I saw this article and thought of this thread:

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/l...k-in-2015.html


A. H. Hirsch (wax seal bottles)

Photo via Drinks Planet
As the subject of Chuck Cowdery’s book The Best Bourbon You’ll Never Taste, this bourbon is a thing of myth. The whiskey was distilled in 1974 near Schaefferstown, Penn. and purchased by Adolph Hirsch when the distillery went belly up. Expect a delicate nose and subtle flavor profile that lives up to the hype.


George T. Stagg

Out of all of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection releases from this year, the Stagg has been widely reported as the best. But enthusiasts will go out of their way to track down any and all vintages of this bourbon. This year’s is hot, balanced, and has a lot of caramel, vanilla and oak.


Pappy Van Winkle

Not to be confused with Old Rip Van Winkle, the Pappy line has gotten a lot of attention over the past few years. It’s bottled at 15, 20 and 23 year increments, and people rave over it. Each age statement is completely different (and varies from year to year). It’s worth tasting, if not just for the bragging rights.


Very Very Old Fitzgerald (18-year-old)

Photo via RecentEats
This is a wheated bourbon, which means the distiller substituted wheat for rye in the spirit’s mash bill. In terms of rarity, the Very Very Old Fitzgerald is difficult enough to find that few images exist on Google.


William Larue Weller

This is another member of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. It’s a wheated bourbon, so most years tend to be very soft, smooth bourbons. This year’s falls a bit flat next to the Stagg, but is still luxuriously hot with strong oak and vanilla notes.