Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve
Encyclopedia
Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve is the flagship brand of bourbon whiskey
owned by the “Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery” company (which does not actually own or operate a distillery), and is distilled and bottled by the Sazerac Company
at its Buffalo Trace Distillery
in Frankfort, Kentucky
.
which began operation as a sour mash
whiskey distillery 1872.
The Stitzel Distillery supplied much of the whiskey sold by the Weller wholesale firm. The consolidation coincided with prohibition
during which time the Stitzel-Weller firm was licensed by the government to produce whiskey for medicinal purposes. One of their labels that was introduced on the market just before prohibition was Old Rip Van Winkle. After prohibition, the brand was not reintroduced until after 1972 when the Stitzel-Weller distillery and its current brand names (including W.L. Weller
, Old Fitzgerald
, Rebel Yell
, and Cabin Still
) were sold to other companies. The only brand name to which the Van Winkle family kept the rights was the pre-prohibition brand Old Rip Van Winkle.
The Stitzel-Weller plant was opened on the day of the Kentucky Derby
in 1935, just outside Louisville in Shively, Kentucky
. At the time of his death in 1965 at the age of 89, Pappy Van Winkle was the oldest active distiller in the nation. A photo of him graces the bottle's label.
Sometime after the Stitzel-Weller distillery was sold in 1972, Julian Van Winkle, Jr. resurrected the pre-prohibition Old Rip Van Winkle brand and initially used old whiskey stocks from the distillery for its bottlings. Julian Jr. died in 1981 and Julian Van Winkle, III (Pappy's grandson) took over the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery company.
After the initial sale in 1972, the Stitzel-Weller distillery was eventually closed completely in 1991.
Since 2002, the Van Winkle brands have been distilled and bottled by the Sazerac Company
at the Buffalo Trace Distillery
as a joint venture with the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery company.
). The 15 year is bottled at 107 proof.
Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 23 Year Old Bourbon was named “Spirit of the Year” for 2010 by Wine and Spirits magazine in its annual buying guide issue.
Winner of the 2006-2007 Golden Icon Award for "Best Whiskey"; the awards are presented annually by Travolta Family Entertainment.
The offering has performed well at spirit ratings
competition. The 12 Year Old Special Reserve was recognized with the "Trophy for Worldwide Whisky" and a Best-In-Class Gold Medallion in the International Wine and Spirit Competition for 2008. It received a score of 99 ("superlative") from the Beverage Testing Institute in the same year.
Bourbon whiskey
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
owned by the “Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery” company (which does not actually own or operate a distillery), and is distilled and bottled by the Sazerac Company
Sazerac Company
The Sazerac Company is a large privately held and family-operated alcoholic beverages company with headquarters in Metairie, Louisiana.It owns and produces a large and diversified portfolio of beverage brands, and it owns and operates a number of distilling companies...
at its Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery is a distillery located in Frankfort, Kentucky. It has historically been known by several names, including most notably, the George T. Stagg Distillery and the O.F.C. Distillery. Its namesake bourbon brand, Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey, was introduced...
in Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
.
History
Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle, Sr. began in 1893 at the age of 18 as a salesman for the liquor wholesaler, W.L. Weller & Sons. In 1908 he and another Weller salesman bought the firm. In 1910 they acquired the A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
which began operation as a sour mash
Sour mash
Sour mash is a process in the distilling industry that uses material from an older batch of mash to start fermentation in the batch currently being made, analogous to the making of sourdough bread. The term sour mash can also be used as the name of the type of mash used in that process, and a...
whiskey distillery 1872.
The Stitzel Distillery supplied much of the whiskey sold by the Weller wholesale firm. The consolidation coincided with prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
during which time the Stitzel-Weller firm was licensed by the government to produce whiskey for medicinal purposes. One of their labels that was introduced on the market just before prohibition was Old Rip Van Winkle. After prohibition, the brand was not reintroduced until after 1972 when the Stitzel-Weller distillery and its current brand names (including W.L. Weller
William Larue Weller
W. L. Weller is a brand of wheated bourbon. The brand was originally owned by the Stitzel-Weller Distilling Company, which was sold several times after 1972. The brand is currently owned by the Sazerac Company and produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Like all bourbons...
