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Hochstadler's 16yo Barrel Proof Rye


tanstaafl2
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Umm, yikes. Looks like Hochstadter's is going a bit WhistlePig-gy with their newest release according to Fred Minnick.

 

A barrel proof 16yo at 123.8 for a mere $200 (ok, "just" $199.99). I have had a bit of a love/hate relationship with the 13yo LSB rye and initially planned to pass on the 107 proof 16yo LSB rye that was priced around $150 (although to no one's surprise I eventually caved of course).

 

Now we have a barrel proof version at the same age for another $50. Is about 15% more alcohol worth a 33% price increase? Is that even a fair question? Seems a bit hard to merit. Fred's post notes these were personally selected by the late founder of Cooper Spirits who passed away unexpectedly about a year ago at the very young age of 39 (from unknown, or at least unreported, causes). 7500 bottles suggests a fair number of barrels to hand pick!  No idea if the were still in the barrel until recently as they age to 16 years of age or if they have been tanked or bottled and are just now getting released.

 

Older rye is always a temptation, especially Alberta Distillers 100% rye, but $200 makes this one even harder to get interested in (despite the painfully higher price of the Booker's rye, which likely helped elevate the bar along with that nasally sow), especially without trying first. I have already given up on the groundhog. This might have to fall into the same category.

 

Or not... :huh:

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Considering how ridiculously priced WPBH is, this is practically a bargain. And given how good 16yo L,S&B is...as well as how good WPBH is, this is likely to be my all time favorite whiskey. For $199.99? I can live with that. 

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10 minutes ago, IncredulousNosco said:

Considering how ridiculously priced WPBH is, this is practically a bargain. And given how good 16yo L,S&B is...as well as how good WPBH is, this is likely to be my all time favorite whiskey. For $199.99? I can live with that. 

 

Hmm, $200 straight rye whiskey that is a bargain. Gonna have to chew on that one awhile. B)

 

But I will concede that the WPBH price is pretty ridiculous!

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8 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said:

 

Hmm, $200 straight rye whiskey that is a bargain. Gonna have to chew on that one awhile. B)

 

While you're chewing, consider Booker's Rye as well. Cooper Spirits didn't create this game (BT, WP & Beam/Suntory did), they just came to play. And they came with an older & cheaper rye. 

 

I think I'll sip on the crazy good and well priced HVSRW tonight and consider it further myself. Because your "15% more alcohol worth a 33% price increase" is a good argument. 

 

But just think! Beam/Suntory could be releasing this exact same whiskey. They just ain't. For reasons. 

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44 minutes ago, IncredulousNosco said:

 

While you're chewing, consider Booker's Rye as well. Cooper Spirits didn't create this game (BT, WP & Beam/Suntory did), they just came to play. And they came with an older & cheaper rye. 

 

I think I'll sip on the crazy good and well priced HVSRW tonight and consider it further myself. Because your "15% more alcohol worth a 33% price increase" is a good argument. 

 

But just think! Beam/Suntory could be releasing this exact same whiskey. They just ain't. For reasons. 

 

Fair point. And I have considered the Booker's Rye (quite carefully and at some depth I might add!).  The price? Excessive! Made anywhere else? Ummm, nope. More to come? Not so that I can tell. Does that justify the price. Nah, probably not. I give full marks to Beam Suntory for jumping onto the price inflation bandwagon with both feet. And everything else they had available.

 

Indeed, as a curious side note, Alberta Distillery (source of the Hochstadter and much of the Whistlepig) belongs to, yes you guessed it, Beam Suntory.

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I had a few pours of the LS&B 16 this weekend at a festival, it was both my first and last pour (and a few in the middle) I found it a bit uninspiring but with a bit more proof I can see it being much more interesting as it stood the HSVR sitting right next to it was a more enjoyable pour IMHO.

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16 hours ago, kevinbrink said:

I had a few pours of the LS&B 16 this weekend at a festival, it was both my first and last pour (and a few in the middle) I found it a bit uninspiring but with a bit more proof I can see it being much more interesting as it stood the HSVR sitting right next to it was a more enjoyable pour IMHO.

 

Very interesting. I often have HVSRW just after or before a pour of  L,S&B. And as much as I love HVSRW--indeed it's been one of my daily go-tos for about a year now--I don't think it is nearly in the same league as the L,S&B. Although I do rate them both very highly. And as I said up-thread,  L,S&B is currently my favorite whisky. It's in the same class in my mind as Ardbeg Uigeadail and ECBP. Of course it is likely to be supplanted by H16yoBP.  I've never been disappointed by a CS Alberta rye. 

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27 minutes ago, IncredulousNosco said:

 

Very interesting. I often have HVSRW just after or before a pour of  L,S&B. And as much as I love HVSRW--indeed it's been one of my daily go-tos for about a year now--I don't think it is nearly in the same league as the L,S&B. Although I do rate them both very highly. And as I said up-thread,  L,S&B is currently my favorite whisky. It's in the same class in my mind as Ardbeg Uigeadail and ECBP. Of course it is likely to be supplanted by H16yoBP.  I've never been disappointed by a CS Alberta rye. 

In fairness it was not exactly the ideal setting, but if I was going to spend that kind of scratch on a bottle I would expect to be blown away.

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