{"product_id":"pappy-van-winkle-23-year","title":"Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 23 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — 95.6 Proof, Flagship Long-Aged","description":"\u003cstyle\u003e\n.mw-master-container{\n  --mw-accent: #A78961;   \/* metallic foil  *\/\n  --mw-glow:   #96302D;   \/* power color    *\/\n  --mw-bg:     #2A0E0A;   \/* deep lowlight  *\/\n  --mw-text:#e0e0e0; --mw-muted:#ada08e; --mw-hair:#3a1812;\n  font-family: inherit; background:var(--mw-bg); color:var(--mw-text);\n  line-height:1.7; padding:24px; margin-bottom:60px;\n}\n.mw-master-container .mw-h3{ color:var(--mw-accent); font-weight:bold; text-transform:uppercase;\n  font-size:0.9rem; letter-spacing:2px; margin-top:40px; display:block;\n  border-bottom:1px solid var(--mw-glow); padding-bottom:8px; margin-bottom:20px; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-accent{ color:var(--mw-accent); font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-accent:hover{ color:#fff; text-decoration:underline; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-info-box{ background:linear-gradient(90deg, var(--mw-bg) 0%, var(--mw-glow) 100%);\n  padding:25px; margin:25px 0; border-radius:0 4px 4px 0; border:1px solid var(--mw-hair);\n  border-left:4px solid var(--mw-accent); }\n.mw-master-container .mw-grid{ display:grid; grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr; gap:30px; margin:30px 0; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-card{ background:rgba(255,255,255,0.02); padding:25px;\n  border:1px solid var(--mw-glow); border-radius:4px; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-table{ width:100%; border-collapse:collapse; margin-top:15px; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-table td{ padding:14px 0; border-bottom:1px solid var(--mw-hair);\n  color:#ccc; font-size:0.95rem; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-table td:first-child{ font-weight:bold; width:38%; color:var(--mw-accent);\n  text-transform:uppercase; font-size:0.75rem; letter-spacing:1px; }\n.mw-master-container details{ background:rgba(255,255,255,0.03); border:1px solid var(--mw-hair);\n  border-radius:4px; margin-bottom:15px; }\n.mw-master-container summary{ padding:18px; color:var(--mw-accent); font-weight:bold; cursor:pointer;\n  outline:none; list-style:none; display:flex; justify-content:space-between; align-items:center;\n  text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1px; font-size:0.85rem; }\n.mw-master-container summary::after{ content:'+'; font-size:1.2rem; }\n.mw-master-container details[open]{ border:1px solid var(--mw-accent); }\n.mw-master-container details[open] summary::after{ content:'-'; }\n.mw-master-container .details-content{ padding:0 20px 20px 20px; font-size:0.95rem; }\n@media (max-width:768px){ .mw-master-container .mw-grid{ grid-template-columns:1fr; } }\n\u003c\/style\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-master-container\"\u003e\n\n  \u003cdiv class=\"speakable\"\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003ePappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 23 Year is the oldest expression in the line and the top of the Pappy tier — a wheated Kentucky straight bourbon bottled by Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery at 95.6 proof (47.8% ABV). Aged twenty-three years, it is one of the longest-aged bourbons the family produces, and after that long in wood the oak leads: rich mahogany in the glass, with ripe red apple, cherry, and tobacco on the nose; a wood-forward palate of caramel, apricot, leather, walnut, and vanilla; and a long, rich finish of bold oak and caramel. It sits above the 15 and 20 Year. Its distillate is vintage-dependent — older releases came from the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery, recent ones from Buffalo Trace — and it is among the most allocated bourbons released each fall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003cspan class=\"mw-h3\"\u003eThe Elemental Distinction\u003c\/span\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"mw-info-box\"\u003e\n    \u003cul style=\"margin:0; padding-left:20px; font-size:0.95rem;\"\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eThe oldest expression in the Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve line — the top of the tier, above the 15 and 20 Year.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eAged 23 years and bottled at 95.6 proof (47.8% ABV); a highly allocated annual release.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eThe most oak-driven of the line — rich mahogany, with apple, cherry, leather, walnut, and bold oak.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eA wheated bourbon: wheat (Red Winter wheat) replaces rye, the same recipe that makes Weller.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eDistillate is vintage-dependent: original Stitzel-Weller for older releases, Buffalo Trace for recent ones. 750 mL.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003cdiv class=\"mw-grid\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"mw-card\"\u003e\n      \u003cspan class=\"mw-accent\" style=\"font-size:0.75rem; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1px;\"\u003eSensory Profile\u003c\/span\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:20px; font-size:0.9rem;\" class=\"speakable\"\u003e\n        \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ripe red apple, cherry, and tobacco over antique oak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n        \u003cp style=\"margin-top:10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wood-forward — the oak leads — with caramel, apricot, leather, walnut, and vanilla.