Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year is the entry point to the Van Winkle family of bourbons — a wheated Kentucky straight bourbon aged a full decade and bottled at 107 proof, drawing from the same recipe that Pappy Van Winkle himself championed throughout his career.
Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle Sr. began his career at W.L. Weller & Sons as a traveling whiskey salesman in the early 1900s, eventually rising to President of the Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville. He built his reputation on the wheated bourbon recipe — substituting wheat for rye as the secondary grain — which produced a softer, richer character than the high-rye bourbons that dominated the market. When the family sold Stitzel-Weller in 1972, his son Julian Jr. continued bottling under the Old Rip Van Winkle label as a side venture, preserving the recipe.
Julian Van Winkle III took over the business in 1981 at 32 years old, and spent two decades building the brand on the strength of the bourbon itself. When Buffalo Trace acquired the W.L. Weller label in 1999 and approached Julian III about a production partnership, the transition was straightforward — Buffalo Trace had been producing wheated bourbon using nearly the same recipe. As of 2002, Buffalo Trace has produced all Van Winkle bourbons using Pappy's original wheated recipe.
The 10 Year is bottled at 107 proof with only a small addition of Kentucky limestone water at bottling — closer to barrel proof than most standard releases — producing a bourbon of notable intensity and richness for its age.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Sweet vanilla, caramel, and pecan with warm oak. Palate: Rich and full — robust wheat character, dried cherry, caramel, and well-integrated oak at 107 proof. Finish: Long and warming, with smoky wheat, dried fruit, spice, and oak tannins persisting.
Specs
Distillery: Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Kentucky. Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Mashbill: Wheated bourbon recipe. Age: 10 years. Proof: 107 (53.5% ABV). Size: 750ml.
Browse the full Pappy Van Winkle collection at Wooden Cork, including Lot B 12 Year, Family Reserve 15, 20, and 23 Year expressions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year?
The entry expression in the Van Winkle family of bourbons — a 10-year-aged, 107-proof wheated Kentucky straight bourbon produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery using Pappy Van Winkle's original wheated recipe. Often referred to as "Pappy 10" or "ORVW 10," it is the most accessible age statement in the Van Winkle lineup while sharing the same foundational mashbill as the 15, 20, and 23 Year expressions.
What proof is Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year?
107 proof (53.5% ABV) — bottled with only a small addition of Kentucky limestone water at bottling, staying close to the natural barrel proof. This gives the 10 Year more intensity and concentration than most bourbons at its age statement.
How does Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year differ from Pappy Van Winkle 15, 20, and 23 Year?
All four expressions use the same wheated mashbill from Buffalo Trace, but the Van Winkle Family Reserve expressions (15, 20, and 23 Year) are aged significantly longer and released in smaller quantities. The 10 Year is the entry point — more widely allocated than the older expressions, bottled at 107 proof rather than the 90.4 proof of the Family Reserve tier.
What is the wheated mashbill?
The Van Winkle bourbon recipe substitutes wheat for rye as the secondary grain after corn, producing a softer, richer profile with more caramel and dried fruit character than high-rye bourbons. The same wheated mashbill is used across the entire Van Winkle lineup as well as the W.L. Weller and William Larue Weller expressions at Buffalo Trace.
Is Old Rip Van Winkle allocated?
Yes — all Van Winkle expressions are released through Buffalo Trace's annual fall allocation. The 10 Year receives slightly broader distribution than the older Family Reserve expressions but remains limited. Wooden Cork receives regular allocations and ships nationwide with adult-signature delivery.
