Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 15 Year

**This is a rating of 2022 released bottle. Nose- Apples, stewed peaches, and red fruits. Vanilla, caramel and oak round out a deliciously traditional bourbon nose. Best nose I have ever experienced- no, but in the top 10 Palate- the taste is rich. Vanilla bean and candied apple hits you first, this then gets a hit of oak on the mid palate with just an ever so slight dash of all-spice. The taste progresses to more of those darker fruits as it rounds out. The mouthfeel is the right amount of balance- not too oily, but with a wonderful richness to showcase some age. Finish- Here is where Pappy 15 shines. It lasts, and lasts without ever burning your taste receptors......and at 107 proof! This is a dangerous sipping whiskey. A bottle you just want to sit right down with and slowly savor start to finish. I have been privileged now to have had a bottle the last 3 years. Of all the Pappy Bourbon I have tried (Old Rip, Lot B, 15, 20, and 23 yr.) Pappy Van Winkle 15 is the one I appreciate the most. It strikes the right balance between not being over-oaked (20 and 23 can be oak beasts, and a bit soggy for me) and not under-proofed (107 just hits the mark and needs nothing). Is it the best bourbon I have ever had? In a word- no. Is it among one of those rare treats- absolutely!