- Old Rip Van Winkle, 10 Year (107)
- Van Winkle, Special Reserve 12 Years Old, Lot “B” (90.4)
- Van Winkle, Family Reserve Rye 13-Year-Old Straight Rye Whiskey (95.6)
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve, 15 Years Old (107)
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve, 20-Year-Old (90.4)
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve, 23 Year Old, Bottle # P2331 (95.6)
Once again, we are proud to have a flight of Pappy Van Winkle as our grand prize!
Before Julian Van Winkle Sr. was known as Pappy, he was an 18-year-old salesman for liquor wholesaler W.L. Weller & Sons, traveling by horse and buggy across Kentucky. The year was 1893, and bourbon was destined to be his life’s mission. He became a co-owner fifteen years later. The post-Prohibition comeback of his company would cement his reputation as a legend, nurturing a wheated mash bill to create a smoother and softer bourbon.
Rather modestly, Pappy pointed out, “Fine bourbon ought to make itself – with just a little help from Mother Nature and Father Time.”
The third and fourth generations of Pappy’s family carry on his tradition to this day. Their Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery has partnered with Buffalo Trace Distillery to distill, age, and bottle this bourbon lovers’ favorite for over twenty years. Pappy’s grandson, Julian Van Winkle III, guides the endeavor personally, protecting the family legacy and producing an unforgettable flight of bourbons.
It’s also worth noting that Pappy himself was quite a dog lover. In fact, his two most consistent golfing buddies were his omnipresent cigar and his dog, Thunder.