Van Winkle Availability?

[bpt]

Is there any kind of a schedule or any rhyme or reason as to when VW is released? I know that there is not a large amount of it put out but I was wondering if it is done at any specific times during the year. In this area I have to educate people about it but just because they will look for it once doesn't mean that they will continue to do so if they don't find it the first time. I hate having to do the retailers' job for them but end up having to for the harder to find stuff. At least with something like the BTAC I can say "This is supposed to be out next week, can you check on it for me?" and they usually will.
Additionally, two different people have told me recently that they "heard" that some was supposed to be coming out soon. One guy says that he gets notices like that from Buffalo Trace. Any truth to that?
Perhaps one of the insiders (or even outsiders!) here can shed some light on this to help a VW fan know when to start looking? Thanks.

[chefnash51]

I know that for the last month or so, all stores in my CT area have been telling me that late October was the next release date.

I just got a call that one of my local store got a few bottles in. I was in for some sticker shock.

ORVW 10/107 went from 28 to $38
Lot B went from 45 to $53

it's the 10/107 that really got me, that was quite a jump in price. too bad.

[bpt]

Thanks for the quick reply. That bothers me about 10/107 as well. That was always a great value here, sometimes as low as $25. That's the one that I like to stock up on when I find it. That much of a price jump could make that a little difficult this time around.

[onmytrack]

I don't know what the shipping laws are where you are, but I recently ordered and received some PVW 15 & 20 from Shopper's Vineyard (google for website). It is sold out right now, but they still have 10/90 & 10/107 at a great price. Spend the extra 2 bucks for the 107.

Jim

[chefnash51]

Yea, I have looked into that as well and it looks well worth it. I guess I won't be supporting my local shop as much as I would like to. Wonder why the huge pricing difference?

[NorCalBoozer]

I don't know what the shipping laws are where you are, but I recently ordered and received some PVW 15 & 20 from Shopper's Vineyard (google for website). It is sold out right now, but they still have 10/90 & 10/107 at a great price. Spend the extra 2 bucks for the 107.

Jim

They also have VW Family Reserve Rye 13 in stock as well, so possible a new batch of this has been put into distribution???

Greg

[unclebunk]

That would be really disappointing if the price of the ORVW 10/107 jumped so much in price. I buy it fairly regularly because the quality is terrific and within my self-imposed budget. It's currently $30 at Binny's which puts it right at the limit of how much I usually like to spend unless I'm buying something really special. The South Loop Chicago store has the Lot B for $40 and that's another one I'd hate to see jump into the $50+ range. There are just so many excellent bourbons out there for under $30 (and under $20, for that matter, if you like Weller Antique, Four Roses Yellow Label, VOB BIB and Rittenhouse BIB) that I'm afraid the price jumps will chase some consumers like me away. Maybe it's time to stock up on the ORVW 10/107 before an increase occurs here in Chicago, which should drive my wife even further around the bend!

[PhilsFan]

I was in Red Dot Liquors in Frankfort this morning. They are right down the road from Buffalo Trace Distillery and said that they have a good working relationship with the folks at BT. They had no Van Winkle product in, and when I asked about Lot B and PVW 15 they said that they were getting in only 2 bottles at a time when a shipment comes in. They had no ORVW (haven't seen much on the shelf anywhere in KY lately) and the only Weller they had was Antique 107.

-Joe

[razerburnt]

Does anyone know what letter the new VWFRR number starts with. the last one I bought was an I bottle. the ones I saw today were A bottles. Thanks, Randy.

[ACDetroit]

Well Randy "I" is the current release but "A" would have been 14 year old release because the first release would have had no prefix letter...just the numeric code. The letters increased up every year until the Rye Whiskey was 18 years old, say "E" or "F" at which time it was placed in Stainless Steel holding tanks.

I am would be interested in trying an "A" if they had more than one and you were not planning on picking them all up.

Let me know your thoughts?

Thanks,

Tony