View Full Version : BOTM 2/11: Old Rip Van Winkle 10 yr 107 proof
fishnbowljoe
01-31-2011, 17:53
Man I'm on a roll. The BOTM is up on time for the third month in a row! :grin:
Let's see if this one will get a few more responses than the last BOTM. There's been a little talk here and there lately about this one, so I thought it would be a good one for BOTM. The BOTM for this month is Old Rip Van Winkle 10 yr 107 proof.
My thoughts FWIW:
Color-A nice medium reddish brown hue that shows it has a couple extra years in the barrel.
Legs-A bit on the thin side, spaced evenly about 1/2 an inch apart. Fairly fast flow down the sides of the glass.
Nose-Ahhh, here's where it starts getting good. What a heavenly aroma. To steal a description from Randy, "ethereal". I get a lot of butterscotch, just a bit of leather and tobacco, and a fruit I can't quite put my finger on. Dates, or raisins perhaps? :skep: The nose reminds me of some of the "good ole' stuff" that isn't made anymore.
Taste-My first sip seemed a bit "sharp". The proof seemed to mask the flavors that were present in the aroma. They were still there, but the alcohol covered them up to a degree. But alas, I think I have become a fairly decent student. I let it sit in the glass a few minutes, and that opened it up a lot. The alcohol burn was replaced by more of the flavors that were present in the "nose". :cool: A splash of water seemed to bring out the leather, and a touch of wood. A couple of ice cubes brought out more of the tobacco flavor, and actually seemed to take away from the overall goodness of this bourbon. Reckon I'll have to drink this one neat after letting it sit a spell. :grin:
Overall, IMHO a great bourbon. Worthy of any bunker. A bit disappointed I only have one bottle.
Cheers and good posting. Joe
Special Reserve
01-31-2011, 18:00
Overall, IMHO a great bourbon. Worthy of any bunker. A bit disappointed I only have one bottle.
Cheers and good posting. Joe
Only one bottle? I feel for you brother.
I'll have one less tomorrow when I open one.
Great choice Joe. Great notes as well.
fishnbowljoe
01-31-2011, 19:23
Only one bottle? I feel for you brother.
I'll have one less tomorrow when I open one.
Great choice Joe. Great notes as well.
Thanks Will. I'm getting there slowly, but surely. Joe
GOCOUGS2002
01-31-2011, 20:52
Great review Joe! I'll have to get this one out sometime soon and post my thoughts.
Nice review Joe.... This has always been a good pour but has been a bit over shadowed by its other family members.
BMartin42
02-01-2011, 06:49
I have one bottle of this that has set unopened for about a month. Guess I was waiting for it to be posted as BOTM. Gives me an excuse to open it up this evening and watch the snow fall.
Great notes, Joe! I have the ORVW 10/107 and ORVW 10/90 open on my bar and they are both great bourbons, but I don't go back visit them as often as I should. Definitely a good choice for BOTM. I'll post some notes after I revisit this great pour!
Jack
unclebunk
02-01-2011, 08:33
Nice notes, Big Joe! I've always loved ORVW 10/107. To me it's the perfect balance of age and proof and has the added benefit of being a wheater which is a nice change of pace from the many ryed bourbons that populate my liquor cabinet. Some of the bottles I've had over the years have had slightly more body than others but all have had wonderful flavor and aroma, though I once had a bottle of the 90 proof that tasted exactly like an ashtray. In fact, it was so bad that I couldn't even get my friend, affectionately known as "The Human Drain" due to his capacity to consume all spirits in large quantities, to touch the stuff. Weird!
I should mention that I was first drawn to ORVW by the cool "parchment" label and bottle shape. That old Rip Van Winkle/Popcorn Sutton-looking character on the label always made me feel like I was drinking whiskey from a jug on some backwoods mountain top. What other cool bottle/label can give you nearly as much enjoyment as the whiskey inside?
MissinER101
02-01-2011, 12:20
OK Joe; you're just tryin' to get me in trouble aren't cha!!!!
I found a couple bottles during a dusty hunt last week and had them safely hidden in the back of a downstairs cabinet. Now I've hauled one out and risk the wife spotting that new distinctive label.
I have to agree with the nose, butterscotch, spice and a bit of leather, quite distinctive from the other bourbons I have been drinking, a bit sweet.
