Vintage Bourbon 17 2012

[Wall Eye]

How do we know it's a wheater? Has this info come from an official source, or is it speculation?

Just check out all that wheat on the label!! (OK, not exactly a legally binding contract)

[clingman71]

Just check out all that wheat on the label!! (OK, not exactly a legally binding contract)

I emailed KBD in the fall about it and Drew replied that is is a wheater. I think he said since '08-'09ish, but it would vary at the retail level depending on how fast it moves.

[Bmac]

I emailed KBD in the fall about it and Drew replied that is is a wheater. I think he said since '08-'09ish, but it would vary at the retail level depending on how fast it moves.

Wow, so different regions could get a rye-Bourbon versus wheat? If that's true then KBD is a bit more messed up than I thought.

Although...it is tasty bourbon O_O

[White Dog]

Wow, so different regions could get a rye-Bourbon versus wheat? If that's true then KBD is a bit more messed up than I thought.

Although...it is tasty bourbon O_O

Read the post. It's not a regional thing, but more of a time thing. If a region has not picked any up for about 4 years, then it would still be the rye-recipe version.

[Bmac]

Read the post. It's not a regional thing, but more of a time thing. If a region has not picked any up for about 4 years, then it would still be the rye-recipe version.

Ah! Well, for Texas I can assure you I have never seen VB in the Dallas area until Spec's open 5 months ago.

[Wall Eye]

Here is a truly poor phone picture of the two fonts - but it's good enough for you to see the difference. The two bottles are exactly the same except for the fonts.

[Bmac]

Here is a truly poor phone picture of the two fonts - but it's good enough for you to see the difference. The two bottles are exactly the same except for the fonts.

ugh! I prefer the regular font (right). So is the one on the left a much older release?

[atfree]

This thread has explained a lot for me. I picked up a bottle of VB17 from a store last fall and assumed it was new stock, since this store has a high stock turnover rate. I was expected a good amount of sweetness, based on the comments of it having been changed to a wheat mashbill, but got heavy rye spice when I tried it. This is one of the spiciest bourbons I've had. Ironically, the Vintage Rye 21 is one of the sweetest whiskeys i have had.

After seeing these pictures, I can confirm I have one of the older scripted-font rye VB17s. I'm a little disappointed, since I don't know of any other stores around here that sell the VB17, and I really wanted the wheat over the rye. Maybe I'll just go pick up a 3rd Vintage Rye 21, since they are outstanding.

[Wall Eye]

ugh! I prefer the regular font (right). So is the one on the left a much older release?

[White Dog]

This thread has explained a lot for me. I picked up a bottle of VB17 from a store last fall and assumed it was new stock, since this store has a high stock turnover rate. I was expected a good amount of sweetness, based on the comments of it having been changed to a wheat mashbill, but got heavy rye spice when I tried it. This is one of the spiciest bourbons I've had. Ironically, the Vintage Rye 21 is one of the sweetest whiskeys i have had.

After seeing these pictures, I can confirm I have one of the older scripted-font rye VB17s. I'm a little disappointed, since I don't know of any other stores around here that sell the VB17, and I really wanted the wheat over the rye. Maybe I'll just go pick up a 3rd Vintage Rye 21, since they are outstanding.

[atfree]

If you can still find Vintage 21 Rye you are one lucky man.

I sure can. It's likely just a matter of time before I go back and snag the 4 or so bottles remaining on the shelf. Vintage 21 Rye is the bottle with the fastest depletion rate in my house.

[Davidog]

I bought it at K&L hoping to get the wheater but I got the rye. Not sure where exactly I can find the wheater or how to tell them apart. A different label would have been nice.

[Bmac]

If you got the VB17 at K&L in the last 6-12 months it is almost certainly the wheater. The rye recipe ran out over a year ago. If some how you got the rye recipe thinking it was the wheater you can bring it back to the store and we can verify with KBD which batch the bottle is from.

Just curious, how would KBD determine the batch number? There aren't any laser codes or serial numbers on the bottle?

[spinningrecords]

I just bought a pair of the Vintage 17-year with the scripted font.

If I've read the thread correctly, it looks like rye-bill instead of wheat-bill for me.

[Bmac]

I just bought a pair of the Vintage 17-year with the scripted font.

If I've read the thread correctly, it looks like rye-bill instead of wheat-bill for me.

Yeah that does seem to be my understanding too. It's still good stuff though!

[Josh]

I haven't had the Wheater version but I thought the rye bourbon was one of the dullest whiskeys I've ever tasted. Made ER 17 taste like Stagg. :22:

[atfree]

As indicated in the "What did you Purchase" thread, I picked up a VB 17 wheated version yesterday. I thought it was much better than the rye version, with a smooth and sweet flavor profile. Definitely a good bourbon.

It looks like Louisville got a fairly big allocation of the new release. One store had at least 4 cases sitting on the floor.

[TradingBoiler]

Bmac thanks for starting this thread because it perfectly fits a thread I was going to start.

So last weekend the Binnys boys held back the last bottle of VTG 17 for me. It is the new font bottle. So my cousin who is my bourbon tasting best friend and I cracked it open almost immediately after buying it. Let's just say its amazing stuff. A great expression of a wheater and Bmac's tasting notes were spot on. However I get some of the ancient oak anise and wintergreen flavors in the finish.

After a couple glasses however we decided to make it a tasting. Here's how it shaped up.

Color, taste, and finish went to the JPS 18 followed by the VTG 17 wheater and finally the ORVW 10/107. If you have a chance to pick up the VTG 17 I highly recommend it. I may or may not have found and bunkered two more bottles :grin: :grin:

[TheDude]

Just check out all that wheat on the label!! (OK, not exactly a legally binding contract)

[spinningrecords]

If you got the VB17 at K&L in the last 6-12 months it is almost certainly the wheater. The rye recipe ran out over a year ago. If some how you got the rye recipe thinking it was the wheater you can bring it back to the store and we can verify with KBD which batch the bottle is from.

[StraightNoChaser]

Curiously, Spec's in Dallas had plenty of this on the shelf a week or two ago and suddenly has none. Not even a spot for it.

[Brisko]

Well, I have an older bottle of the 21 with a similar label (but in red) and it is definitley not a whaeted bourbon. I've never seen rye growing, but perhaps it looks the same!

As I posted in another thread-- you wouldn't confuse them side by side, but in a line drawing they wouldn't look that much different. Wheat kernels are larger and fatter, and the beard is coarser.

For what it's worth the line art for the Vintage Bourbon and the Vintage Rye labels is identical.