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Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year vs Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year and Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon are cut from similar cloth: two takes on wheated bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$240 – $2000 vs. ~$49 – $55).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year | Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 72% corn, 18% wheat, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 15 years +10 yr | 5 years |
| Proof | 107 proof (53.5% ABV) +7 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$240 – $2000 | ~$49 – $55 ~$1068 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Limited easier to find |
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year and Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 6/3 fruit: Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10, Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon 3 out of 10
spice 3/5 spice: Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10, Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon 5 out of 10
oak 8/6 oak: Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 8 out of 10, Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon 6 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 8 out of 10, Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon 7 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10, Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/5 nuttiness: Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 4 out of 10, Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The fruit-versus-grain contrast drives this one.
- 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.
- Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon: A Notre Dame-licensed wheater given a second, double-oaked barrel. Maple, honey butter and toasted nuts lead, with charred wood and pepper on a long, warm finish.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year if you want a famously hard-to-find, rich, 15-year wheater with slightly more proof behind it and with an older age statement.
- Go with Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon if you want a double-oaked wheater with maple, toasted nuts and charred wood at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat (Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Play Like a Champion Today Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon).