{"product_id":"old-rip-van-winkle-25-year-bourbon-midnight-whiskey","title":"Old Rip Van Winkle Pappy 25 Year Bourbon","description":"\u003cstyle\u003e\n.mw-master-container{\n  --mw-accent: #B3A296;   \/* metallic foil  *\/\n  --mw-glow:   #86160F;   \/* power color    *\/\n  --mw-bg:     #300302;   \/* deep lowlight  *\/\n  --mw-text:#e0e0e0; --mw-muted:#a99e92; --mw-hair:#3a0f0c;\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\u003eOld Rip Van Winkle 25 Year is the oldest expression the Van Winkle family has ever released — a wheated Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV) and presented in a hand-engraved crystal decanter. The whiskey was distilled in 1989 at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery, aged there and then at Buffalo Trace until 2014, when it was moved into stainless steel to hold the profile, and bottled in 2017. After twenty-five years the oak leads, but it stays balanced rather than bitter: deep mahogany in the glass, with oak, caramel, vanilla, leather, and dark fruit, and a long finish of oak and sweet caramel. Only 710 decanters were made, each numbered and silver-stoppered in a wooden case built from used barrel staves. It sits above the entire Pappy tier and is the scarcest bottling the family produces.\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 Van Winkle expression ever released — above the entire Pappy tier (15, 20, 23).\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eAged 25 years and bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV); a 2017 release.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eDistilled in 1989 at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery; aging halted in stainless steel in 2014.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eOak-forward but balanced — deep mahogany, with caramel, vanilla, leather, and dark fruit.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eA wheated bourbon (wheat replaces rye), the same recipe as Weller. 710 decanters made; 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 Deep oak, caramel, and vanilla with dried fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n        \u003cp style=\"margin-top:10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Oak-forward but balanced — caramel and vanilla hold against the wood, with leather and dark fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n        \u003cp style=\"margin-top:10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Long, with oak and sweet caramel. Balanced for its age — the 2014 move to steel kept it from over-oaking.\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 Van Winkle ever released, one age step above \u003ca href=\"\/products\/pappy-van-winkle-23-year\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003ethe 23-year Pappy just below it in age\u003c\/a\u003e, and a bookend to \u003ca href=\"\/products\/old-rip-van-winkle-10-year\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003ethe 10-year bottling that shares the Old Rip Van Winkle name\u003c\/a\u003e. For the full range, see \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bourbon\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003eour other aged 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) — 25 Year, the oldest expression ever released\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProducer \/ Bottler\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReleased by Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery; bottled by Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Kentucky\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDistillate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDistilled 1989 at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery; bottled 2017\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCategory\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — wheated (\"Handmade Bourbon\")\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMash Bill\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWheated (wheat replaces rye); exact ratio not published, est. ~16% wheat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProof \/ ABV\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e100 proof (50% ABV)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAge Statement\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e25 years (stated)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaturation\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e~25 years in new charred American oak (Stitzel-Weller 1989–2002, Buffalo Trace 2002–2014); held in steel from 2014\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eColor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDeep mahogany\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eVessel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHand-engraved Glencairn crystal decanter, numbered, silver stopper; barrel-stave wooden case; signed certificate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProduction Run\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e710 decanters (from 11 barrels)\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      \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;\"\u003eThis is the oldest whiskey the Van Winkle family has ever bottled, and its story is unusually precise for a bourbon this scarce. The liquid was distilled in 1989 at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery, aged there until the family moved production to Buffalo Trace in 2002, and held in barrel until 2014 — at which point it was transferred to stainless steel to stop the clock and protect the flavor before being bottled in 2017. Eleven barrels yielded just 710 decanters, each one a hand-engraved Glencairn crystal vessel, individually numbered, finished with a silver stopper, and boxed in a case built from used barrel staves with a signed certificate. It is the scarcest of all the family's bottlings; the 2017 release price has been left far behind by the secondary market. For a serious collection it is a genuinely collectible centerpiece — the top of the Van Winkle range, a full two years older than the Pappy 23.