Buffalo Trace Releases 2024 Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Collection—Here’s What You Need To Know
How to score the latest bottles from the sought-after bourbon brand.
2024 is coming to a close with some good news in the world of bourbon: there’s more Pappy Van Winkle on the way. The beloved Buffalo Trace-owned brand recently announced that this year’s supply of Pappy Van Winkle 20-Year and 23-Year bourbon is higher than previous years, and higher than average.
That means that the most-desired whiskeys in the portfolio are going to be just a tiny bit easier to get your hands on. Julian Van Winkle III, president of the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, said in a statement, “There’s an incomparable feeling of joy that comes from finding a bottle of Pappy on the shelf. This season, we’re excited that connoisseurs have a greater chance to enjoy our older expressions, thanks to an exceptional yield from these barrels.”
Don’t get them wrong — it’s still going to be a bit of a scavenger hunt. Buffalo Trace confirmed the news in a press release as they announced this year’s prices and nationwide availability, though they did not disclose the actual numbers of how many “extra” bottles are in play this season.
Demand for Van Winkle whiskeys, meanwhile, has never been higher. Between podcast-worthy heists and bestselling books, the Pappy brand has firmly maintained its lofty cult status. Arguably, a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old (the oldest and most famous annual release in the portfolio) is actually harder to come by than a Taylor Swift Eras tour ticket was.
Of course, I’ll be the first to remind everyone that you don’t have to drink the 23-year-old whiskey to have a great bottle. In fact, the best bottle isn’t always the oldest — the older 23-year-old bottle is not “the best” entirely because of its age. Often, the “best” bottle from the range for the average bourbon lover is either the 15-year or 20-year bourbon, as many people would argue that the 23-year can be a bit too far on the spectrum, like super-aged dry beef, or super dark chocolate.
The only way to know for sure which Van Winkle whiskey you love most is to try them all, which presents not just a financial hurdle, but also a practical problem of making time for the scavenger hunt. In these times, it’s common to want to find a back-alley supplier to complete your collection — something the Van Winkles urge against. “Ultimately,” noted ORVW President Julian P. Van Winkle III, “the only legal and reputable source consumers should be buying from is a licensed retailer. This is the safest, foolproof way to ensure your bottle is not counterfeit.”
Doing that has gotten harder every year for the decade I’ve personally written about whiskey — it’s also become significantly more expensive — something the producers of this whiskey aren’t really responsible for.
“The Van Winkle family reminds fans that neither they nor Buffalo Trace Distillery control the prices individual retailers charge for the expressions,” said Julian. “The best chance to find Van Winkle products at a fair price is through lotteries offered by many retailers, where consumers can purchase bottles from the Collection at MSRP.”
Speaking of MSRP, these are the suggested retail prices according to Buffalo Trace:
- Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10-Year-Old – $129.99
- Old Rip Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12-Year-Old – $149.99
- Old Rip Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13-Year-Old – $199.99
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15-Year-Old- $199.99
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20-Year-Old- $319.99
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old – $449.99
On that secondary market that you’re not supposed to use, these bottles currently go for 7-8 times those prices. So hopefully the extra volume for 2024 will keep you from having to roll the dice and pay up.
G. Clay Whittaker is a Maxim contributor covering lifestyle, whiskey, cannabis and travel. His work has also appeared in Bon Appetit, Men’s Journal, Cigar Aficionado, Playboy and Esquire. Subscribe to his newsletter Drinks & Stuff for perspectives on drinks, and stuff.
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