There is defiantly an edge when just poured with the butterscotch most prevalent; but allowed to sit a minute and the edge is gone. I tried a couple drops of branch from a small straw and it seems to have killed much of the nose while letting the leather and wood come out in the taste and nearly eliminating the legs. I'm going to have to get a small notebook as it seems I am having trouble remembering what I have noted about legs as the tasting progresses.
A VERY nice pour, one that deserves a permanent spot on the bar and at the price could become a regular.
marco246
02-01-2011, 13:03
Nice pick, Joe! It really is a delightful whiskey, and I agree that pouring it over ice is counterproductive. I nursed a bottle for 18 months, but now it is gone. I'll be looking for another next time I'm on the Mainland. Cheers!
nor02lei
02-01-2011, 13:29
An old favourite of mine. Not as good as it used to be, to my taste though. I have fortunately bunkered some bottles from 2002. Very good bourbon indeed.
Leif
Medicfrost
02-01-2011, 15:14
Great pick. I picked up a bottle at Total Wine ($45) in Orlando while out shopping with the wife today, and brought it home. My dog Titan won't stop sniffing the bottle, so I'm gonna have him help me with the review:
I drank mine out of a glass Glencairn
Titan drank his out of a tiny shot glass I got in Georgia
Color
ME: Beautiful honey like color, nice medium orangish-brown.
Titan: :: pant:: pant:: pant:: pant::
Legs
Me: 2
Titan: 4
Smell
Me: Nice sweet smell, doesn't over power or burn the nose like other higher proof Whiskeys I have. Almost cherry-like.
Titan: ::sniff::sniff::sniff::
Taste
Me: Incredibly sweet flavor with a slight burn to the side of my tongue. Leatherlike taste to the back of my tongue that lingers long after the sip. Very nice.
Titan: :lick:lick:lick: :sniff:sniff: :lick:lick:
Overall:
Me: Never had the 10/107 before. I'm very impressed with it, mainly because I love a sweet bourbon. Will definitely become a regular stock in my cabinet, and may quite possibly become my new daily pour.
Titan: :: pant:: pant:: pant::
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/Medicfrost/floor%20crack/SAM_0227.jpg
fishnbowljoe
02-01-2011, 16:25
Great post, and a great pic too Adrian. :grin: Cheers to you! Joe
Geez Joe, I was doing so well at finishing off open bottles and then you post this BOTM. However, after bringing one out of the bunker and having a pour, you're forgiven. Good call!
Gary
chefnash51
02-01-2011, 20:05
Nice pic Medicfrost!
Great choice for the BOTM. I almost always have a bottle of this open and will have to have a pour soon. Glad to have many of these bunkered away.
Drinking OWA 107 tonight and thoroughly enjoying it, esp as it's sat 3/4 full and has opened up. But ORVW 107 still surpasses this, much more depth and complexity.
cgbakerjr
02-01-2011, 21:02
In an effort to become more active in the boards, I was excited to see this an ran to my pantry. Unfortunately, I've apparently depleted my supply and only have the 90 proof in my collection. I'm going to hit up the Partymart tomorrow, hopefully they have some in stock.
I got 11 Old Rip 10/107's bunkered so yes you can say I like it.
It's like carmelized toffee. I prefer it over the Pappy 15, 20 & 23.
I got 11 Old Rip 10/107's bunkered so yes you can say I like it.
It's like carmelized toffee. I prefer it over the Pappy 15, 20 & 23.
I like the Old Rip 10/107 just as much as the 15. The 20 and 23 are just so different that they aren't comparable IMO. All are great, and for some reason I don't have a 10/107 open right now. I'm going to change that this afternoon. I think I have a dozen or so of them.
flintlock
02-02-2011, 09:33
Great choice Joe. I have more of this than any other whiskey. It never disappoints me, and the bottles sitting there on the shelf give me a warm glow. I hope nothing happens to this wonderful spirit and that the quality stays high.
jburlowski
02-02-2011, 10:49
One of the reliable classics! Regardless of origin, a great. always-satisfying wheater. I've got a bunch bunkered. It's one of my reliable, "go-to" pours. Just the right amount of age and proof to make it a one of the best.
:toast:
Can anyone think of a bourbon that this compares to? And I don't mean something that costs three times as much.
Great pick. I picked up a bottle at Total Wine ($45) in Orlando while out shopping with the wife today, and brought it home. My dog Titan won't stop sniffing the bottle, so I'm gonna have him help me with the review:
I drank mine out of a glass Glencairn
Titan drank his out of a tiny shot glass I got in Georgia
Color
ME: Beautiful honey like color, nice medium orangish-brown.
