2022 Van Winkle Whiskeys Announced
Buffalo Trace Distillery has announced the 2022 release of the Van Winkle collection, consisting of all six highly sought-after Van Winkle whiskeys – five bourbons and one rye:
Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10 Year Old 107 Proof
Suggested Retail Price: $69.99
Nose: Very sweet, with notes of honey, dulce de leche, caramel corn, rooibos tea and lightly toasted nuts. Hints of the wheat and corn are present which enhances the complexity.
Taste: Medium-bodied palate with dried fruit and nuts. Each sip finishes with a very long bold wave of floral honey, caramel, and toasted barrel flavors which counter the weight of the alcohol.
Finish: An elegant balance between oak, grain, and maturation.
Old Rip Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12 Year Old
Suggested Retail Price: $79.99
Nose: Rich and decadent with butterscotch, toffee, vanilla and hints of nectarine and satsuma adding to the complexity. There is still a wisp of bready wheat present which is perfectly balanced with the spicy and rich oak notes.
Taste: Butterscotch and toffee are prominent in the taste but there are also hints of spiced praline which contribute to the long, round finish that is sweet without being cloying.
Finish: An outrageously well-crafted bourbon that pays homage to its source ingredients but shows that oak, the right distillate, and patience can create unparalleled depth and balance.
Old Rip Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year Old
Suggested Retail Price: $119.99
Nose: An incredibly enticing and complex aroma with notes of toasted pumpernickel, plum, fig, and sweet-tobacco aromas
Taste: Smooth with medium-to full-bodied palate bursting with bold and delicious flavors of toffee, caraway, and dried cherry, and a hint of leather and mint.
Finish: A symphony of flavors sits endlessly on the palate, causing the unsuspecting drinker to wish there was an endless supply in their glass.
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15 Year Old
Suggested Retail Price: $119.99
Nose: The aroma is seductive with intense sweet brown notes like maple, caramelized sugar, toffee, and toasted almond.
Taste: Waves of caramel and toffee meld into familiar memories of fresh-baked holiday spice cookies made with molasses. The mouthfeel is rich, supple, full-bodied and briefly veers toward decadent before the wood influences lend a balancing dryness.
Finish: Long, flavorful, and complex. An unbelievably opulent and flawless bourbon that takes wood and distillate to its absolute pinnacle.
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20 Year Old
Suggested Retail Price: $199.99
Nose: This full-bodied bourbon has a sophisticated forefront of leather with complementary notes of smoke, warm tobacco, treacle, espresso, and charred oak.
Taste: The aromas and flavors are endlessly complex and each new sip reveals something new to discover.
Finish: Suave and confident with layers of bold, integrated nuances.
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23 Year Old
Suggested Retail Price: $299.99
Nose: Reminiscent of a crisp fall day, with aromas of ripe red apples, cherries and tobacco.
Taste: Wood is the star here with supporting notes of caramel, apple, apricot, leather, walnuts, and vanilla Crème Brulé.
Finish: Long-lasting and rich, opening with bold flavors of oak and caramel that tease the palate before fading slowly and elegantly until the next sip.
Buffalo Trace Distillery claims there will be more bottles available this year than usual of almost every Van Winkle expression due to both putting away more whiskey to age over 10 years ago and a higher yield than typical when moving from barrel to bottle.
The Van Winkle whiskeys will be available beginning this month in highly limited quantities.
Photo credit: Buffalo Trace Distillery.
Source: Buffalo Trace Distillery.