Virginia Gentleman a wheater?

[bad_scientist]

In the comments to a post by Sku (link below), EllenJ posted that Virginia Gentleman at one point was a wheater.

http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2013/05/rathskeller-rye-and-old-bernheim.html

I looked around and read a little bit more about it, that it was a rye recipe but changed to a wheater in the '80s (I think). Anyone know more about this? I've never had the Fox or the 80 proof stuff, but they might be worth picking up if they are wheated recipe bourbons, if only to try what I think is the only example of one that's been triple distilled.

[c2walker]

I actually asked some friends a similar question last night. I had tried VG "The Fox" blind a couple months ago and thought it was a wheater. I drank some more last night and still think it tastes like a wheater. That's hardly proof, but based on flavor profile, I'm inclined to buy what EllenJ said.

[squire]

The Fox is a relative newcomer to the Bowman line and uses the low rye base spirit supplied by Buffalo Trace. It is a soft, lighter style of whisky designed for those who don't want to chew their Bourbon.

[bad_scientist]

The Fox is a relative newcomer to the Bowman line and uses the low rye base spirit supplied by Buffalo Trace. It is a soft, lighter style of whisky designed for those who don't want to chew their Bourbon.

Squire, the first 2 posts in the first thread on the Fox back in 2002 refer to it as being a wheater:

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?886-Virginia-Gentleman-90Proof-6Year-quot-The-Fox-quot-!&highlight=gentleman

However, a few posts on this thread, including the top on on this page, refer to it as rye (though one identifies it as the high rye recipe):

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?9899-Virginia-Gentleman-90-proof/page2&highlight=gentleman

Nobody has listed any source for the info.

Edited May 17, 2013 by bad_scientist

[Josh]

The Fox is no longer made, fyi. It was replaced by the Bowman Bros. Small Batch a few years ago. This is the first I've ever heard of anything out of Bowman ever being a wheater. Curious. It is also worth reiterating that nothing distilled at BT is really "high rye" bourbon, but one mashbill has a slightly higher amount of rye than the other, and of course Weller has no rye at all.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Josh

[squire]

I don't think the Fox label was ever a wheat recipe but I can see why some would think it so, it's certainly not rye forward. I was introduced to Virgina Gentleman back in the '70s when the 90 proof Fairfax County was sold in our local market for a few years then didn't see it again until The Fox arrived.

Fox is a very nice whisky that I kept around for friends that liked a lighter style, Canadians, Scotch blends, that sort of thing, but weren't familiar with Bourbon. It served it's purpose well and would still do so today.

[OscarV]

Yeah some of those Fox's were wheaters or at least it seems that way to me.

Did they have a S-W connection at some point?

[squire]

Oh, and I sent Lynn Spencer an email to ask if he can shed any light on the subject.

[Josh]

Oh, and I sent Lynn Spencer an email to ask if he can shed any light on the subject.

Good man!:fish2::fish2::fish2::fish2:

[squire]

Of course, back in the 80s the Bowman family still ran the place so they could have made anything under contract or for sale.

[p_elliott]

I have one of these stuck in the bunker. I'll will drink it one day hopefully with friends.

[bad_scientist]

I have one of these stuck in the bunker. I'll will drink it one day hopefully with friends.

Anyone in the DC area who wants to try it, just send me a message. I would like to open mine!

Who is Linn Spencer? I've seen him linked closely to giant cigars...

[squire]

Linn is one of the early members of this and the other Bourbon Board who is less active now than previously.

[cowdery]

All of the claims that VG is or was a wheater are based on flavor, i.e., someone or other saying it tastes like one. To the best of my knowledge, there never has been any wheat in any A. Smith Bowman products. My theory is that the triple-distillation strips out so much grain flavor that even young versions of their whiskey taste mild enough to be wheaters.

There was no connection between A. Smith Bowman and Stitzel-Weller.

This comes up every couple of years and when it does, those past occurrences are trotted out as evidence. Unless BT sent ASB some Weller white dog by mistake, VG is not now nor has it ever been a wheater.

[squire]

I also understand that Joe Dangler, long time Master Distiller for A. Smith Bowman, disliked oak tannins in the final product so he took some extra care in filtering the whisky before it was bottled.