re also beginning to see multiple lots available for each raffle ticket purchased, instead of just a single bottle or a vertical of particular brand. Some current raffles have enough high-value items that they could have been run as an auction.
Does this signify donor fatigue with traditional silent and live bourbon auctions? Or does it reflect the incredible need for planning, volunteer hours, and expense associated with auctions compared to raffles?
Holding a raffle is incredibly simple and it’s a method that donors trust, even though they understand that the chances of winning are slim. A raffle also evens the playing field by giving access to small donors who would be outbid in an auction, but who still want to donate. On the other hand, from the fundraising standpoint, a raffle abandons the psychological component of competitiveness in bidding, the element of FOMO, and getting caught up in the moment.
Depending on how much is raised, the current impressive raffles might set the stage for a transition away from auctions. In many silent and live auctions, bidding slows to a crawl when FMV has been met, except for a handful of items that are particularly unique and the crowd has people who want to support the cause. So long as a raffle is priced correctly, a charity could easily double or triple the value of the items if they are able to market the raffle broadly enough to sell the right number of tickets. Lack of successful, targeted marketing for a raffle, though, will quickly result in doom for fundraising.
In the spirit of helping charities sell tickets, for anyone able and interested in donating, here are three bourbon raffles that I’m supporting:
The “Kentucky Bourbon Raffle”https://www.kentuckybourbonraffle.org/bourbon. This might be the biggest bourbon raffle ever. It benefits a cause near and dear to me—Educational Justice. Tickets are $100 each, with a maximum of 2,000 available. Each ticket gives you a chance at one of 22 tremendous lots—ranging from an entire barrel to a variety of rare and highly sought after bottles. Winners will be selected on June 23, 2023.
Pennyrile Habitat for Humanityhttps://www.pennyrilehabitat.org/bourbonraffle. Western Kentucky still hasn’t recovered from the 2021 tornado and folks still need help. Pappy raffles have become commonplace, but not this kind of Pappy raffle. This raffle includes rare, vintage bottles, including a Japanese export and an otherwise unobtainable private selection. Cost per ticket is $100 for a chance at three separate lots. The maximum number of tickets seems high at 6,000, but it’s a great cause. Three winners will be selected on May 5, 2023.
The Kentucky Humane Societyhttps://one.bidpal.net/wellercollection/welcome. I’ve supported KHS for decades and have my fingers crossed to win a complete Weller lineup. The ticket price is also $100, but only 500 tickets will be sold, so your chances are much better for the money. A winner will be selected on May 4, 2023.
Will bourbon raffles supplant bourbon auctions? Let me know in the comments, and best of luck!
News broke on January 3 that Sazerac was terminating its distribution relationship with Republic National Distributing Company and moving to numerous smaller distributors in about 30 states. This was such a massive change in the industry that a few days later, we covered it…
News broke on January 3 that Sazerac was terminating its distribution relationship with Republic National Distributing Company and moving to numerous smaller distributors in about 30 states. This was such a massive change in the industry that a few days later, we covered it on the Bourbon Community Roundtable.
Now, just days after the release of that Roundtable episode, Sazerac sued Republic in federal court in Louisville on January 13. Sazerac came out of the gate with allegations that Republic has refused to pay for tens of millions of dollars for Sazerac products, has stopped payment on nearly $40 million of wholesale products, and that Republic has “bad-mouthed Sazerac in the marketplace.”
As we speculated on the Roundtable, Sazerac also complains and alleges that Republic failed to sufficiently promote Sazerac products to retailers and that Republic “would oftentimes improperly condition the availability of certain high-end (and highly sought after) Sazerac products, such as Pappy Van Winkle, to its retail accounts on the purchase of non-Sazerac products, commonly known as ‘tie-in’ sales.”
Although not mentioned in the Complaint, Sazerac and Republic had expanded their relationship as recently as 2019 when Sazerac bought 19 brands from Diageo. Republic added those new brands to its portfolio in seven states. According to its website, Republic serves almost 90% of the U.S. market volume and it uses its national reach to help supplies build relationships and reach their target consumers, which sounds like precisely what a large producer like Sazerac would need.
One new fact revealed by the Complaint is that Sazerac and Republic entered into a new global distribution agreement in 2021 and it was really Republic who terminated that Agreement, and that happened in summer 2022 (without any news splashes).
In total, Sazerac asks the Court to award it $38.6 million in damages through January 12, 2023, and that continued breaches will result in “at least an additional $48 million in damages.” Remember, Complaints only present one side of the story and Republic has not yet had an opportunity to tell its side of the story. The case is Sazerac Company, Inc. v. Republic National Distributing Company, LLC, No. 3:23-cv-00025.
