Is there something wrong with my PVW15?

[BBQ+Bourbon]

I have a bottle of PVW15 open and there is an off taste that I don't believe belongs here. It's what some of you call earthy, but to me it tastes like dirty, moldy cardboard. It tastes the way your grandmothers cellar smelled. This taste is very strong, probably the second most prominent in the glass. It's weaker in the nose, but after tasting it, that off smell is present. Honestly, this bottle is terrible. I have been looking forward to trying this pour for the longest time, and it's extremely disappointing.

I've tasted this once before, on a bottle of VSOF which is easily the worst whiskey I have ever tasted.

It looks like a lot of money down the drain at this point. I bought two bottles and this one is so terrible I am considering opening the second to see if it's just a bad bottle.

[cigarnv]

I was with a friend last evening who opened a new 2008 bottle of PVW15 that clearly had that wet cardboard / corked smell and taste. Purchased in early 2009 in Maryland. We could not drink it. I would contact BT.

[Squash]

Are you sure you're not drinking EC12?

On a serious note, my open bottle of PVW15 is great. It was purchased in late 2008, but it is difficult to what vintage it is. The only distinguishing marks on the bottle are the very small numbers on the lower left of the front label: "04.6074.01."

How does one tell what batch of PVW15 they are drinking?

[funknik]

Are you sure you're not drinking EC12?

On a serious note, my open bottle of PVW15 is great. It was purchased in late 2008, but it is difficult to what vintage it is. The only distinguishing marks on the bottle are the very small numbers on the lower left of the front label: "04.6074.01."

How does one tell what batch of PVW15 they are drinking?

[ErichPryde]

there is another series of numbers on the PVW15 bottles- right below the back label, An empty bottle I have reads J0390815:36. Matt, your bottle would be within a few numbers of mine, or should be, I would think. There was a very, very slight mustiness to mine when I first opened it, but it wasn't unpleasant nor cardboard- more like old, dried out oak boards.

What number did you have? Strange that both you and I got bottles from the same source, yet yours would be bad.

Hmm. I remembered speaking to the owner of that particular liquor store when I purchased this bottle- he did say he got batches in twice during the year. It's possible your numbers won't match?

[ErichPryde]

I'm not sure what the numbers on the back and front labels mean. I have both of those exact numbers that you guys mentioned on both of my labels. Perhaps someone like MoBourbon could clear it up?

[BBQ+Bourbon]

Erich, I believe Julian has commented that those numbers are basically meaningless.

I sent an email to Buffalo Trace through their universal comment section tonight. I'll let you know how this turns out.

And for the record, Bourbon Geek is not a BT Quality Control agent. :slappin:

[spun_cookie]

That sucks man... you should stick with the Weller Centennial

[ErichPryde]

Erich, I believe Julian has commented that those numbers are basically meaningless.

I sent an email to Buffalo Trace through their universal comment section tonight. I'll let you know how this turns out.

And for the record, Bourbon Geek is not a BT Quality Control agent. :slappin:

was that a bottle you were going to send me a sample of? I'd like to compare that one to what I drank...

[cigarnv]

That sucks man... you should stick with the Weller Centennial

Can I order a case form Arizona???

[MJL]

I have a number of Pappy Van Winkle 15 year old Bourbon. To my taste buds it has almost a Cognac-like quality in that it is very nosey and refined. Pouring a drink of it fills the air with the spirit of the drink and perfumes the air.

[unclebunk]

Makes me nervous about the five bottles I have in the bunker. I'd hate to open one on a special occasion as a treat for friends and family, only to discover that it suffers from cork taint or some other problem.

[ggilbertva]

I have 5 bottles in the bunker, 4 purchased early 2006 and one purchased early 2008 (SB bottling). I've had one of the 2006 and it was fantastic. It sounds like the issues is more current so older bottles may not be affected. Just a thought.

[unclebunk]

I have 5 bottles in the bunker, 4 purchased early 2006 and one purchased early 2008 (SB bottling). I've had one of the 2006 and it was fantastic. It sounds like the issues is more current so older bottles may not be affected. Just a thought.

I'm sure you're right but there's one way to find out.:drink:

[ErichPryde]

I have 5 bottles in the bunker, 4 purchased early 2006 and one purchased early 2008 (SB bottling). I've had one of the 2006 and it was fantastic. It sounds like the issues is more current so older bottles may not be affected. Just a thought.

IMO, there isn't any need to discuss whether or not the issues are more "recent" or not. I have a bottle that came from the exact same place as the one BBQ+Bourbon has, and mine did not have the problem he is describing.

Maybe he did get a bad bottle... I don't know. But I don't think any of you guys need to worry about your bunkered Van Winkle.

I hope we don't start a panic here, but if any of you are worried I'd be more than happy to take any bunkred PVW15s for tasti- I mean, err.... testing. :cool:

[StraightBoston]

And for the record, Bourbon Geek is not a BT Quality Control agent. :slappin:

But etohchem is...

[etohchem]

Yes I am and as always please call the niumber on the back of the bottle and talk with the customer service lady, Linda. she will facilitate the return of the bottle and refund so that I can look at the bottel and determine the cause. Can't say from here but sounds like my nemisis: aka Cork Taint.

[sailor22]

Is a synthetic cork an option?

[BBQ+Bourbon]

I don't see a phone number on this bottle or any of my other Van Winkles. I can't find it on the web site or by doing a google search. The inquiry through the sites' generic email form has not generated a response. I'll send ectochem a pm and see if he has that number.

Hopefully she can replace the bottle.

[ErichPryde]

Yes I am and as always please call the niumber on the back of the bottle and talk with the customer service lady, Linda. she will facilitate the return of the bottle and refund so that I can look at the bottel and determine the cause. Can't say from here but sounds like my nemisis: aka Cork Taint.

[etohchem]

Phone number 1-866-729-3722

Synthetic corks are usually disliked by purists. Synthetics don't "pop" like natural.

Can't replace the bottle, as a manufacturer we can't supply customer's with product directly, three-tier-system. Refunds only.

Cork taint is a chemical (TCA) left behind by natural occurring bacteria in cork. it is detectable in wine at 0.3part per trillion. There are systems in place to reduce, which the cork industry says is down to 1-2% from 10-12% in previous years. There is no way to test individual corks and still use them and corks from the same tree and side by side will be differently affected.

Because of the aesthetics of cork, it is a problem we live with and continuosly fight.

this does not mean that we don't want to hear the complaints nor should you be satisfied with a tainted bottle. We do want them back and want to hear about it.

Etohchem

[etohchem]

BTW cork taint is tainted no matter what you do. Side storage or age or any other factor doesn't help/hurt. If it has cork taint, it has it from day one. It doesn't get worse or happen more frequently over time. Older bottles are more affected because there weren't ways to reduce it in the past so this has lead to the fallacy of cork taint happening over time as older bottles have more cork taint.

Also it may be alleviated or helped by letting the whiskey breathe or air out, but you also lose whiskey flavor. If lightly afected it may dissapear, but this is infrequently the case.

Etohchem

[funknik]

And for the record, Bourbon Geek is not a BT Quality Control agent. :slappin:

My bad on that one, Matt -- it was etohchem -- he just responded to your post.

[Special Reserve]

I tell you, there is something wrong with my PVW15! The contents are disappearing too quickly.

[ErichPryde]

I tell you, there is something wrong with my PVW15! The contents are disappearing too quickly.