Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye Review

Distillery: Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery (Buffalo Trace)

Proof: 95.6

Age: 13 Years

Mashbill: Undisclosed

MSRP: $99.99

Retail Price: $1,700 – $2.100

---

Company

Buffalo Trace (Sazerac Company) is arguably the most well-known distillery on the planet. Its lineup includes the likes of Pappy. E.H. Taylor, Blanton’s, Elmer T. Lee, W.L. Weller, and more.

The Van Winkle line, named after Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, is still family-run and well-known for the “best of the best” bourbons. You know…the ones that cost $1,000s and people proudly display in their home bar.

Production

At 13 years, this is one of the oldest ryes on the market. And according to Chuck Cowdery via Whiskey Advocate, the Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye has been a 50/50 combination of Medley and Cream of Kentucky rye whiskeys.

Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye Review: Flavor Profile

Nose – 3.75/5

Buttery caramel notes over a backdrop of fresh oak. There really isn’t much of a rye note here, which makes it smell much more like a bourbon.

Palate – 4.5/5

The rye comes in quickly but then is somewhat overpowered by delicious, rich caramel, butter, vanilla, and oak. There’s also a decent amount of spice that’s hard to place. It’s cinnamon-like.

There’s a lot going on here and you can tell there are other notes you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s a very exciting and joyful tasting experience, which I wasn’t expecting because I normally don’t love ryes. It’s easily the best rye I’ve ever had and can compete with just about any bourbon I’ve had as well.

The only knock on it is its proof. I feel like if it were 10-20 points higher, the flavors would be even more intense (but maybe humans weren’t made to handle such flavor).

Finish – 4/5

Sweet, mid-lengthed finish that’s a bit heavier on oak and pepper. It leaves you with some deep caramel and vanilla notes that make you want to take another sip.

This is another area where I think upping the proof could make this an elite experience. The finish is great, just not quite as delightful as the palate.

Value – 2/5

For MSRP, I would buy Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye all day long. It’d be on my shelf at all times. Is it worth the nearly $2,000 you’ll have to drop for a bottle? Of course not. But it’s an elite whiskey. I think the most I’d pay for a bottle is about $500.

I honestly can’t believe how good this is. Again, rye super fans might not love it because there isn’t a ton of rye. I think they found a great balance of the rye flavor in this one, but it’s not incredibly noticeable compared to other ryes.

But if you’re a bourbon lover, you’re gonna love this one if you ever decide to try it.

Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye Review…The Verdict

3.56/5

We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.

Scoring System:

• Platinum – 4.25 – 5
• Gold – 3.25 – 4.24
• Silver – 2.75 – 3.24
• Bronze – <2.75