Julian Van Winkle’s Side Hustle Bourbon Is Back From the Grave

The revived version of Old Commonwealth bourbon looks a like the old version (and Pappy for that matter), but the whiskey is very different.

By Ben Bowers

Published November 6, 2024

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Anyone with even a remote knowledge of American whiskey has heard of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon at this point.

However, many don’t realize that Pappy is far from the only whiskey with direct connections to the Van Winkle family. In fact, Julian Sr., a.k.a. “Pappy” Van Winkle, and his heirs have been associated with quite a few different bourbon brands over the last 90+ years of working in the industry.

The Van Winkle Side Hustle That Had A Lot In Common With Pappy

A vintage bottle of Old Commonwealth 10 Year Old bourbon flanked by empty vintage bottles of whiskey also distilled at the same distillery. The bottles are sitting on a marble countertop and backgrounded by a tan wall. Several cards showing bourbon labels are also laid out in front of the bourbon bottles. — Earlier versions of Old Commonwealth Bourbon shared a lot of similarities with Pappy Van Winkle bottles. The bourbon inside also shared the same age statement and proof as Old Rip Van Winkle 10.

Even up until 2002, the same year the Van Winkles entered into a joint venture with Sazerac, the parent company of Buffalo Trace, to produce Pappy Van Winkle moving forward, Julian Van Winkle III was still sourcing and bottling a bourbon called Old Commonwealth.

The bourbon shared the name of the distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY, that was formerly known as the Hoffman Distillery, which Julian bought and renamed to Old Commonwealth back in the early 80s,

It’s no coincidence that Julian’s Old Commonwealth bourbon bottles had a lot in common with the Pappy line, i.e., especially Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year.

Like all Pappy Van Winkle bourbons and ORVW 10, Old Commonwealth was a 10-year-old wheated bourbon—i.e., a version of bourbon made with a higher concentration of wheat, bottled at 107 proof.

The original packaging also strongly echoed the look of Pappy Van Winkle. The bottle was the same shape and featured a sealed wax top. The label’s upper edge was also arched like Pappy Van Winkle and surrounded by a bold gold border.

The Reboot Under New Ownership Looks Similar, But Is Actually Very Different

The revived version of Old Commonwealth bourbon shown next to a bottle of Kentucky Nectar also made by the same distillery. Both bottles are sitting on a wooden table in front of a blue background that fades to black at the edges. — The revived version of Old Commonwealth Bourbon mirrors much of the original bottle’s label design, but it’s not a wheated bourbon and is much higher proof.

In 2019, two whiskey entrepreneurs, Zachary Joseph and Andrew English (a nephew and uncle duo), purchased the Old Commonwealth Distillery name rights. They also brought in their friend Tory LeBlanc to help source bourbon from other distilleries that they could then bottle under the Old Commonwealth distillery brands.

Their first offering is a revived take on Julian’s Old Commonwealth. The new bottle itself looks similar to the original and still very similar to bottles of Pappy Van Winkle as a result, at least at a glance. The new rectangular label looks even closer ORVW 10.

But the 10-year-old whiskey inside is very different. It’s made from 75% corn, 15% rye and 10% malted barley, making it more of a traditional vs. wheated style bourbon. It’s also bottled at cask strength, or 131.83 proof, making the whiskey a much more powerful pour than Julian’s version, if still lower than “hazmat” bourbons.

You Probably Won’t Get a Bottle, But Expect More New Whiskey In the Future

A bottle of Old Commonwealth Bourbon sitting to the right of a glass of whiskey partially filled wiht whiskey. The bottle and glass are sitting on a marble counter top The table also holds a saucer, newspaper listing, a plant and a dish of nuts

The first bottling of this new Old Commonwealth bourbon was unsurprisingly limited and offered at a premium price of $200. Based on the brand’s waitlist signup page, the initial run has already sold out quickly after its October 17 launch. However, the form to become an OC VIP is still active for anyone interested in signing up for alerts on future releases.

As for tasting notes, the new owners describe their take on Old Commonwealth 10th as “equally fruity, juicy, and bold.” More specifically, the taste starts with “cherry pie and ripe plums” that shift into “hard candies you’d find in a bowl on your grandmother’s coffee table.” The finish features notes of “dark chocolate and oak” and “a fast pop of roast peanuts.”

Joseph and English have also stated to other media outlets that they intend to release more revived brands in the future, including those that are more easily accessible and cheaper.