Pappy Van Winkle's 20 Year Old Family Reserve (Pre-2007) (75cl, 45.2%)

Pappy Van Winkle's 20 Year Old Family Reserve is a Kentucky bourbon from the Van Winkle family, whose whiskey-making goes back to the late 1800s. This pre-2007 bottling is 45.2% in a 75cl bottle, and it is likely to contain whiskey made at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery. The mash bill uses wheat in place of the more usual rye, and the bourbon is aged for 20 years in new charred American oak barrels. The nose offers caramelised oak, old leather, toasted nuts, dark chocolate, dried stone fruit and vanilla custard. The palate is smooth, with butterscotch, toasted oak, candied orange peel, cinnamon, dark toffee and cherry compote. The finish is very long and warming, with dark chocolate, leather, tobacco, dried fruit and oak.