A sign famously hung on the front of warehouse A in the old Stitzel-Weller distillery that read, “Quiet, Whiskey Sleeping.” A recognition that something special and rather sacrosanct was taking place behind that door. A recognition we carry through today with our collection of genuine and authentic Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel Heads.
Whiskey is, after all, a natural byproduct of time, and a short list of ingredients, where the final, most critical step simply involves years - and a charred white oak barrel. Where, according to the ethos of Pappy himself, “Fine bourbon ought to make itself - with just a little help from Mother Nature and Father Time.”
This time sleeping, as they say, is when the wood expands as the barrels are bathed in the heat of a Kentucky summer sun, and the wood contracts when they are cooled by the winds of a southern winter. This naturally choreographed mobility of the whiskey as it flows in and out of the changing wood is what matures it. Over the years of aging quietly in the ideal Kentucky climate, the whiskey takes on its signature color, its mellow flavor, and the characteristics that make it the finest bourbon to be bottled and enjoyed.
It is what lingers then, what remains in the barrels once they are dumped after 10 years, that tells the story we can only otherwise witness through taste and smell. We rely on these retired barrel heads, barrel staves, and even the barrel hoops, to reveal the secrets of the bourbon. They are hidden within the walls, each marking a telltale sign of the requisite char, each striation a showcase of the gentle movement over time, and each patch of discoloration a shared whisper of the whiskey that so recently passed between its walls.
Once retired, each barrel head is lovingly restored, lasered with the corresponding and iconic label matching the 10-Year bottle, and signed by Julian Van Winkle III. As rare and iconic as the bourbon they housed, these barrel heads are entirely unique testaments to the heritage of Pappy Van Winkle and are the ultimate collector’s item for enthusiasts.
