Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 rye

"F" would be 2004.
Joe :usflag:

Just picked up 2 bottles today with an I.

My buddy Art has a 'C' or 'D' (I forget which) bottle open right now. It tastes very different than the more recent bottlings. I has a very distinctive 60's/early 70's flavor to it, if you know what I mean. I've got a Preiss labeled bottle in the bunker, which I think is about the same vintage. At some point I'll have to open it to compare.

I think with, or after, F it became a mingling and the new component was (apparently - I'm not sure) some of that well-aged Cream of Kentucky rye that is the source, apparently again, of probably most of the recent bottlings of extra-matured straight rye (other than Rittenhouse 21 and 23 year olds).

Gary

This question comes up so much and I get confused myself, so I hunted down all the posts and made what I think is the correct story. Let me know if you have any extra info.

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Originally Posted by fussychicken

This question comes up so much and I get confused myself, so I hunted down all the posts and made what I think is the correct story. Let me know if you have any extra info.

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Looks good, except the oldest BT rye stock (the current Saz Jr stuff) should now be about 9 years old...the VW could therefore be BT distilled stock in only 4 years. However Julian said in 2004 that they tanked a 13 year supply

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Originally Posted by barturtle

However Julian said in 2004 that they tanked a 13 year supply

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That is what I was going with as well.

My hope is that Julian has been allowed to tinker with the formula and make his own version instead of just taking an older version of the Saz Jr. Don't get me wrong, I love Saz Jr and Thomas Handy, but I don't see what harm it would cause to have another unique type of rye whiskey in the market!

Does anyone know where Hirsch 13 year old kentucky straight Rye fits in to this picture. I believe that Julian once said that he bottled it. Bottled in Lawrenceburg. Green tinted bottle and black wax top.

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Originally Posted by Docholiday

Does anyone know where Hirsch 13 year old kentucky straight Rye fits in to this picture. I believe that Julian once said that he bottled it. Bottled in Lawrenceburg. Green tinted bottle and black wax top.

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Yes, he has said it was the same whiskey as the VWFRR. Same proof, same age as the VW-labeled stuff of the same vintage.

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Originally Posted by fussychicken

That is what I was going with as well.

My hope is that Julian has been allowed to tinker with the formula and make his own version instead of just taking an older version of the Saz Jr. Don't get me wrong, I love Saz Jr and Thomas Handy, but I don't see what harm it would cause to have another unique type of rye whiskey in the market!

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Well what makes one whiskey different from another is mainly aging and selection. Every current bourbon on the market comes from about 15 mashbills or so. Rye mashbills that are currently in production number about 5 (WT, HH(via BF), BT, Barton, JB). There is a lot more that can be achieved through aging and selection with the current mashbills than is being done right now.