Titan: :: pant:: pant:: pant:: pant::
Legs
Me: 2
Titan: 4
Smell
Me: Nice sweet smell, doesn't over power or burn the nose like other higher proof Whiskeys I have. Almost cherry-like.
Titan: ::sniff::sniff::sniff::
Taste
Me: Incredibly sweet flavor with a slight burn to the side of my tongue. Leatherlike taste to the back of my tongue that lingers long after the sip. Very nice.
Titan: :lick:lick:lick: :sniff:sniff: :lick:lick:
Overall:
Me: Never had the 10/107 before. I'm very impressed with it, mainly because I love a sweet bourbon. Will definitely become a regular stock in my cabinet, and may quite possibly become my new daily pour.
Titan: :: pant:: pant:: pant::
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/Medicfrost/floor%20crack/SAM_0227.jpg
Best review to date!
chefnash51
02-02-2011, 15:25
Can anyone think of a bourbon that this compares to? And I don't mean something that costs three times as much.
By far Old Weller Antique is the closest I have found. At about $20 a bottle it's a great value and damn tasty.
Medicfrost
02-02-2011, 15:31
Best review to date!
Thank you. Next month I'll get Jezebel the Husky to help me do a review.
I have to mention here that the 10/107 "was" one of my favorites until I purchased 6 bottles in Albany, NY. Each one has been off and funky. I have to force myself to drink through the bottle. There's still a semblance of its' greatness but just so medicinal. I have one open and 1 left in the bunker. I used to go through a few bottles a month and now I'm lucky if I can force myself to have a few pours a month.
One last note is I was in NYC over the holidays and saw a 10/90 on the shelf and picked it up in hopes that it was good juice and it was indeed excellent and it was polished off pronto. So I must have just gotten a really rotten case or something.
I have to mention here that the 10/107 "was" one of my favorites until I purchased 6 bottles in Albany, NY. Each one has been off and funky. I have to force myself to drink through the bottle. There's still a semblance of its' greatness but just so medicinal. I have one open and 1 left in the bunker. I used to go through a few bottles a month and now I'm lucky if I can force myself to have a few pours a month.
One last note is I was in NYC over the holidays and saw a 10/90 on the shelf and picked it up in hopes that it was good juice and it was indeed excellent and it was polished off pronto. So I must have just gotten a really rotten case or something.
I thought the last one I had was phenomenal once there was about an inch left in the bottle. A recently opened bottle was a bit medicinal at first, but I poured half of it into an empty bottle for about 2 weeks or so. I definitely thought it changed for the better, but YMMV.
White Dog
02-02-2011, 20:25
I thought the last one I had was phenomenal once there was about an inch left in the bottle. A recently opened bottle was a bit medicinal at first, but I poured half of it into an empty bottle for about 2 weeks or so. I definitely thought it changed for the better, but YMMV.
I also feel that this Bourbon is one that needs to have been open for a bit to really come around. Once it has been opened for a couple weeks, I love it. What strikes me is that I find it much more aggressive than both Antique and Pappy 15, which are all the same proof.
It also one of the few Bourbons that I add water to, as I feel this brings out some of the hidden sweetness. With Antique and Pappy 15, the sweetness is obvious, but not so with Old Rip 107.
What I really like about it is that it seems to gives me a different experience every time, and I mean from the same bottle. I can't say that about most others.
I spent time last night tasting side by side, recent releases of ORVW 107 and OWA. Quite a lesson in their differences and I'll assume the role of age, barrel selection and brand profile. When compared OWA = sweeter, more citrus (orange/tropical) fruit, sweet candy, cream, higher heat in the mouth and shorter finish. ORVW = eucalyptus, ash, lead pencil, more caramel, more vanilla and more complexity with long dry finish. Both are so good in their own right but ORVW 107 is a top contender for my stranded on an island bourbon and worth the extra $15 to $20 price point.
flintlock
02-03-2011, 19:55
By far Old Weller Antique is the closest I have found. At about $20 a bottle it's a great value and damn tasty.
I have to agree...I have a 200 of OWA bottled in 2003 and it tastes remarkably similar. There is more heat and spice with the ORVW, but they have a tremendous amount in common.
