Table Of Contents

The Details

Rating 89
Style
American Whiskey
Whiskey
Produced In Kentucky
United States
ABV 65.92%
Availability Limited
Price $199.99 
Reviewed By
Review Updated 2024-11-12

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Fall 2024 Review

Fans of vintage bourbon, take notice. There’s a new, resurrected label on the market, with a pedigree tied closely to the Van Winkle family.

In the 1970s, Julian Van Winkle II — the son of Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr., one of American whiskey’s most revered figures — launched a label called Old Commonwealth, which sold whiskey from the iconic Stitzel-Weller distillery. In 1987, his son Julian Van Winkle III bought a nearly forgotten distillery in Lawrenceburg, Ky., which dated back to 1889 and was best known as the Hoffman Distillery. Van Winkle III used the site to bottle and launch new expressions of sourced whiskey, including a highly sought after Old Commonwealth 10 year bourbon. Van Winkle’s operations at the site stopped around 2002 after he entered into a long-term partnership with Buffalo Trace.

In 2019, the site was purchased by nephew and uncle pair Zachary Joseph and Andrew English, along with friend and business partner Troy LeBlanc. The three are now relaunching several once-famous brands based around sourced whiskey — apparently with Van Winkle’s blessing.

The first is a reimagined Old Commonwealth 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. This release is distilled from a mash of 75 percent corn, 15 percent rye, and 10 percent malted barley; it’s bottled at a robust 65.92 percent ABV. (It’s worth noting the original Old Commonwealth 10 came from a wheated mash and was bottled at 107 proof.) While the exact sourcing is undisclosed and unconfirmed, clues point to it possibly being distilled by Barton in Bardstown, Ky.

Let’s see how this ultra-limited rebirth of Old Commonwealth 10 tastes!

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Fall 2024 review.

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Bourbon: Stats and Availability

This new Old Commonwealth 10 Year was launched through the facility’s new website in October 2024; at an MSRP of $200, it sold out almost immediately. That’s partly due to the label’s historic pedigree and partly because of a grassroots marketing campaign that got some of bourbon’s most ardent collectors interested in the bottles. I’m now seeing a broad range of secondary pricing (from three to seven times MSRP) for a release that’s rumored to be just a few hundred bottles.

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Bourbon Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

Things start off a little hot on the nose, and I find it takes almost 10 minutes for the ethanol to calm down for proper nosing. An early effervescent quality pairs with citrus oil to evoke highly carbonated lemon/lime soda. Bright red cherries in syrup are up next, along with a hint of Pine-Sol; it’s a pungent, fruit-meets-wood oil mashup. Eventually, those brighter citrus and pine elements fall back and reveal more earthy components including damp soil and cooked mushrooms, along with a hefty dose of barrel char. The longer it rests, the older this bourbon noses, with oak building gradually in the glass.

It’s a complex, multifaceted nose that takes some time to grapple with. I enjoyed it, though frankly it took me longer than normal to reach that conclusion. The palate will really dictate whether I like this or not!

Taste

Extraordinarily oaky at first sip, the early palate quickly shifts to blueberry cobbler cooked over a campfire, with tart fruit meeting dense, sweet dough and charred wood. While the oak took its time on the nose, the first couple tastes put it center stage, giving the fruit flavors a lightly smoked and charred character. Grilled peaches linger heavily toward the front of the tongue, thanks in part to a viscous mouthfeel that sticks just about everywhere it touches.

There’s a pronounced shift starting at the midpalate, with peanut butter and dark chocolate almost entirely replacing the early fruit. Hefty doses of cinnamon and powdered ginger dominate the back palate, and the full impact of the 130+ proof accumulates heavily toward the roof of the mouth.

Finish

This bourbon serves a long, heavily tannic finish, filled with both semi-sweet baking and very dark chocolate, cherry fruit leather, and peanut butter on burnt toast. While things start off rich and composed, the tannins remain long after the other flavors have dissipated, resulting in a final act that’s significantly dryer, hotter, and ultimately a little chalkier than I would have liked.

Some dilution helps reduce the sensation of burnt toast in the mouth and throat while tempering the proof enough to allow more of those fruit flavors to shine through. Frankly, I liked this far more with some water, and I would highly recommend keeping a dropper handy.

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Bourbon Rating

89/100

Recap

The newest iteration of Old Commonwealth 10 Year pairs a fascinating nose with a pronounced and complex palate. What would be an otherwise great bourbon loses some composure on the finish, which can be partly remedied by liberal use of a water dropper. The “new” Old Commonwealth certainly came out swinging, and I’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for whichever sourced stocks the brand ends up releasing next.

