🥃 Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve
Line of aged wheated bourbons from the Van Winkle family; the 20 year version appeared in 1994; made at Buffalo Trace (Sazerac Company).
Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve is a line of aged wheated bourbons from the Van Winkle family of Kentucky. Wheat replaces rye here, so the whiskey is softer. It is made at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, and the Sazerac Company does the bottling. The versions have 15, 20 and 23 years of aging.
History. According to The Whiskey Wash, Julian «Pappy» Van Winkle Sr. began in 1893 as a sales agent for W.L. Weller & Sons, and in 1935 the Stitzel-Weller distillery opened, making only wheated bourbon. It was sold in 1972, and Julian Van Winkle III revived the family brand: Buffalo Trace gives 1981, another review says 1983. The 20 year version appeared in 1994, and in 2002 the family formed a joint venture with Buffalo Trace.
How it is made. The recipe is corn, wheat and barley malt, without rye. For bourbon, US law requires at least 51% corn, distillation to no more than 160 proof and aging in new charred oak barrels. Production follows the family's own rules.
Range. The Buffalo Trace site mentions versions of 15, 20 and 23 years, as well as 10, 12 and 25 years. The separate Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye is a rye whiskey, not a wheated bourbon.
Why it matters to you. The age on the label is the age of the youngest bourbon in the bottle. Because of the small output and high demand, the brand is hard to find, so be wary of fakes and check the origin of the bottle. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | family: 1893 (Weller), Stitzel-Weller 1935; Family Reserve 20 Year — 1994 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | US 27 CFR 5.143 (bourbon: at least 51% corn, new charred oak barrels) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | corn, wheat, barley (no rye); water |
| Cask type | new charred oak barrels (a requirement for bourbon) |
| Minimum maturation | versions of 15, 20 and 23 years; for straight bourbon at least 2 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | depends on the age and version; see the label |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Sazerac Company
- Packed in
- 🐝 American white oak, 🍷 Oak barrel
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Maker's Mark, 🥃 Jack Daniel's, 🥃 Bulleit, 🥃 Bulleit, 🥃 George Dickel, 🥃 George Dickel
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Pappy Van Winkle is made from rye?
No. Van Winkle bourbons are wheated: wheat replaces rye. The separate Family Reserve Rye is a rye whiskey.
Who was Pappy Van Winkle?
Julian Prentice Van Winkle Sr.: a sales agent for W.L. Weller, later co-founder of the Stitzel-Weller distillery in 1935.
Where is Pappy Van Winkle made?
At the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, since 2002 under a joint venture with the family.
Which versions are there?
The Buffalo Trace site names 15, 20 and 23 year versions, as well as 10, 12 and 25 year versions.
Who owns Pappy Van Winkle?
The catalogue names Sazerac Company, which produces and bottles the bourbon; the brand also belongs to the family company Old Rip Van Winkle.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🐝 American white oak — A North American oak that gives wine strong vanilla and coconut notes.
- 🥃 Jack Daniel's — Tennessee whiskey from Lynchburg (USA): before aging, the spirit is filtered through a three-metre layer of sugar maple charcoal.
Similar
🥃 Old Crow · 🥃 Baker's · 🥃 Bulleit · 🥃 Four Roses · 🥃 Blanton's · 🥃 Jim Beam
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Buffalo Trace Distillery: Van Winkle (wheated bourbon; Pappy 15, 20, 23; Stitzel-Weller 1935; Julian III; joint venture 2002)
- The Whiskey Wash: The origins of Pappy Van Winkle (1893 Weller; 1935 Stitzel-Weller, wheated only; 1972 sale; 1994 20 Year Family Reserve)
- US 27 CFR 5.143: standards of identity for whisky (bourbon: min. 51 % corn, distilled to max. 160 proof, new charred oak at max. 125 proof; straight: min. 2 years)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)