author’s note: This post may look a wee bit familiar to a few of you. It went up briefly yesterday when I got my days mixed up (holiday Mondays will do that to me), though I eventually pulled it. So if you picked this up yesterday, read it, and are wondering why on earth are you reading it again…Liz messed up her days. With that, here we go again!
A few years back, my husband and I hit Kentucky for a family wedding. Besides falling head-over-heels for Rebecca Ruth bourbon balls (foreshadowing here as you’ll see RR again at BoFN), I left the state with a deep appreciation for all things bourbon. While BoFN isn’t the place to expound on how to make your own bacon bourbon or use this all-American spirit to spike cookie dough (stop by food for fun for these tricks), it’s certainly the blog to introduce one of the many funnily-named folk in Kentucky’s bourbon heritage.
Let’s meet Pappy, shall we? Way back when in 1893, 18-year-old Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr. traveled as salesman for W.L. Weller and Sons, a liquor wholesaler in Louisville, KY. Pappy and a fellow salesman dreamed big and bought the wholesale house out in 1908. Two years later, they purchased the A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery, which made bourbon for Weller. Bright fellows both, Pappy and his pal merged the two companies to create the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, which went on to sell bourbon labels such as W.L. Weller, Old Fitzgerald, Rebel Yell, and Cabin Still.
Pappy smoking a cigar and gracing a whiskey bottle
If you know your history, you’ll do the math here and realize that Pappy was distilling and selling whiskey as the U.S. entered prohibition. But Stitzel-Weller kept on keeping on even during those 13 dry years as the government licensed Pappy and his crew to produce whiskey for medicinal purposes.
Prohibition eventually ended and Pappy opened a brand-spankin’ new Stitzel-Weller Distillery in South Louisville on Derby Day in 1935. That strong Kentucky spirit (talking disposition here, though the beverage itself may also have had something to do with it) kept Van Winkle Sr. heavily involved in distillery operations until his death in 1965.
Son Julian, Jr. then took over operations, though stockholders forced him to sell the distillery in 1972. (Google wouldn’t dish on why he had to sell, so I say we make up our own stories. Why do you think Julian Jr. was forced to sell? Let me know in comments.)
JJ didn’t go down easily, though, as he went on to resurrect the only pre-prohibition label the Van Winkle family still owned–Old Rip Van Winkle. Whiskey stocks from the old distillery were called in to supply this brand and JJ’s son (yes, you guessed it–Julian, III) took over when his father passed away in 1981. Julian, III has continued with the company and his son Preston (they’d had enough of the Julians apparently) signed on in 2001. More recently, the Van Winkles joined up with the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, where all of their whiskey is now produced.
Pappy still smoking a cigar and now gracing a book cover
At his death, Pappy Van Winkle, Sr. was the oldest active distiller in the nation and his photo graces the label of each bottle of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. While I’ve yet to have the pleasure of tasting his brand, it’s said to be one of the finest bourbons in the world. We raise a glass in salute to you, Pappy!
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Oooh, ooh!! I got the first like! Let’s see if I can type really fast and get the first comment, too! Wheee! (Yes, I’m already on my second cup of coffee this morning, why do you ask?)
Can I just tell you how much I love the name Van Winkle? (hint: it’s a lot). Almost as much as I love the fact that VW was allowed to produce during prohibition for “medicinal purposes” … those doctors are a hard partying bunch, no? 😉
PS: I think the Stitzel-Weller Distillery should join forces with the Goodham Worts Distillery here in Toronto, for the funny-name power alone ….
Thanks, amb 🙂 Goodham Worts? That’s hilarious in multiple ways. (Good? Ham? The food person in me is all over this!) And if we added Van Winkle it’d get even better: GWVW. Then it would join forces with S-W and move toward world domination.
Take it easy on the coffee (or maybe just pour me a glass–need something to get me going this morning) and make sure to pour yourself a (medicinal) shot of bourbon whenever you start feeling ill. Dr’s orders!
Love that we’re promoting world domination here, on top of medicinal bourbon and all manner of other good things 😀
I hope doctors end up being a hard partying bunch! Would make medical school so much more fun!
Tempted to make yet another “Grey’s Anatomy”/”McDreamy” reference here … trying to be good instead …
No, be BAD!
I just lost it at my desk. You just made my day, you know that, right?
*amb makes some notes to share later*
🙂
One of the most knowledgeable guys I know is a cigar smoker. You don’t meet too many twenty-something cigar smokers these days.
Oh, last thing… I just remembered this. The rapper Vanilla Ice is actually named Robbie Van Winkle!!!!
You two sure know how to heat up a room! We have rap music playing, cigar smoke wafting *cough, cough*, bourbon being sipped (not slammed, but sipped–this PVW is spendy stuff), and now you’re making notes to “share later.” Hmmmm…. I’ll, um…well, I think I’ll go now. Need to check on something somewhere else. Just be sure to lock up when you leave, ‘K? 😉
Sounds like I missed a great party.
the party never stops here, nightsky, and you’re always welcome. Be sure to bring your lady friend and your (blogging) son, too. More the merrier–that’s (one of) our motto(s).
Great post, Liz! Pappy…can’t go wrong with a Pappy, much less a Van Winkle. Great stuff.
Also great stuff were the oatmeal cookies I made yesterday from your recipe. De-Lizious!
Thanks, Arto. PVW is a cute little name–ironic him being a bourbon distiller and all. Love that you’re using deLizious as an adjective–yay!
Sort of makes me want a bourbon. Something I’ve never had.
It’s strong stuff and I can only drink it if it’s cut 50/50 with soda water. But I love that it’s slightly sweet and even a bit caramel-y.
Appreciate you stopping by–thanks!
Great post Liz. Looks like I’ve got some catching up to do.
The party is officially ON now that you’re here, Fannie. Looking forward to reading about your travels (something about a Lord of the something?). AND I’d love to hear what you’ve been eating 🙂 S’mores?
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