Old Grand Dad rumor

[Kyjd75]

Well, this is a take it for what it is worth rumor, but yesterday while visiting with a friend closely connected to the Bourbon industry (I live 20 miles from the Beam distilleries) i was told that OGD was going away for an extended vacation, possibly not to return.  That's it--all I can say.  Very disappointing if true as OGD is one of my personal favorites.

[worstbandname]

There was a small rumor floating on reddit that that 114 was going away.  Nothing to back it up yet.

[Richnimrod]

6 hours ago, Kyjd75 said:

Well, this is a take it for what it is worth rumor, but yesterday while visiting with a friend closely connected to the Bourbon industry (I live 20 miles from the Beam distilleries) i was told that OGD was going away for an extended vacation, possibly not to return.  That's it--all I can say.  Very disappointing if true as OGD is one of my personal favorites.

I'd be VERY surprised if this turns out to be true.   I have no evidence to the contrary; but, have no supporting evidence either.    A comment made during a barrel selection at Beam a year ago by the Beam rep seemed to indicate continuation and support of the OGD brand.    In fact we were hoping for a Barrel Proof opportunity based upon comments at that time.     But, all that said, NOTHING is out of the question, I guess.    We should all take a few minutes to visit Beam during the KBF and express our displeasure, should such thing come to pass, eh?!

Edited September 10, 2016 by Richnimrod

[worstbandname]

There was a small rumor floating on reddit that that 114 was going away.  Nothing to back it up yet.

[Flyfish]

Went to buy BIB but they were all out. (Had plenty of the low octane, though.) Just assumed that well-informed consumers had grabbed it all and that it would be back in stock soon. (Which, by the way, always means "next Thursday" at that store.) Went home and poured some 114 that I have to ration because not available here. Does this mean that....? No. It can't mean that!

[trufunk]

I hope not.

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[Harry in WashDC]

If true, to quote a Great American expressing his opinion when OGB BIB switched from orange screwtop to cork - "Ah, crap!"

[PaulO]

They only recently re-designed the package for the bonded version (and raised the price a few bucks).  It would seem odd to discontinue it now.  I guess stranger things have happened.  Come on guys.  I'm supposed to be drinking down the bunker.  Now I need to go hunt OGD BIB & 114?  Those are two of the really decent bourbons I never needed to hoard, just go buy it whenever I wanted it.

[B.B. Babington]

53 minutes ago, PaulO said:

... Those are two of the really decent bourbons I never needed to hoard, just go buy it whenever I wanted it.

Isn't that what we've said about lots of whiskeys that we now scour hinterlands for dusties?

[GaryT]

9 hours ago, B.B. Babington said:

Isn't that what we've said about lots of whiskeys that we now scour hinterlands for dusties?

 

This is what keeps me up at night.  I was late to the party, but remember never needing to worry when my SB blend was running low.  OWA and W12 weren't at every store, but those that carried them were rarely out.  Or OGD 114 for that matter - which became my stock bourbon for cooking/baking.  It hasn't disappeared, but seems like it isn't nearly as plentiful as it once was.

 

The package redesign gave me hope that they were keeping the label, as it does seem like the sorta label/brand that might be killed off before too long, as not finding a market with the youngins.  Although the new label I think might creep them out more than the old one LOL  Are they hurting for Basil?  I'm not sure what they would do with the whiskey stocks for OGD.  I'd assume only some of those could be blended into Basil (based on where its aged, some if not most wouldn't fit the flavor profile?)  Or if they're going to just make a more "aggressive" Basil at a higher proof, they could use the OGD stock as a brand extension?  Although I don't think I would buy it on general principle if that was their scheme ("Let's put OGD BIB & 114 in a new BH bottle - maybe BH BIB - and charge $50 a bottle for it!").  

 

But, until we hear more credible insights, I'm not bunkering.  I think they need brands like OGD to blend away some of the barrels that they just couldn't use in a BH line or line extension.  

[Grain Belt]

I hope this is just a rumor.  I am a big fan of standard bonded bourbons as was my father before me.  I have dabbled in chasing some of the bourbon/rye unicorns in the past.  I now know I get more joy out of  $12-$25 bottles than I do wiith many $60-$100 bottles.  OGD100 is definitely part of my rotation.  I like it neat, on the rocks, with a splash of water, and the high rye mash ill makes it great in cocktails. It would be a real shame if it went off the shelves. 

[ebo]

That would make me very unhappy, if true. I can't afford to indulge in the hobby the way I used to. OGD BiB is one of the few inexpensive "quality" bourbons out there.

[flahute]

There have been rumors of BH entering the single barrel program. It could be (if above rumors are true) that there's a bigger plan to expand the BH offerings.

If so, it would not surprise me. BH at 80 proof gets far more attention from the hipsters (yes, I know, a gross generalization, but you know what I mean). It's more upscale appeal is a draw and attempts at luring them over to OGD seem to have failed. (My own small sample size of attempts would bear this out).

 

One thing to consider in the bigger picture: there was a VERY interesting article I read recently about the Beam Suntory "merger". It may have been in a financial magazine. 

One of the focuses going forward as handed down from execs at Suntory is a move towards "premiumisation". After reading this, I noted that the first new releases to come out after this directive were KC2001 and Booker's Rye. We all know what those cost.

 

SO, all speculation at this point, but a different context in which to speculate.

