Pappy Van Winkle 20 yr.old Family Reserve

[touchemup]

I was searching for a holiday special sippen wiskey and found a 20 yr old bourbon,Pappy Van Winkle, in the reserve section of the "go to" liquor store. I had a vague recolection of a review in Cigar Pass and decided to take it home to prepair for the onslought of Thanksgiving Day company. I had a few hours before the throngs arrived and fired up a Comacho triple and four fingers of Pappy...I swear, the complexity of each sip carried me closer to Paradise Lake, Ky. Each sip delivered wisps of vanilla, cherry, and suttle hints of char from the cast. The finish was long and the compliment to the comacho was a match made in heaven. "I've found the key to reality" and that's a very good thing with Christmas on it's way.

 

[Jamie76]

I was searching for a holiday special sippen wiskey and found a 20 yr old bourbon,Pappy Van Winkle, in the reserve section of the "go to" liquor store. I had a vague recolection of a review in Cigar Pass and decided to take it home to prepair for the onslought of Thanksgiving Day company. I had a few hours before the throngs arrived and fired up a Comacho triple and four fingers of Pappy...I swear, the complexity of each sip carried me closer to Paradise Lake, Ky. Each sip delivered wisps of vanilla, cherry, and suttle hints of char from the cast. The finish was long and the compliment to the comacho was a match made in heaven. "I've found the key to reality" and that's a very good thing with Christmas on it's way.

I've been going back and forth on this one. Trying to decide between the 20 yo and the 23 yo. From what I've been seeing, the 20 yo seems to be the better of the two, with the 23 yo past its prime.

 

[BobbyRitz]

The 20 is better in my opinion. I wouldn't call the 23 "past its prime", but it's a helluva lot more expensive and doesn't deliver in the price/taste quotient.

 

[DePasta]

What my friend Bobby "The Rock" Ritz says, the 23 doesn't deliver the monies worth....I even prefer the 15 before the 23.

 

[khari]

What my friend Bobby "The Rock" Ritz says, the 23 doesn't deliver the monies worth....I even prefer the 15 before the 23.

Haven't had the 20 or the 23 yet but the 15 is pretty friggin' awesome.

 

[C-Note]

The state controlled monopoly liquor stores here in Virginia are slinging the 20yo for $108.45/bottle. Is this in line with what y'all are seeing in your neck of the woods?

 

[DePasta]

The state controlled monopoly liquor stores here in Virginia are slinging the 20yo for $108.45/bottle. Is this in line with what y'all are seeing in your neck of the woods?

Thats not bad.....

 

[BobbyRitz]

What my friend Bobby "The Rock" Ritz says, the 23 doesn't deliver the monies worth....I even prefer the 15 before the 23.

You smell what the Rock is cooking?

My friend, DePasta was kind enough to send a bottle of the 20yo signed by, I believe, Julian Van Winkle III.

 

[AVB]

In general the 20 will give you more bang for the buck but some 23's are outstanding just impossible to find and very expensive for bourbon. Case in point (IMO) is the first release of the 20 and 23 with the Lawrenceburg label. A high rye bourbon that hasn't been quite equaled in the public releases. Then there are some private bottlings of the 23 which due to the small quantities, only 57 and 93 bottles for the two I have, that are outstanding and lastly the limited edition 23 (114 proof) was named spirit of the year by Wine and Spirits Magazine.

Earlier this year Julian Van Winkle said,"In the last couple of years, we bottled up a 2-3 year supply of 15, 16 year to sell as 15 year Pappy. We still have some 20 year S/W in barrels to bottle as 20 year." So my take is if you want it for the future you better buy it sooner rather than later.

BTW, $108 isn't bad at all for the 20 and anything under $220 for the 23 now is pretty good.

That is sweet! I've talked to Julian twice and neither time had a bottle available for him to sign.

My friend, DePasta was kind enough to send a bottle of the 20yo signed by, I believe, Julian Van Winkle III.

 

[BobbyRitz]

Yep, $108 isn't bad. I've seen the 20yo for $94 here in MD.

 

[4thecrue]

I just picked up a bottle of the 20 and I believe it was $97 or so. It used to be $84 but I guess they realized they were on the low end. Guess from the sound of things I need to start bunkering the 15 year.

D

 

[DePasta]

I just picked up a bottle of the 20 and I believe it was $97 or so. It used to be $84 but I guess they realized they were on the low end. Guess from the sound of things I need to start bunkering the 15 year.

D

The prices will continue to go up.... Demand continues to well outgrow supply, Keep in mind, they have to predict demand for the older bourbons 15-20 years out....that's one of the reasons the gap is widening 20 years ago demand was declining so production was less allocated for the longer aged bourbons....now demand is on fire....even with the economy....

 

[MoeCizlak]

What my friend Bobby "The Rock" Ritz says, the 23 doesn't deliver the monies worth....I even prefer the 15 before the 23.

You smell what the Rock is cooking?

My friend, DePasta was kind enough to send a bottle of the 20yo signed by, I believe, Julian Van Winkle III.

I got La Lunas from the rascal. Shows you how I rate.

 

[DePasta]

And your Hawkeyes got a beat down from my Buckeyes.....I like Bobby more than I like you......looking like a famous ex-wrestler has it's privileges...

 

[MoeCizlak]

Are you saying I don't resemble Bulldog Bob Brown?

 

[DePasta]

I was thinking more like George "The Animal" Steele!

 

[LouieD]

Just picked up two more bottles of the 20yo. Haven't been able to find any 15yo, but I'm still looking.

 

[BlindedByScience]

Thanks to a great BOTL here, I have a bottle of the 20YO that will be consumed with friends in my new home.....if they ever build it....

 

[donzz]

I got a bottle of the 12 yr lot b, might have to go back and pick up a bottle of the 20 yr. They had at least 10 bottles

 

[BlindedByScience]

I got a bottle of the 12 yr lot b, might have to go back and pick up a bottle of the 20 yr. They had at least 10 bottles

If you find a spare 20 or 15YO, I'd be thankful to take it off your hands. PM me.....:thumbs: