Van Winkle bottles....Spring allocation

[IowaJeff]

This would have to be a special order as Iowa got no Allocation.

[thebigsmooth]

Very jealous of you guys. Here in West Michigan next to impossible to find any. 2 yrs ago I found a bottle of Lot B and picked it up for about $50. That was my first run in with PVW. Fell in love with it. Since then could never find it.

2 weeks ago came across another bottle of Lot B and grabbed it but it was $69. Haven't even opened it yet as it is such a treat to have. The only other bottle I found was the 23yr for $221. Would love to find more Lot B and try the 15 and 20yr.

[Parkersback]

Very jealous of you guys. Here in West Michigan next to impossible to find any. 2 yrs ago I found a bottle of Lot B and picked it up for about $50. That was my first run in with PVW. Fell in love with it. Since then could never find it.

2 weeks ago came across another bottle of Lot B and grabbed it but it was $69. Haven't even opened it yet as it is such a treat to have. The only other bottle I found was the 23yr for $221. Would love to find more Lot B and try the 15 and 20yr.

[thebigsmooth]

Bigsmooth, welcome to SB.

I see you live in W. Mich. If you ever have occasion to go to Chicago, I'd order a case of Weller 12 from Binny's and drive to Chicago to get it. The cost would be way less per bottle than the Lot B (especially if you were already going to be there) and I think the difference between Lot B and Weller 12 is negligible. I know others may disagree, and I can respect that. But if you didn't know, Weller 12 and Lot B are essentially the same whiskey: same mashbill distilled at the same distillery, aging in the same barrels for the same amount of time. The difference, as I understand it, is that Julian Van Winkle gets first dibs at picking the barrels for Lot B.

[timd]

Thanks for the advice. I will look into getting a bottle and giving it a try.

My experience (YMMV):

Lot B & 12 yr side-by-side: Lot B is richer & juicier, notably "better" in terms of overall flavor and fulfillment, but not by a huge margin. But still noticeable in this context.

Lot B & 12 yr NOT side-by-side, a few days/weeks apart: There's a difference? Can't tell it on my memory, and would fail a blind taste test most likely.

Lot B - very hard to find, limited quantities, $50

Weller 12 - everywhere, all the time, $20

Do I buy a bottle of Lot B now and then? Yep. But I don't covet it like I did before I got the Weller 12.

FWIW: I also think ORVW 10/107 is better than either of them at $25, and I think Weller 107 is great at $22.

[autiger23]

My experience (YMMV):

Lot B & 12 yr side-by-side: Lot B is richer & juicier, notably "better" in terms of overall flavor and fulfillment, but not by a huge margin. But still noticeable in this context.

Lot B & 12 yr NOT side-by-side, a few days/weeks apart: There's a difference? Can't tell it on my memory, and would fail a blind taste test most likely.

Lot B - very hard to find, limited quantities, $50

Weller 12 - everywhere, all the time, $20

Do I buy a bottle of Lot B now and then? Yep. But I don't covet it like I did before I got the Weller 12.

FWIW: I also think ORVW 10/107 is better than either of them at $25, and I think Weller 107 is great at $22.

Where the heck have you been getting 10/107 for $25, not seen anyone post that price for years. Sure in hell are none in the south, up the east coast and midwest unless that retailer had a massive price mistake.

[McKinney]

Thank you for the discussion on Lot B and Weller 12. I have a bottle of Weller 12 at home and was contemplating picking up a bottle of Lot B at my favorite local store. They had four or five bottles but the price put me off since I have one bottle each of PVW 15 and 20 left over from a couple of years ago I've been saving. I think I may just crack open the Weller 12 and put the funds I'd set aside for Lot B to another bottle.

Now if I could just find some VWFRR I'd be happy. I saw on this thread there is no spring allocation so I guess that explains why I haven't seen it in any store I've visited in both Georgia and Tennessee.

[timd]

Where the heck have you been getting 10/107 for $25, not seen anyone post that price for years. Sure in hell are none in the south, up the east coast and midwest unless that retailer had a massive price mistake.

[StraightNoChaser]

So I've decided on my shopping list

VWFR12 - 2 bottles

PVW15 - 3 bottles

PVW20 - 1 bottle

PVW23 - 1 bottle

ORVW - ANY bottles

I just want to have one of each... just to look at... and to hold hands with... and to cuddle softly at night...

