Taking the Next Turkey Step

[squire]

Still got some of the Rye 101 that I intend to revisit.

[RyanL]

All the 03RB's that I own are old ones (and good ones). I do not buy the newer bottles.

Joe :usflag:

What exactly is the difference in the various 03s and how do I tell the difference based on bottle numbers?

I've yet to ever try WTRB. I see so much on the shelves and its all 03. I typically check just to see if there is older stuff even though I have no idea which is better or if I like any of it. I just see so much 03 that it doesnt seem like a must buy anytime soon as it seems like it will be around for years to come. I would like to try some but would like to get the best available.

[Josh]

What exactly is the difference in the various 03s and how do I tell the difference based on bottle numbers?

I've yet to ever try WTRB. I see so much on the shelves and its all 03. I typically check just to see if there is older stuff even though I have no idea which is better or if I like any of it. I just see so much 03 that it doesnt seem like a must buy anytime soon as it seems like it will be around for years to come. I would like to try some but would like to get the best available.

Get the 03s. Seriously. Even the current ones are better than some of the late 1990s bottles. Don't hold out for a holy grail at the cost of enjoying some of the best bourbon on the market right now.

[RyanL]

Get the 03s. Seriously. Even the current ones are better than some of the late 1990s bottles. Don't hold out for a holy grail at the cost of enjoying some of the best bourbon on the market right now.

OK, I'll definitely get some but I'm still trying to discern what the following means.

All the 03RB's that I own are old ones (and good ones). I do not buy the newer bottles.

Joe :usflag:

Are there multiple 03 releases? If so how do I tell the difference between the older/better ones and the newer bottles?

[callmeox]

The "batch" identifier on the neck tag has not changed in a long time, so even though it says "03" on it there's no way it means that the bourbon in the bottle was blended in 2003.

What Joe is saying that his bottles were purchased shortly after the change to the current neck tag and that he prefers the earlier bottlings in this "batch" to the current ones.

Since taste is subjective and you have no reference point, just jump in and buy one. I agree with Josh that it is some darn good bourbon.

[smokinjoe]

Ryan, just buy a bottle. Any bottle. Folks here can give you all kind of "tips" on what are best, which to seek out, which to avoid, which glass to drink it out of, which type of glass, uh, glass you should use....yada, yada, yada. Buy one, form your OWN opinions, and tell us what YOU think. It really only matters to YOU. Anyone else's opinion don't mean doodlysquat. Here's one for ya: I don't like Weller 12...Everyone else, LOVES it...And, I could give a flying F!$$ And, neither should you!

[Guest wripvanwrinkle]

What Joe is saying that his bottles were purchased shortly after the change to the current neck tag and that he prefers the earlier bottlings in this "batch" to the current ones.

Joe's words were fresh in my head today. While hunting I was paying special attention to the RB neck tags. At one store, the RB was way up high on the top shelf (near the sealing) against the wall. Hiding behind about 6 RB bottles was an RB tube. With great expectation, I procured a ladder from the propietor. With some difficulty, I finally extracted the tube to find yet another "03" (like Ryan, I have no idea what I was looking for.)

With some dissapointment I returned it to the shelf... It's funny though, that tin still sticks in my head. Maybe there is something to a pretty face.

[trumpstylz]

Just a quick warning if you haven't tried it yet- Rare breed is full throttle (but awesome)- just so you know.

[RyanL]

Ryan, just buy a bottle. Any bottle. Folks here can give you all kind of "tips" on what are best, which to seek out, which to avoid, which glass to drink it out of, which type of glass, uh, glass you should use....yada, yada, yada. Buy one, form your OWN opinions, and tell us what YOU think. It really only matters to YOU. Anyone else's opinion don't mean doodlysquat. Here's one for ya: I don't like Weller 12...Everyone else, LOVES it...And, I could give a flying F!$$ And, neither should you!

Yea, you're right. I'm still fairly new to bourbon at least on a serious level and had been getting to know and learn about a lot of new ones these past few months and just hadn't gotten to this one yet. I didn't know if there was some sort of cream of the crop RB that I should be seeking out so I just never picked any up. It's been long enough though and I need to find out for myself so RB will most likely be the next new bourbon I pick up and hopefully I like it as much as everyone else around here seems to.

[CaptainQ]

Just a quick warning if you haven't tried it yet- Rare breed is full throttle (but awesome)- just so you know.

Good tip right there.

[jcg9779]

Like Woodford Reserve in the post-honey-barrel state, I just don't risk it, anymore.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but how do you know which Woodford Reserve bottles are the honey barrels and which are not?

[Josh]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but how do you know which Woodford Reserve bottles are the honey barrels and which are not?

I beleive Tim is refering to the following: the early bottlings of WR were just "honey barrels" of Old Forester and contained nothing distilled in Versailles whatsoever. Now WR is a mix of Shively and Versailles distillate, to the best of my knowledge anyway. The WRMCs are all Versailles.