VOB BiB dropped age statement

[squire]

Recon it does now.

[TheNovaMan]

SWEET! I bagged a dusty!

[smokinjoe]

Is Barton still the biggest selling bourbon in the Bourbon Motherland of Kentucky?

I thought I had read that somewhere, and it was Chuck's book "Bourbon Straight"

From the book:

"Although Barton, the company, keeps a low profile, Very Old Barton bourbon is prominent in Kentucky liquor stores, with shelf space comparable to Jim Beam White Label, Jack Daniel's Black Label, and other top national brands. In fact, it is Kentucky's best-selling bourbon. Big stores carry the full range of sizes at four different proofs, 80, 86, 90 and 100."

Of course, that was 10 years ago, and probably includes all proofs as Eric suggests.

[ethangsmith]

Stopped at the state store yesterday in town and the bottles of 1792 have all lost their age statement.

[wmpevans]

Stopped at the state store yesterday in town and the bottles of 1792 have all lost their age statement.

Ethan, I noticed that yesterday as well. Sad to see.

Picked up 2 family size age stated Barton's yesterday at $17/each. 90 proof. Just because they were there, and the AS bottles will not be there next month.

[Gillman]

Still awaiting (humble reminder to those able to do so) an A/B comparison..

Gary

[wadewood]

Still awaiting (humble reminder to those able to do so) an A/B comparison..

Gary

Gary If history of other brands that dropped age statements is any indicator, I doubt there will be hardly any difference, maybe none, immediately. The true test is blind A/B 2-3 years down the line.

[Brisko]

Interesting that this thread has gone to 36 pages in less than a month, and the thread that was started about Basil Hayden's (among other things) is only at 21 pages after a year and a half (and a lot of that discussion had nothing to do with Basil Haydens').

Not that I'm surprised in the slightest but it really illustrates where our sensibilities lie here on SB.

[sutton]

Yes - I think it is a bit of "the straw that broke the camel's back" thing as well - this came on what seemed to be a rapid succession of dropped age statements and discontinued age stated value brands. A disappointing trend but I guess inevitable with this level of demand. If I can find any of the "6", I'll give it a try periodically to see, as Gary is asking above, whether (or when) the profile takes a turn for the worse. Perhaps it won't ... have to be an optimist here ...

[squire]

I'm not surprised, Basil is uninteresting to most of us wheras Barton at one time stood for something.

[Gillman]

Wade you may be right but we have to start somewhere. Some people have been buying it and a comparative will be instructive even at present.

Gary

[bingstein]

I will fall on that grenade and pick up a bottle of the new stuff after work. My palate is not refined so I may be of little assistance, but I'll give it a whirl.

[Enoch]

I checked a current 1792 while at the liquor store today and the age statement is indeed gone.

While 1792 is not something I drink often it is something I always have open. I did pick up several handles of the 8 year today just in case. Everything I have seen around here is still 8 year. It may be around for awhile because it is not a big seller in this area.

[dSculptor]

Just seen the new ones today with no age statement - another one going down..,but found 2 ewsb 2002 vintage!

[ethangsmith]

Just did a blind side-by-side of the 8yo 1792 and new NAS 1792. I had my wife pop open the bottles and pour then while I was in another room. I easily picked out the new one by nose alone. It's brighter and more bold, but not in a bad way. The 8yo has more of a maple and earthy flavor to it and I will miss it, but the new stuff is by no means the usual watered-down swill from Sazerac I've come to expect. It's a little more bold and young, but not by much. Think of it as a refined VOB.

Edited January 19, 2014 by ethangsmith

[smokinjoe]

...but the new stuff is by no means the usual watered-down swill from Sazerac we've come to expect.

Thank you for the review, Ethan. I'll kindly excuse myself from the inclusion in we've.

[bingstein]

It's a little more bold and young, but not by much.

Now fast forward your imagination 3 years from now. If you can tell differences in the profile mere weeks after the switch imagine what it'll slowly become.

[JVande]

I apologize in advance if this has already been previously discussed, but what is the mash bill of VOB BIB? I have a half empty bottle and just nosed it from the bottle and was surprised (in a good way)...

[ethangsmith]

Thank you for the review, Ethan. I'll kindly excuse myself from the inclusion in we've.

Haha. I know everyone wouldn't agree with that, but it seems like more and more products from Sazerac (And pretty much all the other distillers.) are coming at a lower proof or with no age statement. It's getting frustrating! Combine this with my dislike of the way they toot their own horn constantly and I pretty much wrote them off.

Now fast forward your imagination 3 years from now. If you can tell differences in the profile mere weeks after the switch imagine what it'll slowly become.

This is what I'm afraid of. The 1792 and the Sazerac Rye are the only thing my palate agrees with from Sazerac, so it's got me worried I may have to totally cut them out of my whiskey cabinet!

[ethangsmith]

Tell you what, I'll edit it to reflect the opinions of others on here better...

...FIXED!

[hn4bourbon]

I grabbed a bottle of vob86 yesterday but realized as I was close to the counter that it only had a 6 on the label. I would say they've done a good job at trying to be sneaky on the label change. It is just so easy to not even notice that it's missing the 6 years.

[squire]

I apologize in advance if this has already been previously discussed, but what is the mash bill of VOB BIB? I have a half empty bottle and just nosed it from the bottle and was surprised (in a good way)...

Barton has a traditional mash bill, 75% corn, 15% rye and 10% malted barley. I've heard estimates of as much as16 or 18% rye but that's still not especially high compared to Grand Dad or Four Roses. The difference is Barton introduces the rye into the cooker with the corn earlier than other distillers which makes the final product more dry and rye forward in profile. I expect that production technique will remain irrespective of what other changes Sazerac may have in store for the brand.

[JVande]

Barton has a traditional mash bill, 75% corn, 15% rye and 10% malted barley. I've heard estimates of as much as16 or 18% rye but that's still not especially high compared to Grand Dad or Four Roses. The difference is Barton introduces the rye into the cooker with the corn earlier than other distillers which makes the final product more dry and rye forward in profile. I expect that production technique will remain irrespective of what other changes Sazerac may have in store for the brand.

Thanks Squire. Definitely puts me in my place, I know very little then. Dominant Rye characteristics was not what I picked up on the nose. I will go back to the drawing board.

[mbroo5880i]

Barton has a traditional mash bill, 75% corn, 15% rye and 10% malted barley. I've heard estimates of as much as16 or 18% rye but that's still not especially high compared to Grand Dad or Four Roses. The difference is Barton introduces the rye into the cooker with the corn earlier than other distillers which makes the final product more dry and rye forward in profile. I expect that production technique will remain irrespective of what other changes Sazerac may have in store for the brand.

I have read a few places that BT might be looking to source some whiskey, especially aged whiskey. I am not sure how true this is. But, if it is true, I wonder if this might affect the production technique with respect to what is in the bottle.

[squire]

Thanks Squire. Definitely puts me in my place, I know very little then. Dominant Rye characteristics was not what I picked up on the nose. I will go back to the drawing board.