\u003c\/p\u003e\n        \u003cp style=\"margin-top:10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Long and rich, with bold oak and caramel. The most oak-driven expression in the line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"mw-card\"\u003e\n      \u003cspan class=\"mw-accent\" style=\"font-size:0.75rem; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1px;\"\u003eStrategic Position\u003c\/span\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"font-size:0.90rem; margin-top:20px;\"\u003eThe oldest and most oak-forward Van Winkle, one age step above \u003ca href=\"\/products\/pappy-van-winkle-20-year\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003ethe 20-year expression a step below it\u003c\/a\u003e, and the top of the tier. For the full range, see \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bourbon\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003eour other Kentucky bourbons\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003cdetails\u003e\n    \u003csummary\u003eTechnical Specifications\u003c\/summary\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"details-content\"\u003e\n      \u003ctable class=\"mw-table\" style=\"margin-top:0;\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBrand \/ Line\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOld Rip Van Winkle (Van Winkle family) — Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve, 23 Year\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProducer \/ Bottler\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBottled by Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky; produced under the Buffalo Trace partnership since 2002\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCategory\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — wheated\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMash Bill\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWheated (wheat replaces rye); Red Winter wheat; exact ratio not published, est. ~16% wheat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDistillate Source\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eVintage-dependent — Stitzel-Weller (older releases) or Buffalo Trace (recent)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProof \/ ABV\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e95.6 proof (47.8% ABV)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAge Statement\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e23 years (stated)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCooperage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNew charred American oak; lower-floor, cooler-warehouse aging\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eColor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRich mahogany\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBottle Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e750 mL\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEdition\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLimited Edition; highly allocated annual fall release\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePosition In Line\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOldest expression — top of the Pappy tier (15 → 20 → 23)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n  \u003cdetails\u003e\n    \u003csummary\u003eCollector Note\u003c\/summary\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"details-content\"\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin:0;\"\u003eThe 23 Year is the oldest bottle the Van Winkle family sells, and it carries the most history in the glass. Much of its mystique is tied to the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, which produced the wheated recipe until it closed in 1992: older 23 Year releases were drawn from that Stitzel-Weller stock, and in 2013 Julian Van Winkle III suggested that year's bottling might be among the last of it. As those barrels were depleted around 2014, recent releases moved to Buffalo Trace distillate, so the bottling year decides what is inside — a distinction collectors track closely. After twenty-three years the wood is dominant, which is the point: this is the most oak-driven expression in the line, rich mahogany in color and intense on the palate. Among the most allocated bourbons released each fall, it is the most collectible rung of the Pappy ladder and, for many, the one bottle that defines the name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n  \u003cdetails\u003e\n    \u003csummary\u003eRecommended Serving\u003c\/summary\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"details-content\"\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin:0;\"\u003eTwenty-three years in oak ask for a neat pour in a Glencairn, with real time to open — the apple, leather, and walnut emerge from under the wood only slowly. A single drop of water can soften the oak and lift the caramel, which suits a whiskey this old. Ice is best avoided, as the cold flattens the layered oak and dried fruit that two decades and more in the barrel produced. This is a bottle to pour with intent, never to mix.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n  \u003cdetails\u003e\n    \u003csummary\u003eProduction Methodology\u003c\/summary\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"details-content\"\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:0;\"\u003ePappy 23 is built on the Van Winkle wheated mash bill, with wheat — specifically Red Winter wheat — standing in for rye alongside corn and malted barley; the exact ratio is not published, but estimates cluster around 16% wheat. It is the same recipe that makes Weller. The whiskey's origin depends on the vintage: older releases were distilled at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville before its 1992 closure, the transition-era bottlings around 2015 blended a Stitzel-Weller majority with some Bernheim and Buffalo Trace, and recent releases are Buffalo Trace distillate. Barrels are aged on the lower, cooler floors of the rack house, where slower maturation helps a whiskey survive this long without collapsing into bitterness, and it is bottled at 95.6 proof.