Van Winkle 1985 rye

[Hedmans Brorsa]

Hard as it may be to believe to some of you, I was a rye virgin up until this summer. Then a friend of mine in Stockholm treated me to some delicious Old Overholt which he had managed to get hold of in Italy (no rye is available in Sweden).

Needless to say, I got hooked and have recently ordered som ryes from France. Among the ordered items vas a Van Winkle rye 1985 un-chillfiltered. Now, I know about the 12- & 13 year-old ones but this is unknown to me. Is there any kind soul out there who can shed some light on this particular bottling?

Thanks in advance,
H.B.

[cowdery]

If you liked Old Overholt it's only going to get better with any of the Van Winkles.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[jvanwinkle]

Hedmans,
As with some of my other labels, this 100 proof unchillfiltered Van WInkle Family Reserve rye is offered at the request of my French customer. In Europe, as I'm sure you're aware, there is a desire for unchillfiltered whiskey. It's unheard of here in the US, but I thought I would give it a try.
This 1985 whiskey is really 15 years old and it turned out great. I definitely believe that the chillfiltering of whiskey takes out some of the flavor. There will be some cloud in the bottles if they get cold, but that is not a problem in Europe. It is only a cosmetic problem, not a flavor problem. Also, if the unchillfiltered whiskey is poured over ice, it really clouds up after awhile.
I hope you enjoy it.
Julian

[Hedmans Brorsa]

Thanks for the info, Julian. Yes, I know about un-chillfiltered whiskey. The Up-and-coming whiskey novice Jim Murray of this parish is one of the champions of its cause.

Even though I consume a lot of whiskey I have never had the opportunity to taste one and the same brand in both chillfiltered and un-chillfiltered form. Those in the know, however, stress the flavor benefits of an un-chillfiltered bottling.

Anyway, by experiences gained from your other products, I am convinced that I will be in for a treat...

Best wishes,
H.B.