Pappy 15 vs. Pappy 20?

[nysquire]

As we just finished our bottle of VW 20yo that we bought for the holidays, I can hardly wait till the holidays come again......A very nice pour indeed.... We are now on the ORVW 15yo. We are very much Van Winkle fans here, enjoying them all from the Weller collections right thru to all of the Van Winkles. They all have their own very distinctive tastes, which keeps us going back for more....

[halpap]

Randall's is having a 25% off sale across the board for the next couple of days. This brings some of their prices down to normal, and actually makes for a couple of bargains (e.g., Rowans Creek $22). You could also get some Johnny Drum (I have never tried it before and they are the only game in town for it.) For the most part I agree with you, even at 25% off their prices are on the high side.

[ikewillett1]

Thanks for putting the link on there. Nice article. I think the reporter over shot the price a little though. It seems that the Courier has been doing bourbon related articles with some frequency lately. I don't subscribe but my mother in law clips a lot of them for me. Did you see the piece they did on the new Bourbon Heritage Center at Heaven Hill? It seems like a neat place. I look forward to going.

[Bob]

I don't believe that I've seen an answer to your question yet regarding the ORVW 15 & the Pappy 15, so here you go...the Pappy 15 is indeed <u>replacing</u> the 15 year old ORVW.

[Ken Weber]

The new Van Winkle 15 is the same as the old Van Winkle 15, with the exception of the package. We just thought that since the 15 year old is one of the finest bourbons available, and the squat bottle is one of the ugliest, we needed to put it in a bottle that better reflected what was inside. The bottle is the same as the 20 and 23, while the label has been updated to more closely resemble them as well.

We have tried to update many of our packages at Buffalo Trace. The new Weller bottle is currently at the glass manufacturer. The Rock Hill and Hancock packages have been updated (although very slightly) to make them more attractive. The current Old Charter package is not going to win any awards, so we are looking to spruce up the label so that consumers will see it, stop, and possibly consider purchasing it.

While packaging certainly helps with the initial purchase, we know full well that you can only fool people once. It is the quality of what is inside that brings them back.

Ken

[wrbriggs]

While packaging certainly helps with the initial purchase, we know full well that you can only fool people once. It is the quality of what is inside that brings them back.

Ken

Well, you guys are certainly no slouches in the quality department either...

I almost never buy bourbon based on the packaging, simply because there is so little of it on the shelves up here. I typically special order first, and then see the packaging second.

I will say that I greatly enjoy the Buffalo Trace bottle and labels. I just got my first 2 bottles yesterday from my "NH connection", and while I haven't cracked one open yet, I'm greatly looking forward to it.

And the Pappy 15 is delicious, by the way.

I may have a Stagg '02/ Pappy 15 / Pappy 20 shootout if I can bring myself to pour all three in a single evening.

Who am I kidding, I don't think I could bring myself to do that.

[jeff]

Ken,

Can you describe the new Weller bottle?

[Ken Weber]

The Weller 12 bottle will be more pot stillish, though a bit sleeker. The label treatment is totally different than what we currently have. I will post a picture when the unit samples arrive in late February, early March. By the way, I just received a new unit sample bottle today for a new brand we will be introducing. As soon as it is approved and actual production begins I will be able to let you know more about it.

Ken

[ikewillett1]

Thanks for responding to my question. I totally agree that the new bottle for the Pappy 15 is a much better fit for the quality of bourbon inside. Plus, placing the new Pappy 15 bottle next to the 20 and 23 makes for a nice display.

I look forward to seeing the new Weller bottle when it comes out and picking one up.

[TrueBarrel]

. . .and the squat bottle is one of the ugliest . . .Ken

Funny, I always liked that bottle (though it should have a cork top). When I open the bunker and see those ORVW 15s and ORVW OTR 12s, I can't help but smile. Am I the only one who isn't fully on board with the trend of packaging bourbon in wine bottles?