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/details\u003e\n  \n  \u003cdetails\u003e\n    \u003csummary\u003eAuthentication \u0026amp; Vault Preservation\u003c\/summary\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"details-content\"\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin:0;\"\u003eMidnight Whiskey is an authorized retailer; every bottle is sold in its original packaging and inspected before it ships. Orders are double-boxed with protective padding and dispatched with temperature-aware handling. Delivery requires an adult signature: the recipient must be 21 or older and present valid government-issued photo ID. For how we verify and grade what we sell, see \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/authentication\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003eour authentication standards\u003c\/a\u003e; for white-glove acquisition and storage, see \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/vault-concierge\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003ethe Vault Concierge\u003c\/a\u003e; and for how we source and vet listings, see \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/editorial-standards\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003eour editorial sourcing standards\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/details\u003e\n  \n  \u003cdetails\u003e\n    \u003csummary\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/summary\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"details-content\"\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"font-weight:bold; margin-top:0;\"\u003eWhat is the oldest Pappy Van Winkle?\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cp\u003eThe 23 Year is the oldest expression in the Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve line, aged twenty-three years and bottled at 95.6 proof. It sits at the top of the tier, above the 15 and 20 Year, and is one of the longest-aged bourbons produced for the Van Winkle family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"font-weight:bold; margin-top:18px; margin-bottom:0;\"\u003eWas Pappy 23 distilled at Stitzel-Weller or Buffalo Trace?\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cp\u003eIt depends on the vintage. Older releases were distilled at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, which closed in 1992 and is valued by collectors for its deep, earthy character; recent releases are Buffalo Trace distillate, since the Stitzel-Weller stock was depleted around 2014. The specific bottling year determines the source.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@graph\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Product\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/pappy-van-winkle-23-year#product\",\n      \"name\": \"Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 23 Year\",\n      \"image\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/[PLACEHOLDER_IMAGE_PATH]\/pappy-van-winkle-23-year.jpg\",\n      \"description\": \"Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 23 Year is a wheated Kentucky straight bourbon from the Van Winkle family, bottled by Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery at 95.6 proof (47.8% ABV) in 750 mL. The oldest expression of the Pappy tier, aged 23 years, it is made with a wheated mash bill that replaces rye with wheat. Rich mahogany, it is wood-forward, with ripe red apple, cherry, caramel, apricot, leather, walnut, vanilla, tobacco, and a long, rich finish of bold oak and caramel.\",\n      \"sku\": \"[PLACEHOLDER_SKU]\",\n      \"mpn\": \"[PLACEHOLDER_MPN]\",\n      \"brand\": { \"@type\": \"Brand\", \"name\": \"Old Rip Van Winkle\" },\n      \"manufacturer\": { \"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery\" },\n      \"category\": \"Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey\",\n      \"offers\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/pappy-van-winkle-23-year#offer\",\n        \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/pappy-van-winkle-23-year\",\n        \"priceCurrency\": \"USD\",\n        \"price\": \"[PLACEHOLDER_PRICE]\",\n        \"availability\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/LimitedAvailability\",\n        \"itemCondition\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/NewCondition\",\n        \"seller\": { \"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"Midnight Whiskey\" }\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/pappy-van-winkle-23-year#breadcrumb\",\n      \"itemListElement\": [\n        { \"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 1, \"name\": \"Home\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\" },\n        { \"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 2, \"name\": \"Bourbon\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/collections\/bourbon\" },\n        { \"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 3, \"name\": \"Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year\" }\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/pappy-van-winkle-23-year#faq\",\n      \"mainEntity\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"What is the oldest Pappy Van Winkle?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"The 23 Year is the oldest expression in the Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve line, aged twenty-three years and bottled at 95.6 proof. It sits at the top of the tier, above the 15 and 20 Year, and is one of the longest-aged bourbons produced for the Van Winkle family.\" }\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"Was Pappy 23 distilled at Stitzel-Weller or Buffalo Trace?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"It depends on the vintage. Older releases were distilled at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, which closed in 1992 and is valued by collectors for its deep, earthy character; recent releases are Buffalo Trace distillate, since the Stitzel-Weller stock was depleted around 2014. The specific bottling year determines the source.\" }\n        }\n      ]\n    }\n  ]\n}\n\u003c\/script\u003e","brand":"Buffalo Trace","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45002716938274,"sku":null,"price":3499.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0812\/5566\/1602\/files\/image_73296506-fe97-4f97-bc2d-ee4d8631b8c9.jpg?v=1779905447","url":"https:\/\/midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/pappy-van-winkle-23-year","provider":"Midnight Whiskey ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}