Buffalo Trace has announced the 2022 Van Winkle release. (Photo: Buffalo Trace)

On Tuesday, Buffalo Trace Distillery announced the 2022 annual release of all six Van Winkle whiskey expressions.

“To the delight of whiskey fans, there will be more bottles available this year than usual of almost every Van Winkle expression due to both putting away more whiskey to age over 10 years ago and a higher yield than typical when moving from barrel to bottle,” Buffalo Trace said in a news release.

The Van Winkle Whiskeys will be available starting in October on a limited basis. Buffalo Trace warns that bottles will be hard to find in stores, bars and restaurants.

The annual Van Winkle Collection release comprises six whiskeys, all of which sell out quickly every year and go on to sell for exorbitant prices on the secondary market.

“Although we would prefer for retailers to charge our suggested retail pricing, unfortunately we cannot legally force them to do so,” Julian Van Winkle III, president, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, said in a news release. “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.”

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace.

“Harlen Wheatley and his predecessors had been distilling the W.L. Weller wheated recipe for many years before our 2002 joint venture. 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,” Van Winkle III said. “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. The twenty-year partnership has flown by, and I feel confident we’re leaving it in good hands for the future Van Winkle generations.”

Buffalo Trace reminds bourbon hunters to avoid acquiring Van Winkle or other bourbons from shady resellers such as those advertising in Facebook groups or on websites like Craigslist. Many of these resellers are scammers.

“It’s quite common in other countries for consumers to buy alcohol from those outside the system (not a licensed retailer) and for them to drink it and get sick, and in some cases, it’s fatal,” said Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer, Buffalo Trace Distillery. “Fortunately, we haven’t seen a lot of deaths in the United States from those scenarios – yet – and we certainly hope we do not. But we caution people to only buy from a licensed retailer; do not buy from a private seller, even if it’s someone you know, as you don’t know where they got the whiskey. The counterfeiters have gotten very sophisticated with their technology, so it pays to be safe.”

In November, a man reselling a bottle of 12-year-old Van Winkle bourbon was arrested by an undercover agent.

The 2022 Van Winkle Lineup Details and Tasting Notes Via Buffalo Trace

Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10-Year-Old

Suggested Retail Price: $69.99
Proof: 107
Color: Tawny in color.
Nose: Very sweet, with notes of honey, dulce de leche, caramel corn, rooibos tea and lightly toasted nuts. Hints of the wheat and corn are present which enhances the complexity.
Taste: Butterscotch and toffee are prominent in the taste but there are also hints of spiced praline which contribute to the long, round finish that is sweet without being cloying.
Finish: An outrageously well-crafted bourbon that pays homage to its source ingredients but shows that oak, the right distillate, and patience can create unparalleled depth and balance.

Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12-Year-Old

Suggested Retail Price: $79.99
Proof: 90.4
Color: Brilliant amber.
Nose: Rich and decadent with butterscotch, toffee, vanilla and hints of nectarine and satsuma adding to the complexity. There is still a wisp of bready wheat present which is perfectly balanced with the spicy and rich oak notes.
Taste: Butterscotch and toffee are prominent in the taste but there are also hints of spiced praline which contribute to the long, round finish that is sweet without being cloying.
Finish: An outrageously well-crafted bourbon that pays homage to its source ingredients but shows that oak, the right distillate, and patience can create unparalleled depth and balance.

Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13-Year-Old

Suggested Retail Price: $119.99
Proof: 95.6
Color: Rich copper color.
Nose:  An incredibly enticing and complex aroma with notes of toasted pumpernickel, plum, fig, and sweet-tobacco aromas.
Taste: Smooth with medium-to full-bodied palate bursting with bold and delicious flavors of toffee, caraway, and dried cherry, and a hint of leather and mint.
Finish: A symphony of flavors sits endlessly on the palate, causing the unsuspecting drinker to wish there was an endless supply in their glass.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15-Year-Old

Suggested Retail Price: $119.99
Proof: 107
Color: Striking, brilliant, copper color.
Nose:  The aroma is seductive with intense sweet brown notes like maple, caramelized sugar, toffee, and toasted almond.
Taste: Waves of caramel and toffee meld into familiar memories of fresh-baked holiday spice cookies made with molasses. The mouthfeel is rich, supple, full-bodied and briefly veers toward decadent before the wood influences lend a balancing dryness.
Finish: Long, flavorful, and complex. An unbelievably opulent and flawless bourbon that takes wood and distillate to its absolute pinnacle.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20-Year-Old

Suggested Retail Price: $199.99
Proof: 90.4
Color: Dark amber in appearance with ruby highlights.
Nose:  This full-bodied bourbon has a sophisticated forefront of leather with complementary notes of smoke, warm tobacco, treacle, espresso, and charred oak.
Taste: The aromas and flavors are endlessly complex and each new sip reveals something new to discover.
Finish: Suave and confident with layers of bold, integrated nuances.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old

Suggested Retail Price: $299.99
Proof: 95.6
Color: Rich mahogany color.
Nose:  Reminiscent of a crisp fall day, with aromas of ripe red apples, cherries and tobacco.
Taste: Wood is the star here with supporting notes of caramel, apple, apricot, leather, walnuts, and vanilla Crème Brulé.
Finish: Long-lasting and rich, opening with bold flavors of oak and caramel that tease the palate before fading slowly and elegantly until the next sip.

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