Can’t Score Pappy Van Winkle? This Whiskey Bar Has The Next Best Thing

November marks cooler fall weather, football season, and Thanksgiving. But for whiskey fans, this time of year is known for the release of Pappy Van Winkle. 

The bourbon's roots go back to 1893 when Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr. ran the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. The famed wheated bourbon recipe Van Winkle Sr. used had wheat instead of rye in the mash, making for a smooth and complex drink. 

Today, Julian Van Winkle III, Pappy’s grandson, has taken the helm of the Pappy Van Winkle brand, now produced by Buffalo Trace. It's one of the most sought-after bourbons on the market. But, Pappy's famed quote, "We make fine bourbon at a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always fine bourbon,” is still as true today as it ever was.

With limited quantities and the prices on secondary market being so high, it’s nearly impossible to come by. Even a tiny pour at a bar can cost a small fortune—if you manage to find it at all. But we’ve discovered a place where you can get a sense of what Pappy tastes like at a fraction of the price.

Tucked away in downtown Fort Collins, CO, is The Whisk(e)y. From the outside, it's just a low-key spot with a door marked by a W made of antlers, but step inside and the low-lit bar opens to reveal one of the largest whiskey collections in the country. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the more than 2,800 whiskeys backlit behind the bar. 

But for those in the know, in the center of the bar sits a nondescript keg with a piece of duct tape across the top that reads “Papi Juice” in black marker. It's a blend made by general manager Tavo Bernal, who meticulously researched and mixed whiskeys together to create a juice that tastes very similar to the real Pappy at a fraction of the price.

Bernal came up with the idea in 2014 when The Whisk(e)y opened and received its first allocation of Pappy. He didn’t have enough to meet the demand. But Bernal had been reading about “Poor Man’s Pappy” at the time, when people try to blend a comparable whiskey using expressions with similar mash bills from the same distillery.

Inspired by the thought of creating his own version, Bernal went to work. He took a bottle of the 10-year, 12-year, and 15-year-old Rip Van Winkle and started zeroing in on what set Pappy apart. He found three specific markers: sweet red wheat notes without much burn, an oily mouthfeel, and a long finish. 

Recently, on a warm fall day, I stepped inside The Whisk(e)y to see a lineup of bottles that includes Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year, Van Winkle Special Reserve Year 12 Year, W.L. Weller 12 Year, and W.L. Weller Antique 107 Single Barrel. Bernhal demonstrated how he originally came up with Pappy Juice. 

I told him he didn't have to reveal the exact recipe, but Bernahl was candid about the ratio he uses to create his Pappy Juice: 45 percent Weller 107 to 55 percent Weller 12. The game changed when he had the opportunity to select his own Weller 107 single barrel. Of the six barrels he tasted, he chose a barrel that didn’t taste the best but would marry well with his recipe.

“[The Weller 107 barrel] was my fifth favorite one. I took a gamble based on my years of blending that this was going to be the one that works best with our system to really nail that long finish and oiliness that I am looking for to replicate Pappy Van Winkle, and I think I nailed it,” Bernal said.

The real secret happens once the Pappy Juice goes in the barrel. Bernal has proprietary secrets that go into aging the cask. He also uses a certain amount of distilled water in the recipe, something he encourages whiskey blenders not to shy away from.

When tasting Pappy Juice against the Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year and Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 year, the sweet notes and smooth finish that Bernal notes jumped out at me. Yet, when tasting Van Winkle whiskey directly against Weller, there was a stark difference. 

However, Bernal worked his magic, blending and adding distilled water, and the taste between the two narrowed until it was very similar. I would be hard-pressed to tell the difference in a blind taste test. It was easy to see why it's The Whisk(e)y’s most popular pour.

While every batch of Pappy Juice is slightly different, it'll always be on tap, which is good news for anyone who misses out on getting a bottle of Pappy this November and doesn’t feel like paying an arm and a leg for a bottle or glass. Pappy juice is a great alternative at a fraction of the price. At just $35 per pour, it's affordable compared to the $100 a pour for Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year or $300 for Pappy Van Winkle 23 year. 

“It’s always a great reaction. People tend to really love it,” said Bernal, who had to raise the price over the years to keep up with demand. “People are still drinking it up. I have to fill this keg up more than any of our other barrels.”

Related: The Man Behind Pappy Van Winkle Just Shared the Whiskey Brand's Next Move