Blitz, meet your Pappy

On Christmas, my 22 year old son generously gave me a special present. It was a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 20 year bourbon. This is one of the most expensive bottles of bourbon available, and is considered one of the 'Holy Grails' of bourbon drinkers. I was expecting to get a nice bottle of bourbon from him, but I didn't expect this. It actually felt a little too soon in my bourbon journey to experience something at this level. It's as if I just started a baseball card collection and somebody gave me a Babe Ruth rookie card. It looks a out of place in my little whiskey collection of a half dozen low-to-mid-shelf whiskies. Also, I was concerned that I was too inexperienced a bourbon taster to appreciate such a vintage.

It took me about a week to find the right time to taste the Pappy. The result? Keep in mind that I am not at the point of providing specific tasting notes, I can just provide a general impression. One can definitely tell it is well aged, because there is a very strong oak character. Some have labeled it too 'woody'. It's a wheated bourbon, so it is smoother than most I have tasted. It was so different from anything else that I have tasted, that my first impression was not positive. However, after I was accustomed to the taste I began to appreciate this fine bourbon. It's wonderful as a special occasion pour.

Is it worth the money? That's usually the first thing people ask. I think that's the wrong question. Does it taste five times better than a good mid-shelf bourbon? I don't even know how you can measure that. It's more about the experience. Based in ticket prices, is a Super Bowl game ten times more enjoyable to watch in person than a regular game? For me, Pappy is worth the price to try, and now share, one of the great bourbons available.