Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery and Buffalo Trace Distillery announced that the 2026 Van Winkle Whiskey Collection is on its way, once again delivering one of American whiskey’s most sought-after and closely watched annual releases.

Produced in highly limited quantities, the collection represents four generations of Van Winkle whiskey-making tradition and decades of patience, with six aged expressions ranging from ten to twenty-three years. The 2026 collection includes Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade [PW1] 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.

“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,” Preston Van Winkle, Vice-President and 4th Generation, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, said in a news release. “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.”

While the six expressions return each year, every release offers something that can never be replicated again. Time and maturation leave a distinct imprint on each barrel, creating subtle variations in character from one release to the next. Each year, the Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley carefully select only the barrels that meet the exacting standards established for each expression, making every bottling a singular reflection of patience, craftmanship and an uncompromising commitment to quality.

The Van Winkle family’s legacy in American whiskey dates more than a century, beginning in the late 1800s when Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr. started his career with Louisville’s W.L. Weller & Sons before helping establish the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, which opened in 1935. His commitment to quality and carefully aged whiskey laid the foundation for the Van Winkle Collection, a celebrated family of bourbon and rye whiskeys that carries his name and enduring philosophy. In 2002, the Van Winkle family partnered with Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, where that legacy continues today through the careful crafting and aging of each expression.

The 2026 Van Winkle Collection will be available in limited quantities to retailers, bars and restaurants across the United States via Sazerac’s distribution network at varying retail prices. The suggested retail prices for the 2026 collection are as follows (local fees/taxes apply):

• Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon 10-Year-Old – $169.99
• Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12-Year-Old – $199.99
• Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15-Year-Old – $299.99
• Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20-Year-Old– $399.99
• Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old – $499.99
• Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13-Year-Old – $299.99 

“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,” Julian P. Van Winkle III, President, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, said. “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.”

The Van Winkle family reminds fans that neither they nor Buffalo Trace Distillery controls prices set by individual retailers and strongly recommends purchasing Van Winkle whiskeys only through licensed sellers. Purchases made through unlicensed secondary markets or online sellers may carry an increased risk of counterfeit products, fraud, and alcohol scams.

Consumers who believe they may have purchased a counterfeit bottle or been the victim of a scam should not consume the product. They are encouraged to report the incident to the Better Business Bureau and their State Attorney General’s office, and to contact their credit card provider regarding available fraud protection policies.

Read more: Van Winkle Collection 2025 Hits Retail

About Van Winkle Bourbon

The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery carries a four-generation legacy. The Van Winkle family’s roots in the bourbon industry trace back to the late 1800s with Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr., who began his career as a traveling salesman for the W.L. Weller and Sons wholesale house in Louisville. In time, Pappy and his colleague, fellow salesman Alex Farnsley, purchased the wholesale house and joined forces with A. Ph. Stitzel, purchasing his distillery. Together, the three merged their ventures, creating the renowned Stitzel-Weller Distillery after Prohibition. In 2002, the Van Winkle family partnered with Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, reuniting the Van Winkle and Weller bourbons under one roof. The collaboration was a natural fit, as Buffalo Trace was already producing the wheated mash bill used in Weller bourbon. Learn more about the Van Winkle family of bourbons at www.oldripvanwinkle.com. 

About Buffalo Trace Distillery    

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and it is a National Historic Landmark, as well as listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Buffalo Trace Distillery has a deep commitment to supporting charitable initiatives. Nonprofit organizations interested in learning more about the Distillery’s efforts are encouraged to register their charity here. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery, visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.