Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle started his career as a salesman in the bourbon industry and was the first of four generations of Van Winkle bourbon producers. His legacy and bourbon spirits are the jewel of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana Raffle each year. This year, the organization is raffling off a flight of six Pappy bottles and now a bottle of Pappy Rye is added to the mix. The Pappy flight is worth more than $13,000!
The raffle kicks off today, Tuesday, March 25. Each ticket is sold for $100 and 100% of the proceeds benefit families who stay at the Ronald McDonald House when they travel to Louisville for their children’s medical care. Tickets can be purchased here: https://l.feathr.co/OFMxIochUQvp. Ticket sales open at 9 a.m. 1984 tickets are for sale.
“We intentionally sell 1,984 tickets to commemorate the year 1984, when Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana first opened its doors to families,” said Hal Hedley, the organization’s CEO in a release. “These six coveted bottles offered as a group go directly to support sick children and their families.”
Pappy’s great-grandson Julian Van Winkle III, a longtime Ronald McDonald House supporter, and president of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery signed each bottle for this raffle.
The rmhck.org flight includes one bottle of:
Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year (2023)
12-Year-Old Van Winkle Lot B (2023)
Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye (2024)
Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year (2023)
Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year (2023)
Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year (2023)
Each bottle has been authenticated by well-known bourbon expert Marc Abrams.
“Having a complete collection for this year’s raffle by including the rye makes it truly a complete vertical,” said Abrams in a release. “And the unbelievable value in having Julian Van Winkle signing each bottle sets this apart from other raffles.”
Ronald McDonald House’s Pappy Raffle has raised more than $1.8 million dollars. The flight will be raffled at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 22. The winner does not have to be present.
