amg Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 I see that this is starting to show up at retail, but I haven't seen any reviews from reliable sources yet. Anyone tried it?They claim it is a vatting of straight rye whiskeys from "Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Alberta" and "aged from 4 to 15 years."It's 100 proof, NCF, and looks to be going for around $35, so I'm curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oke&coke Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 $35 sure as hell beats $50+. Do let us know if you find one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Sounds interesting. The 15yo seems likely to be some of the Alberta rye that made up the Lock, Stock and Barrel 13yo rye from a couple of years ago. But at that price there is probably not a lot of that in there. Seems to have snuck in a bit under the radar. The source of the Pennsylvania rye component would be interesting. Not that many options are there? Could they be making their own for the last 4 years?Apparently it is in California?And Binny's as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadeweber Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 At $35, label me "interested". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amg Posted September 4, 2015 Author Share Posted September 4, 2015 Another weird thing is that I can't find a TTB COLA for this one. Oh well, for $35 I can take a chance on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spade Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 The source of the Pennsylvania rye component would be interesting. Not that many options are there? Could they be making their own for the last 4 years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethangsmith Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 If the minimum stated age on the bottle is 4 years, then there is no PA rye in it. There was no rye being aged in PA 4 years ago. Dad's Hat, as far as I know, was the first to begin distilling and aging rye whiskey in PA since Michter's closed in 1990 (And their oldest is around the 3 year mark)- and there is a ZERO percent chance there is any of that in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TunnelTiger Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Interesting but something doesn't sound right. The price is definitely nice but I believe I'll let more experienced members dig into more info before I buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Current Pennsylvania Rye is less than 4 years old and other Pennsylvania Rye is a helluva lot older than 15. Perhaps they meant to say "Pennsylvania Style" rye and those copy editors just messed up, yeah that must be it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amg Posted September 5, 2015 Author Share Posted September 5, 2015 Maybe someone told them that current Michter's is Pennsylvania rye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Or they bought it from the same place as Michters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyn Greene Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Hello all - First time posting here. I saw this thread and wanted to address your questions. In full disclosure, I handle marketing for The Cooper Spirits Company. Our Hochstadter's Vatted Rye does include rye made in Pennsylvania. We have made a select number of small quantities of rye ferments and distillates at Charles Jacquin's et Cie, in the heart of Kensington, Philadelphia since 2010. Can’t wait to hear what you all think of Hochstadter’s Vatted Rye once you’ve have a chance to try it. It's hitting store shelves right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Hello all - First time posting here. I saw this thread and wanted to address your questions. In full disclosure, I handle marketing for The Cooper Spirits Company. Our Hochstadter's Vatted Rye does include rye made in Pennsylvania. We have made a select number of small quantities of rye ferments and distillates at Charles Jacquin's et Cie, in the heart of Kensington, Philadelphia since 2010. Can’t wait to hear what you all think of Hochstadter’s Vatted Rye once you’ve have a chance to try it. It's hitting store shelves right now.Very interesting. Thanks for the info Robyn. Don't suppose you can go into any more detail about the distillery operation at Charles Jacquin's et Cie? For example is it continuous or pot still? Straight rye aged in new barrels? Full size or smaller barrels? Is it a 100 rye mashbill or a mix of rye, corn and other grains? Are you going to continue to make rye that may be sold at some point in the future with more age on it? Perhaps a 100% PA made rye at some point in the future? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethangsmith Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 This is all quite interesting to me as well. I was always told Jacquin's was a rectifier and bottler only. I would be very interested to know what type of distillation system is being used there too. And if this is the only product to come from it or if there will be others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 There is this article from a couple years ago on their distilling operation. It may have changed since then, though.http://theelvee.com/?p=4092 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Hello Robyn, welcome aboard, thanks for your interest in our thread. Yes, more production information would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethangsmith Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 There is this article from a couple years ago on their distilling operation. It