Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery and Buffalo Trace Distillery tell BourbonBlog.com that it is the best time of year. Yes, all six Van Winkle bourbon and rye whiskeys return for 2026, with ages ranging from 10 to 23 years.

The six-bottle lineup itself has not changed from 2025, but the suggested retail prices have. Five of the six whiskeys are more expensive this year, with increases ranging from $20 to $70 per bottle.

The combined suggested retail price of the full collection is now $1,869.94 before local taxes—exactly $220 more than last year.

Van Winkle’s suggested prices have moved higher for a second consecutive year, this time by $20 to $70 per bottle, and we felt those increases deserved a mention. Still, if you are fortunate enough to find one at SRP, that may seem like a relatively small price to pay for whiskey aged 10 to 23 years and in such extraordinary demand. With Van Winkle, the bigger question is whether you will actually find a bottle being sold at the suggested price.

What prices are you seeing in the wild? Tell us below.

Below, BourbonBlog.com breaks down all six bottles one by one, followed by a direct comparison of the 2026 and 2025 releases.

We’ve Been Covering—and Pouring—Pappy for Years

Bourbon expert and BourbonBlog.com founder Tom Fischer appeared in Netflix’s Heist during “The Bourbon King”, the two-part story about the infamous Pappy Van Winkle theft, which is also documented on IMDb.

Fischer has also organized and hosted rare Pappy-centered tasting experiences for private guests and festival audiences. These have included opportunities to taste sought-after Van Winkle releases while learning about the whiskey’s history, production and place in bourbon culture.

At the 2023 San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, Fischer presented “Who’s Your Pappy?”, an intimate blind tasting in which guests sampled eight rare bourbons and ryes while attempting to identify Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year. BourbonBlog later published the complete lineup and a behind-the-scenes look at the tasting.

The 2026 Van Winkle Whiskey Collection

Produced in extremely limited quantities, the annual collection represents four generations of Van Winkle whiskey-making tradition. Although the same six age-stated expressions return each year, barrel selection and maturation give every annual release its own character.

The Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley select only the barrels that meet the standards established for each expression. This year’s collection again includes five wheated bourbons and one 13-year-old rye whiskey.

Preston Van Winkle, vice president and fourth-generation member of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, said the family remains focused on patience, quality and carrying its standards forward. Julian P. Van Winkle III called each bottle a connection to earlier generations and to the enthusiasts who continue to seek out the whiskeys.

The family’s American whiskey history reaches back to the late 1800s, when Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr. began working for Louisville’s W.L. Weller & Sons. He later helped establish Stitzel-Weller Distillery, which opened in 1935. The Van Winkle family partnered with Buffalo Trace Distillery in 2002, and the collection is now distilled and aged at Buffalo Trace in Frankfort.

 All Six 2026 Van Winkle Bottles, Prices and Tasting Notes

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year old Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10 Year Old — $169.99

Price change: Up $20 from $149.99 in 2025.

Vanilla and caramel open the nose, joined by pecan and seasoned oak. The palate is smooth and mellow, balancing robust wheat and ripe cherry with a deepening oak character. The finish is long and smoky, with lingering fruit, warm spice and refined oak tannins.

Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12 Year Old — $199.99

Price change: Up $30 from $169.99 in 2025.

Dried mango and spiced peach provide the fruit character, while cocoa adds depth. Honey spreads across the palate alongside seasoned oak and tobacco, creating a balance between sweetness and structure. The finish is dry and balanced, with lingering warmth.

Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year Old — $299.99

Price change: Up $70 from $229.99 in 2025—the largest dollar increase in the collection.

The nose is softly spiced, with chestnut, vanilla and fruit. Cocoa and vanilla add richness to the palate, accented by vibrant spice and white pepper. Caramel and lingering spice settle into dry oak through an exceptionally long and complex finish.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15 Year Old — $299.99

Price change: Up $60 from $239.99 in 2025.

Rich and commanding, the 15 Year balances caramel corn and vanilla sweetness with leather, seasoned oak and complex fruit. The whiskey builds in depth across the palate before moving into a smooth finish of warm spice and lingering oak tannins.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20 Year Old — $399.99

Price change: Up $40 from $359.99 in 2025.

Two decades of maturation deliver exceptional depth and elegance. The palate opens with citrus zest, then develops delicate sherry notes, dried fruit and vanilla. The finish is extraordinarily long, composed and refined.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23 Year Old — $499.99

Price change: No change from its 2025 suggested price.

Ripe apple and cherry brighten layers of caramel, deeply developed oak and tobacco, underscored by a subtle chocolate note. Pronounced wood takes center stage on the structured palate while caramel provides richness and balance. The finish is exceptionally long, with mature oak, caramel and unmistakable refinement.

The largest increase belongs to Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year, which rises $70. Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year follows with a $60 increase. The 23 Year is the only bottle holding at its 2025 suggested price. Altogether, the collection’s suggested price is approximately 13.3% higher than it was last year.

The 2025 announcement also included something outside the regular six-bottle collection: the auction of Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year Old Bottle #706, one of only 710 originally produced. That rediscovered archival bottle and its Legacy de Forge auction were the centerpiece of last year’s news. No comparable special auction bottle is included in the 2026 announcement.

The official tasting notes have also been rewritten for 2026. That should not automatically be read as a recipe or specification change. Instead, the new descriptions emphasize some different characteristics: pecan and warm spice in the 10 Year; mango, peach and cocoa in the 12 Year; chestnut and white pepper in the 13 Year Rye; caramel corn and leather in the 15 Year; citrus, sherry and dried fruit in the 20 Year; and apple, chocolate, tobacco and mature oak in the 23 Year.

When and Where Will the 2026 Van Winkle Collection Be Available?

The 2026 Van Winkle Whiskey Collection will be distributed in limited quantities to licensed retailers, bars and restaurants across the United States through Sazerac’s distribution network. Actual retail prices may vary, and local taxes and fees apply.

The Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace Distillery do not control prices charged by individual retailers. They strongly recommend buying only through licensed sellers because unlicensed secondary-market and online purchases carry an increased risk of counterfeit bottles, fraud and alcohol scams.

Anyone who believes they purchased a counterfeit bottle should not consume it. Suspected fraud can be reported to the Better Business Bureau and the appropriate state attorney general’s office, as well as to the buyer’s credit-card provider.

For more information about the Van Winkle family of whiskeys, visit OldRipVanWinkle.com.

Reported by Tom Fischer for BourbonBlog.com. Please check back as we continue covering the 2026 Van Winkle release and other limited bourbon and rye whiskey releases.