Annuals, Perennials and Invasive Species

[sailor22]

There is such a bewildering array of specialty bottlings in release it's easy to get confused. Seems like a lot of new juice has hit the shelves in the last couple of years. Here is a list that might help organize some of them. Comments, additions or modifications are welcome as I'm sure I overlooked quite a few, made some errors and the classifications are difficult. This post is intended as a starting point for discussion of current specialty releases.

Annuals Annual releases that can vary in taste from year to year, are year dated or short batched by year. Often in limited release. Usually marked as a premium.

Old Forester Birthday

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Stagg, Weller, Handy, Sazerac, Eagle Rare

Parkers Heritage

Evan Williams Single Barrel

Ezra Brooks Single Barrel

4 Roses Mariage

Perennials - Single Barrel and very small batch offerings that are mostly similar from one release to the next. Have been around awhile in most cases. Often show up as retailers barrel picks. There are differences in batches with some better than others but it is clear the manufacturer is looking for consistency. If the bottle doesn't cary a barrel # designation I listed it as a small batch. Wider distribution.

Bookers small batch

E.T Lee small batch

Rock Hill small batch

Wild Turkey; Kentucky Spirit single barrel, Rare Breed small batch

4 Roses Small Batch, Single Barrel (various recipes)

Blanton's single barrel

Eagle Rare 10yr

Elija Craig 12, 18 single barrel

Henty McKenna single barrel

Noah's Mill small batch

Rowand Creek small batch

Wathens single barrel

Michters small batches

Pure Kentucky XO

Invasive Species One offs and Artisan Distillers. Typically small batch and limited distribution. Not likely to be found on the shelf with the same profile in a few years. In some cases those few years represent additional time in the barrel.

Old Potrero Hotalings, 18th century and 19th century single malts.

Palm Ridge Florida Whiskey

High West 21,16

Jeffersons 17

Charbay Whiskey

Stranahans Snowflake

McCarthy's Single Malt

Roughstock Montana Whiskey

Finger Lakes McKenzie Rye

Redemption Rye

Wasamunds Single Malt

House Spirits Whiskey

Corsair Wry Moon, Pumkin Spice moonshine

Other Premium One offs.

Wild Turkey Tribute

Van Winkle 23 yr family selection

Willett single barrel picks by individuals and retailers

[CorvallisCracker]

Nice classification, Steve.

However because Parker's Heritage is a different expression from release to release, I'm not sure it's an "annual" (using your analogy, it'd come up as a tulip one year and a daffodil the next).

More of an "annual one-off"

[cowdery]

Ezra Brooks does an annual release single barrel?

[sailor22]

Ezra Brooks does an annual release single barrel?

I know they used to do a 15 yr single barrel that was a numbered and dated barrel, I have had a couple - It might be a 12 now. The local shop has one on the shelf that they just got a couple months ago - I'll have to give it a closer look and see if it still has the barrel # and date. And if it is a 12 or 15.

[callmeox]

Where do the yearly Four Roses Single Barrel Barrel Strength releases like the 40th, 120th and 100th anniversary bottlings go?

They vary in profile as much as Mariage.

[OscarV]

Where do the yearly Four Roses Single Barrel Barrel Strength releases like the 40th, 120th and 100th anniversary bottlings go?

I would say Annuals.

Also you forgot the 2009 Limited Edition Barrel Strength.

[jburlowski]

Ezra Brooks does an annual release single barrel?

[Virus_Of_Life]

Same question I had.

Around here it is now a 12 yo (has been for some time). It has the barrel & date on it but, given it's sporadic release, I'd put it in the perrenial category.

I'd say if you re-read his definition slowly it makes sense. Now if we could just put this to a graph scale of price increases we'd see something very interesting.

[cowdery]

If that's the Ezra product you're talking about, Luxco makes some and when that runs out they make more. Not a thing "annual" about it. If you mean "dated" say "dated." That's not the same as "annual."

The only Van Winkle mentioned is Pappy 23, which is certainly limited, but is it really a one-off?

I believe all of the Van Winkles are "annuals" in that they decide how much they're going to make for the year and that's it until the next year.

