14 Bourbons That Rival Pappy Van Winkle And Spare Your Wallet

Bottles of Pappy Van Winkle often equally delight and frustrate bourbon enthusiasts. They are delightful whenever you get the chance to taste a bottle, but trying to get your hands on one at a reasonable price can be frustrating. The good news is that with so many other great bourbons out there, you can afford to be patient and wait for your chance to find a bottle of Pappy, while enjoying some worthy rivals. As someone who has sampled the Pappy range and enjoyed all the bottles listed here, I feel I'm well placed to guide you through what makes a great alternative to these iconic bottles.

All the bourbon bottles from Old Rip Van Winkle have a wheated mash bill, meaning this grain is used instead of the more common rye. It's this use of wheat that helps to give the whiskey a softer and mellower feel. Van Winkle does produce one rye whiskey, but I'll mainly focus my comparisons to its bourbon offerings here. It's for this reason I've included several wheated expressions.

However, Pappy bottles are also generally matured for a long time, which can bring more of an earthy, barrel influence. So, there are also bottles here that rival Pappy in that respect as well. All of these 12 bourbons are not only brilliant, but much cheaper and more easily available. They will allow you to taste truly great whiskey without burning too big of a hole in your wallet.

This is perhaps the most obvious place to start. Weller Special Reserve is an impressive wheated bourbon that, as with Pappy Van Winkle, is made at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. It has that soft and sweet character that makes Pappy so desirable. It's also a whiskey that has historically struggled to meet demands, leading to high secondary prices, which I think has negatively affected people's perception of it. That seems to be easing now with increased production, and the average price of over $60 in secondary markets will hopefully come down. Weller Special Reserve is considerably younger and less complex than the most mature Van Winkle expressions, but still has its own charms.

There is a richness of flavor on the palate that you just don't find in bottom-shelf bourbons. The vanilla and toffee notes are particularly deep, joined by a creamy caramel. A touch of cherry gives it additional depth, but the impressive aspect of this whiskey is not necessarily its range of notes, but just how lovely its flavors are. The 90-proof and gentle thread of cinnamon stops it from being overly sweet. If you want a true insight into what Pappy tastes like, this is essentially a basic version which has much of the same qualities, just dialed down into a more budget-friendly version.

I'd say the flagship Maker's Mark bottle is the most accessible wheated bourbon you can get your hands on. It's well worth a try, but if you've enjoyed that already, the Cask Strength version takes its qualities to the next level. This gives you a similar richness and intensity to Pappy Van Winkle. It also has that strong presence without the spicy rye influence that can come from bottles with the classic mash bill. This whiskey is bottled straight from the barrel, meaning its proof will vary slightly from one batch to another.

That proof is usually around the 110 figure, bringing robust flavor with waves of caramel, dark toffee, oak, roasted nuts and dark fruit. It has the layers of flavor you want from a bourbon, while still being surprisingly approachable for its strength. It's not as rounded or developed as older Pappy expressions, but the oak and opulent mouthfeel have a similar appeal. It also has the benefit of usually being less than $50. If you like wheated bourbon, the whole Maker's Mark range is worth seeking out, but I feel the Cask Strength is the best of them.

The Old Fitzgerald 7-year Bottled-in-Bond is a wonderful option for those looking to spend a little more than you may do on an everyday bourbon, but without going to extremes. Usually found in the $60 to $70 range, it's a wheated bourbon that is still packed with flavor. With the "bottled-in-bond" designation here, you also can be assured that it has been aged from minimum of four years and bottled at 100 proof. These features help to give it plenty of substance but without it being overly aggressive.

The flavor profile is where Old Fitzgerald really earns its place. You can expect a rich combination of caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak, along with a gentle nuttiness and a touch of cinnamon. The wheat helps keep the palate smooth and rounded, rather than dominated by spice. With the seven years of aging, you get plenty of mature character and a nice, lingering finish. It's a great whiskey for any bourbon drinkers enticed by a combination of dessert-like flavors, but with enough oak and spice to give it structure and complexity.

We've just looked at a wheated bourbon that has a high level of intensity, but Larceny Barrel Proof takes that power to the next level. It perhaps a little rougher than the Old Fitzgerald, but you may appreciate the more robust style. Upon tasting, you'll immediately notice its full-bodied mouthfeel that carries a molasses-like flavor with it. It adds to an overall darker whiskey than Pappy, but one where you can appreciate complex layers of flavor.

The additional depth here comes from intriguing tasting notes, such as fig, hazelnut, cherry, and tobacco. With each sip, you can find new flavors, especially as you get accustomed to the high proof. That higher alcohol percentage helps to give these flavors extra weight, but the soft wheat character keeps them in check. However, a few drops of water can reveal a fruitier side to the whiskey. It's a bourbon that is full of character, and while not cheap at around $70, is still good value.

