Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Bourbon 2008 100% Stitzel-Weller

This bourbon is crafted from our

Introducing an exclusive family wheated recipe. Its smooth oak flavor is a perfect match for the barrel proof. Selected from barrels deep within our Kentucky warehouse, this bourbon has aged undisturbed for 15 years, allowing time to enhance its character.

Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

This American bourbon is crafted using the unique Van Winkle family wheated recipe. Carefully chosen from whiskey barrels in our aging warehouses, this bourbon has matured for 15 years in deep-charred heavy oak, remaining untouched by human hands. This meticulous aging process contributes to its status as one of the most sought-after whiskies.

In Pappy’s 15 Year bourbon whiskey, you will find an elegant aroma of caramel corn and vanilla. This wheated whiskey offers bold flavors of leather, oak, and complex fruitiness, finishing smoothly with hints of spice and oak tannins.

Tasting Notes

You will notice a hazy copper color. The taste begins with a rich, supple entry, leading to a decadent, full-bodied palate filled with intense caramel, toffee, and peppery brown spice flavors. The finish is long and complex, evolving with notes of spice and wood. Experts regard it as a seductive, exotic, and nearly flawless bourbon.

Pappy began his career at W.L. Weller & Sons as a traveling whiskey salesman and later became the President of Stitzel-Weller Distillery. He played a significant role in shaping the bourbon industry during and after Prohibition. Through his work in the warehouse, boardroom, and on the road, he built an unmatched reputation. Fine bourbon was his passion, and he accepted nothing less.

Pappy’s son, Julian Jr., managed the distillery from 1964 until the family sold it in 1972. Undeterred, he established J.P. Van Winkle and Son, focusing on marketing bourbon through various commemorative decanters, including popular designs for universities. He continued to bottle bourbon on the side, creating the Old Rip Van Winkle label as a potential future venture for his son, Julian III.

Julian III took over the business in 1981 after his father’s passing. At just 32, with a wife and four young children, he faced a challenging market. However, like his father, he was driven by passion. He purchased the Old Hoffman Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, for barrel storage and bottling. Lacking a budget for advertising, he relied on the quality of Old Rip Van Winkle to speak for itself, and his discerning palate made a significant impact.

When Buffalo Trace approached Julian III, he felt honored but was initially hesitant. He had plenty of bourbon aging, but he was concerned about future reserves as bourbon’s popularity surged. In 1999, Buffalo Trace acquired the W.L. Weller label and began producing bourbon with a recipe nearly identical to Pappy’s. The transition was seamless. As of May 2002, Buffalo Trace has been crafting the Van Winkle bourbons using Pappy’s exact recipe, allowing Old Rip Van Winkle to continue its legacy

 uphold its strict quality standards while increasing production for future enjoyment.