Now, as for new OWA...well, so far I'm having trouble finishing the bottle, and am considering what I'll vat it with. :skep:
Whiskey Willie
02-04-2011, 06:05
Can anyone think of a bourbon that this compares to? And I don't mean something that costs three times as much.
As mentioned, Weller Antique 107 is very comparable. I usually have either A107 or ORVW107 in my cabinet. Both are excellent wheaters...Great choice for BOTM.
sailor22
02-04-2011, 06:18
Good points on the comparisons with OWA and letting the ORVW breath in the bottle.
It was one of the first Bourbon's I ever bought and the proof and initial heat overwhelmed me, so it was a long time till I tried it again. Now it's a favorite. A little water or a little ORVW 10/90 and it is a pour you can savor all evening long.
Interesting. I haven't tried the ORVW 107 yet but I just bought a bottle of OWA which had a really overpowering note on the nose: best I could describe is either overcooked creamed corn, or maybe slightly burnt caramel popcorn. It not only made this pour challenging, but I found it stuck in my nose all night and ruined everything else, too.
But, I left the cap slightly loose for a week and it seems to have fixed itself very satisfactorily.
Is this more common with wheaters? The only other time I've run into this is was with a bottle of oak-aged slivovitz that needed a couple of months' breathing to make it enjoyable.
I left the cap slightly loose for a week and it seems to have fixed itself very satisfactorily.
Is this more common with wheaters? The only other time I've run into this is was with a bottle of oak-aged slivovitz that needed a couple of months' breathing to make it enjoyable.
I find I like OWA, ORVW 10/107, and OGD 114 the more they open up.
I should have been more specific: nearly every whiskey I've tried has benefited from breathing, to one extent or another (the exception being Redbreast 12 which went from stunning to merely average over the course of a month or two). But OWA 107 it was in the "very hard to drink" category for the first several pours.
Is this more common with wheaters? The only other time I've run into this is was with a bottle of oak-aged slivovitz that needed a couple of months' breathing to make it enjoyable.
I've always found this "slivovitz" flavor in rye's. Most notably anything from Four Roses. I don't know how else to describe it, but when you taste oak-aged slivovitz, you'll never forget it. Quite unique. Almost like a new make flavor. I like slivovitz quite a bit, but not in my bourbon.
I've always found this "slivovitz" flavor in rye's. Most notably anything from Four Roses. I don't know how else to describe it, but when you taste oak-aged slivovitz, you'll never forget it. Quite unique. Almost like a new make flavor. I like slivovitz quite a bit, but not in my bourbon.
I know what you're talking about in ryed offerings but I never made the connection to slivovitz before. Although the "off notes" that eventually breathed out of my slivovitz weren't the same as the one I was talking about in the OWA.
Ah, one that I don't have to go searching for. Too late to taste today but there is tomorrow.
I know what you're talking about in ryed offerings but I never made the connection to slivovitz before. Although the "off notes" that eventually breathed out of my slivovitz weren't the same as the one I was talking about in the OWA.
In my experience with all ten of the Four Roses recipes, the slivovitz quality is usually quite apparent. Some more than others, but I can always seem to find it, and it always dwells on me. The only other time I get this flavor is when drinking the various "moonshines" that make it this way every so often that is made from grapes. I like it in my slivovitz and moonshine, but for some reason when it makes it into my bourbon it makes the bourbon taste "underdone" and sticks out like a sore thumb.
... The only other time I've run into this is was with a bottle of oak-aged slivovitz that needed a couple of months' breathing to make it enjoyable.
I've always found this "slivovitz" flavor in rye's. Most notably anything from Four Roses. I don't know how else to describe it, but when you taste oak-aged slivovitz, you'll never forget it. Quite unique. Almost like a new make flavor. I like slivovitz quite a bit, but not in my bourbon.
In my experience with all ten of the Four Roses recipes, the slivovitz quality is usually quite apparent. Some more than others, but I can always seem to find it, and it always dwells on me. ...
Aw now look what you've done.:shocked: Thinking of buying me a bottle of Slivovitz tomorrow.:grin:
What I love about ORVW 10/107 and what sets it apart for me from many other bourbons is its finish. The taste on the midpalate is wonderful, but it flourishes on the way down. It seems to expand just the right amount for my particular tastes, and lingers just long enough that by the time it disappears I realize I want more. One glass is almost never enough.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I find it to be close to a perfectly balanced expression... and for $34.
Also, I agree with everybody who says that it needs time to breathe.
Also, I agree with everybody who says that it needs time to breathe.
