Van Winkle 12 Year Special Reserve Lot B 90.4 Proof 750ml

Van Winkle Special Reserve "Lot B" is the 12-year expression of the Van Winkle family's wheated bourbon — bottled at Buffalo Trace, the family's partner distillery since 2002, at 90.4 proof, and released in tiny annual allocations that never come close to demand.

The name is one of bourbon's better stories. As Julian Van Winkle III tells it, back in his Old Commonwealth days he split his 12-year barrels into two lots: Lot A was small and vanished almost immediately; Lot B was larger and took years to sell through. By the time the next batch was ready, customers were asking for "Lot B" by name — so it stayed on the label. Three decades later, the plain label and wine-shaped bottle are unmistakable on any shelf lucky enough to hold one.

Like every Van Winkle bourbon, Lot B is wheated — wheat takes the place of rye in the mash bill, trading spice for softness. Twelve years in the barrel turns that softness into something deeper: caramel and ripe stone fruit up front, honeyed oak and baking spice underneath, and a finish so gentle you understand why wheated bourbon inspires this much devotion. Within the family lineup it sits between Old Rip Van Winkle 10 and the Family Reserve bottlings that made "Pappy" a household name — old enough to show real maturity, restrained enough at 90.4 proof to pour generously. Ask around: plenty of longtime collectors will tell you, quietly, that Lot B is the one they actually drink.

A word on trust, because with Van Winkle it matters: counterfeits are a genuine problem in this category, and it's why every Van Winkle bottle we offer comes from authenticated and verified sources. White-glove packing and, in most cases, same-day shipping come standard. Buying it as a gift? This listing is the bottle on its own — the same bourbon is also available in our Van Winkle gift sets, built for exactly that occasion. And for the collectors — we hunt down vintage, laser-code-dated Lot B releases, the kind of bottles you otherwise only see in someone else's trophy cabinet.

At a glance

• Producer: Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery
• Bottled at: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky (the family's home since 2002)
• Style: Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Age: 12 years
• Proof: 90.4 (45.2% ABV)
• Size: 750ml

Common questions

Is Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot B the same as Pappy Van Winkle?
Same family, same wheated recipe, different tier. "Pappy Van Winkle" formally refers to the Family Reserve bottlings (15, 20, and 23 year); Lot B is the 12-year Special Reserve just below them — which is why enthusiasts often call it "Baby Pappy."

What does "Lot B" mean?
The story goes back to the early 1990s: Julian Van Winkle III split his 12-year barrels into two lots. Lot A sold out fast; Lot B lingered long enough that customers learned to ask for it by name, and the name never left the label.

Is Lot B a wheated bourbon?
Yes — wheat replaces rye as the secondary grain, the signature of every Van Winkle bourbon. The result is a softer, sweeter, rounder profile than traditional rye-recipe bourbons.

Why is Van Winkle Lot B so hard to find?
It's released in very limited annual allocations, and the share reaching any single store is tiny. Most bottles never reach an open shelf — which is exactly the problem a concierge exists to solve.

*Must be 21 to order.