[ErichPryde]

Steve likely meant the ORVW23? Pappy Van Winkle 23 fits somewhere between annual and perrenial releases, just like Lot B, PVW15, and 20. They taste very close to the same every year but only come out once or maybe twice.

[whgaunce@alltel.]

Woodford Reserve Masters Collection are definitely one time only offerings.:grin:

[sailor22]

Where do the yearly Four Roses Single Barrel Barrel Strength releases like the 40th, 120th and 100th anniversary bottlings go?

I forgot those, I suppose they belong in one offs because the anniversary is so occasional and no attempt at duplicating the profile later.

I believe all of the Van Winkles are "annuals" in that they decide how much they're going to make for the year and that's it until the next year.

Good point. The batch numbers could qualify the 23, 20, 15 and Rye. Are they released on an annual basis or as needed? The other two are a little more problematic and are somewhere between annual and perennial but if annual works for you I'm good with it.

The only Van Winkle mentioned is Pappy 23, which is certainly limited, but is it really a one-off?

Beats me - you will have to ask Julian but I get the impression it is a one time pick of a few of the very best barrels. If it sells out it could become an annual pick.

Woodford Reserve Masters Collection are definitely one time only offerings.

Right - I forgot them too.

Around here it is now a 12 yo (has been for some time). It has the barrel & date on it but, given it's sporadic release, I'd put it in the perrenial category.

OK, that probably makes more sense. All my bottles were 15yr and had a year specific release on the label so I assumed it was a yearly release.

[wadewood]

Perennials - Single Barrel and very small batch offerings that are mostly similar from one release to the next. Have been around awhile in most cases. Often show up as retailers barrel picks. There are differences in batches with some better than others but it is clear the manufacturer is looking for consistency. If the bottle doesn't cary a barrel # designation I listed it as a small batch. Wider distribution.

Bookers small batch

E.T Lee small batch

Rock Hill small batch

Wild Turkey; Kentucky Spirit single barrel, Rare Breed small batch

4 Roses Small Batch, Single Barrel (various recipes)

Blanton's single barrel

Eagle Rare 10yr

Elija Craig 12, 18 single barrel

Henty McKenna single barrel

Noah's Mill small batch

Rowand Creek small batch

Wathens single barrel

Michters small batches

Pure Kentucky XO

It's Henry McKenna and Rowan's Creek. I'd leave the last five (starting with Noah's Creek) off this list. Big differnces in what these products once were and what they are now. Noah's Mill was 15YO and often older, now no age statement. Current Wathens does not compare to older stuff IMHO. Micthers? which products?

[sailor22]

t's Henry McKenna and Rowan's Creek. I'd leave the last five (starting with Noah's Creek) off this list. Big differnces in what these products once were and what they are now. Noah's Mill was 15YO and often older, now no age statement. Current Wathens does not compare to older stuff IMHO. Micthers? which products?

Thanks Wade - I'll alert the proofreading dept. on the spelling errors. They will be mortified.

Michter's products confuse me and I don't know what's current or what's continuing - can you do a list of them?

Even if the quality is slipping they are still on the shelf with the same labels, except NAS. XO was always a small batch I think and I have a couple bottles from a pretty good current batch.

[Rughi]

Thanks Wade - I'll alert the proofreading dept. on the spelling errors. They will be mortified.

Michter's products confuse me and I don't know what's current or what's continuing - can you do a list of them?

Even if the quality is slipping they are still on the shelf with the same labels, except NAS. XO was always a small batch I think and I have a couple bottles from a pretty good current batch.

Steve,

Seen any more "Other Premiums" recently? :grin:

Roger

[sailor22]

Roger - I don't get to see them until after work .... soon.

[cowdery]

I forgot the ORVW 23. Definitely one-off.

WR Master's Collection, like the Parker's Heritage collection, is really an annual series of one-offs. They release them annually, but each one is completely different. You could really say that about OF Birthday Bourbon too.

[matthew0715]

Michter's products confuse me and I don't know what's current or what's continuing - can you do a list of them?