Pappy Van Winkle: When will rare bourbon be available? 2018 release

Autumn means different things to different people but for bourbon lovers, it is time to get ready for the yearly release of Pappy Van Winkle.

The ultra-rare bourbon comes from the "Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery" and is produced by Sazerac Company at its Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. The distillery releases around 7,000 cases - or some 84,000 bottles -each year and bourbon lovers have been known to camp out at stores in hopes of scoring a drink.

Today, Oct. 1., the company will tell wholesalers how many bottles they will receive. From there, the wholesalers determine which retailers get that inventory and distributes the bottles. Pappy Van Winkle usually hits shelves in the U.S. anywhere from mid-October to early December.

The company's website has a list of stores that are "likely" to receive stock but that can vary based on wholesale releases. The distillery does have some advice for those seeking the bourbon.

"We know our whiskey can be difficult to find, so our advice is to ask retailers in your area if they expect to receive stock, and if so, how they plan to sell it. Many retailers use a lottery or a waiting list to sell our stock. We recommend you get on as many waiting lists and enter as many lotteries as you can," Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery said.

The list of stores that will sell Pappy Van Winkle will be released later this year. Some states opt for a lottery to distribute supplies.

Other websites also track retailers and bars that have offered Pappy. You can check one of those here.

Pappy Van Winkle has been an ultimate drink goal for many bourbon fans for years. The craze traces its roots to 1996, when the Beverage Testing Institute rated the 20-year Pappy Van Winkle a 99 out of 100 - the highest rating for a whiskey ever given by the institute.

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