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89
POINTS
Old Commonwealth 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Fall 2024
Fans of vintage bourbon, take notice. There’s a new, resurrected label on the market, with a pedigree tied closely to the Van Winkle family. In the 1970s, Julian Van Winkle II — the son of Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr., one of American whiskey’s most revered figures — launched a label called Old Commonwealth, which sold whiskey from the iconic Stitzel-Weller distillery. In 1987, his son Julian Van Winkle III bought a nearly forgotten distillery in Lawrenceburg, Ky., which dated back to 1889 and was best known as the Hoffman Distillery. Van Winkle III used the site to bottle and launch new expressions of sourced whiskey, including a highly sought after Old Commonwealth 10 year bourbon. Van Winkle’s operations at the site stopped around 2002 after he entered into a long-term partnership with Buffalo Trace. In 2019, the site was purchased by nephew and uncle pair Zachary Joseph and Andrew English, along with friend and business partner Troy LeBlanc. The three are now relaunching several once-famous brands based around sourced whiskey — apparently with Van Winkle’s blessing. The first is a reimagined Old Commonwealth 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. This release is distilled from a mash of 75 percent corn, 15 percent rye, and 10 percent malted barley; it’s bottled at a robust 65.92 percent ABV. (It’s worth noting the original Old Commonwealth 10 came from a wheated mash and was bottled at 107 proof.) While the exact sourcing is undisclosed and unconfirmed, clues point to it possibly being distilled by Barton in Bardstown, Ky. Let’s see how this ultra-limited rebirth of Old Commonwealth 10 tastes! Old Commonwealth 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Fall 2024 review.

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Bourbon: Stats and Availability

This new Old Commonwealth 10 Year was launched through the facility’s new website in October 2024; at an MSRP of $200, it sold out almost immediately. That’s partly due to the label’s historic pedigree and partly because of a grassroots marketing campaign that got some of bourbon’s most ardent collectors interested in the bottles. I’m now seeing a broad range of secondary pricing (from three to seven times MSRP) for a release that’s rumored to be just a few hundred bottles.

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Bourbon Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

Things start off a little hot on the nose, and I find it takes almost 10 minutes for the ethanol to calm down for proper nosing. An early effervescent quality pairs with citrus oil to evoke highly carbonated lemon/lime soda. Bright red cherries in syrup are up next, along with a hint of Pine-Sol; it’s a pungent, fruit-meets-wood oil mashup. Eventually, those brighter citrus and pine elements fall back and reveal more earthy components including damp soil and cooked mushrooms, along with a hefty dose of barrel char. The longer it rests, the older this bourbon noses, with oak building gradually in the glass. It’s a complex, multifaceted nose that takes some time to grapple with. I enjoyed it, though frankly it took me longer than normal to reach that conclusion. The palate will really dictate whether I like this or not!

Taste

Extraordinarily oaky at first sip, the early palate quickly shifts to blueberry cobbler cooked over a campfire, with tart fruit meeting dense, sweet dough and charred wood. While the oak took its time on the nose, the first couple tastes put it center stage, giving the fruit flavors a lightly smoked and charred character. Grilled peaches linger heavily toward the front of the tongue, thanks in part to a viscous mouthfeel that sticks just about everywhere it touches. There’s a pronounced shift starting at the midpalate, with peanut butter and dark chocolate almost entirely replacing the early fruit. Hefty doses of cinnamon and powdered ginger dominate the back palate, and the full impact of the 130+ proof accumulates heavily toward the roof of the mouth.

Finish

This bourbon serves a long, heavily tannic finish, filled with both semi-sweet baking and very dark chocolate, cherry fruit leather, and peanut butter on burnt toast. While things start off rich and composed, the tannins remain long after the other flavors have dissipated, resulting in a final act that’s significantly dryer, hotter, and ultimately a little chalkier than I would have liked. Some dilution helps reduce the sensation of burnt toast in the mouth and throat while tempering the proof enough to allow more of those fruit flavors to shine through. Frankly, I liked this far more with some water, and I would highly recommend keeping a dropper handy.

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Bourbon Rating

89/100

Recap

The newest iteration of Old Commonwealth 10 Year pairs a fascinating nose with a pronounced and complex palate. What would be an otherwise great bourbon loses some composure on the finish, which can be partly remedied by liberal use of a water dropper. The “new” Old Commonwealth certainly came out swinging, and I’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for whichever sourced stocks the brand ends up releasing next.

