LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — If you've always wanted to try Pappy Van Winkle bourbon but haven't had the chance, Black Friday could be your day at Lexington's oldest bar.
That afternoon, bartenders at the Chevy Chase Inn will serve 1.5-ounce pours of Pappy at cost instead of the inflated price tags bourbon lovers are used to seeing.
"We're throwing a party like any good Kentuckian would," said owner Kevin Heathcoat. "You open up your house, and you open up your bourbon."
The Pappy anniversary party is in honor of the bar's 90th birthday.
The prices for pours will be:
Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery 10 Year: $7
Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year: $9
Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year: $12
Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year: $15
Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year: $20
Heathcoat says the Pappy party is a way to give back.
"The community of Chevy Chase and Lexington as a whole has been so generous to us, so this totally makes sense for us to give back," he said. "You know, it's something that a lot of people would never be able to experience because you can't afford it or you're smart enough not to pay."
The last time the bar sold Pappy at cost was pre-pandemic when Heathcoat says the line stretched down Euclid Avenue. He says they expect to be packed again this year as bourbon fans crowd the bar for a chance to sip on the cult favorite.
"Everybody knows about Pappy Van Winkle, but very few have tried it," Heathcoat said. "So this is an opportunity they can come in, get with family, and not just try bourbon, but create a memory."
The doors open Friday at 2 p.m. Everyone in line will get a wristband. Pours are guaranteed for the first 90 people in line.
CCI will also sell bottles of their Maker's Mark Private Selection bourbon they created earlier this year. 20% of the proceeds will benefit Operation Secret Santa, a local non-profit that provides toys and food for families in need during the holidays.
