PVW15 Dot Matrix Numbers

[clingman71]

We seem to be forgetting about Bernheim distillate here and the fact that the Van Winkles may be blending the products of multiple distilleries.

As for what Preston said, the Van Winkles have said so many different things over the years I would take that with a sizable grain of salt.

I've been wondering about this very thing. Saying that the 20&23 are still SW doesn't mean that the 15 is singularly BT and not a blend of Bernheim and BT, and SW for that matter. Regardless, I'm 3 pours or so into my first '11 PVW15 and it is fantastic. My spring '11 10/107s are excellent as well, and I would assume that they are BT. I have faith that the quality at BT distillery along with VW selection will keep the VW product solid for years to come.

[Josh]

Regardless, I'm 3 pours or so into my first '11 PVW15 and it is fantastic. My spring '11 10/107s are excellent as well, and I would assume that they are BT. I have faith that the quality at BT distillery along with VW selection will keep the VW product solid for years to come.

That's for sure!

[SMOWK]

To me, my current bottles of ORVW 10/107 are on the same level as any Pappy 15 release to date. I've only had the pleasure of drinking one bottle of the squat ORVW 15/107. While excellent, I didn't have anything to compare it to at the time, nor much knowledge of bourbon other than "I know what I like." And I liked it a lot.

For all I know they changed from SW to XXX when the bottle changed shape, or haven't at all, or partially did, or possibly go back and forth. I've read forums and stuff, and it's hard to make a better assumption than that.

[luther.r]

Question related this topic: I have a PVW20 here that I cannot find dot matrix numbers on anywhere. I've looked for one under the labels with a flashlight, as well as all over the exposed glass. Is there a certain year they started using them?

[Enoch]

This got me interested in my PVW15 bottles, all bought either fall 10 or spring 11 from several stores. All are 09 except one which has K2140710:15 which would make it an 07 (must have been in the backroom of the store for awhile). When I get near the end of the current open bottle I will compare them.

[bcrossan]

Question related this topic: I have a PVW20 here that I cannot find dot matrix numbers on anywhere. I've looked for one under the labels with a flashlight, as well as all over the exposed glass. Is there a certain year they started using them?

[luther.r]

some of mine are covered by the label. Try reading from the front to see if it is behind the back label.

If it's there, it's too faint to be seen from the front. I tried with the flashlight last night, and today I used sunlight to try to find it again. No such luck. This bottle was in a small town and had possibly been sitting for a while though. That's why I wondered if there was a period when they weren't printing them.

[BFerguson]

This got me interested in my PVW15 bottles, all bought either fall 10 or spring 11 from several stores. All are 09 except one which has K2140710:15 which would make it an 07 (must have been in the backroom of the store for awhile). When I get near the end of the current open bottle I will compare them.

Did the same today. Spring 11 were all 09 dated. Fall 11 were 11. Nothing older due to general consumption.

B

[MacinJosh]

Luther, search for the Fall Pappy Allocation thread and check out the pictures I posted of my PVW15 date codes there. It's possible to use a flashlight to find them but it's hard.

Josh

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[luther.r]

Luther, search for the Fall Pappy Allocation thread and check out the pictures I posted of my PVW15 date codes there. It's possible to use a flashlight to find them but it's hard.

Hi Josh,

Thanks for the tip. I looked at your pics and my bottle just doesn't have a date there like yours. I tried shining from back to front and front to back, but it's not showing up. Maybe this one fell through the cracks during bottling.

[MacinJosh]

Interesting! Maybe you're right and it didn't get a date stamp! Very peculiar!

Josh

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[tommyboy38]

Some of the PVW 20's have the date printed in invisible ink.

[CaptainQ]

Some of the PVW 20's have the date printed in invisible ink.

Tom, those were only the bottles sold in Estonia.

[DeanSheen]

Some of the PVW 20's have the date printed in invisible ink.

Nominated. POTD 11/30/2011

[tommyboy38]

PM me and I'll tell tell you what you need to develop the ink.

[luther.r]

I picked up a 2012 spring release Pappy 15 last night and the dot matrix numbering system seems to have changed. I don't have the bottle in front of me, but it was something like:

B1202613:05

So I'd assume the first two digits after the letter are now the year, the next three digits are the day, and the last four are the time.

[SMOWK]

My guess is that it was supposed to be set aside for the Fall 2026 release.

[Rockefeller]

I don't have the bottle in front of me, but it was something like

So he's pretty much recalling a 10 digit code purely from memory ... while drinking 107 proof bourbon.

I'm skeptical that there is a new number code.

[luther.r]

So he's pretty much recalling a 10 digit code purely from memory ... while drinking 107 proof bourbon.

I'm skeptical that there is a new number code.

Haha ok jokers, here's a photo. If you think these numbers are hard to read, try getting a good pic.

My bottle's actual number is B1202515:36M

[Jonny.Applebury]

That is infinitely easier to read than the bottlings from 2009 and prior. I've had to look through the whiskey onto the far side and read the numbers backwards for some of my older PVW15 bottles. I wonder if they used to timestamp them, and then put the labels on. I can't imagine how else the numbers would get behind the label. Also, the dot matrix print was smaller and less pronounced.

[Tico]

I'd say that maybe this is an anomaly unless we start to see bottle codes like this pop up in the spring 2012 release.

On another note I can't seem to find any bottle codes on the VWFRR that I picked up from the fall 2011 release but everything else PVW 15,20,23 has codes.

[hectic1]

I'd say that maybe this is an anomaly unless we start to see bottle codes like this pop up in the spring 2012 release.

On another note I can't seem to find any bottle codes on the VWFRR that I picked up from the fall 2011 release but everything else PVW 15,20,23 has codes.

IIRC it's probably because the VWFRR has been bottled for a couple years now...they kept it in the tank and bottled it similar to what they did with Pappy 15 back in 2009.

[Rockefeller]

IIRC it's probably because the VWFRR has been bottled for a couple years now...they kept it in the tank and bottled it similar to what they did with Pappy 15 back in 2009.

Mine still have codes. I have one bottle where the entire code is covered by the back label. You may have to either hold it at the exact correct angle OR finish the bottle and look at it then.

[MacinJosh]

That is infinitely easier to read than the bottlings from 2009 and prior. I've had to look through the whiskey onto the far side and read the numbers backwards for some of my older PVW15 bottles. I wonder if they used to timestamp them, and then put the labels on. I can't imagine how else the numbers would get behind the label. Also, the dot matrix print was smaller and less pronounced.

You mean like these?

Pictures were taken by shining a flashlight from the opposite side through the bottle. They definitely put the date code on before the label.

[luther.r]

Picked up another current release Pappy 15 from a different store tonight. Here's the number:

B1202516:24M

So it's at least not a one-bottle anomaly. We can't rule out a one-batch anomaly until people from different regions pipe in though.