Reviewed On: 11-13-2024
89
POINTS
Old Commonwealth 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Fall 2024
Fans of vintage bourbon, take notice. There’s a new, resurrected label on the market, with a pedigree tied closely to the Van Winkle family. In the 1970s, Julian Van Winkle II — the son of Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr., one of American whiskey’s most revered figures — launched a label called Old Commonwealth, which sold whiskey from the iconic Stitzel-Weller distillery. In 1987, his son Julian Van Winkle III bought a nearly forgotten distillery in Lawrenceburg, Ky., which dated back to 1889 and was best known as the Hoffman Distillery. Van Winkle III used the site to bottle and launch new expressions of sourced whiskey, including a highly sought after Old Commonwealth 10 year bourbon. Van Winkle’s operations at the site stopped around 2002 after he entered into a long-term partnership with Buffalo Trace. In 2019, the site was purchased by nephew and uncle pair Zachary Joseph and Andrew English, along with friend and business partner Troy LeBlanc. The three are now relaunching several once-famous brands based around sourced whiskey — apparently with Van Winkle’s blessing. The first is a reimagined Old Commonwealth 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. This release is distilled from a mash of 75 percent corn, 15 percent rye, and 10 percent malted barley; it’s bottled at a robust 65.92 percent ABV. (It’s worth noting the original Old Commonwealth 10 came from a wheated mash and was bottled at 107 proof.) While the exact sourcing is undisclosed and unconfirmed, clues point to it possibly being distilled by Barton in Bardstown, Ky. Let’s see how this ultra-limited rebirth of Old Commonwealth 10 tastes! Old Commonwealth 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Fall 2024 review.

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Bourbon: Stats and Availability

This new Old Commonwealth 10 Year was launched through the facility’s new website in October 2024; at an MSRP of $200, it sold out almost immediately. That’s partly due to the label’s historic pedigree and partly because of a grassroots marketing campaign that got some of bourbon’s most ardent collectors interested in the bottles. I’m now seeing a broad range of secondary pricing (from three to seven times MSRP) for a release that’s rumored to be just a few hundred bottles.

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Bourbon Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

Things start off a little hot on the nose, and I find it takes almost 10 minutes for the ethanol to calm down for proper nosing. An early effervescent quality pairs with citrus oil to evoke highly carbonated lemon/lime soda. Bright red cherries in syrup are up next, along with a hint of Pine-Sol; it’s a pungent, fruit-meets-wood oil mashup. Eventually, those brighter citrus and pine elements fall back and reveal more earthy components including damp soil and cooked mushrooms, along with a hefty dose of barrel char. The longer it rests, the older this bourbon noses, with oak building gradually in the glass. It’s a complex, multifaceted nose that takes some time to grapple with. I enjoyed it, though frankly it took me longer than normal to reach that conclusion. The palate will really dictate whether I like this or not!

Taste

Extraordinarily oaky at first sip, the early palate quickly shifts to blueberry cobbler cooked over a campfire, with tart fruit meeting dense, sweet dough and charred wood. While the oak took its time on the nose, the first couple tastes put it center stage, giving the fruit flavors a lightly smoked and charred character. Grilled peaches linger heavily toward the front of the tongue, thanks in part to a viscous mouthfeel that sticks just about everywhere it touches. There’s a pronounced shift starting at the midpalate, with peanut butter and dark chocolate almost entirely replacing the early fruit. Hefty doses of cinnamon and powdered ginger dominate the back palate, and the full impact of the 130+ proof accumulates heavily toward the roof of the mouth.

Finish

This bourbon serves a long, heavily tannic finish, filled with both semi-sweet baking and very dark chocolate, cherry fruit leather, and peanut butter on burnt toast. While things start off rich and composed, the tannins remain long after the other flavors have dissipated, resulting in a final act that’s significantly dryer, hotter, and ultimately a little chalkier than I would have liked. Some dilution helps reduce the sensation of burnt toast in the mouth and throat while tempering the proof enough to allow more of those fruit flavors to shine through. Frankly, I liked this far more with some water, and I would highly recommend keeping a dropper handy.

Old Commonwealth 10 Year Bourbon Rating

89/100

Recap

The newest iteration of Old Commonwealth 10 Year pairs a fascinating nose with a pronounced and complex palate. What would be an otherwise great bourbon loses some composure on the finish, which can be partly remedied by liberal use of a water dropper. The “new” Old Commonwealth certainly came out swinging, and I’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for whichever sourced stocks the brand ends up releasing next.

Reviewed On: 11-13-2024