Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 rye

[The Boozer]

Correction, both my bottles start with "B".

[BourbonJoe]

Is that the new "B" or the second U.S. release "B"?
Joe

[The Boozer]

Is that the new "B" or the second U.S. release "B"?
Joe

Don't know. Is there something on the bottle that indicates one or the other? These are two bottle that I just picked up the other day.

[barturtle]

Don't know. Is there something on the bottle that indicates one or the other? These are two bottle that I just picked up the other day.

I believe what he is referring to is the second release of VWFRR which was bottled in Lawrenceburg, KY; as opposed to any subsequent bottling "B" which would be bottled in Frankfort, KY.

[The Boozer]

Thnaks Tim. I believe this would be the 2nd release. The store I purchased the bottles from has a high turn over and didn't have any for at least the last 6 months.

[The Boozer]

Out in the field today. After doing a building inspection, stopped by a party store over on the east side. Just looking to pick up a bottle of WT 101. Sitting on the shelf were three bottles of VWFRR. I was taken aback! First because I found VWFRR and 2nd this is Tony's (ACDetroit) backyard. Anyways, two bottles have made their way home with me and I left 1 bottle for Tony (or any other MI hounds). My 2nd surprise came when I took a closer look at the bottles and saw they are both "I" bottles. I have had this experience before. Recently picked up a bottle of Stagg and much to my surprise in turns out to be a 2009 bottling. Apparently, there are older bottles of BTAC, VWFRR and likely Pappy 15 yr sitting in some distributor's warehouse. I highly doubt that some of these bottles have been sitting on store shelves for over a year.

[cowdery]

That's an exciting find. Were they reasonably priced?

I think the natural incompetence of any system run by a government is probably a benefit to dusty hunters. In Illinois, stores can't transfer bottles between stores, even of the same chain, nor can they sell product back to the distributor. Once it's in the store they either have to sell it or drink it.

[Special Reserve]

Out in the field today. After doing a building inspection, stopped by a party store over on the east side. Just looking to pick up a bottle of WT 101. Sitting on the shelf were three bottles of VWFRR. I was taken aback! First because I found VWFRR and 2nd this is Tony's (ACDetroit) backyard. Anyways, two bottles have made their way home with me and I left 1 bottle for Tony (or any other MI hounds). My 2nd surprise came when I took a closer look at the bottles and saw they are both "I" bottles. I have had this experience before. Recently picked up a bottle of Stagg and much to my surprise in turns out to be a 2009 bottling. Apparently, there are older bottles of BTAC, VWFRR and likely Pappy 15 yr sitting in some distributor's warehouse. I highly doubt that some of these bottles have been sitting on store shelves for over a year.

TB,

I've had similar experiences. Recently I found a WLW 117.9 that was not in the store on many earlier visits. Also in the recent past, I found old (cheesy gold medallion style) RHF and of all things a gold veined OWA that the store owner insisted just came in "this week" and had absolutely no dust on the bottle.

Will

[The Boozer]

That's an exciting find. Were they reasonably priced?

I think the natural incompetence of any system run by a government is probably a benefit to dusty hunters. In Illinois, stores can't transfer bottles between stores, even of the same chain, nor can they sell product back to the distributor. Once it's in the store they either have to sell it or drink it.

Chuck, they were priced @ the State min of $59 and change. Store advertized State minimum price which is the reason I stopped. Had a similar experience last year when I found 3 bottles of WLW. Thought they were all 2009. Nope; 05', 07' and 08'. Got those at the State min price also.

[roostercogburn]

Chuck, they were priced @ the State min of $59 and change. Store advertized State minimum price which is the reason I stopped. Had a similar experience last year when I found 3 bottles of WLW. Thought they were all 2009. Nope; 05', 07' and 08'. Got those at the State min price also.

Really good find, Boozer. I'm still kicking myself for passing on what seems to be the last two bottles in the Dallas area (for 59.99 too!), which were picked within days of my passing them up. Valuable lesson learned.