[Harry in WashDC]

I thought about this all night, Steve, while scouring online inventories of OGD BIB in Virginia and Maryland to see which stores had lots on hand.  With JB BIB on sale for $18 in some places compared to OGD BIB at around $25, perhaps Beam/Suntory would like those of us currently purchasing OGD BIB to shift to the not-so-bad-in-MHO JB BIB so they could stop discounting the JB.  I could see B/S shifting focus from building brand loyalty in traditional brands supplemented by "LEs" even though they made a substantial investment in changing the design of OGD.  Said another way, "If you are driniking JBW with Coke, become a connoisseur by moving up to JB Bonded.  And, if you REALLY want to be cool, check out our LEs".  If that means they cannibalize OGD stocks to satisfy the "demand" for LEs of Basil Hayden, I would suppose it would be because the broader market (the shiny object-chasers) outnumber those of us buying on quality for price (i.e., "value" purchasers).  Brand loyalty, I guess, means nothing to advertisers who regard anyone over the age of 45 as uninfluenceable and anybody under 45 as inherently unfaithful.  ASIDE: Heck, we [over 45s] have most of the money and have most of what we NEED already.  The rest of our money can go for what we WANT, so how about selling us what we want?

 

It was about two years ago (or maybe just earlier this year - time flies) when the OGD 114 rumors started and some threads here talked about its possible demise.  Shortly thereafter, it was on sale "everywhere" back here, and I loaded up - not because it was disappearing but because I thought the price was too low to pass up even if I wouldn't get around to drinking it for three or four years.    Let's hope this is yet another marketing ploy, like I am convinced (on scant evidence, mind you) the OGD 114 rumors were, to move some warehouse stock.

Edited September 11, 2016 by Harry in WashDC
to clarify who "we" is (or are)

[kcgumbohead]

I very much hope there is nothing to this. As just last night a close friend visiting from the west coast and a Scotch, Tequila aficionado was exposed to bourbon. He was blown away by OGD 114 and will seek out a bottle as soon as he returns. OGD the recipe, history... Deserve much better than being mothballed and as last night showed, a taste is all it takes and yet another OGD convert is born. Hey Beam Suntory, DONT BE STUPID!!!!!!!!!

[flahute]

From a source at Beam: OGD is not going away, BUT, one of the skus may go away. (No idea which one, but I know there's an 80proof, a BIB, and 114 proof in my market).

The focus will be on BH as suspected.

[GaryT]

And thinking about that . . . they've done the proof drop from 86 > 80, label changes on that and the BIB . . . the 114 seems to me like it would be the natural target to be eliminated.  If OGD is where BH barrels that aren't good enough for BH go to be blended away, the 80 proof gives you a lot more dilution room to get away with that.  Maintaining the 114 at the flavor I think requires higher quality barrels (although they don't taste anything like BH to me).  

 

As others stated - the rumor has been out there for a while (including a thread in early 2014 on SB.com, as well as addressed by Fred Minnick below).  But maybe THIS time it's for real.  That would be disappointing for sure.

 

http://whiskyadvocate.com/2014/04/18/burning-down-the-rumor-mill/

 

[Harry in WashDC]

1 hour ago, GaryT said:

* * * As others stated - the rumor has been out there for a while (including a thread in early 2014 on SB.com, as well as addressed by Fred Minnick below).  But maybe THIS time it's for real.  That would be disappointing for sure.

 

http://whiskyadvocate.com/2014/04/18/burning-down-the-rumor-mill/

 

You mean all those 114s I have on the upper shelves and in the back of my closet date from early 2014?  At least the couple on the lower shelf are recent.  I think.

 

More seriously, Gary, thanks for the Fred link.

[B.B. Babington]

we all have our reasons for stocking up 114, the main reason being so's we won't run out!  I ran into a big sale in '09 or '10; still drinking from that stockpile.

[mbroo5880i]

I guess I should pick up a few OGD 114s and BIBs just in case.  The price is right to add a few to the bunker.

[danz]

I hope they don't change up the OGD line, unless it is possibly to offer more of an unfiltered product.  OGD 114 is one of the few Beam products I actually like.  Fine, make it more premium, but the whole Basil Hayden approach is off in my view, more package than substance.

[Flyfish]

Oh, never mind. This must be "Thursday." When I went back to the store today there were 12 bottles of BIB. Now there are 11. I'll continue to roll the dice on availability.

[PaulO]

I had two bottles of BH when it was new (and still had the 8 year age stement - now it's NAS).  One I bought myself out of curiosity.  The second was a gift.  I thought it was ok for a lower proof bourbon, but way overpriced for what it is.  Now that it's NAS, it's like - hey this is worth an above premium price, only because the people selling it say so.  I think of it as an expensive beginners bourbon.  I really don't know how much demand there is for it.

[The Black Tot]

I expect one of two SKUs to be cut. Either the 80 proof, which is probably in competition with Basil Hayden and losing, or else the 114, which is delivering far too much value for money vs the rest of the line.

 

I'm hoping it's the 80 proof, but hey, one never knows.

 

I've held off on stocking up on OGD114 in hopes that I'll be allowed to be involved in a barrel selection of it. Beam seems to continue to be resistant to this, despite making moves to simultaneously curtail the brand. This would point to an extension of the BH brand, which seems to have more future appeal.

 

Truth be told, if they want to age it longer and release it as BH under a higher proof, I might not mind. But let us into the rackhouse and make a pick, dammit!!!

[mosugoji64]

Echoing what PaulO said, BH was one I tried early on and, while it is by no means bad, I never purchased another bottle given that OGD BIB and 114 offer better pours for less money. If any labels are up for the chopping block, my bet would be on 114. The other two OGD brands have received facelifts recently and I can't see Beam putting in the time and effort to do so only to nix one soon after. Plus, offing 114 would allow considerably more distillate to flow into BH, which I'm sure is a much bigger money maker for them.

And I'm right there with you, Paul (Tot). A PS bottling of 114 would be VERY cool and potentially stellar. Send me that petition and I'll sign!