Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 rye

[angler82]

Good luck with the search. I spent a months looking for a bottle in New England and only got one as part of the fall release. I didn't want to pay ebay prices for one.

If you can find Michter's 10 year rye you should pick that up. To me its almost identical to the Van Winkle rye and in the same price range. Its a hell of a lot easier to find.

[unclebunk]

I really enjoy the Michter's 10 too but it's a bit pricey, at least around here.

[The Boozer]

Nearing the end of a bottle (Letter "I" IRC). It seems to be getting better with a some air time in the bottle. When I first opend it about 6 months ago, it was good but not great, the flavors were more subdued. Now, after about 10 minutes in the glass, they're front and center.

[Special Reserve]

Nearing the end of a bottle (Letter "I" IRC). It seems to be getting better with a some air time in the bottle. When I first opend it about 6 months ago, it was good but not great, the flavors were more subdued. Now, after about 10 minutes in the glass, they're front and center.

Yes like all other Van Winkle products, they stand up well to time after they are opened.

[Parkersback]

This is good incentive for me to let my first bottle of rye rest. The first pour was no disappointment at all: I got cherries, spice and sweet, a really nice pour. But as I only have that bottle, and one more, I wanted to make it last, and now I have another reason.

[cowdery]

There were a couple bottles of this open at the General Nelson on Saturday night. The generosity and anonymity of the Gazebo table are two of its more wondrous aspects. As many great things there were there to try, I kept going back to the Van Winkle Rye.

I hope a reason Rittenhouse is in short supply is because Heaven Hill is holding back some barrels for extra aging. I think a Rittenhouse at 10+ years might approach the Van Winkle.

[BradleyC]

I hope a reason Rittenhouse is in short supply is because Heaven Hill is holding back some barrels for extra aging. I think a Rittenhouse at 10+ years might approach the Van Winkle.

I hope you know something that we don't.

[cowdery]

I hope you know something that we don't.

[DeanSheen]

" I kept going back to the Van Winkle Rye."

Me too, after a GBS member forced me to help finish a 2004 GTS. That was a brutal saturday night, GTS and VWFRR.

VWFRR still my favorite VW product.

[BradleyC]

I hope a reason Rittenhouse is in short supply is because Heaven Hill is holding back some barrels for extra aging.

This seems logical enough to me and is the story I'm sticking with. I agree that VWFRR is the best of the VW lineup and potentially the rye category altogether, but I am very thankful for Rittenhouse. It helps get me through the year. I've done side by side comparisons between the two enough times to know that Rittenhouse is an outstanding product. To see it in a 10 year or barrel proof form (or both) would make me an even happier Rittenhouse customer than I already am.

[SMOWK]

VWFRR still my favorite VW product.

Every time I reach for it, it hits the spot like no other. Either I've gotten really good at knowing when to pull it out, or it always delivers. I think a little of both.

[DeanSheen]

Every time I reach for it, it hits the spot like no other. Either I've gotten really good at knowing when to pull it out, or it always delivers. I think a little of both.

I have 3 in the bunker. It pains me every time I think about the opportunity I had early in my bourbon career to buy a case and I passed.

I still rue the day.

When the kid was born in January and we came back from the hospital after 3 days I had my SIL and BIL here from England and Canada respectively. I had not had a drink in 5 days. We opened a bottle of VWFRR and that sucker was gone in less than 2 hours. Ahh but it was tasty.

[SMOWK]

Reached for this one when I got home from work and am now thoroughly enjoying a pour. To me, this shows more oak than the 20 or the 23 year bourbons.

Nose - OAK with spices such as clove, cinnamon, pepper. Fruits such as apple, pear, and slight citrus. Flowers from honeysuckle to roses as well.

Taste - Dry and bitter oak on the front. A strong spice with a light sweetness throughout.

Finish - A very long, dry, spicy finish. Lots of oak. Clove, anise, cocoa. A bit of nuttiness hangs on at the end with walnuts and almonds.

I can't say enough about this one...

[ethangsmith]

Just got my first bottle of VWFRR today and had a drink. What a unique rollercoaster of flavors. Oddly, there are some flavors in it that are in common with a few of the bottles of Michter's Pot Still whiskey I have. On the tongue it was almost buttery. It was light and slightly bitter. It changed quickly though into an earthy wood explosion. I agree, this rye has more wood notes than most bourbons that are 5 to 10 years older. It's pure wood and char with shadows of a dry, spicy rye. Almost instantly after it's out of your mouth, it turns to a coffee, toffee, and caramel flavor that lingers for quite a while. Certainly something to reach for when I'm looking for a complex, slow sipper. Not for the American whiskey novice- it may just knock your socks off.

[p_elliott]

I agree, this rye has more wood notes than most bourbons that are 5 to 10 years older.

The VWFRR 13 is really 18 yrs old it was tanked when it got to be 18 yrs.

[StraightNoChaser]

I've tried three different bottlings of the VW rye in the past couple weeks, a B bottle from the current allocation, an A bottle from the past couple of years, and a G bottle that I found in the boonies. We were blown away how different the G was from the A and B bottles. It had a ton more sweet, oaky influence to it compared to the A and B. Granted, they were all amazing, but the G was really something else.

I've also got an older B bottle laying around... I think this may be from the original run of letters because it is written in pencil vs. ink like the newer ones.

[ethangsmith]

How do the letters work again? Did they start over again at A recently?

[timd]

How do the letters work again? Did they start over again at A recently?

Yes, and now up to "B" again... I believe it started over after H or I - although I've never seen either H or I, but I've covered most of the letters aside from those two over the years.

Not one bottle of any lettering was anything less than spectacular. Even the older A,B,C,etc. stuff (that is technically younger whiskey) is sublime.

[tommyboy38]

I believe it went from "I" to "A".

[BradleyC]

Talking about the numbering, is this not the 2nd year in a row that we have seen the "B's"? I was expecting "C" this year but have only found B.

[HP12]

Talking about the numbering, is this not the 2nd year in a row that we have seen the "B's"? I was expecting "C" this year but have only found B.

It would be interesting to learn how high the numbers go for each letter series. A recent VWFRR acquisition is numbered: B45XX.

I'm curious how high the 'A' series went before going to the current 'B' series.

[Old Lamplighter]

It would be interesting to learn how high the numbers go for each letter series. A recent VWFRR acquisition is numbered: B45XX.

I'm curious how high the 'A' series went before going to the current 'B' series.

I have picked up these off & on for years and seem to recall Julian posting something in the past in this regard. If memory serves me correct, I believe he commented that their bottle numbering followed no particular pattern, rhyme or reason. However, someone else will probably be able to provide more precise info I'm sure.

Seems kinda like so much other 'data' and info coming out of VW....fuzzy at best.

[StraightNoChaser]

Is there conclusive evidence about the source of the current VWFRR "B" bottling?

[Old Lamplighter]

I don't know the exact location of the threads, but, there are many previous postings in re to this question. A search will yield more info if desired.

In a nutshell, it is a mix of old COK & Medley stock distilled in the 80s, eventually tanked at 18-19 years of age by Julian to stop the aging process, and now released in regular annual intervals in a set number of bottles as directed by VW until the newer BT stock hits 13 years of age.

[yountvillewjs]

In my experience, this is by far the hardest of the Van Winkle family to find. I've been fortunate to grab a handful of the age designates, but haven't seen/heard of a bottle of VWFR for sale.