Pappy was the first in four generations of Van Winkle bourbon-making. Julian III, took over in 1981 and continues to run operations of the Van Winkle brand at Buffalo Trace Distillery along with his son Preston.

Both the Old Rip Van Winkle and the Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve labels are now produced at Buffalo Trace and remain in high demand. Both labels continue to receive the highest acclaim throughout the industry, with numerous awards and accolades.