\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;\"\u003eA whiskey this old and this scarce belongs in a Glencairn, neat, with time to breathe — the caramel and vanilla need a few minutes to come up through the oak. A single drop of water can round the wood without dulling it. Ice is best avoided; the cold flattens the layered oak and dark fruit that twenty-five years built. More than most bottles, this is one to pour rarely and 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\n      \u003cp style=\"margin:0;\"\u003eThe 25 Year is built on the Van Winkle wheated mash bill, with wheat in place of 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 barrels were distilled in the spring and fall of 1989 at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Shively, Kentucky, and aged on the lower levels there until 2002, when the family moved production to Buffalo Trace; they continued on the lower floors of Buffalo Trace's brick warehouses through 2014. To keep a whiskey this old from tipping into bitterness, the team transferred it to stainless steel tanks in 2014, halting the aging, and bottled it in 2017 at 100 proof. Eleven barrels yielded 710 hand-engraved crystal decanters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \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 Van Winkle bourbon?\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cp\u003eThe Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year is the oldest expression ever released under the Van Winkle name, older than the Pappy 23. It was distilled in 1989, aged twenty-five years, and bottled in 2017 at 100 proof in a hand-engraved crystal decanter. Only 710 were produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"font-weight:bold; margin-top:18px; margin-bottom:0;\"\u003eWhere was the Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year distilled?\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cp\u003eIt was distilled in 1989 at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, aged there until 2002, then moved to Buffalo Trace and aged until 2014, when it was transferred to stainless steel to halt the aging. It was bottled in 2017. The whiskey is entirely Stitzel-Weller distillate.\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:\/\/midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/old-rip-van-winkle-25-year#product\",\n      \"name\": \"Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year\",\n      \"image\": \"https:\/\/midnightwhiskey.com\/[PLACEHOLDER_IMAGE_PATH]\/old-rip-van-winkle-25-year.jpg\",\n      \"description\": \"Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year is the oldest expression ever released under the Van Winkle name, a wheated Kentucky straight bourbon distilled in 1989 at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery and bottled in 2017 at 100 proof (50% ABV) in a hand-engraved 750 mL crystal decanter. Aged 25 years, with only 710 produced, it is deep mahogany and oak-forward but balanced, with caramel, vanilla, leather, and dark fruit holding against the wood, and a long finish of oak and sweet 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:\/\/midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/old-rip-van-winkle-25-year#offer\",\n        \"url\": \"https:\/\/midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/old-rip-van-winkle-25-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:\/\/midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/old-rip-van-winkle-25-year#breadcrumb\",\n      \"itemListElement\": [\n        { \"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 1, \"name\": \"Home\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/midnightwhiskey.com\" },\n        { \"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 2, \"name\": \"Bourbon\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/midnightwhiskey.com\/collections\/bourbon\" },\n        { \"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 3, \"name\": \"Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year\" }\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/old-rip-van-winkle-25-year#faq\",\n      \"mainEntity\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"What is the oldest Van Winkle bourbon?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"The Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year is the oldest expression ever released under the Van Winkle name, older than the Pappy 23. It was distilled in 1989, aged twenty-five years, and bottled in 2017 at 100 proof in a hand-engraved crystal decanter. Only 710 were produced.\" }\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"Where was the Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year distilled?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"It was distilled in 1989 at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, aged there until 2002, then moved to Buffalo Trace and aged until 2014, when it was transferred to stainless steel to halt the aging. It was bottled in 2017. The whiskey is entirely Stitzel-Weller distillate.\" }\n        }\n      ]\n    }\n  ]\n}\n\u003c\/script\u003e","brand":"Buffalo Trace","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45687727259682,"sku":null,"price":42999.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0812\/5566\/1602\/files\/image3.jpg?v=1780181119","url":"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/old-rip-van-winkle-25-year-bourbon-midnight-whiskey","provider":"Midnight Whiskey ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}