Its Fall Rush out there for Bourbon collectors as special releases are dropping left and right. Catching one may be tricky, but the chase is part of the fun, right?…Today, Buffalo Trace Distillery (BTD) announced the upcoming release of all six Van Winkle expressions. And it’s a big milestone year as this marks the 20th […]
Its Fall Rush out there for Bourbon collectors as special releases are dropping left and right. Catching one may be tricky, but the chase is part of the fun, right?…Today, Buffalo Trace Distillery (BTD) announced the upcoming release of all six Van Winkle expressions.
And it’s a big milestone year as this marks the 20th Anniversary of Buffalo Trace Distillery producing, aging, and bottling the Van Winkle expressions of the Van Winkle family. More on that soon…
GOOD NEWS: They’ve reported there will be more bottles available in nearly all expressions as a result of strategic foreshadowing, meaning they put more stock away 10 plus years ago and per the distillery, the yields from the barrels were higher versus prior years.
The Van Winkle Bourbons are made with the same “wheated” Bourbon mashbill as the Weller line, meaning after corn, the second leading grain is wheat (as opposed to rye). The distillery notes it is the softness of the wheat in a flavor sense that allows both the Van Winkle and Weller expressions to age so beautifully.
And per the BTD sensory experts, this year’s release of the Family Reserve 15-Year-Old is particularly delicious, describing it as, “An unbelievably opulent and flawless bourbon that takes wood and distillate to its absolute pinnacle.” We like the sound of that.
The annual Van Winkle collection release consists of six whiskeys. Suggested retail prices and tasting notes for the 2022 release are as follows:
$69.99 – Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10-Year-Old 107 proof
Tasting Notes by BTD:
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 by BTD:
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 by BTD:
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 by BTD:
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 by BTD:
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 by BTD:
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.
As noted earlier, this year marks a special milestone as it is the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace Distillery. In 2002, the Van Winkles entered into an agreement with Buffalo Trace to produce, age, and bottle all its whiskeys, entrusting its wheated mashbill exclusively to the distilling team at Buffalo Trace to continue the family legacy started more than 125 years prior.
Given that Buffalo Trace Distillery was already producing the wheated recipe for the W.L. Weller bourbons, it made sense to the Van Winkle family to enter into a formal agreement to produce their bourbons as well. The W.L. Weller Bourbons were formally produced by the Van Winkle family until 1972, when the Weller brand was sold, and eventually acquired by Buffalo Trace Distillery.
“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, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery. “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 twenty-year partnership has flown by, and I feel confident we’re leaving it in good hands for the future Van Winkle generations.”
The Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace team would like to remind fans that even though the suggested retail pricing remains at what is considered a fair price, there is no control they can take over the price retailers charge. “Although we would prefer for retailers to charge our suggested retail pricing, unfortunately we cannot legally force them to do so. The best chance to find our products at a fair price is through lotteries offered by many retailers, where fans have a chance to buy our bourbon at MSRP. Many of these lotteries benefit charities, so it’s a win-win for everyone,” added Van Winkle.
Per the brand, enthusiasts are encouraged to avoid online resellers such as private Facebook groups, Craigslist and other online marketplaces. Unfortunately, Buffalo Trace Distillery has seen an increase in consumers buying Van Winkle bourbons from private sellers, only to find out later the product inside is counterfeit.
“It’s quite common in other countries for consumers to buy alcohol from those outside the system (not a licensed retailer) and for them to drink it and get sick, and in some cases, it’s fatal,” said Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer, Buffalo Trace Distillery. “Fortunately, we haven’t seen a lot of deaths in the United States from those scenarios – yet – and we certainly hope we do not. But we caution people to only buy from a licensed retailer; do not buy from a private seller, even if it’s someone you know, as you don’t know where they got the whiskey. The counterfeiters have gotten very sophisticated with their technology, so it pays to be safe.”
Consumers who believe they have been duped should not drink anything that is questionable and can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or contact their State Attorneys General office.
History Overview of Van Winkle Bourbon
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. Pappy and a friend and fellow Weller salesman Alex Farnsley eventually bought the wholesale house and also partnered with Mr. A. Ph. Stitzel on the purchase of Mr. Stitzel’s distillery. The three of them merged the two companies and became the Stitzel-Weller Distillery after Prohibition.
In May of 1935 at the age of 61, Pappy opened the newly completed Stitzel-Weller Distillery in South Louisville. Its prominent brands were W.L. Weller, Old Fitzgerald, Rebel Yell, and Cabin Still. Pappy 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 sold to Norton Simon, Inc. Later, United Distillers, who eventually ended up with the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, sold off all of the original labels around 1999.
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 Jr.’s son, Julian, III took over in 1981 when Julian, Jr. passed away. Julian III has continued with the Van Winkle tradition of producing high-quality wheated bourbon. His son, Preston, joined the company in 2001 and the Van Winkles look to continue that tradition for generations to come.
