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Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style vs Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year
Comparing Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style and Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style | Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | 15 years |
| Proof | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +8 proof | 107 proof (53.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 ~$1058 less | ~$240 – $2000 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 7/3 spice: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 5 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
heat 7/6 heat: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 3 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 4 out of 10
sweetness 8/8 sweetness: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 8 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 8 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style: Dense and syrupy for its age, with molasses and dark chocolate carrying a serious 115-proof punch. The high rye reads as baking spice rather than sharpness, and the body is unusually thick.
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year: Fifteen-year wheated bourbon from the Van Winkle line, made at Buffalo Trace. Rich toffee, leather and dried fruit with the oak well blended in.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style if you want a rich, high-proof, dessert-leaning bourbon with real weight in the glass at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year if you want a famously hard-to-find, rich, 15-year wheater.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style); neat (Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year).