The World’s Best Bourbon Crowned In San Francisco

A remarkable bourbon took top honors at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition judging. Preservation Distillery & Farm, Pure Antique 20 YO Straight Bourbon, 57.7% ABV, 750 ml, was chosen Best Small Batch Bourbon 11 Years and Over and Best Overall Bourbon.

The story of both the bourbon and Marci Palatella, the distillery’s founder, is a remarkable story of foresight and perseverance that is in many ways a fitting metaphor for the renaissance of bourbon and involves many of the storied names in Kentucky bourbon, including the legendary Van Winkle family.

Marci Palatella has a long history in the beverage industry, having started as an executive with Liquor Barn, one of America’s first national liquor retail chains. Long before the growing interest in ultra-aged bourbon expressions, Palatella noticed a small but steady demand for rare old bourbons.

In 1987, she began bottling ultra-aged bourbons, quickly establishing herself as a go-to source for wholesalers and distillers sitting on pallets of older whiskey. Initially, her primary market was overseas, with Europe and Japan representing virtually all her sales.

At the time, notes Palatella, there were very few ultra-aged bourbons on the US market. Very Old Barton and Very Old Fitzerald, she says, were the two best-known aged bourbons, but “they were in very limited supply and 8-10 years old at best.”

Her timing was impeccable, as Japanese consumers embraced Americana, including ultra-aged bourbons, in the 1990s. In response, she designed the Very Olde St Nick (VSON) label, a brand she described as a “blurred amalgamation of her Western and now Eastern mindset.”

Relying on surplus bottles and closeout lots of whiskey, she bootstrapped the fledging company. Her never-ending quest for old bourbon stocks eventually led to an introduction to an obscure, at least outside of bourbon circles, little-known family in Kentucky.

The association with the Van Winkels proved a godsend. Palatella asked Julian Van Winkle for help sourcing and bottling old bourbon stocks for her. Van Winkle, in turn, asked if she could use her beverage industry contacts to sell the family’s Van Winkle brand. On a handshake, they moved forward, and neither party has ever looked back.

Along the way, Palatella acquired the trademarks of dozens of historic bourbon brands, including Pure Antique. In 2015, after dreaming about opening her own distillery, she stumbled on what she described as “a charming, abandoned farm” in Bardstown, Kentucky. The 40-acre former tobacco farm now houses her Preservation Distillery. Started in 2017, it is one of the few Kentucky bourbon distilleries to use pot stills.

Below are tasting notes on Preservation Distillery Antique 20 YO Bourbon, 57.7% ABV, 750 ml.

Preservation Distillery does not disclose where it sources its ultra-aged whiskeys. According to Palatella, the Antique 20 YO bourbon was sourced “many years ago from a confidential source in Tennessee.”

The bourbon, with its rich dark amber color, offers a sensory journey. The nose is a delightful mix of rich sweetness, with intense aromas of toffee and caramel. The pervasive yet soft vanilla notes are well-integrated, accompanied by flavors of warm buttered toast and honey, creating a unique and exciting tasting experience.

The whiskey is smooth and satiny with what Palatella describes as “big, lush flavors.” Its Tennessee roots are evident as it has the smoothness and palate weight typically associated with well-aged Tennessee whisky. The wood notes are distinctive but well integrated into the background, adding complexity but without the tannic harshness and woodiness commonly found in ultra-aged Kentucky whiskeys.

This outstanding bourbon, with its incredible complexity and exceptional quality, is a rare find. Priced at $899, it’s a premium choice worth every penny. However, with supplies extremely limited, it’s a bottle that’s best grabbed quickly. It’s available directly from the distillery. This bourbon, among the world’s best of 2024, is a testament to the exclusivity and high demand for quality, ultra-aged bourbon.