Boone's Hill - and Aging in Bottle

[Rumpundit]

I was at a friend's house at the weekend and we opened and emptied an old bottle, 24oz, of Boone's Knoll "hand made sour mash whiskey, bottled from the package for C. A. Van Rensellaer, New York.

I think the Van Rensellaer was an ancestor of my friend rather than a company. It is one of the old family names of NY state.

The bottle looked pre-war, but which war? The cellar had American Medicinal Spirits from pre-prohibition - the family laid up a stock to see them through the drought.
The bottle certainly vindicated my thesis that spirits do continue to mature in the bottle. This was pure nectar, smooth and mature comparable with a fine cognac, and its body was superb... more legs than a centipede on the side of snifter. The cork was not waxed or foiled so it could breathe to some extent. In fact we had to carve up the cork and filter it out. But the nose of this stuff was enough to bring people from the next room.




Any suggestions as to age would be gratefully received.

[Rumpundit]

Please note, I must be suffering from the after effects. It should be Boone's Knoll, not Boone's Hill. My PC crashed while posting....
Sorry

[hjminard]

Please note, I must be suffering from the after effects. It should be Boone's Knoll, not Boone's Hill. My PC crashed while posting....
Sorry

At least it's not Boone's Farm.

[Stu]

Are you sure it was 24 oz, not a "fifth" (4/5 of a quart or just over 26 oz)?

You killed the whole bottle in one sitting? It must have been nectar!

What was the proof?

Do you have any tasting notes to post?

[Josh]

I was at a friend's house at the weekend and we opened and emptied an old bottle, 24oz, of Boone's Knoll "hand made sour mash whiskey, bottled from the package for C. A. Van Rensellaer, New York.

I think the Van Rensellaer was an ancestor of my friend rather than a company. It is one of the old family names of NY state.

The bottle looked pre-war, but which war? The cellar had American Medicinal Spirits from pre-prohibition - the family laid up a stock to see them through the drought.

Good god! I need to start rummaging thru more ppl's basements.

[Virus_Of_Life]

It definitely doesn't correspond to the era you are describing but I am pretty sure Julian Van Winkle bottled some Boone's Knoll back around the same time that he released the original A.H. Hirsch with the Blue Wax top. From what I have read it was the same juice as the Hirsch; therefore being the now legendary 16 year old stuff distilled at Michter's in 1974.

Again it doesn't equate to the era you're thinking, but it is the only Boone's Knoll I've ever heard of...

See this thread: http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...oone%27s+knoll

Welcome to the Site!

[Rumpundit]

Sadly, albeit happily at the time, we did not take notes. The bottle said one pint eight ounces, and was an older style of bottle.

It was pure nectar! No proof on the bottle - which tends me to think it was bottled for the family - but it seemed about the standard 80.

The oak overtones were subtly muted, but there was just enough astringency to ensure it was a grown up liquor. Light, with almost floral hints to it, it was indeed a wonderful experience.

I do suspect it may be been a pre-prohibition precaution by the family, which also had a supply from the American Medicinal Spirits company - I think they were shareowners- to see them throught the drought.

[wadewood]

Sound's like a nice stash to be able to drink from and thanks for posting.

I will disagree with your thesis. It did not improve in the bottle. If it was nectar today, then it was nectar when it was bottled.

[Buffalo Bill]

At least it's not Boone's Farm.

I was thinking the same thing: Good thing it wasn't Boones Farm! And if that stuff was still good? Speechless.... BB