may have changed since then, though.http://theelvee.com/?p=4092Philadelphia Distilling and Jacquin's are two different operations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Philadelphia Distilling and Jacquin's are two different operations.You're right! My mistake. I'll learn how to Google one of these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 You're right! My mistake. I'll learn how to Google one of these days.Robert Cooper of Cooper Spirits which makes the Hochstadter line is the son of Norton "Sky" Cooper who owns Charles Jacquin et Cie (and brought Chambord, now owned by B-F) to the US. So maybe the Jacquin distilling capacity is the PA source of the Hochstadter vatted rye?It is an interesting liquor business family. Two sons, Robert and John (apparently they don't get along according to past articles I have read), left their father's company to develop their own liquor businesses. Robert Cooper is owner of Cooper Spirits and responsible for St. Germaine elderflower liqueur (now owned by Bacardi), Creme Yvette, LSB rye, Hochstadter Rock and Rye and now the Hochstadter Vatted Rye while John is owner of Maurice Cooper et Cie and is responsible for Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur (apparently just recently acquired by HH). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethangsmith Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 That's quite interesting. The point here I'm stuck on is the fact that Jacquin's was always known as a rectifier and bottler only. Even back in the 60's and 70's, they bought their spirits from Continental Distilling. It would be very interesting indeed if they are distilling these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) That's quite interesting. The point here I'm stuck on is the fact that Jacquin's was always known as a rectifier and bottler only. Even back in the 60's and 70's, they bought their spirits from Continental Distilling. It would be very interesting indeed if they are distilling these days.Wiki at least implies they are also distilling these days. So does their linked in site. To be honest given how distilling is opening up around the country it would surprise me if the didn't have at least some distilling capacity. But it is hard to find much info about the company on line at least for me. They don't appear to have their own website. For all I know maybe Cooper Spirits now has a still! After all, Joen noted a couple of years ago that the owner, Robert Cooper, is a rye enthusiast. I hope Robyn can give us some insight because I am obviously just speculating. Edited October 3, 2015 by tanstaafl2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jinenjo Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Has anyone tried it? I was hoping to find this on the shelf in NorCal, but it seems I'll have to call HiTimes if I dare to pull the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jinenjo Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Ledgers in Berkeley happened to haveIt. I decided to get it. First impressions are positive. A little thin, even with the 100 proof, but I like it. Refreshing that there's no LDI mintiness, obviously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gfh110 Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Hey guys! I really need to start being more active on here... I picked a bottle of this up yesterday at Liquor Outlet Wine Cellars in Boonton, NJ. If you're ever in the area I suggest a visit. They have a solid selection and for what I like the pricing is very competitive. This Hochstadter's was actually on sale for $29.99. I've never heard of it before, but the price was right and I can always do with another bottle in the collection. Jinejo's mention of it being a little thin is right on the money, at least to my palate. For starters, the color leans more towards the copper side of things than the deep reddish brown I'm used to in my rye. On the nose I pick up cinnamon, spearmint, Cherry Coke, not too much wood, but there is a slight chemical note in there, like a very distant rug shampoo sort of smell that you'd get in an office building. I could also be crazy. Adding water brings out quite a bit more of the oak, but I didn't find the nose all that complex. Taste was very spice-forward. My first sip was a huge up-front smash of pepper with a bit of sourness. Letting it sit for a good ten minutes calmed things down considerably. Not a whole lot of characteristic rye grain flavor to be found. Lots of the spice, not very much of the grassy character. Practically zero sweetness throughout the whole sip which I love... Development eludes me in most of my tastings, I'm still working on separating the individual "events" of tasting whiskey, but there is a distinct bitterness along with continual spice presence and some nutty, earthy character. Bit of apple in the finish along with some metallic notes, but again kind of thin. Water can drown this pretty quickly. I was hoping a few drops would open things up, but really it just helped tone down the spice without revealing much more underneath. I'm going to give the bottle a few days on the shelf before I taste it again and maybe it will blow me away. Currently I think the asking price of $35 is about $10 too steep for the experience, especially when my old boy Rittenhouse is $25 pretty much everywhere I go and consistently delivers everything I want in a rye. Hope that was somewhat informative or insightful. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Thanks for the notes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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