Six Highly Allocated Bourbons and Rye Return for the Annual Van Winkle Release.
The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery and Buffalo Trace Distillery have announced the 2026 Van Winkle Whiskey Collection, bringing six highly limited bourbon and rye expressions back to retailers across the United States. The annual collection spans ages from 10 to 23 years and continues four generations of Van Winkle whiskey-making tradition.
The 2026 lineup includes Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon 10-Year-Old, Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12-Year-Old, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15-Year-Old, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20-Year-Old, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old and Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13-Year-Old. Each year, the Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley select barrels that meet the established standards for each expression.
“Every year, we look forward to the opportunity to share these whiskeys with people who have followed our family’s story and appreciate the time and care behind each bottle,” said Preston Van Winkle, Vice-President and 4th Generation, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery. “There are no shortcuts when you’re talking about whiskey that has spent this many years aging. Our responsibility is to remain patient, protect the quality and carry forward the standards our family has valued for generations.”
2026 Van Winkle Whiskey Collection Pricing
The 2026 collection will be distributed to retailers, bars and restaurants throughout the United States through Sazerac’s distribution network. Suggested retail prices range from $169.99 for the 10-year-old Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon to $499.99 for Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old.
The 2026 expressions include Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon 10-Year-Old at $169.99, with notes of vanilla, caramel, pecan, seasoned oak and cherry; Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12-Year-Old at $199.99, featuring dried mango, spiced peach, cocoa, honey, oak and tobacco; and Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15-Year-Old at $299.99, with caramel corn, vanilla, leather, seasoned oak and fruit. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20-Year-Old at $399.99, featuring citrus zest, sherry, dried fruit and vanilla; Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old at $499.99, with apple, cherry, caramel, oak and tobacco; and Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13-Year-Old at $299.99, offering notes of chestnut, vanilla, fruit, cocoa, spice, white pepper and dry oak.
Van Winkle Legacy Continues With Buffalo Trace
The Van Winkle family’s whiskey history dates to the late 1800s, when Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr. began his career with Louisville’s W.L. Weller & Sons before helping establish Stitzel-Weller Distillery, which opened in 1935. In 2002, the Van Winkle family partnered with Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, where the collection continues to be crafted and aged.
“I’ve had the privilege of watching this collection become something that means a great deal not only to our family, but to people around the world,” said Julian P. Van Winkle III, President, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery. “For me, each bottle is a connection to the generations who came before us and to the patience, pride and traditions they passed down. Seeing that same appreciation carried forward by the people who seek out these whiskeys year after year is incredibly special to our family.”
Van Winkle Collection Warns Against Counterfeit Bottles
The 2026 Van Winkle Collection will be available in limited quantities at varying retail prices, with local fees and taxes applying. The Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace emphasize that neither controls prices set by individual retailers and recommend purchasing the whiskeys only through licensed sellers.
The distilleries also warn that unlicensed secondary markets and online sellers can carry increased risks of counterfeit products, fraud and alcohol scams. Consumers who believe they have purchased a counterfeit bottle or been the victim of a scam should not consume the product and are encouraged to report the incident to the Better Business Bureau and their state Attorney General’s office, as well as contact their credit card provider regarding available fraud protections.
Collection Details
- Collection: 2026 Van Winkle Whiskey Collection
- Expressions: Six
- Distribution: Sazerac distribution network
- Availability: Limited quantities across the United States
- 10-Year-Old Old Rip Van Winkle: $169.99
- 12-Year-Old Van Winkle Special Reserve: $199.99
- 15-Year-Old Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve: $299.99
- 20-Year-Old Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve: $399.99
- 23-Year-Old Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve: $499.99
- 13-Year-Old Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye: $299.99
- Production Partnership: Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery and Buffalo Trace Distillery
- Master Distiller: Harlen Wheatley
- Website: oldripvanwinkle.com
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