FOOD NEWS
The Bourbon Brand You Should Be Buying Over Old Rip Van Winkle And Why
BY JEN PENG
Old Rip Van Winkle is the most well-known brand of bourbon, but it’s rare and expensive. A more available and affordable brand to seek out is Stagg.
Stagg offers two labels — George T. Stagg, which ages for at least 15 years, and Stagg, which ages for nearly 10 years — compared to the five labels Old Rip Van Winkle offers.
According to Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, Stagg received a rating of 97.5 while Old Rip Van Winkle received 94.5. George T. Stagg received 96.5 while Pappy Van Winkle received 98.
Both Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year and Stagg have similar suggested retail prices (MSRP) of about $70, but their resale values differ dramatically.
Stagg is available for less than six times MSRP while the Old Rip Van Winkle fetches more than 14 times MSRP on the secondary market.
Many people prefer George T. Stagg over Pappy Van Winkle 15 Years. When price, quality, and availability are factored in, Stagg is the overall better choice for bourbon.