Another Age Statement Bites the Dust (And More Recent COLA Findings)

[dridge11]

Larceny could be interesting depending on how "Very Special" it is.

[timd]

In the meantime, keep a couple bottles in your bunker (I'm greedy -- mine include ND distillate!)

The first rule of OGD 114... don't tell anybody else about it.

It's all mine!

[T Comp]

Larceny could be interesting depending on how "Very Special" it is.

It would start to be very special in my book, as a wheater, if it was 100 proof. Disappointing to see it at 92. Oh well, Makers can't make enough at 90 proof I guess.

[bad_scientist]

It would start to be very special in my book, as a wheater, if it was 100 proof. Disappointing to see it at 92. Oh well, Makers can't make enough at 90 proof I guess.

If more people bought their crappy Old Fitz line, they'd have more barrels to pick from!

[callmeox]

Some newer COLA findings of interest:

From Heaven Hill, John E. Fitzgerald Larceny. "Very Special Small Batch," whatever that means. A wheater, I presume? 92 proof.

From Beam, Old Tub BiB. Dear lord, please let this see the light of day. I have an irrational weakness for BiBs, especially pre-pro labels.

Not bourbon, but the return of a much loved SMS: Macallan Cask Strength.

I saw the Macallan CS on the shelf here in Ohio last week. After enjoying a hefty pour of the Mac 12 the day before, it was an intriguing option that I passed on for now.

[Josh]

Some newer COLA findings of interest:

From Heaven Hill, John E. Fitzgerald Larceny. "Very Special Small Batch," whatever that means. A wheater, I presume? 92 proof.

That must be what the HH people were teasing us with a while back.

From Beam, Old Tub BiB. Dear lord, please let this see the light of day. I have an irrational weakness for BiBs, especially pre-pro labels.

That sounds intriguing. Beam already does have a BiB (besides OGB), it's called Old Bourbon Hollow. I've only ever seen it in Kentucky.

[White Dog]

Any new Wheater on the shelf is quite welcome by me, I just wish it wasn't NAS. Can't wait to try it, although HH's track record with wheat is quite spotty. A slick label using "wink wink" references will only take them so far.

[Brisko]

That sounds intriguing. Beam already does have a BiB (besides OGB), it's called Old Bourbon Hollow. I've only ever seen it in Kentucky.

Is is it still available? I thought I'd heard that it went away.

[Enoch]

Old Tub: A remake of an old brand.

[Josh]

Is is it still available? I thought I'd heard that it went away.

Saw some on the shelf at TPS in April so if it has gone away, it's been very recently! Kinda wish I woulda bought some now.

[PaulO]

Some newer COLA findings of interest:

From Heaven Hill, John E. Fitzgerald Larceny. "Very Special Small Batch," whatever that means. A wheater, I presume? 92 proof.

From Beam, Old Tub BiB. Dear lord, please let this see the light of day. I have an irrational weakness for BiBs, especially pre-pro labels.

Not bourbon, but the return of a much loved SMS: Macallan Cask Strength.

[Brisko]

Old Tub was, as I understand it, a Beam family brand that was quite successful throughout the second half of the nineteenth century. It was the flagship label when James B. Beam took over, anyway. So I would guess that it would be the standard recipe, but who knows what profile they would go for. I'd bet it's better than the white label just based on the proof alone, and given the heritage of the brand they're not going to fill it with swill.

[AaronWF]

Old Tub was, as I understand it, a Beam family brand that was quite successful throughout the second half of the nineteenth century. It was the flagship label when James B. Beam took over, anyway. So I would guess that it would be the standard recipe, but who knows what profile they would go for. I'd bet it's better than the white label just based on the proof alone, and given the heritage of the brand they're not going to fill it with swill.

I don't know, the name Old Tub does not exactly inspire premium images... I see a dirty miner scrubbing soot off himself with a brush in a wooden tub. Either that or a fat old man two deep coughs away from stroking out.

Regardless, it's a much better direction to go in than more Red Stag flavors.

