If Julian Van Winkle, Sr. were still alive today, he would really be pleased to see his creations getting the world’s attention and not only the spirits masters and liquor enthusiasts of the Kentucky and Tennessee back countries.

The Pappy Van Winkle 15 Years Old Kentucky Bourbon has truly cemented the long-standing tradition of the finest bourbons ever to come out of Kentucky that the name Van Winkle itself is already synonymous to the world’s best and finest bourbons.

Lighter in color than the Van Winkle family’s 20 and 23 year expressions but nonetheless offering the same exquisite complexity of flavors and tastes, the Pappy Van Winkle 15 packs so much intensity that it has the highest alcohol content among the three Van Winkle expressions at 107 proof – the 20 years old comes at 90.4 while the 23 years old is rated 95.6 proof. Despite these differences, the Pappy Van Winkle 15 retains the same old tradition of pre-Prohibition era whiskey making that has placed Kentucky in the limelight.

Because when it comes to bourbons, no other US state can produce world class quality spirits the way Kentucky does; although, many would point to its neighbor, Tennessee, as another venerable whiskey making state. Ask your liquor store Beverly Hills and they will tell you just exactly how the Pappy Van Winkle name has transformed the way Americans and the world drink bourbon.

The Pappy Van Winkle 15 was beautifully crafted in line with the family’s long tradition of famed wheated recipe. It bespeaks of the smoothest flavors from the oak barrels that aged the spirit for 15 years, untouched and unhurried. Only the greatest minds with the most endearing passion for producing the world’s best can ever come up with a rare gem as marvelous as the Pappy Van Winkle 15 Years Old Kentucky Bourbon.

The nose is distinctfully oaky with faint scents of nuts and leather. This is followed by a nice sweet vanilla scent that creates waves of pleasure to the senses. There is a hint of apples and fresh green twigs, reminiscent of the old golden days of Kentucky. The subtle aromas of caramel and spice can really transform your senses into a superbly extraordinary sensual experience.

The entire experience is just unbelievable. The marriage and harmony of all these scents are particularly pronounced and remarkably well-blended. There is tobacco spice as well as a hint of blueberry sweetness and the sweet gummy goodness of a little bubblegum.

The taste is full bodied, quite a mouthful, actually. Despite the sweetness on the nose, swirling it on the palate tames the overpowering sweetness to produce a surprisingly dry yet smooth complexity perhaps because of the tannins that simply override the sweetness of the barrel and all that corn. Nonetheless the palate should be sweet enough to make you forget who you are with.

The Pappy Van Winkle 15 Years Old Kentucky Bourbon finishes long and smooth. There is always that oaky goodness to the last drop often tailed by the sweetness of the corn-barrel combo. While it may be a good idea to add a few drops of water, the Pappy Van Winkle 15 should be finished neat.