Want to get to know Old Rip Van Winkle quick-like? Youβll get cozy with this brand in a hurry. Youβve heard of the man, the myth, and the legend. But whatβs this particular whiskey game all about? Weβll tell you the bourbon tale in seven quick facts!
7 Delicious Facts About Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon
This wonβt take long. Promise. Letβs have a brief look at the brandβs history, bottles, mash bill, and even a few super-short reviews. Thereβs no time like the present. If youβre curious, get the scoop now!
1) Whereβs it made?
At the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, under contract. Theyβre about an hour west of us here at Prestige in Louisville. And yes, we consider them our neighbors. Nice to see ya, Pappy.
2) Whoβs behind the operation?
It all started with Julian βPappyβ Van Winkle, Sr. The legacy continued with Julian Jr. and Julian III, and even his son Preston in 2001. Thatβs four generations, and itβs seriously something special. Since 2002, Buffalo Trace has taken care of the Van Winkle production. With bourbonβs popularity, this was an easier route for the family. More reserves for the future, friends!
3) Interesting tidbit
Julian βPappyβ Van Winkle, Sr. got his start as a salesman at W.L. Weller and Sons in Louisville. We love all the bourbon realm inbound linking. Oh, what a tangled, beautiful, boozy web we weave!
4) Whatβs the lineup look like?
Six bottles, friends. Know them:
- Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year
- Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year
- Pappy Van Winkleβs Family Reserve 15 Year
- Pappy Van Winkleβs Family Reserve 20 Year
- Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye
- Pappy Van Winkleβs Family Reserve 23 Year
Pappy 15 Year is “one of a handful of bourbons that back up all the hype surrounding it! … You canβt deny thereβs something really special about these bottles and the spirits inside!β – @indianabourbon, Prestige Brand Ambassador
5) Whatβs the most popular?
Those Pappy releases. You probably already knew that, but just in case you didnβt, theyβre the hottest thing in bourbon. No signs of that ending anytime soon, either. People pay thousands. A flight will cost you hundreds. We donβt make the rules. We just know them. And yeah, sometimes we have to play by them.
βHard to find but always worth it.β – @masterofbourbon
6) What does Old Van Winkle taste like?
Well, theyβre βwheaters.β The mash bill begins with bourbonβs star, corn, of course. Then itβs barley and, instead of the usual rye, itβs wheat. (Obviously, itβs different on the Reserve Rye bottle.) Wheated bourbons are creamy, as far as the mouthfeel goes. Expect smooth, sweet fruit. With ryes, youβll get more heat and spice. See our Wheated Bourbon Guide for more info.
Upon visiting the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery and seeing the full lineup, he said, βWhat dreams look like.β – @northern_bourbon, Prestige Brand Ambassador
7) Canβt afford (or FIND) Old Rip Van Winkle?
We feel you. Opt for W.L. Weller Special Reserve. You wonβt go wrong, in our opinion. Youβll get something akin to Van Winkle for much less. Some folks say Weller and Winkle arenβt even remotely in the same ballpark. But the connection is certainly there (in more ways than one) for us. Pappy fever has driven the Weller price tag up, too. But we still spot bottles for about $30-40. Sometimes, you can even snag one for around $20-25. Great buy! Make it happen.
Weβre Leaving a Legacy, Ourselves
We havenβt passed the family business on through four generations (yet), but weβre doing great things. Weβre located right here in Bourbon Central. Louisville, Kentucky, is our home. We employ our stateβs finest craftsmen and artisans to build our whiskey decanters. And for every single decanter we sell, we plant a tree right here in the U.S., to boot. Pretty sweet, huh?
See the beauty for yourself. Check out our entire Prestige lineup. Our collection is unique. Youβll find gifts for the holidays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, retirements, etc. More than ever, drinking is an experience. We wanted to be a luxurious and special part of that experience. So, we added some much-needed flair to the world of barware.
Follow us @prestigedecanters for more gift ideas, quick facts, trivia, recipes, coupon codes, etc. Weβre always celebrating liquor. Especially our first Bluegrass love: bourbon.
And weβd love to hear from you. Have you tried any of the Old Rip Van Winkle bottles before? Tell us which one(s) in the comments below. We want to know what you think!
[Photo (modified) credit: Dale Cruse, @Flickr]
1 Comment
I’ve had the ten and twelve year old the ten was good nothing special the twelve was much better but I m glad I got them as gifts .I would never pay those prices for them . Also I have a bottle of William large an 12yr wellers I enjoy the 12 the others I use some water then enjoy very much I would like to try some pappy but hard to find .