Is there something wrong with my PVW15?

[sailor22]

I don't personally have a problem with synthetic cork in a premium pour. A little style is appreciated more than the material used to seal - ie WTRB, RHF etc.

Seems like even a screw top could be made interesting along the lines of some of the older (60's) Canadian premiums.

[BBQ+Bourbon]

I left a message at the number above last week and another today. No response from either message or the message I sent through the 'contact us' form. How many calls does their complaint line get, anyway?

As a longtime lover of OWA and recent fan of Van Winkle products, I really hope they get back to me soon. I'd probably stop drinking bourbon if I lost interest in the Weller and Van Winkle lines.

[BBQ+Bourbon]

Regarding corks, I don't like them. Imagine hanging on to a bottle of bourbon for 20 years for some special occassion, only to open it and find the cork is bad.

Since I care more about the contents than the bottle, I would like it if every bottle had a screw top with a wax seal.

[unclebunk]

Regarding corks, I don't like them. Imagine hanging on to a bottle of bourbon for 20 years for some special occassion, only to open it and find the cork is bad.

Since I care more about the contents than the bottle, I would like it if every bottle had a screw top with a wax seal.

You've raised a good point. There's something cool about pulling out a cork but it's not worth it if the juice inside the bottle is ruined due to cork taint. I've had my share of corks that have disintegrated over time but only one case of taint and it really sucked. Synthetic corks are fine by me and you won't hear me complaining about screw tops either. Hope your situation is resolved soon.

[hectic1]

I left a message at the number above last week and another today. No response from either message or the message I sent through the 'contact us' form. How many calls does their complaint line get, anyway?

As a longtime lover of OWA and recent fan of Van Winkle products, I really hope they get back to me soon. I'd probably stop drinking bourbon if I lost interest in the Weller and Van Winkle lines.

Ditto here...I left a message about my chemical lased ETL 90th on Friday and I haven't heard anything back either...at least I know it's not just me!

[ILLfarmboy]

Regarding corks, I don't like them. Imagine hanging on to a bottle of bourbon for 20 years for some special occassion, only to open it and find the cork is bad.

Since I care more about the contents than the bottle, I would like it if every bottle had a screw top with a wax seal.

Yep.

It has taken me a long time to come 180 degrees from where I use to be, but I'm now 100 percent behind statements like yours.

And the wax seal ala Maker's Mark is a nice measure of security both from evaporation and tampering. I once got a bottle of ORVW 10/107 from Binny's that had been opened. I sent it back and they sent me a replacement.

[SSWC]

I haven't brought it up because the topic seemed to border on heretical, but yes, I've had a bad bottle of PVW15 a few years ago. I purchased it in late 2005 or early 2006 following a Whiskyfest tasting (that sample was great). The bottle I purchased had strong solvent/acetone notes and was undrinkable even after I left it alone for 3-4 months, hoping that the nastier notes would oxidize off. It didn't happen, and this particular bottle was so foul, I didn't even dare use it as a marinade as I had in the past for less than stellar bottles. Sorry to report, this bottle was dumped. :shithappens:

This was a surprise as all of the other PVW expressions I have tasted have been quite good.

[T Comp]

The bottle I purchased had strong solvent/acetone notes and was undrinkable even after I left it alone for 3-4 months, hoping that the nastier notes would oxidize off. It didn't happen, and this particular bottle was so foul, I didn't even dare use it as a marinade as I had in the past for less than stellar bottles. Sorry to report, this bottle was dumped. :shithappens:

[BBQ+Bourbon]

Yep.

It has taken me a long time to come 180 degrees from where I use to be, but I'm now 100 percent behind statements like yours.

And the wax seal ala Maker's Mark is a nice measure of security both from evaporation and tampering. I once got a bottle of ORVW 10/107 from Binny's that had been opened. I sent it back and they sent me a replacement.

Just think, if this bottle had a screw cap, I would be enjoying it instead of waiting for a call.

Great news! I think Buffalo Trace is going to take care of this soon.

Now to open the other bottle

[docbible]

Drinking a papppy 20 tonight. No cork taint but a very porous and mushy cork. There are dark stain lines to the top. I agree with the synthetic corks, its the contents that count not the sound at opening. tim

[PVan]

Just think, if this bottle had a screw cap, I would be enjoying it instead of waiting for a call.

Great news! I think Buffalo Trace is going to take care of this soon.

Now to open the other bottle

Our phone # is 502-897-9113 or you can email me at

pvanwinkle@oldripvanwinkle.com

[hectic1]

Ditto here...I left a message about my chemical lased ETL 90th on Friday and I haven't heard anything back either...at least I know it's not just me!

Just so everyone knows I had a great conversation with Linda at BT...they are definitely interested in making sure I'm happy with their products. I'm sending my bottle back to them so they can identify what's going on with it. She explained that she was a little behind due to some family issues which IMO take 100% precedence! Thanks again BT for correcting this issue for me. :cool:

[jburlowski]

Yep.