Now I have come to the most expensive whiskey on the list. Usually available for just shy of $100, what you are getting for that price is a mature bourbon that has bundles of personality. Made by Lux Row Distillers, Rebel is the last wheated bourbon on the list, until a couple I mention at the end. The aroma of this bottle gives you a good insight into its depth, as you'll get some darker fruits, such as cherry, that are contrasted with lighter notes, such as citrus. 

What you'll get to enjoy is a bourbon that is both full-bodied and smooth. The caramel is especially delicious here, while much of those fruits from the aroma carry over to the palate. It helps to make it one of the fruitier options, but these sweet notes are kept in check by a strong, dry oak presence as well as warming spices. It has all the qualities you'd hope for in a mature whiskey, and is a strong and genuine rival to Pappy.

Here we have the second, but not last, 10-year bottle on the list. Yet, this is comfortably cheaper than the Rebel above, which helps to make it simply one of the best bottles you can get anywhere for under $60. In fact, you usually don't have to pay more than $50 for it. A crucial difference from the other bottles that we've looked at so far is that it's not a wheated bourbon. With the influence of rye, there is a more notable spice.

Importantly, that warming spice doesn't dominate the palate, so you don't have to worry about this being a whiskey that is overly aggressive. Instead, you get luxurious caramel, vanilla, and toffee flavors, alongside a touch of citrus. The 10 years of aging allows you to enjoy notes of oak and tobacco, while also giving the whiskey a smooth and rounded mouthfeel. This is less of an imitation of Pappy, as the tasting notes are different, but you'll appreciate it for its similar level of maturity and sophistication.

I have a lot of love for Knob Creek. That's not just because it's a fascinating brand, but also because its whiskeys have a distinct personality that goes well beyond classic bourbon tasting notes. The 12-year bottle perfectly highlights those qualities, and at around $70, is well worth the money if you want to treat yourself. What separates this bourbon from the rest is the range of earthy notes. If that's what intrigues you about aged Pappy bottles, you're in for a treat.

With the 12 years in the barrel, there is a notable oak influence that runs throughout the tasting experience. The other earthy flavors that you'll get to enjoy here are roasted nuts, leather, tobacco, cinnamon, and black pepper. There is still beautiful sweetness, with added depth coming from dark fruit. All of this is delivered on a thick, yet smooth, mouthfeel that showcases it as a well-crafted mature bourbon. Rather than mimicking Pappy's softer wheated profile, it delivers its own impressive interpretation of older bourbon for those who enjoy plenty of earthy character.

There are a lot of impressive bottles produced by Old Forester. However, I usually end up recommending the 1920, as I think it's just about the best of the Old Forester lot. This prohibition-style whiskey has plenty of intrigue and nuance. It isn't wheated, so it doesn't share Pappy's signature soft sweetness, but its combination of high proof, dark fruit ,and oak makes it an excellent alternative for drinkers who prioritize flavor and intensity.

Bottled at 115 proof, Old Forester 1920 delivers a powerful palate. The caramel here is particularly dark and alongside this, you get plenty of intriguing notes. With repeated sips, you should be able to find the likes of dark chocolate, tobacco, nougat, and roasted nuts. It can almost feel as if it has endless layers of depth. The high alcohol content may not be for everyone, but it can be tamed with a few drops of water. It's a seriously flavorful bourbon with good availability and a fair price of around $60.

Without specifically intending to, I've included a few barrel proof bottles in this list, with this expression from Elijah Craig being another one. This is likely because these high proof bourbons often give you a more intense flavor with greater concentration and nuance. This allows them to rival the depth of Pappy expressions without needing extreme maturation periods. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a good example, as it's packed with classic bourbon richness.

Perhaps the most sumptuous of its sweeter notes is a deep butterscotch. It's also one of the spicier whiskeys on this list, as you can likely pick out individual notes of cinnamon and black pepper. The mouthfeel is viscous, allowing you to truly appreciate each flavor that comes across your tastebuds. The finish is long and powerful, with its earthier notes remaining with its lingering warmth. It's not a cheap option at around $80, but it's worth seeking out if you want elite bourbon complexity, but in a spicier and more intense bottle.

One of the qualities that Pappy bottles have is how they are exceptionally smooth. This is one of the best examples of a whiskey that matches that quality, as Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is deliciously easy to drink. You can expect to pay around $60 and for that you are getting a whiskey that is a good match for Pappy Van Winkle with its velvety, sweet, and dessert-like character. It isn't a wheated bourbon, and it doesn't carry anything close to Pappy's age or scarcity, but its unusual double-maturation process gives a deep oak that makes it taste like it has received extended maturation.

