So this is the whiskey that made me want to start a review blog about it. I had been sampling whiskeys for a few years now and not really taking note other than a mental note of if I liked it or not. I started taking notes when I got to sample this gem. I was at Rohr’s in the Morris Inn Hotel on the beautiful Campus of Notre Dame. Lucky for me, I have a good contact there. When they get unique and special spirits in I get notified of it and I get to go sample them. When I was told they had it I was super excited. They had a few other special bottles there to sample as well. I only got to try a single 1oz pour due to the fact that it was over $40.00.
On to the good stuff. The review.
Description – This is Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 years old Lot “B”. 90.4 Proof. 45.2% Alc/Vol. Bottled by Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery. Frankfort Kentucky.
Smell – It was a very mellow and easy on the nose. Not over powering on alcohol. It had a sweet smell. Some caramel that was easy to notice with a bit of spice. Again it was really mellow and smooth. No harsh bite to it.
Taste – Oh it was good. Super smooth. Zero harshness to it. I could taste some caramel, oak for sure, and some kind of spice. It hit the spot. It was easy to drink. Probably one of the smoothest whiskeys I have had up to that point. It also left a pleasant after taste of honey.
Color – Its a rich amber color with a orange tint.
I really enjoyed this whiskey. It was extremely smooth and easy to drink. I would highly recommend getting a drink if you can. My wife who does not like whiskey (at least at the time) tried it for the fact that it was a super hard to get whiskey and to say she tried it. She really enjoyed it and she drank it straight. That says something coming from her. She had no complaints. She stated, “she a thicc bitch.” She meant it as its viscous/oily. I wouldn’t pay the super high price for it but if you can get it less than $25.00 a pour I would say go for it. Or better yet if you can get a bottle for less than $100.00 I would say buy it. It retails for $79.99 but good luck finding a bottle let alone a bottle at that price.
The note from the distiller. I figured I would put this in here when its available.
See a brilliant, amber-orange color. Smell luscious, complex toffee. Taste a round, supple entry, leading to a dry, expansive, medium body. Enjoy notes of caramel, nuts, and brown spices with a lengthy, enveloping finish. It’s an outrageously smooth and decadent bourbon. https://www.oldripvanwinkle.com/whiskey/van-winkle-special-reserve/
Straight and Simple Whiskey 