Old Heaven Hill BiB vs. Old Heaven Hill 8 y/o

[Brisko]

I've spent a lot of time reading through old threads, and I haven't really seen this question addressed directly (I hope it's okay to post it here and not in the newbie board).

Given that they're about the same price, which do you all think is the better value? The 4 y/o BiB or the 8 y/o at 86 proof? I'm generally a fan of the HH house style, so I'm guessing I might be happy with either.

The situation is that I have about $10 left on a giftcard and I thought I might burn it up on some bottom shelf juice (and there aren't a lot of viable bottom shelfers at this store).

Thoughts?

[unclebunk]

I've spent a lot of time reading through old threads, and I haven't really seen this question addressed directly (I hope it's okay to post it here and not in the newbie board).

Given that they're about the same price, which do you all think is the better value? The 4 y/o BiB or the 8 y/o at 86 proof? I'm generally a fan of the HH house style, so I'm guessing I might be happy with either.

The situation is that I have about $10 left on a giftcard and I thought I might burn it up on some bottom shelf juice (and there aren't a lot of viable bottom shelfers at this store).

Thoughts?

I don't think you can go wrong either way. I like them both but tend to lean towards the BIB, given my druthers.

[CorvallisCracker]

The HH 8/86 - are you refering to "Old Heaven Hill - Very Rare Old" (aka VROHH)?

I'f so, I don't think they make that anymore. The Oregon Liquor Control Commision had been buying it, and it was being sold at three stores in the state, but all are out of stock and the OLCC can't get any more (I'm pretty sure I bought the last seven bottles back in December).

I didn't think it was available anywhere else until Christian reported seeing some there in Minn (where you are).

If VROHH 8/86 is what you can get, I'd go for that. I have a feeling you won't be seeing it much longer.

[Brisko]

Yes, I'm pretty sure it is the Very Rare Old. I'll check but I probably won't get back over there before Friday.

[Virus_Of_Life]

I didn't think it was available anywhere else until Christian reported seeing some there in Minn (where you are).

If VROHH 8/86 is what you can get, I'd go for that. I have a feeling you won't be seeing it much longer.

Yes, and apparently I single handedly caused the price to go up a buck or two a bottle at one store.

Brisko, welcome to the site. The VROHH is a very good deal, I can't recall what the cheapest I've seen it for now but it may have been under $9 at Surdyks. Even at $10-$12 it is a wonderful bargain.

As Scott mentioned something with an 8 year age statement for that price isn't likely to last in this bourbon boom. We already saw, a few years ago, the 10 year 100 Proof version of it go away so it makes you wonder if the 8 isn't next.

I can't speak to the 4yo BiB as I don't know when the last time I had it was. I am not going to buy one, but I do have a 6yo BiB sitting in the garage so maybe I'll open that one and give it a taste to comapre.

Another great deal here in the Twin Cities area is the OGD 114 proof. Joshua and I scouted out a spot that sells that for $18.99, :bigeyes: that's a stupid bargain. Send me a PM if you want to know where.

[Brisko]

Do you think they are still making it, or I wonder if a local distributor has a bunch of it sitting around-- the various places I see, the stock level seems to stay consistent.

I've seen it for under $10, anyway.

I guess you guys confirmed my initial inclination; to go for age vs. proof in this case.

I will send you a PM because OGD 114 is my new fave.

Thanks!

[ggilbertva]

If picking between the two HH BIBs, I'd take the 6 year. It's actually quite good and value priced.

[CorvallisCracker]

Do you think they are still making it, or I wonder if a local distributor has a bunch of it sitting around-- the various places I see, the stock level seems to stay consistent.

In 2008 I sent a bottle to Scott (Callmeox), who took it to the next sampler. It's my recollection that he told me that when Bettye Jo Boone of HH saw it, she stated that it was one no longer in production.

Am I remembering that right, Scott?

(it's also possible that Christian related this to me...I have trouble recollecting at this point)

[Virus_Of_Life]

If they aren't making then some distributor in Minnesota stocked up bigtime because it is very common currently. Or at least was a few months ago, I haven't been out much since Joshua left me.

[squire]

Sounds like it's something to get while the getting is good.

[callmeox]

In 2008 I sent a bottle to Scott (Callmeox), who took it to the next sampler. It's my recollection that he told me that when Bettye Jo Boone of HH saw it, she stated that it was one no longer in production.

Am I remembering that right, Scott?

(it's also possible that Christian related this to me...I have trouble recollecting at this point)

My recollection is that Bettye Jo said that there are many one-off labels in the HH catalog and that the OHHVRO 8/86 was most likely one of the products bottled at the request of a specific customer.

I believe the 10yo BiB was the one no longer in production due to declining demand.

[T Comp]

If picking between the two HH BIBs, I'd take the 6 year. It's actually quite good and value priced.

