Van Winkle 12 Year Lot B | Bourbon Whiskey Review
Distillery: Buffalo Trace/Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery
Proof: 90.4
Mashbill: At least 51% corn, Wheat and Barley
Age: 12
MSRP: $79.99 (LOL!) Good luck!
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Fool Proof Rating and Summary of Tasting Notes
Color | Nose | Palate | Finish | Feel |
Mahogany | Sweet, Buttery, Syrupy Caramel, vanilla, cherries and oak | Sweet caramel, vanilla, honey, baking spices, oak and orange zest | medium length finish, oak, vanilla, jam and a hint of citrus | it is well balanced, light mouth coat, on the thinner side. |
Use my exclusive Caskers.com discount code: WHISKEYFOOL10 to receive $10 off qualifying* orders. Copy and paste to use at checkout.
*$100 or more
For all my tastings I use either the Libbey Signature Kentucky Bourbon Trail Whiskey Glass or a traditional Glencairn glass. They both are great for nosing and help in discerning more subtle notes.
Van Winkle Bourbons pays homage to one of the whiskey industry's founding fathers. Their bourbons are made from a wheated bourbon recipe, meaning that the secondary ingredient used in the bourbon is wheat instead of rye (other bourbons, such as Larceny Bourbon, have similar mash bills). After the bourbon has been distilled in the heart of Kentucky, this Special Reserve Lot B bourbon is aged for 12 years and bottled at 45.2% ABV. This younger Van Winkle is elegant and refined, and compelling.
I won the right to buy this particular bottle by being the 10th caller for a promotion that a local liquor store was doing. I actually paid the MSRP of $79.99 for this one! I was pretty excited to get into it. Lets see if it stacks up to all the hype!
Nose
The nose is definitely the best aspect of Van Winkle 12 year Lot B. This whiskey has an aroma that is truly a delight for your nose. It's like you've just stepped into a candy shop and the air is full of sweet, buttery, syrupy caramel, vanilla, cherry, and oak. I found myself lingering on the nosing part of this tasting, just to take in all the aromas this whiskey had to offer. The nose is remarkable and one that you won't forget.
Palate
On the front, the notes of sweet caramel, vanilla, and honey come alive on your tongue. The palate is smooth with a subtle edge of oak and orange zest to it. Each sip finishes off with baking spices, vanilla, and oak. For me, this is almost too smooth. I think that because of its lower proof it comes off a bit boring. Don't get me wrong this is a good pour. Also keep in mind that I really enjoy higher proof/barrel proof/cask strength whiskies so you may actually enjoy this a bit more than me.
Finish
The finish on this whiskey is medium length at best, with a nice balance of sweetness and spice. The oak flavor lingers with subtle hints of vanilla and caramel still there. It's nothing overly remarkable, but no doubt it is still a nice poor. Overall, I'd say the finish was decent but not quite what I wanted from this whiskey. It is incredibly smooth (smoothness is not a quality I like in my whiskey) and enjoyable, but lacks complexity. I would definitely recommend this to someone who likes a sweet, mellow whiskey without any strong, overpowering flavors.
Feel
The mouthfeel was also a bit disappointing. It provided minimal mouth coating and a lower viscosity than anticipated. Overall it felt a bit thin. I was hoping for a more full-bodied whiskey and this whiskey definitely did not deliver in that area.
Final Thoughts
While I found the whiskey enjoyable in its own right, it was not what I was hoping for. Although it is incredibly smooth with nice notes of sweet caramel vanilla and baking spice notes, it lacked complexity and the full-bodied sensation that I desired. Ultimately, this is a whiskey that is still very nice, but in my opinion, does not live up to the hype. Again if you like sweet, mellow whiskey that is incredibly easy to drink you may actually enjoy this one quite a bit more than me. This is still a fun bottle to own and garners lots of wide eyes when I pull it out of the bunker. Some of my friends like it much more than me and others feel the same way I do. For some context, I actually recently ranked Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Bourbon higher.
Check out my review on Blanton's Gold Edition which I rank higher as well.
For more wheated broubon ideas check out my article on The Best Wheated Bourbons.
Use my exclusive Caskers.com discount code: WHISKEYFOOL10 to receive $10 off qualifying* orders. Copy and paste to use at checkout.
*$100 or more
I would love to hear from you! Drop me a comment below and let me know what you think of this whiskey.
Below are my favorite glasses for doing tastings. The Libbey Signature Kentucky Bourbon Trail Whiskey Glass is my favorite because it has a little more heft to it and feels better in my hand than the traditional Glencairn glass does.