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Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 4:52 pm
by twins
Hi, I am new member. I was researching my bourbons and the reviews on PVW/ORVW are incredible. My question, is Buffalo Trace going to produce more of this fine bourbon?

Also, since this bourbon is not available right now, what other brands of bourbon come close to it's quality? I am looking for an easy to find, readily available brand.

My last question, what store has a good quality selection of Kentucky Straight Bourbons. I currently shop at Total Wines & more.

Thank you.

twins

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 12:04 pm
by JLH3
twins wrote:Hi, I am new member. I was researching my bourbons and the reviews on PVW/ORVW are incredible. My question, is Buffalo Trace going to produce more of this fine bourbon?

Also, since this bourbon is not available right now, what other brands of bourbon come close to it's quality? I am looking for an easy to find, readily available brand.

My last question, what store has a good quality selection of Kentucky Straight Bourbons. I currently shop at Total Wines & more.

Thank you.

twins


Buffalo Trace is still making ORVW, Van Winkle Reserve and PWV. And, I believe, it's the same recipe as the SW PVW. It's only the SW-juiced PVW that is running out. (Which is why I ponied up and bought a 2nd bottle of 20 yr old last week :mrgreen: )

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 9:34 pm
by Bourbon Joe
I'll give you my take on Van Winkle. For many years, their reputation soared as they continued to put Stitzel-Weller hand picked barrels into their product. That product was stellar and many of us drank a lot of it. Now it's 2012 and the game is changing. It is going to get much harder to try to nail the old profile or come up with a new profile of the same pedigree. I think, for the most part it's over, based on my taste of a 2011 PVW 15 in the Gazebo. I have, as many others have, bunkered bottles of the old S-W juice and will continue to compare it to his "new stuff" when I get the odd chance to taste it. I, for one, have moved on.
Joe

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 9:38 pm
by Bourbon HQ
Joe, I totally agree. I have one bottle of the old stuff left, and after that, I'm moving on also.

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 12:29 am
by JLH3
While I think the Lot B is as good as anything else out there, I won't be paying $120 for a bottle of 20 year old BT juice.

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 12:50 am
by Bourbon Joe
JLH3 wrote:While I think the Lot B is as good as anything else out there


See if you can still say that in about a year and a half.
Joe

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:02 am
by JLH3
Bourbon Joe wrote:
JLH3 wrote:While I think the Lot B is as good as anything else out there


See if you can still say that in about a year and a half.
Joe


If the Lot B is already BT juice (and very good for the price) what will change in a year and a half?

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:34 am
by Bourbon HQ
Lot B - W.L. Weller 12 year old; samo samo.

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 2:27 pm
by Bourbon Joe
JLH3 wrote:
Bourbon Joe wrote:
JLH3 wrote:While I think the Lot B is as good as anything else out there


See if you can still say that in about a year and a half.
Joe


If the Lot B is already BT juice (and very good for the price) what will change in a year and a half?


Who said that lot b is 100% BT? Certainly not Julian.
Joe

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 4:27 pm
by JLH3
Bourbon Joe wrote:Who said that lot b is 100% BT? Certainly not Julian.
Joe


Jason Pyle at Sourmashmanifesto.com is where I got the information:

-The ORVW 10 year old and Van Winkle Family Reserve 12 year old (Lot b) is Buffalo Trace product, not Stitzel-Weller I think this has been commonly known and reported by many, but I’m not aware of either Julian Van Winkle, Harlen, or anyone else that close to the situation confirming this before. So from that stand point, we can check that off the list.

http://sourmashmanifesto.com/2011/03/10 ... come-from/


Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 4:32 pm
by JLH3
I will add that this post from Whiskeyadvocate says it's a mixture:

Here, specifically, is the make-up for the upcoming (Fall 2012) bottling. This information comes directly from Julian Van Winkle.

The Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye has long been a 50/50 combination of Medley (Owensboro) and Cream of Kentucky (old Bernheim in Louisville) rye whiskey. The whiskey was all dumped into stainless steel tanks years ago. Each fall, some of it is withdrawn and bottled.

This fall’s Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year old will be wheated bourbon made entirely at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort.

Van Winkle Family Reserve 12 year old (‘Lot B’) will be a mixture of wheated bourbons made at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort and the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville.

Pappy Van Winkle 15 year old will be a mixture of wheated bourbons made at Buffalo Trace, Bernheim, and Stitzel-Weller; every bottle will contain some whiskey from each distillery.

Pappy Van Winkle 20 year old and Pappy Van Winkle 23 year old will be a mixture of wheated bourbons made at Buffalo Trace and Stitzel-Weller.

Eventually, as current stocks are depleted, everything will become Buffalo Trace.

–Chuck Cowdery

.http://www.whiskyadvocateblog.com/2012/ ... le-anyway/



Although either way it's not SW.

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 5:22 pm
by Bourbon Joe
So it looks, just like in your avatar, that you're shootin' from the hip.
Joe

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 5:33 pm
by JLH3
Bourbon Joe wrote:So it looks, just like in your avatar, that you're shootin' from the hip.
Joe


Excuse me? I provided a source for my information. And one that seems to be respected. I also provided another source that shows that while Lot B may be some mix of BT and Bernhiem, it certainly isn't SW. Which was the point of the OP's question.

Either way, my statement wasn't something I made up.

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:22 pm
by Bourbon Joe
JLH3 wrote:
Bourbon Joe wrote:So it looks, just like in your avatar, that you're shootin' from the hip.
Joe



Either way, my statement wasn't something I made up.


I realize that. I'm guess I'm overly sensitive about all this hoopla over Van Winkle provenance. Sorry If I offended you.
Joe

Re: Pappy Van Winkle / Old Rip Van Winkle question...

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:03 pm
by JLH3
Bourbon Joe wrote:
JLH3 wrote:
Bourbon Joe wrote:So it looks, just like in your avatar, that you're shootin' from the hip.
Joe



Either way, my statement wasn't something I made up.


I realize that. I'm guess I'm overly sensitive about all this hoopla over Van Winkle provenance. Sorry If I offended you.
Joe


No problems at all. Sorry if I got touchy myself.

Salud.