![]() ![]() Anything wheated with even a hint of age is hard to find, and even some younger offerings have come to be so desired by the bourbon-buying public that you’re better off giving up the chase if you don’t follow release dates closely in some areas. That hasn’t stopped the collectors, however. Hence, I find the 20 year Van Winkle offering to be a truly fine bourbon, while the 23 year is a mess in the bottle. After 20 years, they, too, begin to deteriorate- and they do it quickly. At 12 years, they become really nice sips, and out towards 20 years, they can still be outstanding whiskey. ![]() After about 7 years, they start becoming nice sips. But by and large, I find traditional bourbons aged past 12 years to be more often worse than their younger siblings (Elijah Craig is a good example). ![]() There are obvious exceptions, most related to older rye based bourbons that are bottled at a higher proof such as George T. Rye based bourbons aged longer than 12 years, in most cases, become far too woody, and they begin to become overpowered by the barrel flavors. Really young wheat whiskey (4-5 years and younger) can be harsh and almost astringent, while rye-based bourbons tend to have a spicy characteristic that offsets that at a younger age.Īfter a reasonable period, however, that flips for me. My personal opinion is a little different. Pappy Van Winkle, in his infinite wisdom, allegedly chose wheat in his recipe because he felt is matured more quickly, and bourbon could be moved to market at a younger age. Wheat adds a creaminess to the mouth feel of the bourbon, and has sort of a prickly sweet flavor that is slightly lighter than the sweetness typically derived from the majority corn recipe. Wheat as the secondary grain provides a bit of a subtle, yet noticeable contrast to the traditional rye component of standard bourbons. They all use a similar mash bill, and some reportedly even use yeast strains derived from the original Stitzel-Weller batch. Larceny and Maker’s Mark can be viewed as offshoot descendants of that distillery due to the connections the labels have with those original three or connections the distillers had with the principal players in that distillery. But nowhere is the impact of the Pappy Van Winkle lineup more prevalent than in the trickle down effect it has had on other bourbons made with wheat as the secondary or “flavoring” grain.įor the uninitiated, wheat used as a secondary grain was really pioneered at the old Stitzel-Weller distillery in Louisville, birthplace of the Weller lineup, the Van Winkle lineup, and the Old Fitzgerald Lineup. ![]() There can be no doubt that a certain 3-word label has greatly influenced bourbon and bourbon demand over the past decade. I got that message twice this week from readers, and that’s not a rarity. The customer is solely responsible for the shipment of alcohol and must abide by their local and state laws.“Hey Bill, what are the best wheated bourbons I can buy?” You must be at least 21 years of age to order and a signature of someone at least 21 years of age is required upon delivery. If the package is returned to Whisky & Whiskey damaged because of failed delivery attempts or refusal of delivery, you are responsible for the full cost of the order.į. If the package is returned due to failed delivery, a twenty-five percent (25%) restocking fee will be deducted from your refund. Whisky & Whiskey is not responsible for any lost shipments, including but not limited to packages lost because of hold requests or delivery rescheduling.ĭ. Whisky & Whiskey does not take responsibility for minor damage.Ĭ. Spillage, minor damage and/or cosmetic defects are all possible to occur during transit. The Whisky & Whiskey Shipping Insurance must be purchased at time of checkout in order to cover lost, stolen or damaged shipments.ī. ![]()
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