I think all of the Van Winkles stand up well to some time in the glass. And yes, the low end of the Van Winkle line still seems above the high end of most other labels. I don't know how they do it, but I hope they keep on doing it.
Pray for a spring release! :bowdown:
ggilbertva
02-08-2011, 08:30
While I have the ORVW 10/107 in the bunker, it's been at least 2-3 years since I've had one open. A fellow member guilted me into opening one of my bottles so I did, a 2006 vintage. First pour was very nice but the finish seemed a little hot and constricted. I let it sit in the Glencairn for about 20 mins and went back to it. It had opened up nicely and the finish was much better; it had a buttery quality to it that reminded me of DSP414 Old Forester.
Pray for a spring release! :bowdown:
:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:
I'm a little late to this party, but I do love me some ORVW 10/107!
Beer&Bourbon
02-09-2011, 21:05
I've been trying a number of the bourbons mentioned here recently. I really like the OWA, but prefer the ORVW 10/107 without question. Both have a punch until the bottle opens up a bit imho.
I can't agree that ORVW is better than the 15 year. I found a bottle recently and have been searching vigorously through KY and TN looking for another bottle; mine is already half depleted. Definitely my favorite bourbon I've had the pleasure to try.
On my search to find more 15 year I was lucky enough to stumble on a bottle of 13 year rye, which is also incredible. It's only been open for 4 days or so and I keep finding myself longingly thinking about it when I've got another drink in my hand.
I've yet to try the 20 and 23 year (I'm a poor student after all), but if I had to choose one line of whiskey to stick with it'd be Van Winkle. Damn they're good!
Edward_call_me_Ed
02-09-2011, 21:09
I'm not going to read this thread. All I'm gonna say is I wish I could get some. Sigh.
Ed
BMartin42
02-10-2011, 17:07
I'd been waiting to reply since I wanted to have 2 or 3 pours of this before I did so. The viscosity is amazing. The flavor is amazing. All of the traditional flavors one would expect. Almost borderlines on butterscotch rather than caramel. I do find the nose a little lacking, but maybe I am just expecting too much since I've been hitting the Lot B recently. I do find the alcohol content to be fairly evident when poured neat. Much more so than OWA at the same proof. Overall, excellent!!! Me like.
Whiskey Willie
02-11-2011, 11:02
I'd been waiting to reply since I wanted to have 2 or 3 pours of this before I did so. The viscosity is amazing. The flavor is amazing. All of the traditional flavors one would expect. Almost borderlines on butterscotch rather than caramel. I do find the nose a little lacking, but maybe I am just expecting too much since I've been hitting the Lot B recently. I do find the alcohol content to be fairly evident when poured neat. Much more so than OWA at the same proof. Overall, excellent!!! Me like.
Gotta agree with you...ORVW 10/107 is one of my favorite pours...Superb stuff...I can't always find it when I want, so the bottle gets nursed along pretty slowly.
Master_Photog
02-14-2011, 17:24
OK BOTM - Do Not let me down - you are an elusive little sucker!!!
http://www.cs2photography.com/10107.jpg
Also, I agree with everybody who says that it needs time to breathe.
I agree completely. In fact, I've never been as enthusiastic as others are about this expression -- but it seems like the second half of the bottle is always MUCH better than the first . . . I'm usually really sad when I"m pouring out the last of one.
Still, I've found the ORVW 10/107 to be a bit thin for such a high proof whiskey and although it seems that water or ice would help smooth it out, as others pointed out, this practice seems to be counterproductive. I don't wanna be negative, I've just never been in love with this one, but it continues to grow on me -- I like it better with every pour.
Bottom line -- I think this is unique dram (it has a cereal grain quality that other wheaters don't seem to share) for the $35 it's a steal and a bottle of this really goes a long way. Nothing like it. Best label in whiskey, also -- Hands Down! A great pick for BOTM - thanks, Joe.
MissinER101
02-14-2011, 19:55
After reading the recent posts; I had to go have a small pour; dang this bottle is going fast :cry:
OK BOTM - Do Not let me down - you are an elusive little sucker!!!
Be careful. The bottle number is 666(upside down 6)
Medicfrost
02-15-2011, 08:57
Is the number on the bottle the bottle number, or is it significant for something else?