[Lazer]

I see a dirty miner scrubbing soot off himself with a brush in a wooden tub. Either that or a fat old man two deep coughs away from stroking out.

[Josh]

Reminds me of the story Chuck (I think) told about when UDV guys approached Ed Foote about creating a new whiskey named in his honor. His reply was "Nobody's going to buy something called 'Very Old Foote'"

[cowdery]

I'm tentatively excited, if that's possible, about "Larceny." The gist of the story is on the back label. For years, John E. Fitzgerald was portrayed as a distiller until Sally Van Winkle Campbell, Pappy's granddaughter (Julian's sister), revealed the real story in her Stitzel-Weller history, But Always Fine Bourbon.

Heaven Hill has been working on this for a long time and even label approval doesn't necessarily mean it's happening or is imminent. Heaven Hill has been making wheated bourbon at Bernheim since 1999. Some people don't like the Old Fitz iterations that HH has put out, but most thought the Parker's Heritage 10-year-old version was great.

Other than the Parker's, Heaven Hill has done little with Fitz since it bought the brand, so they've certainly had time to do it right. I sure hope they did.

It isn't always this obvious, but the bourbon makers look to the Scots for ideas. This is in line with a trend among both single malts and blends, the small batch NAS product with a fanciful name. Theirs are usually in Gaelic, but other than that it's the same idea. The label doesn't give any indication of any special product characteristics. In addition to no age, it won't have a finish either since none is disclosed on the label.

I'll be interested to see if they come up with any product attribute story. They should. It will surely have a premium price and there needs to be a reason to buy it beyond the cute name. They are, I suppose, making a 'honey barrel' claim. Maybe that's enough.

"Whiskey That's Good Enough To Steal."

[Lazer]

It isn't always this obvious, but the bourbon makers look to the Scots for ideas. This is in line with a trend among both single malts and blends, the small batch NAS product with a fanciful name. Theirs are usually in Gaelic, but other than that it's the same idea. The label doesn't give any indication of any special product characteristics. In addition to no age, it won't have a finish either since none is disclosed on the label.

Double Black --> Double Oaked :skep:

I also see a parallel between Old Grand Dad with the new Basil Hayden's and now we have Old Fitz with the new John E. Fitzgerald Larceny.

[cowdery]

Our friends at Buffalo Trace have asked me to tell you that Jeffers Creek and Black Ridge will use whiskey from Bardstown's Barton 1792 Distillery, not from Buffalo Trace. No Buffalo Trace inventory has been harmed in the making of these new products.

[BradleyC]

. No Buffalo Trace inventory has been harmed in the making of these new products.

Ha ha. That's a good one.

[White Dog]

Our friends at Buffalo Trace have asked me to tell you that Jeffers Creek and Black Ridge will use whiskey from Bardstown's Barton 1792 Distillery, not from Buffalo Trace. No Buffalo Trace inventory has been harmed in the making of these new products.

While I appreciate them passing this on, why not simply put it on the label?? Would that be so difficult?

[JayMonster]

While I appreciate them passing this on, why not simply put it on the label?? Would that be so difficult?

Kind of defeats the purposes of creating the private label if they do that , doesn't it?

[Halifax]

Sounds like Black Ridge and Jeffers Creek may be new incarnations of VOB 90 & 80.

[c2walker]

The label for the 6th ed. Parker's Heritage Collection is out. Looks like we'll have a blend of approximately 11 year old rye and wheat recipe bourbon bottled at barrel proof.

[BradleyC]

The label for the 6th ed. Parker's Heritage Collection is out. Looks like we'll have a blend of approximately 11 year old rye and wheat recipe bourbon bottled at barrel proof.

Nice catch! I've been curious what they were going to do this year. I would not have guessed this. Sounds interesting.

[Tico]

The label for the 6th ed. Parker's Heritage Collection is out. Looks like we'll have a blend of approximately 11 year old rye and wheat recipe bourbon bottled at barrel proof.

This sounds pretty cool. Nice proof with 10+ years of age. The spice of a rye with the creamy smoothness of a wheater, sweet!