Old Rip Van Winkle (2014) Review

I said this in my last Van Winkle review but it’s worth repeating again: I have a love / hate relationship with Van Winkle whiskeys. The fever pitch frenzy over their products is the poster child of everything terrible about the current bourbon boom: price gouging stores, secondary market flippers, and asshat click-bait articles about how it’s the greatest whiskey you will ever taste. Here’s a spoiler: it’s far from that. Also in an age where people are crying foul over dishonest whiskey labels, I don’t think enough people are calling out the Van Winkles who put “Handmade Bourbon” and “Distilled and Bottled by ‘Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery’” on their labels. Get the hell out of here with that nonsense, there is no Van Winkle Distillery.

All of that negativity is really a shame though because I actually do really like some of their products, particularly the 10, 12, and 15 year releases. Not usually being a fan of older bourbons, the 10 year bottle I am reviewing here today might actually be my favorite of the current bunch. I also happen to think the label design for it is the best looking of any whiskey currently available and my second all time favorite right behind the older Old Weller Antique paper label. Given all the hoopla around their whiskey it almost pains me to write a review but hopefully I’ve grounded it enough that I’m not adding to the problem.

Aged 10 years; 53.5% ABV; $60

Notes: The nose is mostly sweet with cake batter, rum fruit cake, and a touch of wood. On the tongue the high proof really makes itself known but also brings lots of your typical wheated bourbon flavors: sweet caramel, more cake batter, and some booze soaked dark fruits. The finish tapers off in classic high proof wheated bourbon style with a high dose of cinnamon. The modest age on this one also comes through on the finish as the baking / cinnamon spices are backed by some tannic oak and a hint of bitterness like tea. It’s a well rounded bourbon with a good balance of sweetness, the perfect proof, and some oak complexity.

Thoughts: This is a really good bourbon. In a tasting side by side against other wheated bourbons of similar proof like Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and Old Weller Antique, the Old Rip was better but only marginally. Those other products are also easy to find and don’t come with the baggage of stupidity surrounding them. At retail price this bottle is worth buying but don’t pay stupid secondary market prices for it.

Rating: B+ / A-