HipFlask
02-16-2011, 21:31
I usually would not pick on someones taste and description but this. "ORVW = eucalyptus, ash, lead pencil". Lead Pencil! Ash. Really Lead Pencil. How would you know lead pencil. LoL my friend. At any rate ORVW 10yr 107 is outstanding bourbon. Definitely sweet and full of vanilla and Carmel. I always try to some around which has certainly become harder to do. Also very nice description FishnbowlJoe.
DeanSheen
02-16-2011, 21:47
"ORVW = eucalyptus, ash, lead pencil". Lead Pencil! Ash. Really Lead Pencil. How would you know lead pencil.
Aww you must have been one of those smart kids that never chewed on his pencils.
But seriously, the taste of a number 2 yellow pencil.... very distinct, never goes away.
Medicfrost
02-17-2011, 07:44
I usually would not pick on someones taste and description but this. "ORVW = eucalyptus, ash, lead pencil". Lead Pencil! Ash. Really Lead Pencil. How would you know lead pencil. LoL my friend. At any rate ORVW 10yr 107 is outstanding bourbon. Definitely sweet and full of vanilla and Carmel. I always try to some around which has certainly become harder to do. Also very nice description FishnbowlJoe.
Its strange, but when I was rating pencils, I mentioned that the DIXON #2 pencil tastes like ORVW 10/107.
CaptainQ
02-17-2011, 07:50
Aww you must have been one of those smart kids that never chewed on his pencils.
But seriously, the taste of a number 2 yellow pencil.... very distinct, never goes away.
I never chewed on my pencils, but I remember the smell from the classroom sharpener and it's one I'll never forget. The only bourbon I've sampled that had that distinct nose and taste was from a handle of '70 era SW Cabin Still.
foxflyer5
02-20-2011, 14:25
i like the ORVW. but once i found the PVW, its hard to go back. but its a very nice bourbon. i get hints of tea when i taste it. its funny, most of my favorite bourbons hit my palate like a dark brewed tea.
Chuckles
02-21-2011, 11:23
[QUOTE=foxflyer5;235007]i like the ORVW. but once i found the PVW, its hard to go back. but its a very nice bourbon.
I've only been sampling top-shelf bourbon for less than a year (been a bourbon drinker for decades), and still working on my tasting notes, but the ORVW 10/107 is my favorite store find so far, including a Pappy 20. -Chuckles
(PS: Can somebody steer me to the page where I can learn how to properly pull a quote and learn the other posting tricks?)
silverfish
02-21-2011, 13:19
(PS: Can somebody steer me to the page where I can learn how to properly pull a quote and learn the other posting tricks?)
In your post #59, it looks like you forgot to include the [/quote] after
foxflyer5's text. If you hit the quote button and then start your reply
after the [/quote], you should be good.
I spent time last night tasting side by side, recent releases of ORVW 107 and OWA. Quite a lesson in their differences and I'll assume the role of age, barrel selection and brand profile. When compared OWA = sweeter, more citrus (orange/tropical) fruit, sweet candy, cream, higher heat in the mouth and shorter finish. ORVW = eucalyptus, ash, lead pencil, more caramel, more vanilla and more complexity with long dry finish. Both are so good in their own right but ORVW 107 is a top contender for my stranded on an island bourbon and worth the extra $15 to $20 price point.
I usually would not pick on someones taste and description but this. "ORVW = eucalyptus, ash, lead pencil". Lead Pencil! Ash. Really Lead Pencil. How would you know lead pencil. LoL my friend.
Lead pencil is quite a common descriptor used in many a wine review and is generally attributed to a heavier char in the oak barrel used. A little google searching shows it also used by Mr. Pacult in his description of both EC 18 and VWFR. Also my "taste and description purposefully blurs smells with tastes and though I actually never did suck on a lead pencil I surely know the smell and can imagine the taste. Having spent some time with smoking meats I do know both the smell and taste of ash. I also spent about 20 years learning and tasting as much as I could about wine so some terms just kinda stick with ya my friend.
Spirit Journal description (Van Winkle Family Reserve)
“The palate entry is spicy, piquant, prickly and raisiny; at midpalate the taste profile features lead pencil, slate, black pepper, brown butter, and deep-seared oak. Finishes with an ash-like, chewy, and oily aftertaste that’s smashingly luscious…. American whiskey doesn’t come any finer.”
