Generic Bourbon?

[bluesbassdad]

While reading Bettye Jo's comments about lesser-known Heaven Hill bottlings a question occurred to me regarding the industry in general.

After the projected demand for a company's mid and upper shelf bottlings is met, is there any effort to maintain taste profiles for the bottom shelf products? Is there such a thing as not-good-enough-even-for-our-cheapest-brand? If so, would that product be sold outside the beverage alcohol industry for further distillation?

Yours truly,
Dave Morefield

[barturtle]

While, I'm sure someone in the industry can answer this better than I can, I'll take a guess and say that with the number of barrels in an average bottling, quite a few not so good barrels can be blended away, as well as quite a few damn fine barrels. Since not every barrel is tasted individually both the best and the worst barrels can get missed in the process, only the final outcome matters. I'd guess that as the MSRP of the bottling goes down so does the standard that must be kept.

That being said, if the standards that are being kept for the lowest price point HH are representative of industry average, it's still a pretty good standard.

[fogfrog]

Yeah I mean, I think most is standard bourbon but the barrels that are special are sold for higher price. I am just guessing though.

[NickAtMartinis]

Dave, I haven't a clue but if I had to venture a guess I'd say there is only the slightest effor to maintain a flavor profile for the lower shelf bourbons.

Speaking from a business standpoint, why waste the time? Granted, the lower shelf probably out-sells some/most premium bourbons (don't call me out on this since I don't know it as fact ) but those who drink from the bottom probably haven't acquired a taste for bourbon - and, they probably mix it anyway - so it really doesn't seem to make sense to match past flavor profiles.

Mark

[fogfrog]

well I am a connoisseur of bottom shelf whiskey...... LOL

I haven't tried Ten High yet but I want to.

I love Bartons VOB 100 Proof.