Let's face it - I'm a man of ordinary means...
But the day came when I found myself driven to buy bottles of Pappy Van Winkle 15 and also 20 year, both of which have repeatedly received the highest ratings ever given by BTI, who oughta know.
For once said moi, I want to taste what a truly great, truly stupendous spirit tastes like. It turns out that those who know slightly prefer the 15 year. So this morning, for no good reason (other than one) I poured a rare dram of the 15 and yes, it was stupendous and wonderful.
Bourbons in general are not the equal of the king of spirits which would include fine single malts or a very few brandies. Bourbons are really fast aged - using new charred wood - for a spirit that is good yes, but lacks the complexity of single malts that have spent not 2 to 10 years, but up to even 40 or 50 years in not new, but very used wood.
The best bourbons thus are simpler and rather younger, but there are a very few exceptions, the Pappy's among them. Few are bottled, they are immediately purchased, and often go on the market for two to three times their original cost of $120. You rarely will see one. I got lucky with both and found both at original retail price.
So pouring one is a rare event, as I know I'll never buy another. But today was one of those days. I highly recommend finding and buying a such a spirit and hoarding it to your dying breath, which if well timed, will occur moments after you finish the last dram in the bottle.
Consider this practice for that moment...
Ever have one of those days Dept: Pappy 15
- Capn Jimbo
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- bearmark
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Nice pour indeed! I have a bottle and have only tasted the 20 and 23 from about 2006 (favoring the 23 by a significant margin), but I'm looking forward to the 15, which in recent years is all Buffalo Trace juice (i.e. no Stitzell-Weller juice at all).
I have a bottle purchased at retail like you and I'm saving it for a special occasion. In the meantime, I'm enjoying a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old 107º. It's quite good as well. If anyone wants to get an idea of what these wheated bourbons are like, then try the Straight Bourbon Blend (a.k.a. Poor Man's Pappy). It's 60% Old Weller Antique 107º and 40% Weller 12 Year Old and it's quite good! The price is quite good too at just over $20 a bottle.
I have a bottle purchased at retail like you and I'm saving it for a special occasion. In the meantime, I'm enjoying a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old 107º. It's quite good as well. If anyone wants to get an idea of what these wheated bourbons are like, then try the Straight Bourbon Blend (a.k.a. Poor Man's Pappy). It's 60% Old Weller Antique 107º and 40% Weller 12 Year Old and it's quite good! The price is quite good too at just over $20 a bottle.
Mark Hébert
Rum References: Flor de Caña 18 (Demeraran), The Scarlet Ibis (Trinidadian), R.L. Seale 10 (Barbadian), Appleton Extra (Jamaican), Ron Abuelo 12 (Cuban), Barbancourt 5-Star (Agricole)
Rum References: Flor de Caña 18 (Demeraran), The Scarlet Ibis (Trinidadian), R.L. Seale 10 (Barbadian), Appleton Extra (Jamaican), Ron Abuelo 12 (Cuban), Barbancourt 5-Star (Agricole)