Very Olde St. Nick 12 Year Antique Barrel, Lot #01, is a mature Kentucky bourbon bottled at 90.2 proof. It was the first lot of the Antique Barrel release, which later continued through Lot #02 and Lot #03.
About This Bourbon
The Antique Barrel 12 Year is bottled in small lots at 90.2 proof (45.1% ABV). A lower bottling strength like this lets the age show through as soft oak and dried fruit rather than heat. Lot #01 was the opening batch. Later lots in the series were released in 2019 and 2020 under a gold wax seal. The brand does not publish the source distillery or mash bill for these lots.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Mature oak and caramel, sweet grain and dried orange.
- Palate: Smooth and rounded, with toffee, vanilla, cinnamon and firm old wood.
- Finish: Warming and dry, oak and spice with a sweet core.
Serving & Food
At 90.2 proof this is easy to drink neat at room temperature, in a rocks glass or tumbler. A cube of ice is fine on a warm evening. Try it with honey-glazed ham, candied pecans or a plate of Parmesan.
How to Enjoy
Someone collecting the Antique Barrel lots in order, starting from the first.
Product Details
Producer / Brand: Very Olde St. Nick
Whiskey Type: Kentucky bourbon whiskey
Age Statement: 12 years old
Lot: Antique Barrel Lot #01
ABV: 45.1%
Proof: 90.2
Country: USA
Volume: 750mL
About the Distillery
Very Olde St. Nick started in 1986 as an export label for Japan. At the time Japanese buyers wanted well-aged bourbon, while American drinkers largely did not, and Marci Palatella, who represented Julian Van Winkle III in the Japanese market, created the brand to meet that demand.
The earliest bottles were filled for her by Van Winkle at his Old Commonwealth bottling hall in Kentucky in the late 1980s, which is why vintage St. Nick is often mentioned in the same breath as Van Winkle bourbon.