More unfamiliar bourbons

[RyanStotz]

Just ran across a place that seems to have run into a bunch of cheap regionals. Most I'm familiar with, but these are new to me:

B J Holladay Bourbon
Bellows Bourbon
Chapin & Gore Bourbon
Gem Clear Bourbon
Kentucky Deluxe White Bourbon
Mccormick 5yr Old Style Bourbon
Mccormick 6yr Bourbon Gold Label
Mound City Bourbon
O B R Bourbon
O J C Bourbon
Schenley Reserve Bourbon
Westridge Bourbon

Any word one way or the other on any of these?

Stotz

[boone]

Chapin and Gore 4yr 80 and 4yr 86
Gem Clear
Kentucky Deluxe 4yr 90

All three are from Heaven Hill Distilleries.


Boone

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I believe Bellows is from Beam

McCormick, out of Weston Missouri, are the folks who sell Platte Valley Corn Whiskey. The also put out some blended whiskey. I wasn't aware of any real bourbon. I'd guess (especially from the ages) Heaven Hill. Does the label actually say "Straight Bourbon Whiskey"?

I'd be really interested to know what the label on the Schenley Reserve Bourbon says. Schenley is a major whiskey producer (mostly Canadian and blends) who was once a major bourbon source (they owned what's now Buffalo Trace and several other distilleries, and many current brands have passed through their hands at one time or another). I didn't know they still market a true bourbon. You might have a treasure on your hands here :-)

-John Lipman-
http://w3.one.net/~jeffelle/whiskey

[RyanStotz]

John:

> McCormick, out of Weston Missouri, are the folks who sell Platte Valley Corn
> Whiskey. The also put out some blended whiskey. I wasn't aware of any real
> bourbon. I'd guess (especially from the ages) Heaven Hill. Does the label
> actually say "Straight Bourbon Whiskey"?

Ah, that McCormick. As Ezra Brooks is Heaven Hill, I'd imagine this is too. This is an online store, so I don't know what the label says. That's one of the reasons I'm asking about them, actually. They also list McCormick blended whiskey, so I'm guessing yes, this is straight Kentucky bourbon. In any case, this sounds like a pass.

> I'd be really interested to know what the label on the Schenley Reserve
> Bourbon says. Schenley is a major whiskey producer (mostly Canadian and
> blends) who was once a major bourbon source (they owned what's now Buffalo
> Trace and several other distilleries, and many current brands have passed
> through their hands at one time or another). I didn't know they still market
> a true bourbon.

I'm familiar with the Schenley OFC and 8 YO Canadian whiskies, but had no idea they were still involved with American whiskey at all. For that reason alone (well, that and it's absurdly cheap, something like $7.00) I'm tempted to get it. At worst I get a cheap bottle of blended whiskey for the wretched few that dare to come over to my place and ask to mix something with their whisk(e)y.

> You might have a treasure on your hands here :-)

Here's hoping. I'll update once I receive them.

Stotz

[cowdery]

B J Holladay Bourbon is a McCormick product. McCormick is, in fact, a distiller and has made its own bourbon in the past. I would assume this is theirs, not bought from Heaven Hill. I have a bottle of very young McCormick bourbon that is some of the worst bourbon I have ever tasted, but the older versions might be okay and certainly would be interesting to try. David Sherman is a distributor and rectifier from St. Louis that sells Ezra Brooks, which is probably Heaven Hill's whiskey but may not be. Sherman may have acquired some UD whiskey when he acquired the brand.

If it says bourbon, it is. If they are relatively cheap, you should grab them just for curiosity value.

Are you willing to share the URL of the online store with us?

--Chuck Cowdery

[RyanStotz]

> B J Holladay Bourbon is a McCormick product. McCormick is, in fact, a
> distiller and has made its own bourbon in the past.

But hasn't it been years since they made bourbon? Even if not, wouldn't it still be unlikely they'd have any left? Can't imagine the Weston operation has a bunch of warehouse space that couldn't be used in a more worthwhile way.

> I would assume this is
> theirs, not bought from Heaven Hill. I have a bottle of very young McCormick
> bourbon that is some of the worst bourbon I have ever tasted, but the older
> versions might be okay and certainly would be interesting to try.

The oldest they offer seems to be a 6 YO. Even if it is Heaven Hill stuff, that's around the time they seem to come of age. If it is McCormick stock, it'd be worth having for the sake of compulsive completism.

> Sherman may have acquired some UD whiskey when he acquired the brand.

I'm trying to remember what that'd even be at this point. Finch, Glenmore, what else?

> If it says bourbon, it is.

Oh, I know that. Problem is, while I love the website, their accuracy is not always what it could be. To wit, Kessler - not even labeled as the blend it is - and that horrendous new mesquite whiskey are both listed under the "Rye" category. So while they say it's bourbon...

> If they are relatively cheap, you should grab them
> just for curiosity value.

Yep, just for the heck of it, I oughta. Of course "relatively cheap," with shipping, still adds up to $12 or $13 per bottle, and when I can get a guaranteed good bottle of Old Forester or Old Charter 8 YO for that much or less, it's tough to justify.

> Are you willing to share the URL of the online store with us?

Absolutely, although I mention them so often I'm starting to feel like a shill, but they've really done well by me so far: [url}http://www.internetwines.com[/url], former home of the $19.00 Joseph Finch and $12 Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve. Watch for those sales, they're doozies.

Stotz

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Oh Man! Just twelve bucks for Old Charter?! I'm paying twenty smackers for 750ml of Old Charter Prop. Resv. 13 Y.O. & $25 for a half a gallon of Old Forrester! Ryan you *must* live in the promised land. You're right I should move!

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[RyanStotz]

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

Oh Man! Just twelve bucks for Old Charter?! I'm paying twenty smackers for 750ml of Old Charter Prop. Resv. 13 Y.O. & $25 for a half a gallon of Old Forrester! Ryan you *must* live in the promised land. You're right I should move!

<hr></blockquote>

Ah, if only...the only reason I ordered the OCPR is because it's not even for sale in my promised land of Eugene, Oregon. So online I went and, what do you know, it just happened to be dirt cheap. People in southern Illinois, living near the wine shop behind this online liquor store, have the benefit of that promised land address.

And at $20 for OCPR where you are, you should be ecstatic. $17 and change out here for the 10 YO. So maybe you shouldn't move just yet.

Stotz

[cowdery]

>> hasn't it been years since they made bourbon? <<

It is my understanding that they still fire up the still from time to time. I believe they make GNS on a regular basis and occasionally make a batch of whiskey.

>> Sherman may have acquired some UD whiskey when he acquired the brand. <<

>> I'm trying to remember what that'd even be at this point. Finch, Glenmore, what else? <<

He owns Rebel Yell now, so he may have acquired some Stitzel whiskey for that. Ezra was a Glenmore brand, but I would guess that stuff is long gone. If he got any UD whiskey, it probably was from the new Bernheim plant which, ironically, is now Heaven Hill.

I suspected it might be internetwines. Thanks.

--Chuck Cowdery