Among the most heavily anticipated announcements during Bourbon Hunting Season 2022, Buffalo Trace has unveiled their 2022 collection of Van Winkle whiskeys.
This year’s set includes all six expressions.
There will be more bottles available this year than usual, the company says, due to putting away more whiskey to age 10 years ago, plus a higher yield than typical when moving from barrel to bottle.
The wheated recipe used by Buffalo Trace in its Weller and Van Winkle Bourbons allows for longer aging, in some cases two decades or more, than the traditional rye recipe used in most bourbons, the company says. Both brands with this recipe have earned a stellar reputation among whiskey fans, while achieving cult-like status.
The 2022 Van Winkle collection release consists of:
- Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10-Year-Old (107 proof, suggested retail price: $69.99 per 750-ml. bottle.)
- Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12-Year-Old (90.4 proof, SRP: $79.99)
- Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13-Year-Old (95.6 proof, SRP: $119.99)
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15-Year-Old (107 proof, SRP: $119.99)
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20-Year-Old (90.4 proof, SRP: $199.99)
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old (95.6 proof, SRP: $299.99)
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace Distillery. In 2002, the Van Winkles entered into an agreement with Buffalo Trace to produce, age and bottle all its whiskeys, entrusting its wheated mashbill exclusively to the Buffalo Trace distilling team.
Given that Buffalo Trace Distillery was already producing the wheated recipe for the W.L. Weller bourbons, it made sense to the Van Winkle family to enter into a formal agreement to produce their bourbons as well, the company says. The W.L. Weller Bourbons were formally produced by the Van Winkle family until 1972, when the Weller brand was sold, and eventually acquired by Buffalo Trace Distillery.
“Harlen Wheatley and his predecessors had been distilling the W.L. Weller wheated recipe for many years before our 2002 joint venture,” says Julian Van Winkle III, President, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery. “We trusted their expertise in distilling and aging, and it paid off, as many of Buffalo Trace’s brands are just as sought after as our own.”
“My son Preston and I still take care of the marketing and management of our brands, but we leave the rest of it to the team at Buffalo Trace,” he adds. “The twenty-year partnership has flown by, and I feel confident we’re leaving it in good hands for the future Van Winkle generations.”
The Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace team remind fans that despite suggested retail pricing, they cannot control prices at retail (or secondary). “Although we would prefer for retailers to charge our suggested retail pricing, unfortunately we cannot legally force them to do so,” says added Van Winkle. “The best chance to find our products at a fair price is through lotteries offered by many retailers, where fans have a chance to buy our bourbon at MSRP. Many of these lotteries benefit charities, so it’s a win-win for everyone.”
Enthusiasts are also reminded to avoid online resellers such as private Facebook groups, Craigslist and other online marketplaces. Buffalo Trace Distillery has seen an increase in consumers buying Van Winkle bourbons from private sellers, only to find out later the product inside is counterfeit, the company says.
The Van Winkle Whiskeys begin rolling out in October in very-limited quantities.
Following Bourbon Hunting Season 2022? Other limited releases this fall include:
- Knob Creek 18 Year Old
- Ross & Squibb Remus Gatsby Reserve
- Remus Repeal Reserve Series VI
- High West A Midwinter Night’s Dram 2022
- Barrell Craft Spirits 2022 BCS Gray Label Bourbon
- Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Unforgotten