It has taken me a long time to come 180 degrees from where I use to be, but I'm now 100 percent behind statements like yours.

And the wax seal ala Maker's Mark is a nice measure of security both from evaporation and tampering. I once got a bottle of ORVW 10/107 from Binny's that had been opened. I sent it back and they sent me a replacement.

Again, Brad and I are (sigh ) in agreement)...

As much as I like the tactile sound / touch / feel of pulling a cork stopper... all-in-all, I guess I'd rather have a twist-off. (Boy, that hurt more than I thought it would.)

[Special Reserve]

Again, Brad and I are (sigh ) in agreement)...

As much as I like the tactile sound / touch / feel of pulling a cork stopper... all-in-all, I guess I'd rather have a twist-off. (Boy, that hurt more than I thought it would.)

+1 here as well.

When I was younger, I really liked that "pop" of the cork, but today I'd sooner have a secure and tasty product in the bottle. Additionally, I really hate it when a cork breaks which is not uncommon in older bottles such as Weller Centennial and WT12 CGL.

[jburlowski]

+1 here as well.

When I was younger, I really liked that "pop" of the cork, but today I'd sooner have a secure and tasty product in the bottle. Additionally, I really hate it when a cork breaks which is not uncommon in older bottles such as Weller Centennial and WT12 CGL.

Sigh... older bottles and older bodies seem to break at the most inopportune times.

[hectic1]

I would agree with this as well...maybe it's because I just had a cork tainted bottle of ETL. I like knowing that with my Weller 12's I can keep them for years and know that the juice inside won't disappoint when it's time to be had!

[BBQ+Bourbon]

Got a call from the sweet sweet woman at BT (forgot her name). She's a gem and I loved talking with her. She arranged for a pickup for my bottle and said they would issue a refund when they get the bottle. I'm sad to trade this bottle for money, but it's not much good for drinking.

Talk about customer service! I don't have a receipt because another SBer picked these up, but they are going to refund my purchase price and I think the shipping!

I have a newfound love for BT and picked up another Handy tonight.

Awesome!!!

[spun_cookie]

the BT clan are good folk... they almost care as much as FR.... which is a big deal... got to love the bourbonfolk

[BBQ+Bourbon]

For posterity, I wanted to update this thread.

First, I opened the second bottle in this thread, and it too was bad, though significantly less so. After coming back to the second bottle several times over a month or so, I was convinced it, too was bad. I sent one sample of the less-terrible bottle to ErichPryde and you can see his review here: http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13284

The bottles have been sampled by the regular PVW tasting panel as well as Julian himself. They concluded that the bottles had a "strong bitter bite at the end" and were dry, and one was more flat than the other, but no cork taint in either. These two bottles were made 3 minutes apart.

I'm still waiting to see if they will refund the purchase of these two bad bottles.

[ErichPryde]

Cork taint or NO cork taint, that was terrible whiskey, and should never have borne the Pappy Van Winkle name. It was worse than the bottle of Weller 12 I purchased, and I hated that stuff- so that's saying a lot. Buffalo Trace should give you a refund just on the basis that that stuff ever made it into the bottle with the PVW15 name.

that's just my opinion. PVW15 is my number 1 or number 2 favorite whiskey, depending upon what temperature it is outside, how much sunlight I've been exposed to, how much water I've drank &c &c. that stuff never should have borne that name.

[ErichPryde]

after reviewing that email, I think they'll take care of you, though. no need to throw BT under the bus- they take care of their people. interesting info in there, thanks for that. suddenly the differences between the two bottles I have had make that much more sense.

[p_elliott]

Just for the record ( knock on wood) I have never had a bad bottle of anything from BT.

[jburlowski]

Just for the record ( knock on wood) I have never had a bad bottle of anything from BT.

Same here... and I have never noticed the musty smell that some have cited in BT products.

[jeff]

Unfortunately, I have noticed it in several BT bottlings. I too have had a bad PVW 15, plus several regular bottles of BT, plus an Eagle Rare SB, plus an ETL. All at different times, from different retailers, etc. My personal opinion has always been that they are located VERY close to a river that floods periodically, and that either water gets into the rick houses, or that the flood simply creates large amounts of mold in the air that subsequently affect some of the barrels. JMO

[ErichPryde]

thankfully, I haven't had a bad bottle. the interesting thing about these particular van winkle 15's is that they were all made within minutes of each other. of a case that a liquor store in Tucson got, I purchased one bottle, and Matt purchased two. his bottles were terrible and worse than terrible, mine was "good." I believe that mine also would have been bottled within minutes of the other two, because it came from the same case and it had a "hint" of the same profile that was so prominent in the sample Matt sent me. If they were all from the same batch, what would explain the extreme differences in quality? Perhaps some of them weren't very well sealed, and air got in? I'm not sure if that would result in the taste profile they had...