I haven't noticed any 6 year HH BIB, in my last few trips to Kentucky. The 6 year old I now see is all 90 proof green label "Heaven Hill Old Style Bourbon". The BIB is the nas "Old Heaven Hill" . I know from Chuck's prior posts that Heaven Hill makes many labels and tailors them for different customers too, so I probably just haven't been to stores that still have the 6 year BIB. I once had a 6 year HH BIB but don't remember if it was "Old Style" or "Old Heaven Hill" either.

[squire]

Scott I would swing through Bardstown every few years for a decade or so and always picked up a case of HH Very Old Rare 10yr 50%. Last time I was there it was still 10yrs but 43% and the price was a bit higher. I don't think the decision to change was consumer driven.

[Rotgut]

After reading this thread I stopped and picked up a bottle of the Very Rare Old 8-year 86 proof on the way home. I've had the BIB 6-year and I didn't think much of it. The VRO was even cheaper ($9.99/liter vs 12.99) so I was leery, but to my delight, the 8-year is pretty dern good. The flavor isn't the most complex out there, but for having on hand if I want to minlessly sip on something or if friends/wife/dog/etc. want to pour it in a Coke it's great. I think in a blind test this would fool some people, but not all.

And it sounds like the consensus is that it's still in production . . . if it helps, mine has an "11" on the bottom of the bottle. Could it be a 2011 product already? I don't know if stock makes it through the system that fast. Maybe the bottle manufacturer's fiscal year started sometime in calendar year 2010?

Maybe it's just because it's one louder. It's good stuff and a hidden gem, at any rate.

If not for this thread I would probably never have tried it, so Thanks!

Mike

[Brisko]

I picked up a liter today... won't have time to open it until later, though. couldn't find a year number on the bottom, sorry no help there. The price is right, though!

[CorvallisCracker]

Although there's no bottling date on the bottles, I was told by the owner of the liquor store where I'd been buying them that his last case of it had a date of May 2001 printed on the case. The seven bottles I bought in December have an 01 on the bottom of the bottle. So I'm pretty sure that the stuff I've been buying these past 2.5 years was distilled at the now-destroyed Bardstown distillery.

It may be that they've produced some more. It would be from Bernheim, and even though it might be good, I doubt it tastes like the old DSP-31 stuff.

Mike, where are you, BTW?

Added via edit:

Okay, I see from this post you must be in Minnesota.

I'm starting to believe that the only two customers for this have been the OLCC and some distributor in Minnesota. Both ran out (probably late last year) and HH has produced some more.

As for the 11 bottle date, it might be the same bottle used for EW (I need to compare them), in which case the bottle producer ships them as fast as they make them, and HH fills them as fast as they get them.

[Virus_Of_Life]

Okay, I see from this post you must be in Minnesota.

Yeah, imagine that, there's more than one person in the state of Minnesota that drinks bourbon!! Who'd of thunk it.

[CorvallisCracker]

Yeah, imagine that, there's more than one person in the state of Minnesota that drinks bourbon!! Who'd of thunk it.

You're missing Joshua a lot, aren't you?

[callmeox]

Scott I would swing through Bardstown every few years for a decade or so and always picked up a case of HH Very Old Rare 10yr 50%. Last time I was there it was still 10yrs but 43% and the price was a bit higher. I don't think the decision to change was consumer driven.

"Declining demand" was Bettye Jo's take on the disposition of the brand based on her bottling line observations, IIRC.

[callmeox]

Here's her post on the topic of the 10yo BiB.

[Brisko]

I think HH puts Julian dates on all their bottles-- I'm having a hell of a time reading the one on mine due to it going across the raised letters. But that would give us the best guess as to when it was bottled, I bet.

[Rotgut]

Mike, where are you, BTW?

Added via edit:

Okay, I see from this post you must be in Minnesota.

Oops. I updated my profile. Thanks.

I'll keep my eyes open and see if I come across any other vinages. The '01s sound intriguing.

Mike

[ethangsmith]

If they ever stop making the Old Heaven Hill BIB 4yo (Gold label), I may just stop drinking bourbon. I buy the stuff by the case and I've created several other OHH BIB fanatics around here too. At $9 a bottle in Maryland, I'm going to go ahead and say it's probably the best deal in bourbon that I've ever come across. I'd say it's comparable to OGD BIB, which is double the price (And my 2nd favorite bourbon!).

This is the stuff I'm talking about to clarify:

http://www.langenbergjan.nl/whiskylabels/html-labels/Heaven%20Hill%20Old%20Kentucky%20Straight%20Bourbon-97.html

[Parkersback]

Ethan, I am assuming you order it by mail, or drive somewhere to get it? It's not in PA is it? I've never seen it in NYC, but I love OGD BIB and I'd love to try it.

It's a shame that the 10 yr is no longer in production.

[ethangsmith]

I had made an attempt at getting it in PA, but it was rejected. Heck, the representative for PA from HH didn't even know about the stuff! I have to go to Maryland to get it since they can order what ever is requested from a customer.