Pappy Van Winkle 15

[DrinkyBanjo]

I'm getting some conflicting stories if this is still 100% SW whiskey or not. Anyone have good authority on this? Julian? Not that it really matters as I like it either way but I'm curious if I should stock up as I've seen a few lately.

[NickAtMartinis]

My understanding is that it's either a melding of SW and Bernheim bourbon or straight Bernheim but not 100% SW. I could be wrong but that's what I can remember though I too tried to get clarification and wasn't able to do so.

Either way, PVW15 is the best of the VW brand, in my opinion. Of course, you can't go wrong with anything VW and 107 proof. Other than that, the rest of the VW line (especially PVW20 and 23) is serverly overrated.

Mark

[gothbat]

It is my understanding that when they bottled in '06 there was not enough SW stock so they had to use some BT barrels from '91. (This is taken from this thread, response #22.) I have not heard anything about an '07 bottling although I assume there was one since a few stores around here had a good stock of it a few months back after either not having some for a while or never having any. I have no idea if the current bottling is 100% either although this is something I've been wondering about myself.

[NickAtMartinis]

Good job, Bat.

Okay, so it's BT and SW, not Bernheim and SW which is what I thought.

[DrinkyBanjo]

Okay, I can't argue with Julian. I wonder if the same is true for this years bottling. I agree that if it's good enough for him it's good enough for me. Just curiosity at this point and great news for the future of an excellent product.

Now, I'm off to the basement to watch some football with some PVW 15!

[jburlowski]

It's damn good whiskey. If you like damn good whiskey, buy it!

[Flatlander]

Pappy's Damn Good Whiskey. Julian's secret new line.

[NickAtMartinis]

Pappy's Damn Good Whiskey. Julian's secret new line.

The PVW, in my opinion, is the best of the VW line, followed by the ORVW 10/107.

[Vange]

I can see how the 15 and 20 can be #1 and #2 respectively when it comes to the VW line, but I can never put the 10 year before the 15 or 20. It just doesnt seem right.

[gothbat]

Originally I thought the 20 was the best, then the 15, and now I'm back to liking the 20 the best. The 15 is great but the 20 is way better, in my current opinion anyway. I wonder if/when I'll change my mind again...

[NickAtMartinis]

I can see how the 15 and 20 can be #1 and #2 respectively when it comes to the VW line, but I can never put the 10 year before the 15 or 20. It just doesnt seem right.

I thought the same way, Vange. But, then I did a blind tasting and I found out differently. It's funny how your tastebuds react to bourbon when you don't know what you're drinking. Do the same and you will find some surprises as well.

[bigtoys]

I'll post this here because it's current. I've been reading up on all the van Winkle bourbons here at SB.com including the BOTM threads and the Lot A thread in collectibles. Interesting about the origin of the bourbons.

It would be informative to give some info on the bottle about where the majority of the whiskey was distilled/aged, just like some wineries tell the vineyard where the grapes for some wines come from. It seems that we're in a transition period for Pappy 15. As many have stated here, if Julian bottles it, then it must be good, so giving distiller info shouldn't hurt sales.

As my avatar shows, I'm a big vWFR fan, but I only recently obtained my first Lot B. Since it looks like we should have constant 20 yr old Pappy for about 4 more years, I plan on going to Sam's and Binny's tomorrow on the way home (and I'm off Friday) to get 2 20's and probably another 15 and B to bunker.

[BourbonJoe]

I can see how the 15 and 20 can be #1 and #2 respectively when it comes to the VW line, but I can never put the 10 year before the 15 or 20. It just doesnt seem right.

Until you try a 10 y/o 107 proof Lawrenceburg.

Joe :usflag:

[jimibourbonhammered]

"Since it looks like we should have constant 20 yr old Pappy for about 4 more years"

It may be available, but be aware of the sticker shock I ran into. PVW 20yo went from $80-$90 a bottle to $180+ just recently. So get what you can. I won't be getting any more at these prices. I have just 2 bunkered and I will make them last. Also scarfing up all the PVW 15yo I can find in case of such a change, either in price and/or profile.

[Russellc]

Originally I thought the 20 was the best, then the 15, and now I'm back to liking the 20 the best. The 15 is great but the 20 is way better, in my current opinion anyway. I wonder if/when I'll change my mind again...

I agree 100%. The 15 yr old 107 is damn good, but the 20 is more refined, and a better bourbon in my opinion.

russellc

[Attila]

Whats the different between

Van Winkle Family Reserve 15

and Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 15

which both sell at about $80 in Japan when they can be found?

[BourbonJoe]

The numbered bottle is probably much older and is almost assuredly Stitzel-Weller Burbon. It might have been a Japan only bottle. The other, newer one is the one currently released in the states.

Joe :usflag:

[Attila]

The numbered bottle is probably much older and is almost assuredly Stitzel-Weller Burbon.

Sorry, from a taste perspective, which would be better? Both are same price.

[BourbonJoe]

They both are probably very good, but I would spend my money on the older version.

Joe :usflag:

[Sijan]

Sorry, from a taste perspective, which would be better? Both are same price.

I would go with the older one, since the newer one is more available.

[Attila]

Thank you gentlemen.

There is a disclaimer on the site that is selling the bottle that is really bothering me:

"althought this bottle has never been opened, due to its age, we cannot guarantee the contents of this bottle"

[Crasherino]

Hey all....First time poster and this thread seems to be the most logical place to put it...

What is the difference between the 15 yr Lot A and Lot B? I'm sure its addressed somewhere on the site, but my searching abiliities are not quite up to snuff just yet.

Thanks for the assist.

[Rughi]

...What is the difference between the 15 yr Lot A and Lot B?...

Do you perhaps mean the 12yo Lot A and Lot B? I've never seen a 15yo labelled as such.

The gist of the 12yo Lot A and Lot B is that there was a Lot A, but VW liked the Lot B name and label enough that they haven't proceeded on to further Lots. It's kinda like on the Grand Dad 114 label - I think it's been Batch #1 or somesuch for the entire Beam era.

Hope this helps.

Roger

[cowdery]

In both cases, you're looking at what is more-or-less the same whiskey, but an earlier bottling of it. A small producer like Van Winkle is definitely bottling in batches and there may be a year or more between bottling runs. Some producers, like Van Winkle, will make either a minor or a major label change to distinguish between them. In the case of the 15-year-old, when the stocks of SW whiskey got scarce, the decision was made to make everything that held SW whiskey Pappy. The whiskey itself is probably similar, but the older bottling is more rare.

For a time, the Lot B was such a favorite here on Straight Bourbon that I believe that entered into Julian's decision to not introduce a Lot C, as simply "Lot B" had become the name everybody here knew.

[bluesbassdad]

Hey all....First time poster and this thread seems to be the most logical place to put it...

What is the difference between the 15 yr Lot A and Lot B? I'm sure its addressed somewhere on the site, but my searching abiliities are not quite up to snuff just yet.

Thanks for the assist.

Welcome aboard!

Here is a collection of posts that include mention of Lot A.

Searching for an exact phrase requires a quotation mark, a space, the phrase, a space, and a quotation mark. Note that the search function will return a maximum of 3,000 hits.

BTW if you'd care to introduce yourself there's a forum with the name "New to StraightBourbon.com", or similar.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield