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Binny's has Peter Jake's Private Keep 10yr Old Bourbon which I've never heard of. Anyone?

Sorry, Jeff, but I've never heard of it.

ima

I've seen it there and at other stores and just assumed it was yet another private label bottling from Heaven Hill, David Sherman, Even Kulsveen, et. al.

cowdery wrote:I've seen it there and at other stores and just assumed it was yet another private label bottling from Heaven Hill, David Sherman, Even Kulsveen, et. al.

Lot of that going around, I guess.

So, since I've got your attention: are the Binny's Hand-picked bourbons really different (and better) than the regular bottlings?

--Jeff

I have seen it and may have tried it, but if i did it failed to leave an impression.
Mike Veach

The hand-picked selections (generally speaking, these are single barrel products) are genuinely picked by the Binny's spirits buyer, usually from a pre-selected group of possibilities. Whether or not they are better is subjective. They are what the buyer liked best among the choices he or she was given.

I'd like jump in and add.... that's the problem with single barrel. I've had a couple of skunks in the past (not just slightly off flavour profile, but simply not worth the money) so I believe a hand-picked barrel IS INDEED a proof that at least somebody had an opportunity to make a choice for the better. Consequently a Binny's ( or Sam's etc.) hand-picked barrel at least reduces the chances of a DUD!

I've participated in two different barrel selections....one for myself and one as a group. The barrels offered have been selected for blending into the "brand" being bottled....but there remain differences between the barrels. I agree with Dave....you're unlikely to get a dud....but you might get a bourbon that is somewhat different from the "brand's" normal tasting profile. You might be getting a bourbon the "taster/selector" liked....but is somewhat out of character for the "brand". I know I chose a silky, smooth barrel from the VWSR 12yo Lot "B" barrels offered for myself and as a group we chose a spicier barrel of BT. IOW, if you're not on the selection committee, you're getting what someone else likes....and that someone else isn't a master distiller.

Randy

I agree, the benefit of barrel selection is the selector knows s/he gets what s/he liked best; problem is that doesn't guarantee it is what anybody else likes best.

As cowdery stated, selection is limited to what is pre-selected /available. The key with barrel purchases is to be certain you aren't simply choosing the better of evils. It's certainly possible that all the available selections to choose from could taste subpar to the standard brand they are supposed to represent. In such a case hopefully the selector runs instead of choosing the better of the substandards.

Another benefit I've seen bottles from barrel purchases state Non Chill Filtered and you also sometimes find the odd uncut unfiltered bottlings for retailers with speciall relationships.

I should say uncut / unfiltered and the likes are another added dimension with barrel purhases - Some may not neccesarily view it as a benefit.

I was with Randy and am a partner( just about all the partners are members here ) in the BT single barrel purchase.

The preselected barrels were from a group already destined to be Buffalo Trace bourbon. They usually pick about 25 to 40 barrels for a batch of BT and our choice was to be made from 5 of those barrels.

If we wanted any alteration from the normal labeling, such as proof, filtering or name changing, we would have been subjected to addditional time and costs, as any changes would have to be approved by the authorities, etc.

I think the main obstacle with alteration is the labels need to be altered as well. Buffalo Trace has a policy where some of the brands they will not sell as a barrel purchase and some that they won't let be altered under any circumstances (supposedly), and then there are those that can be altered but you must have that special relationship before you can even begin to discuss it.

Take for example the big Chicago vendor has Old Rip Van Winkle 15 which has what appears to be a stamp in red ink on the label which states non-chill filtered. But I''ve also tasted a VW20 barrel strength that they carried previously.

Jeff, the only Binny's "hand-picked" that I've had so far was the Elijah Craig 18yr. and it was probably the least impressive small batch/single barrel bottling I've had yet...(insert thumbs down emoticon here).

Binny's I believe also currently carries an Elmer T. Lee from a special barrel purchase. Reviews seem to be mixed. While a few people rave about it I've heard a couple of complaints right in line with westsideelectric's testimony about the EC18. Go figure (insert scratchin head emoticon here).
8)

HELLLLLO! Does anyone here or anywhere else for that matter really think that they can pick a better barrel of Elmer T. Lee than Elmer himself????

Love the man and love his bourbon.

ima -