Comments on Mike's review of Pappy Van Winkle 23 year old

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Comments on Mike's review of Pappy Van Winkle 23 year old

Unread postby forumadmin » Sun May 06, 2007 1:58 pm

This is an automatically created topic for discussion about Mike's review of Pappy Van Winkle 23 year old;.
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Unread postby TNbourbon » Sun May 06, 2007 1:58 pm

Mike, you'll be either chagrined or glad to know -- you choose! -- that I consider the 2005/06 issue of Pappy 23 (with the A prefix) the least approachable of the bunch. Too much oak and tannin for me, consistent in three different tastings. It's the only one of the three so far I haven't purchased.
However, I had the privilege of tasting samples from a half-dozen barrels of the Pappy 23 currently being prepared -- for, well, er, a StraightBourbon.com single-barrel bottling -- and thought them universally superior to the last issue. The great nose and nutty, maple/caramel palate was present without any too-obvious oak. Although three of those barrels are now gone, none were suspect in any way. I'd rate the current/next (2007) release a 'Buy'.
(I also happen to have a then-21yo barrel-proof sample from last fall here at the house, and it is wonderful, so I fully expect the next 23yo batch also to be excellent.)
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Unread postby Mike » Sun May 06, 2007 2:41 pm

Tim, I usually take your opinions as gospel........but not without exception (e.g. the Four Grain). I seem to prefer dry whiskies more than some folks. I can understand why some don't care too much for the '06 Pappy 23, but as I said and as I sit here now sipping same, I find it delightful and exceptional. It certainly is not your everyday bourbon.

I do find it wine like and haven't the least regret at buying it, in part because it is unique. And, even though me and Barleycorn are not going to be playing poker for a week or so to pay for it......both of us always lose, me often to him, (I think his IQ bests mine and I am lousy at bluffing) and even though he has yet to sample the Pappy 23.

I do enjoy tastes that 'challenge' me and that are different. I am not saying that is a good thing or a bad thing, it is just a thing.

BTW, I assume you will be at the BF this fall and if so, I certainly look forward to meeting one of my favorite BE personalities. My wife and I will be there on Tuesday afternoon, but alas, must leave Friday evening to another venue, Las Vegas (which I could pass on, but the we have free lodging courtesy of my 86 YO aunt, and the boss, well she wants to go, and naturally, I would do anything for her).
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas
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Unread postby bourbonv » Sun May 06, 2007 5:00 pm

Mike,
I tend to agree with TNbourbon on this bourbon. It is too woody for my taste. I do agree with him about the single barrels. I had the oportunity to taste the Pappy 23 with Julian and Preston a couple a years ago. I found most of them very woody but a few that were outstanding. Barrels married together and chill filtering helped the overall taste of the brand but it is still too woody for my tastes.

I do wonder if the barrels being selected from for the Straightbourbon.com barrel were consolidated barrels. That would improve the overall flavor of the 23yo Pappy since the fuller barrels would tend to get less wood flavor. Since julian is an expert at babying these barrels then a consolidated barrel of Stitzel-Weller bourbon at 23 years of age could be quite special.
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Unread postby TNbourbon » Sun May 06, 2007 5:33 pm

bourbonv wrote:...I do wonder if the barrels being selected from for the Straightbourbon.com barrel were consolidated barrels...


Well, Mike, I didn't ask, mostly because it seemed so unlikely, as these barrels contained so little whiskey. They were weighed immediately after selection and bracketed the 200-lb. mark. Julian noted that the barrels themselves accounted for about 125 pounds of that.
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Unread postby bourbonv » Sun May 06, 2007 7:46 pm

Tim,
I would say that you are right in your assumptions and they were not consolidated barrels. I know Julian has quite a few colsolidated barrels in the 20 year old range, but they will not be used for Pappy 23 for a few more years - but it does mean he will have plenty of Pappy 20 this year.

These barrels were consolidated by UD before he bought them so they have been mingled in the wood for several years now.
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