Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 Years Old 2009 100% Stitzel-Weller

Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 Year Old 2009 is a rare vintage release made entirely from Stitzel-Weller distillate — spirit produced at the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery before it closed in 1992, making every 20+ year Van Winkle release drawing on that stock a finite historical artifact, rated 99/100 by the World Spirits Championship and considered the #1 rated bourbon in the world at the time of evaluation.

Stitzel-Weller was Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle Sr.'s distillery — a wheated bourbon operation in Louisville that ran from 1935 until its closure in 1992 under subsequent ownership. The wheated mash bill (wheat replacing rye as the secondary grain) produces a softer, rounder bourbon character than high-rye expressions, and the 20 years of maturation at Stitzel-Weller's specific warehouse conditions produced the oiled leather, smoke, cigar box, dried fruit, and vanilla complexity that became the benchmark profile. The 2009 bottling draws on spirit distilled in the late 1980s — one of the last cohorts of genuinely Stitzel-Weller sourced whiskey available at this age statement. As the stock depletes, the historical significance of each release increases.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Deep dark amber and orange
• Nose: Oiled leather, smoke, and cigar box — the Stitzel-Weller warehouse character fully expressed
• Palate: Smooth and complex — citrus zest, sherry, dried fruits, and vanilla over a soft wheated foundation
• Finish: Long and elegant — the Stitzel-Weller complexity sustained through a warm, refined close

Specs

• Distillery: Stitzel-Weller Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky (closed 1992)
• Producer: Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery / Buffalo Trace
• Style: Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Vintage: 2009 bottling, 100% Stitzel-Weller distillate
• Age: 20 years
• Rating: 99/100 — World Spirits Championship
• ABV: 45.2% (90.4 Proof)
• Size: 750ml

Browse the full Pappy Van Winkle collection at Wooden Cork.