Old Rip 15yo v. Pappy's Reserve 15yo

[ProofPositive]

This may have well been covered in a previous thread. If so, someone please be so kind to direct me. If not, or if it warrants updated thoughts/opinions, then let's have it!

As far as I know the ORVW 15yo/107 proof is now out of production or so I have heard - but please correct me if that is wrong. If one comes across a few bottles of ORVW-15/107 for about $7 less than the current going price of PFR-15/107 (in my area), which do you choose? To clarify a bit more, let's take any collectibility factor out of the picture. Let's just say one has a bottle of the ORVW to satisfy the collection factor and now, is looking to buy some more for only drinking purposes. Is it better/comparable/less than the newer PFR-15/107?

Hard questions to say the least. I am strictly asking for opinions as to drinking and not collecting. I can get 2-3 bottles of the old right now at $7 less than the new. However, I have read somewhere (not necessarily on this Forum) that the new is preferred by many of the experts over the old. In any event, both are in short supply and it would be nice to be able to buy all I find of both....but, I do not need a divorce looming on the horizon!

As normal, thanks very-very much for the assistance!!!!

Wayne

[barturtle]

I have always liked the ORVW 15 enough that I try to have as many on hand as I can find. I haven't yet had the Pappy 15, though I have a bottle in my collection to satisfy my need to have VW stock fairly complete(no 23yo ).

One nice thing about the older bottles, if someone doesn't have one they might be willing to trade one of the newer Pappy 15 for it, so having the older stuff has an advantage there. Plus, it's definitly SW whiskey and while the current Pappy 15 is also, there's no telling if they will make a label change to reflect the time when they change to the Bernhiem and then to the BT.

I'd get the old stuff for now and later when it's now longer available and you need to replenish your supply get the Pappy.

[TNbourbon]

I wouldn't (and don't!) ever pass up a reasonably-priced (under $45) Old Rip 15, period. I've had the Pappy 15, though I've not bought one. I prefer the old one. But regardless of preference, the ORVW15 is a great bourbon, and it's now-or-never time with it.

[RedVette]

There are more than a few of us here which consider ORVW 15/107 as one of the best Bourbons ever made. There are also a few of us here who were slightly dissapointed with Pappy 15 as a replacement for the ORVW. Given the choice between the two I would take the ORVW, and I agree with Tim completely, I would buy all that I could at under $45 (or even $50). Anybody following this advice will not have to worry too much about going broke, there is very little ORVW left out there.

[Virus_Of_Life]

Thank you Tim and Rob, you made my decision easy, I have come across 1, probably the one and only bottle I will ever find so I am buying it. At $44 it sounds like a bargain! I come across lots of Pappy 15, but had never seen ORVW 15 (please forgive me I am still fairly new the the VA line). Now if you'll excuse me I need to make some phone calls to try and get that bottle secured!!!!.....

[Virus_Of_Life]

Now if you'll excuse me I need to make some phone calls to try and get that bottle secured!!!!.....

FALSE ALARM!! He says it's a "glitch in the system" because he doesn't have any of that, even though the computer shows 1 bottle in stock! Now do I take his word for it, or drive a good hour+ to see for myself???

AM I becoming obsessed?

[ProofPositive]

Now if you'll excuse me I need to make some phone calls to try and get that bottle secured!!!!.....

FALSE ALARM!! He says it's a "glitch in the system" because he doesn't have any of that, even though the computer shows 1 bottle in stock! Now do I take his word for it, or drive a good hour+ to see for myself???

AM I becoming obsessed?

You are. I recognize all the symptoms. The person I see in the mirror each morning has same - if not worse.

I know what I would probably do....drive the hour+. Have you bought from him in the past? If you have, then you can probably trust him. Aaahhh! On second thought, I think you ought to just take his word for it and concentrate your efforts elsewhere.

[Virus_Of_Life]

This has been a bad day, not only was my thought of getting a bottle of Old Rip 15 get shot down, but the one Bevmo that showed two bottles of VWFRR 13yo was an error also, their computers showed, the manager and I searched all over that store, but NO WHERE was it to be found! What a disappointment.

I was slightly pleased to find a Black Maple Hill 11 year and a William Larue Weller that the computer did not seem to have in the inventory also. So all was not lost, now I just need to go to a different store tomorrow and get a bottle of Sazerac 18 year (anyone know if we’ll get the younger Saz. In Cali?) before that all disappears. Boy GTS sure is plentiful right now. Oh and I got a bottle of VWSR 12yo, I think that might be on the menu for tonite! So these along with a few others put my 5% savings award to good use. Tomorrow I hunt for WT RR 101…

Now off to the gym and then over to the girlfriend’s to get an earful about spending too much money and time on whiskey I am starting to think relationships just aren’t for me.

[ProofPositive]

Here's a sad, sad story. Last night, I called a store outside of town where a friend of mine told me he thought he had seen some ORVW 15yo about a month ago. I asked for advice here before committing to look for any and sincerely appreciate the help.

Sure enough, this store has 2 bottles and I had them pulled & held for me to pick up on Tuesday of next week. The store owner told me that nobody had asked for that bourbon in years. In fact, and here's the story, he said he special ordered a case of it several years ago for a customer. After it arrived, the case became the victim of mishandling by one of his staff .....it fell and all but 3 of the bottles were broken. The customer who had it ordered wanted the whole case. When he came in to pick it up and found out what had happened, the owner said the guy got real pissed-off and stormed out without buying any of them! As far as the owner knows, the guy never came back again.

Boy, what a good time to have been a house dog when that case hit the floor! If I had been present, you might have seen a grown man on all fours and crying at the same time. Anyhow, as fate would have it, that guy's loss is now my gain.

Without a doubt, there is a reason for everything.

[nysquire]

ORVW 15yr 107 (squat bottle) is one of the finest Bourbons made.... I bought the last 5 in this area last fall and I'm down to one unopened... I'd drive hours to aquire more of this Bourbon if I knew where there was some more....
If you have access to it and don't want it, call!!!!!!!!