This week, the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery and Buffalo Trace Distillery have revealed the details of their 2025 collection, which is expected to ignite the annual rush for some of bourbon’s most sought-after bottles. As is customary, the release includes the family's renowned wheated bourbon mash bill, a tradition with roots in the work of William Larue Weller and the brand's namesake, Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle Sr. This year's release features the six core expressions, each with its own updated tasting profile.
“Each release represents years of quiet work, careful aging and a deep respect for the legacy we carry forward,” said Brand Manager Preston Van Winkle in a company press release. “We’ve taken great care to ensure the quality of this year’s release lives up to the Van Winkle name. We’re proud to share this whiskey with those who appreciate the craft, patience and tradition that go into every bottle.”
The 2025 Pappy Van Winkle Collection
The 2025 Van Winkle Collection includes the Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10 Year Old, which "balances classic sweetness with smoky sophistication" with notes of vanilla, caramel, and pecan, according to the brand. The Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Old, or "Lot B," is described as having a "bolder, woodier edge" with hints of dried mango, spiced peach, and cocoa. For rye whiskey lovers, the Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year Old "builds on its spiced elegance with a richer, fruit-forward complexity." The Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year Old "amplifies its signature sweetness with added depth." This year’s Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 20 Year Old is described as having "vibrant" notes of citrus zest and dried fruit, while the Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23 Year Old “turns up the intensity” with a "bold and inviting" nose of caramel, cream, oak, and leather.
Julian P. Van Winkle III, President of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, said, “Those who follow this release year after year know it’s not just about whiskey, but about what it represents. This whiskey collection is a reflection of our family’s legacy and a tribute to the generations who came before us. The legacy, combined with anticipation, the stories shared over a pour, the appreciation for extended aging – that is what makes each release so special.”
The Bourbon Heritage Month Auction
To coincide with this year's new releases and National Bourbon Heritage Month, a new global platform called Legacy de Forge will be hosting a series of rare whiskey auctions. The platform was created to "improve access to Sazerac’s most coveted spirits." The Sazerac Company is the parent company of Buffalo Trace Distillery, who in 2002 entered into a partnership to produce whiskeys for Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery.
The auction’s standout item is a rare bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year Old, originally filled in a hand-engraved Glencairn crystal decanter in 2017. Described as "the oldest and rarest expression ever released under the iconic name," it is bottle number 706 of an original yield of 710 and was recently located at Buffalo Trace Distillery after being stored for nearly a decade. The winning bid for the lot will also include a private tasting with Julian Van Winkle.
The September Bourbon Heritage Month Auction will include a total of eight handpicked lots, including such highly-desired bottles as an O.F.C. Vintage bourbon from 2006, the newly-released Colonel E.H. Taylor Distiller’s Council and a Stagg Single Barrel pick. Bidding opened on September 10, 2025, and will close on September 24, 2025.
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