Old Rip Van Winkle
| Type | Bourbon whiskey |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | The Sazerac Company |
| Origin | Frankfort, Kentucky, United States |
| Alcohol by volume | 53.50% |
| Proof (US) | 107.0 |
| Related products | Buffalo Trace |
Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon Whiskey is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey produced by the Sazerac Company at its Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. The name is derived from Washington Irving's 1819 short story Rip Van Winkle. It is sold in 750ml glass bottles. The primary brand expression is aged 10 years.
It is sometimes confused with its sister brand, Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve, and misleadingly so, as "Pappy" is often more expensive. Nevertheless, in January 2026, a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 20 year old single barrel "Sam's" bourbon sold at a Sotheby's auction for $162,500 which is cited as the highest price publicly recorded for a bottle of American Whiskey.[1]
The arrangement for production of Old Rip Van Winkle at the Buffalo Trace Distillery resulted from a joint venture arrangement with the Van Winkle family that was established in June 2002.[2]
See also
References
- ^ Campbell, Charlie. "As the U.S. Celebrates 250 Years, Time for American Whiskey to Take a Bow". TIME. TIME Magazine. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ Official site for Old Rip Van Winkle Archived January 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
Further reading
- Van Winkle Campbell, Sally (1999). But Always Fine Bourbon: Pappy Van Winkle and the Story of Old Fitzgerald. Louisville, KY: Limestone Lane Press. ISBN 0967420806. ISBN 9780967420806
- Rip Van Winkle Lawrenceburg Warehouse(internet archive)