BOTM, 6/06: PVW 15yo

[Chaz7]

This weekend, I was at a bar at the Broadmoor; they had an extensive bourbon list (and they were smart enough to separate Tennessee, North American, and Kentucky). But NO Van Winkles. I asked the manager/buyer for a PVW. He said it is the most requested bourbon (this is the Broadmoor, customers and guests usually get what they want), but Buffalo Trace is making it impossible to bring in citing shortages, etc. Now in Las Vegas, I saw lot's of PVW and ORVW; so is the lack of Pappy here (in bars and resturants only) a regional issue, or as the manager said, shortages are hurting accessability? By the way,this is a Pappy 15 discussion, and thats what I am inquiring about; however in it's place they served me a Hirsch 16 yo, my first.

[Ambernecter]

Broadmoor is a secure institution where they house the criminally insane over here in England...

Not having any VW products available IS criminally insane and would strike me as grounds for incarceration!

[gr8erdane]

I won't disagree with that.

The Broadmoor here in the US is a secure institution where they house the criminally wealthy under the shadow of Pike's Peak....

Said individuals are sentenced to wander the championship golf course (US Senior Open venue), languish in the spas, eat the finest meals, and drink (with obviously pointed out exceptions) the finest beverages while being forced to view the Garden of the Gods from the 5 star institution....

How I wish I'd been born wealthy rather than insane.....

And so as to not totally hijack the BOTM thread, my first tasting of this one was at the Gazebo right after it was introduced. I gave a bottle of David Nicholson 1843 to a certain Teutonic visitor who reciprocated by grabbing the open PVW 15 he had brought to the table right out of someone's hands and giving it to me in trade. It was half gone when I got it and empty laying on the floor next to me in my room the next morning. I can taste the similarities between PVW 15 and ORVW 15 but to me the PVW is more silk to the ORVW's fine linen.

[Chaz7]

Dane, you cracked me up! But back to th Pappy; this is, at 107 proof one of the smoothest bourbons I have had the pleasure of indulging. It, along with it's big brother the 20 yo, and the rest of the VW family belong in a bar as nice as any of them at the Broadmoor. But underscored in my post is my concern for it's availability as stated by the manager. Is it something to be concerned about? At that though, one of our better liquor stores had 4 on the shelf.

[pepcycle]

That's what I say!!!

Dane???

[bluesbassdad]

Oh, and I still prefer the squat bottles with the antique-looking label.

While the above is strictly true, it's implied meaning is not -- at least not tonight. The content of the PVW 15 bottle was more enjoyable than that of the ORVW tonight.

When I opened the PVW, I immediately smelled overripe apples, a pleasant aroma, actually. I realized that it's largely the texture of an apple turned pale brown that is objectionable.

As I continued to nose it (in a Rare Breed rocks glass, the one with a moderate inward taper at the top), I found that the initial aroma was detectable only at a distance of several inches. Closer than that, the more customary aromas of bourbon, caramel, oak, etc, took over.

I had no other insights while I finished a very generous pour -- proabably three to four ounces.

On a whim I went looking for my lone, remaining bottle of ORVW 15/107. I found it to be less than one-quarter full. I poured a scant ounce and, relying on memories of previous tastings, I prepared for a quantum leap in bourbonic enjoyment. It didn't happen.

The apple aroma was still there, but more toward the green, sharp side. Close nosing revealed a slightly sour element, consistent once again with green apples.

On the palate it was not nearly as full-bodied as I remembered, not even close to the PVW 15. A bit of soot, as in charcoal, came through. It reminded me of some of the bourbons that I consider to be on the borderline of being overaged, Elijah Craig 18 y/o for one, but not quite that sooty. I had found not a trace of soot in the PVW 15.

As of this second I really prefer the PVW 15, in spite of my previous protestations when it replaced the ORVW 15/107.

Yours truly,
Dave Morefield

[ProofPositive]

While the above is strictly true, it's implied meaning is not -- at least not tonight. The content of the PVW 15 bottle was more enjoyable than that of the ORVW tonight.

As of this second I really prefer the PVW 15, in spite of my previous protestations when it replaced the ORVW 15/107.

Yours truly,
Dave Morefield

After reading your comments, I was happy to find someone else out there who had the same experience as myself of late with PVW15 and ORVW15. It has happened twice this month and left me scratching my head both times. When I opened the PVW a couple of weeks ago (my first), I really expected just the opposite to occur. However, after reading your post, I realized I was not losing my mind. Thanks!

[tmas]

These unimpressive tasting notes of the ORVW 15 don't mirror my experiences with this bourbon. I noticed that most people talking about the PVW 15 are saying things like " when I first opened the bottle" etc., while the ORVW 15 seems to be coming from open bottles. One comment mentions the ORVW bottle being 1/4 full. Isn't it very likely that to really compare the two accurately you'd need to be opening a fresh bottle of each? And I too prefer the squat antique looking bottle to the new look. Tom V

[DrinkyBanjo]

Yes, I do believe you are right. BTW, I kinda like the new bottle.

[tmas]

Well Tim, it's not that I don't like the new bottle, it's just that the old one is so funky and sort of conjures up the images that I associate with bourbon. I just think it's the classic bottle shape and a classic label. Tom V