Elijah Craig 18
"Deep amber hue. Opening nosing passes detect a no-nonsense bouquet laced with an astringent oakiness that???s crisp, clean and direct; later sniffings pick up layered scents of corn husk, buttered popcorn, resin, lead pencil and a hint of caramel. Flavor shows fat tastes of old oak, cream, almond butter, bacon fat, vanilla extract and smoke. Aftertaste is warming and semisweet."
- Paul Pacult
It's the Blackbird syndrome some reviewers fall into. When one Blackbird lands on the wire a bunch land there and when one flys off the others follow. With all the descriptive words available one would think reviews could be original but apparently copying one another is easier.
What the Hell does slate taste like and I would like to meet the reviewer who first licked the rock.
I had been looking at this bottle of ORVW at my local liquor store for a few weeks but kept passing on buying it because of the $40 price. I knew my wife would grump but I bought it last Friday and I am glad I did. This is the only Van Winkle product I have had the pleasure to sample and it is without a doubt the best Bourbon I have ever tasted. I have tried about 15 other Bourbons and all of them but two have cost less than $25. The taste of this ORVW is in a different class. There is a bottle of PVW 23 at the store for $200 which I have always thought "you got to be kidding" but after trying the BOTM is see more grumping in my wifes future.
Jim
What the Hell does slate taste like and I would like to meet the reviewer who first licked the rock.
Me. I was a mud logger in the Gulf Coast oil fields for a few years. We had to describe drill (rock) cuttings, mostly sandstone and shale. To tell the difference between fine grain, very fine grain, very very fine grain sandstone -finer grain than that was probably shale (slate not yet metamorphized) or clay -you had to grit it between your teeth.
I know the taste of these rocks, but thinking about it doesn't bring to mind any bourbon off hand.
I don't know pencil lead (graphite?), but I do know the taste of the No. 2 lead pencil. Chewed a few in grade school. Still brings to mind no bourbon.
... but that's for me. For another person, the nose on a bourbon might trigger "slate". I laid track one summer 3 decades ago and every time I have an Ardbeg, I get a whiff of creosote! :grin:
White Dog
02-23-2011, 07:54
I had been looking at this bottle of ORVW at my local liquor store for a few weeks but kept passing on buying it because of the $40 price. I knew my wife would grump but I bought it last Friday and I am glad I did. This is the only Van Winkle product I have had the pleasure to sample and it is without a doubt the best Bourbon I have ever tasted. I have tried about 15 other Bourbons and all of them but two have cost less than $25. The taste of this ORVW is in a different class. There is a bottle of PVW 23 at the store for $200 which I have always thought "you got to be kidding" but after trying the BOTM is see more grumping in my wifes future.
Jim
IMHO, if you're gonna upset the wife, try the 20 instead of the 23. I much prefer the 20 over the 23, and it's half the price, so she'll only be half as upset.:cool:
Although, you should have heard my wife when she just found a new stash of 4 15yrs, 3 20yrs, and 6 VWFRR. And yes, she knows just how much they cost.:grin:
CaptainQ
02-23-2011, 08:31
Although, you should have heard my wife when she just found a new stash of 4 15yrs, 3 20yrs, and 6 VWFRR. And yes, she knows just how much they cost.:grin:
Ouch, I bet your ears are still ringing! :grin:
Nice stash btw
Woops, wife radar alert. It's either decant in empty bottles with cheap labels or take her shopping.
DeanSheen
02-23-2011, 10:09
"Although, you should have heard my wife when she just found a new stash of 4 15yrs, 3 20yrs, and 6 VWFRR. And yes, she knows just how much they cost.:grin:"
Whoops. Mine does not even pay attention. Out of sight, out of mind.
silverfish
02-23-2011, 11:36
It's either decant in empty bottles with cheap labels or take her shopping.
It's a variation of Herb Tarlek on WKRP when asked what he was doing
pouring something from one bottle into another - "Aging Scotch."
I believe it was Passport, his hand obscured the label, poured into an empty Chivas Regal bottle.
Man I'm on a roll. The BOTM is up on time for the third month in a row! :grin:
Can he make it four in a row??? :skep:
:lol:
Parkersback
03-01-2011, 08:53
Fishbowl! Fishbowl! Fishbowl!
The Boozer
03-01-2011, 08:56
I got 11 Old Rip 10/107's bunkered so yes you can say I like it.
It's like carmelized toffee. I prefer it over the Pappy 15, 20 & 23.
Ditto. Got about 9 bottles in the bunker. But I do like the Pappy 15 alot. The higher proof seems to pull out more of that rich carmel flavor, especially after a little air time.
