bourbon, full name, Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year old, 90.4 proof.
After four tastings
, I think I have it. I had been advised by my Whiskey Sensei, our own Hollow Point, who is in fact, Master Whiskey*, not necessarily to expect the same thing I tasted in two different bottles two years ago. In fact he had advised it might not be anything like it was, but would probably be just as good.
And as I have learned from Master Whiskey, when you are dealing with farm products and other all too subjective elements, including the human one, if you get used to a certain product having a certain taste, you should still be on guard against setting yourself up for disappointment or disillusionment should something change over the long term. So it is with cigars and coffee, I guess it should be with bourbon and rye.
So, forewarned is forearmed, as I recently purchased a bottle of this fine old bourbon at my new favorite liquor store, Beekman's, located on the west side of Lexington Avenue and just north of the corner of 47th Street in New York City's borough of Manhattan. My "walkout price" for one bottle of this new Pappy's was the very satisfactory sum of $86.89.
This is most definitely a different product than the previous Pappy's 20 year old, which tasted to my palate, every sip of every glass, from both bottles, like a blast of unsweetened cherries, smooth oak and cinnamon. This served to make it a stalwart No. 2 on my Top 25, and in some ways, an even finer whiskey than my favorite, the A.H. Hirsch 16 year old.
This Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year old bourbon has a distinctly lighter body than the other. While the flavors are not as bold, it is even more complex and the finish is just as long, which is very long. And that, in and of itself is a good thing. I love a bourbon you can still taste two or three minutes after the last sip.
What I detected in the various tastings, and as the sippings progressed were flavors of sweet oak, caramel, pears and/or dried figs, clover honey and even white wine, a very interesting touch. There are times when I try to apply my mind to these tastings and at others to just let my mind float and have the whiskey "work" on me so to speak, without my voice in it's head. And so, after four tastings of this much different version of Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year old bourbon, I see no reason to knock it out of it's vaunted No. 2 position in my Top 25 at the present time.
*Editor's Note: The designation "Master Whiskey" is earned by people who have reached the level of 10th, 11th and 12th Dan Whiskey Disciple in the American Whiskey industry. There is a 13th level, but it is not spoken of. Only twelve people in all of American whiskey history have reached that level and ten of them are dead.
Our own Hollow Point, Master Whiskey 12th Dan, has even been spoken of as already being worthy of reaching that unspoken of 13th Dan level. He, at the tender age of thirtysomething has repeatedly shown up, in his own very humble, but stylish and inimitable way, whiskey mavens more than twice his age, advancing well beyond their level at an age that is considered nearly impossible, if not altogether so.
We await further news on this fast rising star, the "Bruce Lee" of the American Whiskey industry.
After four tastings
, I think I have it. I had been advised by my Whiskey Sensei, our own Hollow Point, who is in fact, Master Whiskey*, not necessarily to expect the same thing I tasted in two different bottles two years ago. In fact he had advised it might not be anything like it was, but would probably be just as good.And as I have learned from Master Whiskey, when you are dealing with farm products and other all too subjective elements, including the human one, if you get used to a certain product having a certain taste, you should still be on guard against setting yourself up for disappointment or disillusionment should something change over the long term. So it is with cigars and coffee, I guess it should be with bourbon and rye.
So, forewarned is forearmed, as I recently purchased a bottle of this fine old bourbon at my new favorite liquor store, Beekman's, located on the west side of Lexington Avenue and just north of the corner of 47th Street in New York City's borough of Manhattan. My "walkout price" for one bottle of this new Pappy's was the very satisfactory sum of $86.89.
This is most definitely a different product than the previous Pappy's 20 year old, which tasted to my palate, every sip of every glass, from both bottles, like a blast of unsweetened cherries, smooth oak and cinnamon. This served to make it a stalwart No. 2 on my Top 25, and in some ways, an even finer whiskey than my favorite, the A.H. Hirsch 16 year old.
This Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year old bourbon has a distinctly lighter body than the other. While the flavors are not as bold, it is even more complex and the finish is just as long, which is very long. And that, in and of itself is a good thing. I love a bourbon you can still taste two or three minutes after the last sip.
What I detected in the various tastings, and as the sippings progressed were flavors of sweet oak, caramel, pears and/or dried figs, clover honey and even white wine, a very interesting touch. There are times when I try to apply my mind to these tastings and at others to just let my mind float and have the whiskey "work" on me so to speak, without my voice in it's head. And so, after four tastings of this much different version of Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year old bourbon, I see no reason to knock it out of it's vaunted No. 2 position in my Top 25 at the present time.
*Editor's Note: The designation "Master Whiskey" is earned by people who have reached the level of 10th, 11th and 12th Dan Whiskey Disciple in the American Whiskey industry. There is a 13th level, but it is not spoken of. Only twelve people in all of American whiskey history have reached that level and ten of them are dead.
Our own Hollow Point, Master Whiskey 12th Dan, has even been spoken of as already being worthy of reaching that unspoken of 13th Dan level. He, at the tender age of thirtysomething has repeatedly shown up, in his own very humble, but stylish and inimitable way, whiskey mavens more than twice his age, advancing well beyond their level at an age that is considered nearly impossible, if not altogether so.
We await further news on this fast rising star, the "Bruce Lee" of the American Whiskey industry.