The palate is notably smooth and full-bodied, with a creamy texture that helps to extenuate its sweeter notes of vanilla and caramel. Dark chocolate, dried fruits, and baking spices help to give it impressive nuance. There is just enough dryness from the oak to balance the sweetness and make it a well-structured bourbon. For the money, it's one of the most accessible ways to get a more indulgent bourbon experience.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed is another bourbon that takes a very different path from Pappy Van Winkle, but it offers the kind of depth and power that makes premium bourbon so appealing. Its rye-heavy mash bill gives it a noticeably spicier character, but its barrel-proof strength and robust flavor make it an excellent choice for anyone who wants serious bourbon without the Pappy price tag. It's these qualities that help to make it a top shelf whiskey that is always worth the investment, usually costing under $60.

Rare Breed doesn't wow you with a incredible breath of flavor. Instead, it masters the classic bourbon profile with its delicious tasting notes. Caramel, honey, and brown sugar is nicely contrasted by some pepper and cinnamon spice, and a little thread of oak. There are hints of citrus and nuts which help to make it feel more layered. The high proof gives everything plenty of weight and concentration without completely overwhelming you with high heat. If you're looking for approachable intensity, you can't go wrong here.

Eagle Rare is another fairly obvious alternative if you're not focusing on only wheated bourbon. A part of the reason for that is Eagle Rare is also produced by Buffalo Trace. Another reason is that with 10 years of aging, it has a level of maturation where you can start to get those similar benefits of vast time spent in the barrel. While it doesn't contain wheat, the gentle character and smooth nature of Eagle Rare gives it many of those similarities. One of the reasons I'm such a huge fan is it has that elegance you sometimes crave when you're looking for a bourbon that is sophisticated, yet soft.

The tasting profile is a lovely balance of sweetness, fruit, and oak. Those flavors are delivered on a rich mouthfeel that especially highlights the deep caramel and vanilla notes. The oak provides a consistent structure to the bourbon without ever dominating the palate. Baking spices alongside it help to give it warmth and you'll get to enjoy some additional depth from almonds and chocolate. This all leads to a lovely finish that gives you a long and lingering warmth. Its average price on secondary markets is between $60 to $70, but it's worth holding out to find it at a fair retail price. If you do, it's a worthy rival to Pappy for anyone seeking an elegant and mature bourbon.

I end this list with two wheated bourbons that are relative newcomers. Usually available for a little over $50, this bottle from Wilderness Trail delivers a masterclass in bourbon sweetness. You'll enjoy all the classic notes you may expect of vanilla, caramel, and honey. You can also taste a little baked fruit, with a gentle thread of spice throughout. Alongside that spice is a toasted oak, which adds structure in the background, allowing the other flavors to shine.

As you get towards that finish, the spice develops into more of a specific cinnamon flavor and you can even get hints of dark chocolate. It's an impressive range of tasting notes that you'll get to enjoy with a creamy texture leading into a warming finish. All of the whiskeys from Wilderness Trail are bottled-in-bond, meaning the are bottled at 100 proof. It helps to provide a level of intensity, while still being easily drinkable. If you like the idea of finding a Pappy rival beyond the biggest names, it's a tantalizing option.

I included this Green River bottle for many of the same reasons as the Wilderness Trail expression above. This bottle is even cheaper though, as you can usually find it for under $40. Another wheated bourbon, it's actually quite fruitier than many others here. You can notice that immediately on the nose, as you'll get bight notes that can include peach and apricot. Once you start tasting it, those brighter notes will evolve into more dried fruit flavor, along with a few other interesting flavors.

There is a fresh bready quality to the whiskey, with the sweetness of the wheat making it deliciously easy to drink. Along with the classic sweet notes, you'll also love the hazelnut influence, as well as a cinnamon warmth that gently creeps in and stays with you until the finish. The oak is nicely integrated, but sits faintly in the background. It will appeal to those who enjoy the kind of approachable sweetness Pappy offers, but with more of a fruit-forward profile.

I didn't have any defined rules when it came to this list, but there are a few important aspects I considered. When it comes to sparing your wallet, I didn't want to choose any bourbon over the $100 mark. As you've seen, most entries come in comfortably under that figure. While there is no exact match for Pappy bottles here, I wanted each of them to have a core similarity, whether that is the wheat influence, heavier oak flavors, or any other benefits you get from mature aging.

All the bottles in this list come from personal experience. With that expertise, I've not only included bottles I thought were a good fit, but also left out many great bourbons that, while impressive, aren't similar to any Pappy expression. The intent was to provide you with a list of bourbons that can give you a glimpse into the quality of Pappy Van Winkle until you can get your hands on a bottle of your own.