Old Blowhard

[sku]

That seems like the most plausible explanation. We could possibly be reading too much into the omission. Could just be how Diageo wanted to word it, just like Jefferson's printed "Aged in Stitzel-Weller Barrels" as opposed to "Distilled at Stitzel-Weller."

Edited January 29, 2014 by sku

[Dolph Lundgren]

John Hansell got a clarification from Diageo:

As for your question on the label. Barterhouse, Old Blowhard and Rhetoric are all indeed “Straight”. Because of the timing of our launch and the process needed to make that distinction, we kept it off the label for the first run, but it may still be included down the road.”

[P&MLiquorsEric]

Looking like a late feb/early march release date.

[tigerlam92]

On last Monday already my contact sent me the ads images.

My "orders" are in and hearing what Sku and John said, I'm exited to try when they are here. Actually knew about this from a friend at the beginning of the year so asked my contact to follow up on these from then.

Edited January 31, 2014 by tigerlam92

[squire]

Hmm, I would rather see Reynard out foxing the hounds, overall I think the whale motif the best.

[alexle92]

I spoke to my Diageo rep's last week and they haven't had a set date to release these in Texas. Any new news on release dates on Old Blowhard, Barterhouse, and Orphan?

[shoshani]

John Hansell got a clarification from Diageo:

As for your question on the label. Barterhouse, Old Blowhard and Rhetoric are all indeed “Straight”. Because of the timing of our launch and the process needed to make that distinction, we kept it off the label for the first run, but it may still be included down the road.”

The fun of having whiskey but owning none of the brand names under which it would have originally been sold. Very Special Old Charter? (Actually, doesn't Diageo still own the I. W. Harper name? Wonder why they aren't using some variation on that, since it would have recognition...)

[squire]

Sign of the times I suppose, even venerable old brands may not be recognized well enough to sell in today's market.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

I spoke to my Diageo rep's last week and they haven't had a set date to release these in Texas. Any new news on release dates on Old Blowhard, Barterhouse, and Orphan?

See my post 3 above yours.

[DrinkSpirits]

We just posted reviews of both Old Blowhard and Barterhouse.

I liked Old Blowhard much better than Barterhouse, but the price is pretty hard to swallow.

[squire]

Geoff your review clearly states this is Stitzel-Weller stock as opposed to other distillery barrels being consolidated in the Diageo owned warehouses which happen to be on the property that also holds the former SW distillery. Upon what basis do you claim these two labels contain whisky made at SW?

[tanstaafl2]

Interesting that your review seems to be almost opposite of the review in Whisky Advocate. But then it really does come down to the individual palate I suppose. As best I can tell these aren't single barrel bottles so one would think they profile is similar across the brand. But perhaps that is not the case?

In any case if I can find one I will likely give it a try.

[tanstaafl2]

Geoff your review clearly states this is Stitzel-Weller stock as opposed to other distillery barrels being consolidated in the Diageo owned warehouses which happen to be on the property that also holds the former SW distillery. Upon what basis do you claim these two labels contain whisky made at SW?

John Hansell suggests in his review that while they may be stored at S-W now (and maybe even aged there during their lifespan?) that they are in fact most similar to a Bernheim mash bill, to include the older and newer distillery prior to HH ownership based on the age.

I suppose unless Diageo tells us, and I suspect that is unlikely, it will remain open to some speculation.

Edited February 10, 2014 by tanstaafl2

[squire]

John's comments are part of what prompted my question. Does Geoff know something the rest of us don't?

[JKLS]

I think if you own some SW made juice, with the cache that name carries, you shout it from the rooftops that your product is SW juice (a la JPS18).

If your product is from barrels that were stored at SW but not produced by them, you mention SW but are vague about their actual origin and dance around the actual answer as much as possible.

[MyOldKyDram]

Well it appears to be working as this is the 2nd review I've seen that basically called it SW distillate.

[squire]

Intentional misrepresentation is a long way of saying lying.

[squire]

Well it appears to be working as this is the 2nd review I've seen that basically called it SW distillate.

Folks who wish to be taken seriously should vent their sources carefully.

[luther.r]

Not to mention the difficulty of finding 20 year old bourbon from a distillery that closed 23 years ago...

Obviously they could age-state it at 20 years and put older whiskey in the bottle, but they wouldn't if they could call it 23 year old and charge more for it.

[tanstaafl2]

Who knows what is sitting in barrels in the rick houses at what used to be S-W. But seems pretty clear a lot of product has been consolidated there from other places at this point and nothing can be taken at face value. Some might well be S-W distillate although that in no way means it is automatically good.

[doubleblank]

Diageo has owned old SW stock for a long time. They had it stored in numerous locations in KY. They even had thousands of barrels stored at BT (Diageo was renting space is what Truman told me when showing me the barrels). They were blending it in Crown Royal among other things. Evidence is that they have been selling some to third parties and perhaps now want to cash in themselves. Why not mention the distillery on the label?........well, the industry has always avoided doing that because it limits their flexibility. KBD never does it. JVW never does it. Even the majors don't unless to satisfy BIB regs, labeling regs, etc.

[cowdery]

Got an invitation today from Diageo's Chicago distributor to taste them next week. The note says the "stocks were discovered in old warehouses at the famed Stitzel-Weller facility in Louisville, KY." It's well known that they have whiskey there that was made at Four Roses, Beam, Brown-Forman and Barton, in addition to their own former distilleries. Something 26 years old could be from OLD Bernheim. They might also have some old stock from Medley, which like SW also stopped distilling in 1992.

Diageo, like most producers, will sometimes say it can't do something as cover for something they simply don't want to do. Presumably, they think we'll be more impressed with this whiskey if we don't know where it was really made.

Edited February 10, 2014 by cowdery

[squire]

Randy I understand Diageo also dumped SW whisky into bulk containers and shipped it over to Europe to be labeled as theme brands such as 'Wells Fargo' which made good business sense for them at the time. Whose orphan barrels they use makes no difference to me because other than being really drawn to the Old Blowhard label I'm sure my interest doesn't extend to buying a bottle. Speaking as a member of the pool of potential consumers though I would prefer Diageo showed enough respect for us to say rather than imply what is in the bottle.

[squire]

Really Chuck, discovered they say? What, Diageo doesn't practice inventory control? I thought the Feds require up to date records at all times. This project was obviously planned, how did they know where to look?

[Quantum]

Really Chuck, discovered they say? What, Diageo doesn't practice inventory control? I thought the Feds require up to date records at all times. This project was obviously planned, how did they know where to look?