In 2002 the Van Winkles entered into a joint venture with Buffalo Trace Distillery in Franklin County, Frankfort, Ky, joining the Van Winkle and Weller Bourbons again in one production house. It was a natural tie since the wheated mash bill used in the Weller Bourbons was already being produced at Buffalo Trace. All of the Van Winkle’s whiskey production now takes place at Buffalo Trace Distillery under the same strict guidelines the family has always followed. For more information on the Van Winkle family of bourbon please visit www.oldripvanwinkle.com.
The 2023 Bourbon Classic (Louisville, KY) has announced that tickets to its “TOP SHELF” Pappy event will go on sale Tuesday, Oct 4th of next week. Tickets will be limited. The 2021 TOP SHELF sold out quickly. Hosted Wednesday, Feb 22, 2023, TOP SHELF is the kick-off to Bourbon Classic week. And what a way […]
The 2023 Bourbon Classic (Louisville, KY) has announced that tickets to its “TOP SHELF” Pappy event will go on sale Tuesday, Oct 4th of next week. Tickets will be limited. The 2021 TOP SHELF sold out quickly.
Hosted Wednesday, Feb 22, 2023, TOP SHELF is the kick-off to Bourbon Classic week. And what a way to do it. The event will feature a Van Winkle tasting of 10yr, 12yr, 15yr, and 20yr Old Rip Van Winkle products. All in the setting of Louisville’s eclectic and modern 21c Museum.
Drum roll…..SPECIAL GUESTS Julian Van Winkle III and his son Preston Van Winkle are scheduled to attend and serve their highly coveted juice.
L: Preston Van Winkle R: Julian Van Winkle III (Photo copyrighted by Bourbon Classic)
The event is more social in nature in that it is not sit down dinner style. There will be delicious food stations prepared by Proof On Main. Classic organizers prefer this style is it is casual and friendly, allowing more opportunity to mingle with the boutique crowd.
Celebrating its 10th Year Anniversary, Bourbon Classic weekend begins Friday, Feb 24, with its “Chef & Mixologist Pairing Competition”. Saturday starts with “Bourbon University” followed by the grand finale “TASTE”.
You may not see another Bourbon Raffle this stacked for the rest of your life. Seriously. There are FIFTY drawings in total including a ridiculous amount of jaw dropping unis. And the best part – it’s all for a wonderful charity. This is being put on by the Coaches For The Kids Foundation, a 501c3 […]
You may not see another Bourbon Raffle this stacked for the rest of your life. Seriously. There are FIFTY drawings in total including a ridiculous amount of jaw dropping unis. And the best part – it’s all for a wonderful charity. This is being put on by the Coaches For The Kids Foundation, a 501c3 that raises money solely for the University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital. Essentially, if you don’t win, you still win if you get our drift.
Hurry! The raffle ends Wednesday Sept 28th! Now that we have your attention…
ENTER HEREto access the raffle and your chance to win.
There are 2,500 tickets in total available. $100 per ticket entry. You have the chance to actually win TWICE. There are 49 initial drawings. For the GRAND PRIZE (50th drawing), all ticket entries are placed back in the drawing tumbler, including all 49 previous winners. The GP winner takes home an entire 6 bottle set of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery Lineup Release.
Drawing takes place live on this YouTube Channel at 8 pm ET, Wednesday, September 28th.
Prizes Include
The first 49 tickets drawn will win one of the following prizes in order…
6 bottle set of Weller Special Reserve including Special Reserve, Antique 107, 12 Year, Full Proof, CYPB and Single Barrel.
8-bottle set of Blanton’s including a “B” Gold Edition, “L” Takara Red, “A” Gold Edition, “N” Takara Red, “T” Black Label, “O” Straight from the Barrel, “N:” Single Barrel, “S” Green Label.
12-year Lot “B”, Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve.
BTAC George T. Stagg.
10 year, Van Winkle Special Reserve.
BTAC Thomas H. Handy Sazerac.
2020 Old Forrester Birthday Bourbon.
Weller Full Proof.
Single Barrel Elmer T. Lee.
One of 20 Bottles of Weller Antique 107.
One of 20 Bottles of Weller Special Reserve.
Then all 49 winning tickets will rejoin the remaining tickets in the tumbler and we will draw for our Grand Prize…
6-bottle set of Van Winkle Bourbon including an Old Rip Van Winkle, 10 year, Van Winkle Special Reserve, 12 year Lot “B”, Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 year, Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve, 15 year, 20 year and 23 year.
We’ve never seen a raffle of this magnitude in all our days. And for such an incredibly wonderful cause. Who knows, for $100, you may just walk away with a 6 bottle set of Weller AND an entire 6 bottle Pappy Collection (you know what we mean).
