jeff Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 Yesterday I ran across a stash of an older Kentucky Spirit bottling. These are the bottles with the pewter stopper and a different label than is currently available. I picked up a bottle, and I find it a bit more robust than the previous bottles I have sampled; I like it! My question is: Was the change simply a cosmetic one, or was there a noticable change in style from one bottle type to the other. Since I only have the one on hand I can't do a direct comparison, which would be somewhat futile anyway, seeing as they are single barrel bourbons and always subject to variation, but I am interested in if others seem to prefer older KS to the newer stuff. Oh, and get this, this store was marking them DOWN to only $34 each. I think I'll buy them out next week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 A moot point, but an FYI... I have seen 4 different types of KS bottles. The first is what I call the 'original' KS bottle. It had a pewter stopper, dark and light grey neckband with silver writing, and a silver and black label in the center of the bottle similar to today's just different colored. Also, it had very dark grey writing under the sticker saying Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon 750ml. This writing is very hard to read due to it being such a dark grey. The second variation I have seen is the same exact bottle as mentioned above except the grey writing on the bottom was replaced with the light tan colored writing we are familiar with today. I would guess that they made a bottle change so the writing could be more easily read but they kept using up their old stock of labels, or the label change took a bit longer than it did to implement the new bottles. The third bottle used the bottles see know today with the light colored writing on the bottom but had label changes such as a brown neckband with light colored writing and a center label that is more easily viewed in brown and white colors. Finally, the fourth bottle is the exact same as above, but with a wooden stopper replacing the beautiful pewter stoppers. I wish they had never made this particular change, because I liked the stopper even more than KS itself KS it good, but not worth the premium price they charge for it in my opinion; I prefer Blanton's or Rock Hill Farms. Now for the price you speak of Jeff, at $34, it is a must buy. Around here it tops $40 easily! Now to answer your question... To be fair I have only tried one bottle of the newer variation compared to 3 different bottles of the older ones (from about 3 years ago) and I did prefer the older ones. It is hard to explain why, but to me they just seemed to be more 'flavorful' or robust. There was more going on, more tastes jumping out at me, whereas I found the newer bottle to be so-so. Maybe the new bottle I had was just an off barrel, but those are just my findings. Oh, below I have included a pic of what I described to be the 'first' bottling on the left and a newer one after the label change on the right (The 3rd bottle I spoke of since it has the pewter stopper). It used to come in a box as well, which was all black. Rather nice looking if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff Posted February 23, 2004 Author Share Posted February 23, 2004 Mark, the bottles I found are identical the the one on the left in your picture, which I gather from your post is the original. What are the dates on your bottle, so that I can compare with mine tonight just to make sure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 The particular bottle I took the pic of says:Bottled on 11-15-99from Barrel No. 3stored in Warehouse Eon Rick No. 20I don't know the dates or anything from the original bottles I did try, but I am damn near sure that 2 of them were bought from the same palce I got this one, so they may have been form the same barrel/date.Nice find Jeff, but em' up and enjoy em'! I know how much you love KS, and at that price for the older stuff, you really cannot go wrong IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff Posted February 23, 2004 Author Share Posted February 23, 2004 Thanks for the info Mark. I'll check the dates tonight, but IIRC, I think my bottle was barrled in early 2000, barrel #2 but I can't recall the wharehouse or rick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrel_Proof Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 My oldest bottle of KS (the one described in my 2003 Super Bowl match-up) was bottled on 2-7-00. This is KS variant 1 in the Paradox Reference Guide (Original Labels, Grey Bottle Text, Pewter Stopper). My 5-7-01 bottle is Paradox KS variant 3 (New Labels, Yellow Bottle Text, Pewter Stopper). By 6-21-02, KS variant 4 (New Labels, Yellow Bottle Text, Wood Stopper) was in use. I had no idea that variant 2 (Original Labels, Yellow Bottle Text, Pewter Stopper) existed before the publication of the Paradox Reference Guide, here. Thank you, Mark. Your knowledge of bourbon trade dress never ceases to amaze us all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 Thanks Cliff, I err, apreciate the compliment. Really though, variant #2 must have been a very small short lived run. I have only seen that type of bottle 2 times and both were in VA, at ABC stores. Now for the kicker; I didn't even buy one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Reserve Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 Just today in a local party store I purchased a bottle of Kentucky Spirit. I purchased this bottle at a party store that I usually do not frequent because it was about $6.00 below current price (liquor price control in MI). As soon as it was in my hands I noticed the pewter top. I must say it is very nice. I think I will have to hold this bottle, it is a nice find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 ...I had no idea that variant 2 (Original Labels, Yellow Bottle Text, Pewter Stopper) existed...Well, I'm a johnny-come-lately to this threat (missed it the first time around, I guess), but the only KY Spirit I have happens to be Variant 2 (Barrel 1, no less), bottled 2-1-01, from Warehouse E, rick #9.I've spotted pewter tops in a couple of other stores around -- guess I'll have to look more closely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkman Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 Hi Tim,They must bottle this stuff pretty slow. I have 6-12-01 barrel #8 warehouse E rick #9. Four and 1/2 months later for this barrel to get bottled? A story. I was at the distillery (Wild Turkey) and bought a bottle of Russell's Reserve. THe staff there like talking about bourbon with us som much, they called (by radio) for Jimmy Russell to come down to the gift shop and meet us. He signed my bottle of RR and my budy's bottle of KS and sat and talked with us for alomost an hour! He was really nice to talk to. A linving icon , IMO.Just thought I'd share. Oh, I opend the RR and have enjoyed half of it thus far. It has a label that reads "specially selected for sale at the WilD Turkey gift shop" or something like that. Wouldn't really think that it is any different than the store bottlings, but being signed is really cool.Have a great day/night all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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