CardsJJH24 Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 It seems IW Harper 15 year has started hitting store shelves recently, but i'm surprised i haven't seen anything on here about it. Perhaps many of the SB members are boycotting the Diageo hype machine, but i am still curious to see if anyone out there has tried it and what they think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Boycotting presumes some sort of organization and I'm not a joiner. Paid consultant perhaps, fee upfront.My mild objection to the current Harper 15 is the extra price packaging. As for the whisky this is an opportunity for someone who hasn't experienced the style to try something different (it is unique) but the low key Harper/Charter profile has never been a flavor powerhouse and adding more wood won't change that. When the 80 proof 15 year old Harper was offered some years back my Scotch drinking friends liked it so that became my gift whisky for awhile. Approachable, medium bodied, competent stuff with nothing to rave about but nothing to criticize either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TunnelTiger Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Agreed Squire and it may be the best thing since sliced bread but I'm not going to give them the $79 they are asking for it here.There are way too many great bottles at one third that price and also with much higher proofs that I happen to crave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Agreed Squire and it may be the best thing since sliced bread but I'm not going to give them the $79 they are asking for it here.There are way too many great bottles at one third that price and also with much higher proofs that I happen to crave.Lack of proof is its biggest limitation to me, especially compared to the asking price and availability of other less expensive good quality options (Although not much left these days at 15yo, depending on how much value you attach to age when buying blind, that is both less expensive and fairly available). Which admittedly did not stop me from buying one to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjbeggs Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 It's far superior to the recent NAS release (granted, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement).It's good, not great, probably would have been better at a higher proof. Tastes pretty highly filtered to me.The bottle is very pretty though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 It's far superior to the recent NAS release (granted, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement).It's good, not great, probably would have been better at a higher proof. Tastes pretty highly filtered to me.The bottle is very pretty though...Aha! That infamous Diageo highly filtered process strikes again!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry in WashDC Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 It's far superior to the recent NAS release (granted, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement).It's good, not great, probably would have been better at a higher proof. Tastes pretty highly filtered to me.The bottle is very pretty though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrudd Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 The bottle is very pretty though...I've almost bought bottles of IW Harper 12 (which have a very similar bottle) for the same reason, even though I don't really like what's inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I think most of us are skeptical of the quality prospect for the price being asked at the proof offered. Diageo has let us down time and time again with these recent high priced so called premium offerings so nobody is in a hurry to try this new Harper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Anybody have a chance to do a side by side with the old Harper 15? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Saw this today but didn't bite. They had both expressions, but like others, I am willing to hear about it from others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fricky Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Where did you see it? A few people report seeing it but they seem reluctant to tell us where they have seen it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 There's a bunch in a liquor store a couple miles from me. Anybody who wants to know the name can pm me. I don't want to put their name up on the thread because their service sucks and I don't want to drive business their way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gburger Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I got a bottle of it a few days ago. I poured some last night. I thought it was smooth and flavorful, even though it is a lower proof.Not sure I would spend the price I paid on another bottle, but I have no regrets on this purchase.I might change my mind after I have a few more pours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Saw this today but didn't bite. They had both expressions, but like others, I am willing to hear about it from others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Santana Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I first saw it in Danville, and then again in Lexington. In this bourbon crazy environment, I'd be shocked if it wasn't gone within 48 hours ...I know at least one place where it's stayed on the shelf for 2 weeks now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I know at least one place where it's stayed on the shelf for 2 weeks now.The environment here is much more competitive for anything considered somewhat 'special'. We have plenty of bourbon, but also many more knowledgeable consumers (as well as tourists), who are snagging anything and everything outside the regular cats and dogs that are regularly available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 The environment here is much more competitive for anything considered somewhat 'special'. We have plenty of bourbon, but also many more knowledgeable consumers (as well as tourists), who are snagging anything and everything outside the regular cats and dogs that are regularly available.I always chuckle a bit when I see people on various facebook groups pass up good bourbon at their local store because they are saving their money for an upcoming trip to Kentucky where they hope to score all the limited edition bottles that they "never see on a shelf" where they live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I always chuckle a bit when I see people on various facebook groups pass up good bourbon at their local store because they are saving their money for an upcoming trip to Kentucky where they hope to score all the limited edition bottles that they "never see on a shelf" where they live.Yes, I realize that we have it very good here. However, I can't help but feel a little envious when I read where guys are passing ECPB and CEHT BP on the shelves, knowing they can go back and get it next week. I've had to use connections to obtain both, as I've NEVER seen either one on a shelf here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Santana Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Yes, I realize that we have it very good here. However, I can't help but feel a little envious when I read where guys are passing ECPB and CEHT BP on the shelves, knowing they can go back and get it next week. I've had to use connections to obtain both, as I've NEVER seen either one on a shelf here...ECBP is pretty rare here, but starting to get at least a little more available. I know a couple places that have had CEHT BP available for a good month now. Stagg Jr. seems to have become easy to find as well. We may not have the variety of Kentucky (I've never seen HH6BIB or Larceny here), but overall we don't have it too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Yes, I realize that we have it very good here. However, I can't help but feel a little envious when I read where guys are passing ECPB and CEHT BP on the shelves, knowing they can go back and get it next week. I've had to use connections to obtain both, as I've NEVER seen either one on a shelf here...No doubt you do in terms of variety of standard brands and number of store barrel picks, but the people I'm talking about believe they'll find Pappy because they're going to "the source". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasH Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I have both version and will be comparing them shortly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I have both version and will be comparing them shortly!I eagerly await your impressions of them, sir! Unless a preponderance of folx really love the 15-year, I don't anticipate a buy personally, at the inflated rate being asked; but hey; who knows?Please be thorough, and post your thoughts when done comparing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadeweber Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 (edited) I had the first pour from my bottle last night. Of course it is not completely fair to evaluate a bourbon from the first pour. However, there was something that I noticed that I do not think will change much as I move through the bottle: it is quite thin, it has a very light mouthfeel. This is a deal-breaker for me personally. My whiskey must have a thicker mouthfeel. There were some pleasant aromas and flavors (although very little oak which is surprising for a 15 y/o) but, even though it is available locally at a very good price relatively, I will not be buying another bottle. And yes the bottle itself is nice and reminds me of bottles from many years ago but it's what inside that is important to me. Edited July 8, 2015 by meadeweber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 A thin texture is a feature of that profile and with a whisky of this supposed statue one would expect a bit more of everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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