As one of the core tenets of our company’s mission, and one of the very reasons we started Pappy & Company in the first place, sustainably repurposing our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrels is always at the forefront of our planning.

Bourbon is an experience. One that can’t be rushed, after all the very act of aging requires great patience - upwards of 23-years kind of patience. It begins long before the first sip. It begins, with the barrel. The true story of bourbon can be told through the barrel. The journey that the mash takes, from the day that it is put inside the barrel to the day it is dumped (yes, the technical term), is told through each marking, each striation, and each point of discoloration on the barrel. 

 
Made from white oak, bourbon barrels are unassuming, humble even, yet integral to the process. While not one of glamour or even great acclaim, to those in the know, the barrels hold a key to the very magic that is bourbon distilling.

There are scientific processes dedicated to studying everything from trees to rocks to decipher precise information. The extracted story can determine such details as their age and particular facts about their place in history.  While there isn’t a specific branch of scientific research dedicated to the anthropological study of bourbon barrels - we do consider ourselves enthusiastic students. We are endlessly fascinated by what remains once the bourbon has made it to the bottle, and eager to share our findings.

Each barrel, individual in their role, bears the unique markings of the aging process, and a careful study will reveal key factors that contributed to the final product. The natural striations in the wood, the char, the discoloration from time spent gently cradling the golden-hued liquor, and even the scratches and markings from the movement over time tell us the story of the bourbon

The lingering remains are still there, long after the bourbon has moved on. The most obvious reminder, of course, is the signature aroma, held deep within the bourbon-soaked wood, the mingling notes of vanilla, caramel, and charred wood are released.  The charred wood of the barrel itself - of course having lent its natural flavor to the final product - infusing an earthy spiciness and smoky sweetness to the balanced layers of distinct flavor. 

So for us, giving our genuine Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrels their due is as important and necessary as celebrating and honoring the bourbon itself. Having completed their mission, by nature, a bourbon barrel can not be used again for the purposes of bourbon aging. So a new life awaits for these Pappy Van Winkle Barrels, one that adequately honors their importance. 

Made From Barrels Collection: Sustainably and Creatively Repurposing Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrels

Of course, we have our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Gourmet Collection, where the signature Pappy Van Winkle flavor is enjoyed in a variety of products from our Award Winning Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Pure Maple Syrup to our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Mixers designed to craft effortlessly delicious craft cocktails for Pappy Hour, to our candies, hot sauce, coffee and just about everything else in between.

We have our entirely unique Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Fermented Cigars, where the flavor blossoms in hand-crafted cigars made with Drew Estate in Nicaragua, to enjoy alongside your favorite cocktail or bourbon. 

To fully experience and appreciate the beauty and iconic history of the Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Stave wood itself, we continue to seek out creative uses where the wood itself really shines. Our Made from Barrels collection is at the core of our sustainability efforts and the one that highlights the legendary Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrels themselves.

The most notable item in the collection is likely our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Heads. These genuine barrel heads from retired Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrels are lovingly restored to maintain their genuine markings, lasered with the accompanying year, and designed to display your true appreciation for an iconic bourbon legend. 

Our entire Made from Barrels Collection has evolved to include a variety of home goods and accessories, designed and crafted to specifically display the uniqueness of the barrel staves. Due to the very nature of the wood, after having undertaken years of aging Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon, each piece of wood is as unique as each sip of bourbon. 

River Run Workshop: Creatively Repurposing our Retired Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrels

We’ve continued to dream up new ways to repurpose and reuse these barrels, not only from our core mission of sustainability, but from a true desire to celebrate these iconic pieces of bourbon history. We began working with River Run Workshop on a custom project a few years ago, and we instantly connected over our shared passions for quality craftsmanship and, quite simply, doing things the right way. 

Beyond these shared sentiments, River Run is a similarly a small, family-led team, run by husband and wife Brenda and Dave, from their home in Ball Ground, Georgia. They maintain quality control by only taking on a certain amount of projects each year and working mainly with their family members. We feel fortunate to be one of their partners they have continued to work with. 

We introduced a few of our new home goods and accessories crafted with River Run earlier this year, that display their true artistic and creative talents, as well as their dedication to their craftsmanship. Our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Stave Vases, Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Stave Wood Carrier, our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Stave and Barrel Hoop Tray (that elegantly combines our barrel staves and barrel hoops) and our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Stave Ashtray Box (that is a three-in-one ashtray, cigar rest and cigar storage) are all crafted from genuine Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Staves in their workshop in Georgia. 

They have a true understanding of how to bring out the inherently unique qualities held within the barrel staves while designing and crafting gorgeous and practical pieces that are somehow equally as elegant and refined as they are rustically charming and purposeful. 

We were so excited to work with them to bring this next product to life, one that highlights the special nature of our Barrel staves while simultaneously allowing you to enjoy the full bourbon experience. An idea that has been ruminating for some time, that we could finally bring to life the right way, with the right partners.  

Introducing: Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Stave Spinning Glasses & Coaster Set

We were inspired to create our own set of spinning glasses by watching our dad, Julian Van Winkle, as he would carefully and quietly rotate his glass, waiting for the right moment to nose it, before he took his first sip. This set of sophisticated spinning cocktail glasses were elegantly designed to nestle in custom coasters expertly crafted from genuine, retired Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel staves. 

In an “every part of the animal” kind of philosophy, we do attempt to use every part of the barrel once it is retired. From our barrel heads to our barrel hoops, as well as the barrel staves (the thinner pieces of wood we use to craft everything from Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Smoking Chunks, to Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Cutting Boards, and even a custom Chef’s Knife with a Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Stave Handle). 

The stave pieces we’ve struggled to repurpose up until this point have been the bung staves - as they are wider than the typical staves, and of course, you have to work around the bunghole (this is the 2-inch hole in the side of the barrel that allows for filling and dumping the barrel, it is sealed during aging with a stopper called a bung) itself. For our Bourbon Barrel Spinners project in particular, the wider staves proved to be the ideal size, and thus a solution for what would have been previously discarded pieces of barrels have a second life - and one that truly honors their place in bourbon history. 

Transforming these bung staves into elegant coasters is a true testament to the craftsmanship of River Run. It also reflects our unwavering commitment to repurposing our Pappy Van Winkle barrels in a meaningful, useful, and beautiful way that truly honors their impact on bourbon history. This mission remains one of the signature elements of our sustainability efforts, realized through our Made from Barrels collection. Each unique, repurposed item promises a rugged and elevated charm that infuses your bourbon experience with an unmatched element of iconic bourbon heritage. 

With an angled hexagon design that resembles our Pappy & Company Keys logo, that honors both the essential steps to the bourbon-making process as well as the keys  to  hospitality that Pappy’s philosophy embraced, the glasses are designed to encourage you to embrace your rituals and craft your own traditions. The uniquely purposeful design of the glass features a bump out on the bottom of the glass that nestles perfectly in the matching coaster for a flawlessly executed spin for ideal aeration and enjoyment. 

The act of aerating is a subtle one, but it allows a full appreciation of the subtle balance of aroma and flavor as they evolve when you slowly and intentionally expose your bourbon to air. With each gentle whirl, you release the delicate notes of distinct flavors, discovering vanilla, charred oak, and an earthy spiciness, with hints of caramel, and an undeniable smoky sweetness.  

We invite you to slow down, aerate, sip, and savor with this set of spinning glasses designed especially for the true bourbon lover.