Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 20 Years Old 2013 100% Stitzel-Weller

A rare American icon, Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year is a masterclass in extended aging, boldly maturing for two decades while preserving balance, complexity, and character. Bottled at 90.4 proof, this bourbon defies convention, earning an astounding 99/100 from the World Spirits Championship and global recognition as the pinnacle of fine bourbon. With its deep roots in Kentucky tradition and a legacy shaped by Julian Pappy Van Winkle Sr., this expression reflects generations of uncompromising quality.

Crafted with a wheated mash billcorn, wheat, and malted barleythis bourbon develops remarkable softness and depth over 20 years. On the nose, it unveils aromas of oiled leather, cigar box, and dark fruit, with a rich amber hue that signals the flavor to come. The palate is silky, offering sherry-like sweetness, dried orange peel, vanilla bean, and roasted coffee, balanced by earthy tobacco and mineral undertones. Its long, luxurious finish carries layers of spice, smoke, and dried fig, more akin to a vintage cognac than a typical bourbon.

Pappy Van Winkles story begins in the late 1800s, when he started at W.L. Weller & Sons and later co-founded the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, revolutionizing bourbon with his wheated mash bill. That legacy lives on through his son Julian Jr. and grandson Julian III, who carried the brand through decades of change. Today, the bourbon is distilled and aged at Buffalo Trace Distillery, following Pappys original recipe and exacting standards.

Elegant, intense, and timeless, Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year is not just bourbonits history in a glass.