Very Rare Old Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 10yr

[G-Rat]

Hey Folks...especially those in Kentucky:

Does Heaven Hill still make this whiskey...I would love to try it.

The latest thread on it dates back to last May and shows a bottle that was purchased that looked to be bottled in 2006. It was surmised that the juice was from DSP-KY31 the old Heaven Hill Distillery...then there are no more threads on it. It also seems like lose threads connote that it was hard to find or rare to find it even then. Were those the last bottles put out just before the fire and then because of said disaster there isn't any anymore?

I would Love to get a bottle or two of this. Is it still widely available in Kentucky?

Garrett

[cowdery]

It appears to have been discontinued but there may still be some dusties out there.

[G-Rat]

That's too bad. Is it the same with the 8yr old expression as well?

Thanks for the quick reply too.

[cowdery]

The oldest I've seen recently is a six-year-old.

[G-Rat]

thanks...so of Heaven Hill's current bottlings the oldest Bonded one they have would be Henry McKenna (which was good I thought). I assume that the Heaven Hill Bonded is much the same as the Dant Bonded and the Evan Williams Bonded they put out.

[cowdery]

thanks...so of Heaven Hill's current bottlings the oldest Bonded one they have would be Henry McKenna (which was good I thought). I assume that the Heaven Hill Bonded is much the same as the Dant Bonded and the Evan Williams Bonded they put out.

Not necessarily. It's all about barrel selection. All of these products are bottled infrequently because they are low volume, and it's a matter of what's available (i.e., what whiskey is mature) at the moment in the quantity needed. With bonds, you are stuck using only whiskey from a single season, so it's hard to make adjustments. Obviously, they all start out the same, but barrel selection can make a big difference when the products are bottled. Although these are cats and dogs, for the most part, I assume they also have a profile for each and make an effort to adhere to the profile for each label.

[G-Rat]

that's true I had not thought of that. I guess I just got the impression that there were so many labels at Heaven Hill that there was no way they were putting that much time and effort into each of these smaller runs of Bonded Bottles. But I guess tat selection would have to vary from year to year anyhow with barrel selection anyhow and between each product as well...

[squire]

I enjoyed the 10 yr bonded and drank it regularly years back but haven't seen any available for the last 6 years or so.

[MikeK]

It appears to have been discontinued but there may still be some dusties out there.

Damn!! I've got a bottle open of this right now that I picked up in KY about 1 1/2 years back. Great stuff for the $$. I'll have to try and find some more while it lasts...

[Virus_Of_Life]

I'd buy a case of this stuff if I ever came across it. It is one of the best bang for the buck bourbons I've ever had. This and EW BiB are exceptional values at their price!

[squire]

Hey Christian, my take is the same. I discovered this brand about 18 years ago while in Bardstown, tried it and returned to Toddy's for a case to go.

[smokinjoe]

When this one went, it went quick! I always picked up at least a couple of these gems every time I went to Kentucky. When I heard it was being discontinued I intended to grab it by the case. Unfortunately, I was too late It was a terrific, low cost bourbon.

[MissingKY]

Joe, I noticed the same thing that when this disappeared from the shelves, it disappeared quickly and completely. I'm originally from western Kentucky, and bourbon actually doesn't always move all that quickly there. (I've cleared a lot of good mid-90's dusties out of my hometown in the last few years.) There was always a ton of VROHH on the shelves when I was home, and it always seemed like I got some sort of, "Don't sell much of this one..." comment when I bought a bottle. I don't think it was a big mover at any of the places I shopped.

Then, one trip home, it had totally disappeared over a period of like 3 months between last summer and last fall. I went to every liquor store in town, probably 7-8 in all, and I couldn't find one lousy bottle of it. A lot of these places had had dozens of bottles just a few months earlier. The disappearance was so quick and so complete that I wondered if a distributor had run a buyback for it or something. It's a real shame, because this was one of my all-time favorite bourbons. Not just for the money, but I really thought it was great whiskey regardless of the price. It's definitely in my top 10.

[G-Rat]

Sad sad news folks...do you think that the dissapearance of this Bourbon has anything to do with the fire at Heaven Hill and their desire to pull a less profitable lower end label to keep producing stuff like Elijah Craig and the like...or am I completely misreading the situation? I would LOVE to get a hold of some of this.

G

[squire]

G my take on it is Heaven Hill wanted to use their aged stocks in more profitable brands.

[G-Rat]

squire that makes total sense. And for Heaven Hill's part this makes sense as well with trends (now standards) towards supreme bourbons being the main offerings...like everything else in the food and drink world.

The next questions is:

Did this ever sell outside of Kentucky? If so I'm sure there is some lying around somewhere...

[squire]

I asked that very question from someone who would know and was told "not sure" and then the guy launched into a distillery anecdote.

[mozilla]

HH can bottle any label that is current with the TTB. It is only that they choose not to.

As far as other more profitable labels....which might those be? None of the HH stable are very pricey. Last time I found some VROHH Bib...it was $12/750ml.

Some VROHH 8yr 86 has been spotted in Oregon...some time back.

[squire]

Just occurred to me there should be no reason the Distilleries couldn't buy back their product and dump it into a new melding. Whiskey laws and regulations are so screwy sometimes, anybody know? Chuck, MikeV?

[Virus_Of_Life]

Last time I found some VROHH Bib...it was $12/750ml.

Some VROHH 8yr 86 has been spotted in Oregon...some time back.

And the 8year 86 proof is good and similar to the 10yr BiB (I have an open bottle now), albeit more expensive here in Oregon. But then again, most booze is more expensive in Oregon than most places.

[G-Rat]

HH can bottle any label that is current with the TTB. It is only that they choose not to.

As far as other more profitable labels....which might those be? None of the HH stable are very pricey. Last time I found some VROHH Bib...it was $12/750ml.

Some VROHH 8yr 86 has been spotted in Oregon...some time back.

Mozilla...good point. What's the TTB?

While HH certainly has a stable of decently priced good whiskey (I sure think its good whew!) Most of those labels are older less flashy ones: Bonded labels or antiqueish ones (Old Fitz, Henry McKenna, JW Dant and the like).

With the current market trends toward small batch, single barrel or premium seeming products it would seem to me to be a smart business decision to pull labels like this one. Meaning not so much that they make higher priced labels that older whiskey should go towards but instead market trends condition where the whiskey is going to end up...in the more premiumish, small batch, single barrel type products (although the only single Barrels they make that I know of are McKenna and Elijah 18 and Evan Williams)

But then again maybe I'm talking outta my butt and there are many others here (like yourself) with much more knowledge than I have on stuff like this...I just wish this stuff was still available because it would be an incredible bargain.

[barturtle]

Mozilla...good point. What's the TTB?

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

[G-Rat]

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

Ahh yes...thanks

[barturtle]

But then again maybe I'm talking outta my butt and there are many others here (like yourself) with much more knowledge than I have on stuff like this...I just wish this stuff was still available because it would be an incredible bargain.

I don't think any of us, or the distillers for that matter, like to see any brand having to be taken off the shelf. Unfortunately, current market trends, as well as a sales forecast made years ago, has put them is situations where there just isn't enough juice aged and ready to drink to support every label they currently make (or recently made, as the case may be)...it think the saddest part is that the lost shelf space vacated by the brands will never be regained.

[G-Rat]

I think the saddest part is that the lost shelf space vacated by the brands will never be regained.

So true...so true.