Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot B from the 2018 release, a 12-year-old wheated Kentucky bourbon at 90.4 proof. Sweet and full, it is the Van Winkle bottle most often recommended for drinking rather than keeping.
About This Bourbon
Lot B first appeared in the early 1990s out of that Lawrenceburg operation and has continued ever since. Today the whiskey comes from Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, where it ages 12 years in new charred oak on the family's wheated recipe before bottling at 90.4 proof. The 2018 release follows the same specification as earlier years.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Caramel, toasted nuts and oats, with a thread of baking spice.
- Palate: Smooth and medium to full in body, with dried fruit, honey and gentle spice.
- Finish: Balanced and dry, with vanilla, nuts and soft oak.
Serving & Food
Room temperature is right. A copita or nosing glass concentrates the aroma well. Pair it with roast chicken with a honey and mustard glaze, maple-cured bacon, or a cheese plate with aged Gouda and dried apricots.
How to Enjoy
Anyone who enjoys a mellow, sweet bourbon with age behind it, and Van Winkle drinkers filling in a missing release year.
Product Details
Producer: Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery (made at Buffalo Trace Distillery)
Expression: Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot "B"
Country: USA
Region: Kentucky
Category: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
Mash Bill: Wheated (corn, wheat, malted barley)
Age: 12 years
Proof: 90.4
ABV: 45.2%
Volume: 750mL
Release Year: 2018
About the Distillery
Julian Van Winkle III took over the family business in 1981, aged 32, after his father died. It was a lean time for premium bourbon. Stitzel-Weller's new owners would still make whiskey for the family on contract but no longer bottle it, so in 1983 he bought the old Hoffman Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, for barrel storage and bottling. Van Winkle labels from before 2002 carry the Lawrenceburg address.