Comments on gillmang`s review of Van Winkle Family Reserve R
Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 7:23 pmThis is an automatically created topic for discussion about gillmang's review of Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 year old.
To comment again on my own review (or really add extended comments), I'd say that ORVW 13 year old rye, as amply shown by the reviews under mine, has an extra level of sweetness, succulence, that the 1985 Family Reserve does not have. The 1985 100 proof is more austere. It is like a well-aged brandy of certain types (not fruity-rich but dry, emphasising wood and distillery notes). It could be a little smoother on the palate, but it is very good, and distinctive. The ORVW 13 tastes like it might have a component of the 1985 in it, but is more than that. The 1985 relies on its own lean, elegant, historical-type flavors for its own authenticity.
ORVW 13 has evolved since it was first issued and was 13 years old. It aged as each subsequent batch was released and finally was tanked at 18 years of age. Also, when tanked it was vatted with another straight rye of the same age. The pre-vatted version seemed fruitier to me than the post-vatted, but both are very good. I wonder (just speculating) if the 1985 Family Reserve rye might have been drawn from the stock that was added to the original ORVW 13 year old rye to make the current vatting. In any case, the current ORVW 13 has retained its rich, full profile.