And the 107 proof gives it that perfect amount of kick. Incredible flavors remind me of cooked caramel, honey, vanilla cream and sometimes a little roasted nut flavor in there and even more. I have all of the Pappy’s except the 23 year (even the 20 year is a bit too oaky for me) and this 10 year is without a doubt my favorite of them all. I have close to a hundred bourbons in my collection and this one is my absolute favorite! Can drink this anytime and anywhere, by myself, with friends, after a meal or even just a sip in the morning. It’s smooth and warm going down with an overall effortless feel to it.Ī Medium finish that starts out with bourbon spice and fades to oak and caramel. Rather low heat (burn) and remarkably thick. The palate is a bit spicier than the nose, but delicious throughout. Caramel, vanilla and cherries again lead the charge across the palate with sweet grains corn, light oak and a touch of cinnamon bringing up the rear. Sometimes the nose of a whiskey can be deceiving, but that’s definitely not the case here. Bourbon spice, oak, dark fruit leather, sweet grains and baking spices round out an aroma that walks the line of too sweet but manages to keep it’s balance. Thick rich caramel, vanilla and cherries exude from the bottle. Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Reviewĭistiller: Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery / Buffalo Trace If you’ve tried Old Rip Van Winkle 10 I’d love to see what you think in the comments below. Should you get the chance to try it don’t hesitate, it’s a great bourbon experience. It’s wonderfully round and smooth with a complex yet balanced flavor and aroma. Overall I loved this bourbon and if it were easier to get a hold of it would be a daily drinker. At a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always fine bourbon” and I have to say the Old Rip 10 definitely keeps with that motto. The motto of the Van Winkle family is “We make fine bourbon. Rather recently the Van Winkles and the famed Buffalo Trace Distillery joined forces and all of the Van Winkle whiskey is now produced at Buffalo Trace under strict supervision by the family. died in 1981 and his son Julian Van Winkle III took over and in 2001 Julian’s son Preston Van Winkle joined the operation to continue making the family’s renowned wheated bourbon. brought back a pre-prohibition label he managed to keep the rights to called Old Rip Van Winkle and he used old stocks from the Stitzel-Weller distillery to fuel his brand.

Weller, Old Fitzgerald, Rebel Yell and Cabin Still) to other distilleries and companies. In 1972 Julian Van Winkle was forced, by stockholders, to sell the distillery and it’s brands (W.L. Upon his death in 1965 his son Julian Jr.

Pappy then ran the company and oversaw operations for over 30 years. Stitzel Distillery that made bourbon for Weller. Weller bourbon fame) until he and a friend bought Weller and the A. Weller and Sons wholesale house (of the W.L. The Van Winkle’s got into the bourbon business when Julian (aka Pappy) was a traveling salesman for W.L. True this is the only one of the Van Winkle family I have tried so I can’t really be considered an authority on all things Van Winkle (yet), but at least for the 10 it’s not worth standing in line for hours or paying 3x+ retail for a bottle.

That’s not to say that it’s not phenomenal bourbon, because it absolutely is, but I’m not exactly sure it’s worth all of the hype. After finally trying the Old Rip Van Winkle 10 I can fully say… I don’t get the hype.

Old rip van winkle 10 year