The higher proof seems to pull out more of that rich carmel flavor, especially after a little air time.
The proofs on 10/107 and Pappy 15 are the same.
I know I'm very late to this party, but I finally picked up a bottle of ORVW and have spent some quality time with it.
I did a little bit of side by side with OWA as others have done, and it was interesting because they do share so many similarities. But the real story is in the contrasts. The first thing I noticed is the corny cotton candy sweetness is a lot more subtle in the ORVW. Over all it has a much deeper flavor, and very well integrated: butterscotch, candied dark fruits, tobacco... also the finish progresses smoothly out of the mid-palate. One of the weaknesses of OWA (in my opinion, others may dig this) is that the barrel char isn't well integrated with the other flavors. It's a little unnerving to me, the char hits you on the finish without a lot of warning. There are some whiskeys (mostly rye recipes) where you can't tell what's distillate, and what's char. That's not the case with OWA but it certainly is with Old Rip.
One last thing, and this may very well be the power of suggestion: with both of these I taste a close relationship with the standard Buffalo Trace expression. It's the syrupy, slightly musty corn, I think. I was looking for it when I tasted the ORVW, but when I first tasted OWA, it was a surprise. My first thought was, wow, this reminds me a lot of BT.
Anyway, I'm growing pretty fond of ORVW.
smokinjoe
03-28-2011, 20:00
I've been working on another bottle of this over the last couple of months. This whiskey is, as the saying goes, "a conundrum wrapped in an enigma", to me. It bounces around on me every time I pour it. It goes from knee buckling delicious on Tuesday, to astringent and sink fodder on Wednesday. Now, I know the variances are my own whacked palate, but for some reason this bourbon takes full advantage of my palate schizophrenia, like no other brand.
At the end of the day, there's enough confusion in my world, as it is. Don't need a whiskey to further complicate things! :) And, at $44 a bottle, I'd just assume leave them for those who appreciate it's greatness on a more regular basis.
DeanSheen
03-28-2011, 20:05
And, at $44 a bottle, I'd just assume leave them for those who appreciate it's greatness on a more regular basis.
I bought two bottles of 10/107 once. Once.
Now I just buy 4 bottles of OWA. And I like it!!!
The Boozer
04-07-2011, 08:56
The proofs on 10/107 and Pappy 15 are the same.
May have misinterpreted what I was refering to; Pappy 15 & ORVW 10-107 are higher proof than Pappy 20 & 23 and tend to have more "rich carmel flavor", due to the higher proof than either the 20 or 23, IMO. I know they're the same proof, given I have multiple bottles of each.
I got 11 Old Rip 10/107's bunkered so yes you can say I like it.
It's like carmelized toffee. I prefer it over the Pappy 15, 20 & 23.
I like the Old Rip 10/107 just as much as the 15. The 20 and 23 are just so different that they aren't comparable IMO. All are great, and for some reason I don't have a 10/107 open right now. I'm going to change that this afternoon. I think I have a dozen or so of them. ...
You know I'm starting to feel the same way and I'm talking about current bottles too.
mosugoji64
05-31-2011, 19:43
A little late to this party as well, but I wanted to say that I LOVE ORVW 10/107! While it may not be the cheapest or easiest-to-find pour out there, it is a bargain any way you look at it. It is one of the bottlings I would point out as a standard to which other bourbons should aspire. OWA is a close second. While OWA is a favorite, I think ORVW is a little more rounded in character.
Opened a 10/107 2007... excellent pour with a huge vanilla extract palate. This expression really seems to change year to year... possibly batch to batch...
Psilocide
06-15-2011, 00:57
I thought this was an amazing bourbon for the price - at Lee's here in Vegas it was only $34. I enjoyed it so much I bought several bottles to serve at my wedding reception. My wife wondered why I'd bought so many when we ended up with six bottles after it was all over. Why indeed . . .
LikeItWasSodaPop
06-16-2011, 08:10
Wow, what a lesson in how higher proof can really knock a weaker expression out of the park (i.e. ORVW 10/107 v ORVW 10/90).
It still pisses me off, a bit, to find this on the bottom shelf at Binny's, but at the same point, I'm sure it means I'm more likely to get some.
clingman71
07-14-2011, 16:24
While searching for a special occasion bottle in the northern KY/Cincy area, I found some of the norhtern Ky kroger locations carry ORVW 10/107. $25.99!!!
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