2016 Releases

[km1589]

Hey Everyone,

 

I'm starting to look for 2 bottles of a 2016 release bottle one that I can keep around and another I can enjoy. We are expecting our first child in November and I would love to have something that clearly states it is a 2016 release. I know the obvious LEs, but I don't think that is very realistic to get 1 let alone 2. So I wanted to turn to the experts and see if you all had any ideas on this situation.

 

Thanks Everyone

K

[Flyfish]

1 hour ago, km1589 said:

Hey Everyone,

 

I'm starting to look for 2 bottles of a 2016 release bottle one that I can keep around and another I can enjoy. We are expecting our first child in November and I would love to have something that clearly states it is a 2016 release. I know the obvious LEs, but I don't think that is very realistic to get 1 let alone 2. So I wanted to turn to the experts and see if you all had any ideas on this situation.

 

Thanks Everyone

K

I have shared this idea before: Consider putting aside a bottle (or a case) from your child's birth year to be opened at the wedding. I did this with wine for my daughters weddings. (There were age stated bourbons back then but I don't recall any LEs.) Third daughter waited so long to marry that the wine went bad. Not likely to happen with bourbon. There are reasonably priced bottles, such as EWSB, that have the barreling and bottling dates on the label.

[Richnimrod]

Easy answer is Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage offerings.    They always state the 'Barreled On' as well as the 'Bottled On' dates on the back label.    A very cool (IMHO) practice is to look for a few with the correct 'Bottled On' date, then 8, 9, or 10 years later, depending upon practices at that time, also get the same 'date, as the 'Barreled On' date.    After that it's up to you what you do with 'em and/or how long you choose to save 'em up for a 'Special Occasion' in the life of the child.   The upside of this plan is that you have much of the year to find the ones you want to save, as well as looking around at different retailers who will likely have different batches to offer.

[Harry in WashDC]

Henry McKenna bonded has a barrel number and a "Barreled on" date on its front label.  Since it says it is ten years old, you could look for HMcK BIBs barreled in 2006.

[PaulO]

Just remember to store whiskey standing up (not on its side like wine).  Many stores will give you a case discount if you buy 6 or more.  I'm a big fan of Henry McKenna bond.  Evan Williams Single Barrel is good, but the releases have gotten younger and younger, and otherwise it's like a lower proof version of McKenna for about the same price.  On the plus side - 86.6 proof is not too strong for some people, and EWSB is not hard to find.

Edited May 17, 2016 by PaulO

[dcbt]

Blanton's always has the bottled on date as well...

And IIRC booker's puts the barrel date on there as well as the age so you can figure the bottle date. Or just check the batch numbers, those probably coincide.

Edited May 16, 2016 by dcbt

[dcbt]

Btw, good on you for planning ahead. I got a '14 JDHS for my daughter born during that holiday season to give to her on her 21st, but looking back on it I wish I had found the exact 12-16-14 bottle date on something (eg, blantons). I didn't think of that 'till it was too late. Unless someone here has that one their bunker?.

Edited May 16, 2016 by dcbt

[garbanzobean]

Congratulations on the impending mini terrorist.  Ours is closing in on 18 months old and she's the best thing to ever happen to us.

About the only limited edition outside of the Orphan Barrels and Wild Turkey Special Releases I see on shelves around here is High West Midwinter Night's Dram, but that is a barrel finished rye (or not a rye anymore? I can't keep up with the TTB) and not for everyone.  I like the idea of the EWSB.  If you happen to be in Kentucky this year, you might consider a distillery exclusive (or two, or five).  

[The Black Tot]

PM me if you want KC 2001 @ $139.99 bottle. Or the even more insane Bookers Rye at $300.

 

I know the parenting hormones are swirling all around - I'm not sure I should be enabling this.

[Flyhighx]

Every bottle of whiskey that comes from Buffalo Trace has a laser etched code on the bottle that states the date and time it was bottled.  The code would be something like:

 

B1621022:05

 

The B is "Buffalo Trace" the 16 represents the year (2016) the 210 represents the 210th day of 2016 (July 28) and the 22:05 is the 24hr time it was bottled (10:05pm)

 

It may not be as obvious as a large "2016" plastered on the bottled but you would be guaranteed a 2016 bottle.  Plus since it's BT, there is such a range of choices at different price points.  Maybe you won't be able to get a BTAC bottle or Van Winkle but a Blanton's, Elmer T Lee, Rock Hill Farms, or Colonel Taylor would be a worthy bottle 20-30yrs from now.

[Enoch]

I found an EC18 bottled that was distilled exactly on my daughters birthday and I found it 20 years later.

[Harry in WashDC]

10 hours ago, Flyhighx said:

Every bottle of whiskey that comes from Buffalo Trace has a laser etched code on the bottle that states the date and time it was bottled.  The code would be something like:

 

B1621022:05

 

The B is "Buffalo Trace" the 16 represents the year (2016) the 210 represents the 210th day of 2016 (July 28) and the 22:05 is the 24hr time it was bottled (10:05pm)

 

It may not be as obvious as a large "2016" plastered on the bottled but you would be guaranteed a 2016 bottle.  Plus since it's BT, there is such a range of choices at different price points.  Maybe you won't be able to get a BTAC bottle or Van Winkle but a Blanton's, Elmer T Lee, Rock Hill Farms, or Colonel Taylor would be a worthy bottle 20-30yrs from now.

Thanks.  Now, all I need is somebody with eyes good enough to (a) find the laser code and (2) able to read it to me.  OTOH, thanks.

[mbroo5880i]

28 minutes ago, Enoch said:

I found an EC18 bottled that was distilled exactly on my daughters birthday and I found it 20 years later.

 

Wow, that is awesome!  Did you have help finding it or just find it on a shelf?

[Enoch]

Actually for months in 2010 during my hay day of dusty hunting I would check every bottle I came across. After maybe 100 stores I found it on a shelf. 

[mbroo5880i]

2 hours ago, Enoch said:

Actually for months in 2010 during my hay day of dusty hunting I would check every bottle I came across. After maybe 100 stores I found it on a shelf. 

 

Yeah, it was easier to find back then.  Pretty cool, though!