Lot B from the 2020 release: Van Winkle Special Reserve, a 12-year-old wheated bourbon bottled at 90.4 proof. It combines a good age with a moderate strength and has a warm, rounded style.
About This Bourbon
At 12 years Lot B shows more depth than the 10 Year without the heavy oak of the older Pappy bottlings. The recipe uses wheat, not rye, with corn and malted barley, and the whiskey is reduced to 90.4 proof. The 2020 release carries on with the same specification as earlier years.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Sweet cherry and caramel, with toasted nuts and a light dusting of oak spice.
- Palate: Soft and full, with toffee, vanilla, orchard fruit and polished oak.
- Finish: Steady and smooth, closing on caramel and sweet spice.
Serving & Food
Serve neat at cellar to room temperature in a tulip glass, or with a small drop of still water if you find it tight. It works with a Sunday roast of pork with crackling, crème brûlée or roasted chestnuts.
How to Enjoy
An easy-drinking bottle for Van Winkle fans, and a warm gift for anyone who likes their bourbon sweet and gentle.
Product Details
Producer: Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery (made at Buffalo Trace Distillery)
Expression: Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot "B" 12 Year Old
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: 2020
About the Distillery
The split of work between the two partners has stayed the same since 2002. Buffalo Trace distils, ages and bottles the whiskey on its Frankfort site. The Van Winkles taste barrels, set the standards and decide what goes into each release. Julian Van Winkle III still leads the company, and his son Preston, who joined in 2001 after a family trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, now shares the barrel tasting. Barrels for the older bottlings are picked from the heart of the warehouses, where temperatures swing less.