[StraightNoChaser]

Thank you for the discussion on Lot B and Weller 12. I have a bottle of Weller 12 at home and was contemplating picking up a bottle of Lot B at my favorite local store. They had four or five bottles but the price put me off since I have one bottle each of PVW 15 and 20 left over from a couple of years ago I've been saving. I think I may just crack open the Weller 12 and put the funds I'd set aside for Lot B to another bottle.

Now if I could just find some VWFRR I'd be happy. I saw on this thread there is no spring allocation so I guess that explains why I haven't seen it in any store I've visited in both Georgia and Tennessee.

[RyanL]

I just scored a bottle of the Rye in Kentucky about two weeks ago. I felt so lucky, just about made my year

[McKinney]

StraightNoChaser, please, please, oh please tell me where you scored some VWFRRR in Kentucky! I'm going to my grandparents' place in Kentucky for Memorial Day so I'm looking for any place on the way or within a semi-reasonable distance that might have a bottle. Thank you in advance.

[gblick]

It has arrived here in Houston.

I was on a waiting list, and I got a call this morning saying that it had arrived. Had a job downtown today so I didn't even have to go out of my way to pick it up. They would only let go of one bottle of each expression per customer, so I got a Pappy 15 and an ORVW 10/107. Cash prices were $52.89 for the 15yo and $34.65 for the 10/107. That was more than I ever spent for the 10/107 but oh well.

[Guest wripvanwrinkle]

Interesting, Houston ships on April 13th and hits the stores today. Colorado ships on April 4th and the distributor claims to have never had it in their warehouse.

What has 2 thumbs and is unhappy with it's distributor?

[jcg9779]

It has arrived here in Houston.

I was on a waiting list, and I got a call this morning saying that it had arrived. Had a job downtown today so I didn't even have to go out of my way to pick it up. They would only let go of one bottle of each expression per customer, so I got a Pappy 15 and an ORVW 10/107. Cash prices were $52.89 for the 15yo and $34.65 for the 10/107. That was more than I ever spent for the 10/107 but oh well.

[stevegoz]

My local has a whole lot of 20 and a few Lot Bs on the shelf, but claimed today that there's no 15 to be had this spring.

[nivto]

My local has a whole lot of 20 and a few Lot Bs on the shelf, but claimed today that there's no 15 to be had this spring.

Hmm... I ran into a similar situation in a local store where the shelves were loaded with 10 and 23 year olds, but when asked if they had any 15, 20, or Rye... I was told "no we didn't get any in". I found out that I just needed to ask the right guy working the store, and all of a sudden I magically had my hands on Pappy 15 and Rye.

[autiger23]

Hmm... I ran into a similar situation in a local store where the shelves were loaded with 10 and 23 year olds, but when asked if they had any 15, 20, or Rye... I was told "no we didn't get any in". I found out that I just needed to ask the right guy working the store, and all of a sudden I magically had my hands on Pappy 15 and Rye.

Well that Rye didnt come in the spring allocation.

Today 3 were 2 pvw for $64.99 and $69.99 while the 10/107 was $44.99. Argh jealous of those prices.

[nivto]

Well that Rye didnt come in the spring allocation.

[timd]

I'm just saying it doesn't hurt to develop a relationship with your local stores.

[bcrossan]

in Austin I have been paying between $53 and $50 for the 15yr. 20 is $99 and 23 is $199

[silverfish]

in Austin I have been paying between $53 and $50 for the 15yr. 20 is $99 and 23 is $199

Those prices are in line with Western NY - the 15 is gone but the

20 ($105.) the 23 ($210.) (from the last release) are still around.

The 10/107 is still here for $38., Lot B for $53. and Rye for $55.

[MarkEdwards]

Was just informed by the owner of my favorite liquor store, that the shipment of booze that also had his allocation of Pappy 15 in it was hijacked.:shocked:

I must make that bottle last me awhile, or find another source in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Neither he nor I are very happy with the hijackers.

[jcg9779]

I know where some Van Winkle 12 Yr. is located in Atlanta, if anyone is looking. PM me if you'd like to know.

[autiger23]

A facebook poster asked about rumor's of the spring release for the 15yr being the last ever and it going to the orvw15 bottle, the answer to the question from their official poster for the distillery said....

"Not in the least. Who knows where this stuff comes from. If you did not hear it from us, take it with a grain of salt."