, Old Fitzgerald
Old Fitzgerald
Old Fitzgerald is a brand of sour mash bourbon currently distilled in Louisville, Kentucky by Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. Beginning in 1870, Old Fitzgerald was first produced for rail and steamship lines and private clubs primarily located in the south by John E. Fitzgerald in Frankfort,...
, Rebel Yell
Rebel Yell (whiskey)
Rebel Yell is a brand of Kentucky made Straight Bourbon Whiskey that is made using more wheat than most Bourbons. The brand name is currently owned and marketed by Luxco, and the bourbon itself is distilled and bottled under contract by Heaven Hill at its Bernheim distillery in Louisville, Kentucky...
, and Cabin Still
Cabin Still
Cabin Still Bourbon is a Bourbon whiskey produced in Bardstown, Kentucky by the Heaven Hill company.It is sold in glass in 16 oz pint bottles, glass 750ml bottles, glass 1-liter bottles.-External links:***...
) were sold to other companies. The only brand name to which the Van Winkle family kept the rights was the pre-prohibition brand Old Rip Van Winkle.
The Stitzel-Weller plant was opened on the day of the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
in 1935, just outside Louisville in Shively, Kentucky
Shively, Kentucky
Shively is a city in Jefferson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 15,157 at the 2000 census. It is located southwest of Louisville, Kentucky and directly adjoins the larger city. Shively is centered around the junction of US 60 and the Dixie Highway.-History:Shively was first...
. At the time of his death in 1965 at the age of 89, Pappy Van Winkle was the oldest active distiller in the nation. A photo of him graces the bottle's label.
Sometime after the Stitzel-Weller distillery was sold in 1972, Julian Van Winkle, Jr. resurrected the pre-prohibition Old Rip Van Winkle brand and initially used old whiskey stocks from the distillery for its bottlings. Julian Jr. died in 1981 and Julian Van Winkle, III (Pappy's grandson) took over the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery company.
After the initial sale in 1972, the Stitzel-Weller distillery was eventually closed completely in 1991.
Since 2002, the Van Winkle brands have been distilled and bottled by the Sazerac Company
Sazerac Company
The Sazerac Company is a large privately held and family-operated alcoholic beverages company with headquarters in Metairie, Louisiana.It owns and produces a large and diversified portfolio of beverage brands, and it owns and operates a number of distilling companies...
at the Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery is a distillery located in Frankfort, Kentucky. It has historically been known by several names, including most notably, the George T. Stagg Distillery and the O.F.C. Distillery. Its namesake bourbon brand, Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey, was introduced...
as a joint venture with the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery company.
Style
Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve was formerly made from corn, rye, and barley malt, but now uses wheat in place of rye, and is aged in charred oak barrels. It is aged for 15, 20 or 23 years, which is considerably longer than the aging period for most bourbons. The 20 and 23 year ages are bottled at 45.2 apy (90.4 proofProof (alcohol)
Alcohol proof is a measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage. The term was originally used in the United Kingdom and was defined as 7/4 times the alcohol by volume . The UK now uses the abv standard instead of alcohol proof. In the United States, alcoholic proof is defined...
). The 15 year is bottled at 107 proof.
Awards
Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve has won various awards.Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 23 Year Old Bourbon was named “Spirit of the Year” for 2010 by Wine and Spirits magazine in its annual buying guide issue.
Winner of the 2006-2007 Golden Icon Award for "Best Whiskey"; the awards are presented annually by Travolta Family Entertainment.
The offering has performed well at spirit ratings
Spirit ratings
With a growing number of microdistilleries and an expanding number of offerings from large corporate entities, a number of institutions have arisen to provide professional evaluations of individual spirits...
competition. The 12 Year Old Special Reserve was recognized with the "Trophy for Worldwide Whisky" and a Best-In-Class Gold Medallion in the International Wine and Spirit Competition for 2008. It received a score of 99 ("superlative") from the Beverage Testing Institute in the same year.