This is a very hyped release from Buffalo Trace under the Van Winkle name. Released in limited quantities every fall, people spend their free fall weekend clamoring for a bottle, and often even just a taste.
I didn’t expect this whiskey to be as fun as it was – fruity, sweet, full of life. It’s not the most complex bourbon I’ve ever tasted, but it is undoubtedly an enjoyable one (and, I imagine, is the world’s best accompaniment to peach cobbler on a warm summer evening).
The nose on this one is classic: butterscotch and oak. It intensifies as it opens up with richer caramel and spice notes, but still remains rather straightforward.
The nose has Madagascar vanilla, vine-ripened fruits, honey, and wheat. On the palate, you'll find maple sugar, butterscotch, nutmeg, and Red Hots. Dried fruits and sweet caramel continue through the decently long finish.
An excellent old wheated bourbon. Soothing oily texture, with notes of toffee, old rum, nougat, vanilla bean, candied fruit, black raspberry, corn bread, hints of Earl Grey tea, cinnamon, and nutmeg, with a smooth, polished oak finish.
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House Review
Nose:
Its hot, a touch rough and absolutely full of vanilla. Theres also some pepper, subdued corn and some caramel. It's pretty woody for a 10 year bourbon and has quite a bit going on without being totally oak focused.
Taste:
The mouthfeel is a bit thin for the proof but its pleasant and theres a good deal of that nice peppery spice, followed by some vanilla sweetness and a little brown sugar. It's desserty and layered, heavy on pepper, caramel and vanilla, and a round brown sugar and maple note. Touch of tobacco.
Finish:
Medium but hot. You can tell this breaks the 100pf divide and it makes its proof known all the way down. The good ol' Kentucky Hug! Not bad, but present. Theres some more pepper and a little spice but it blends well with some last fading vanilla notes. Maple rides pleasantly and brings in quite a bit of complexity on the finish.
Overall:
Old Rip Vani Winkle is well developed and presents really nicely for a 10 year whiskey, although it's far from the tops in the Van Winkle line up.
Score:
85
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
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