Old Rip Van Winkle 12 Year Handmade Bourbon – Kentucky Straight Bourbon
by Buffalo Trace Distillery
A cult-classic wheated bourbon and one of the most sought-after bottles in American whiskey, Old Rip Van Winkle 12 Year delivers extraordinary smoothness, layered sweetness, and refined oak complexity. Often viewed as the bridge between everyday luxury and ultra-rare Pappy expressions, it offers exceptional depth without overwhelming heaviness.
Made using a wheated bourbon recipe (wheat replacing rye in the mash bill), which creates a softer, rounder, and silkier profile than traditional rye-based bourbons. Aged for 12 years in charred American oak, it develops richness while maintaining remarkable elegance.
This is craftsmanship-driven bourbon at its finest.
Nose
Caramel, vanilla bean, honey, dried orchard fruit, toasted oak, soft baking spice
Palate
Velvety and layered with toffee, brown sugar, baked apple, roasted nuts, light cinnamon, and gentle oak warmth
Finish
Long, smooth, and luxurious with lingering sweetness and subtle spice
• Wheated mash bill for exceptional softness
• Perfect balance of sweetness and oak
• Silky texture with deep flavour development
• Highly collectible and extremely sought after
• Often considered one of the best-drinking Van Winkle releases
Neat in a Glencairn or tulip glass
With a few drops of water to open aromatics
As the centrepiece of a premium bourbon tasting
Old Rip Van Winkle 12 Year Handmade Bourbon delivers refined sweetness, remarkable smoothness, and beautifully integrated oak — a bourbon that consistently ranks among the world’s finest. Elegant, complex, and endlessly satisfying, it is a true connoisseur’s whiskey.
