In 1893, Julian Pappy Van Winkle Sr. began working as a traveling salesman for the W.L. Weller & Sons Company in Louisville, Kentucky. Weller & Sons was a liquor wholesaler and sold bourbon behind various labels, including Old Fitzgerald and Rebel Yell. After the turn of the century, Van Winkle purchased Weller & Sons Co., together with the Stitzel Distillery (the distillery produced most of the bourbons sold by the wholesaler), and merged the two companies. While Prohibition forced most distilleries to close their doors soon thereafter, Van Winkle was granted a license to continue operating his distillery and producing whiskey for medicinal purposes. By the time of his death in 1966 (at the age of 91), Van Winkle was the oldest active distiller in the country.
Van Winkle Bourbons pays homage to one of the whiskey industry’s founding fathers. This bottling is a real treat for any rye whiskey lover and a truly monumental American whiskey experience. Distilled in the heart of Kentucky, this legendary rye is matured for a minimum of 13 years, which makes it one of the oldest ryes in the market.
TASTING NOTES
A soft nose of chestnuts, spice, vanilla and fruit. Features flavors of cocoa, vanilla, spice, and white pepper. A long, warm and complex finish with caramel and spice combined with dry oak.
95.6 Proof