FasterHorses Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 How would I identify bottles from these two distilleries that were bottled before the distilleries were sold? Also in your opinion, is there a big difference in the quality of the whiskey pre and post buyout? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 Stranahan's used to have a batch number on the bottle and I think it still does though I am not sure. There was a transition period of course but it was sold way back in 2010 so batch numbers would have to be low double digits to be pre Proximo. Probably at least Batch 75 or below. The lower the better. HW may be a bit more difficult. It is more recent (Fall of 2016) and I haven't looked to see if there was any kind of code printed on the bottle or label. While the labels are similar the newer bottles do tend to have a slightly different looking label (bigger picture maybe?). I remember that the American Prairie bourbon used to have a different animal pictured on the label for each batch. I think the original one, which was well before the sale, had a pronghorn antelope. Then it had a prairie chicken. But I think it has now gone back to the pronghorn. So a Prairie bourbon featuring a prairie chicken would probably be prior to the sale! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbon4all Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 40 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said: Stranahan's used to have a batch number on the bottle and I think it still does though I am not sure. There was a transition period of course but it was sold way back in 2010 so batch numbers would have to be low double digits to be pre Proximo. Probably at least Batch 75 or below. The lower the better. HW may be a bit more difficult. It is more recent (Fall of 2016) and I haven't looked to see if there was any kind of code printed on the bottle or label. While the labels are similar the newer bottles do tend to have a slightly different looking label (bigger picture maybe?). I remember that the American Prairie bourbon used to have a different animal pictured on the label for each batch. I think the original one, which was well before the sale, had a pronghorn antelope. Then it had a prairie chicken. But I think it has now gone back to the pronghorn. So a Prairie bourbon featuring a prairie chicken would probably be prior to the sale! The prairie chicken is definitely a younger batch and should contain 10 year four roses and 6 year mgp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbon4all Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 Oh and high west puts the year on the bottle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbon4all Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 2014 and 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 9 hours ago, FasterHorses said: Also in your opinion, is there a big difference in the quality of the whiskey pre and post buyout? Speaking for Stranahan's, I had one of their earliest releases thanks to a friend that did their bottling line volunteer thing. It was very different (loads of caramel, no hint of malt) from and much better than my modern day bottle (malty & herbal, strong pine notes, yet a weird bourbon sweetness from the barrel). Then I had pours of it here and there for a long time, and finally realized that, actually, they are all very different. The moral of the story is, pre or post, they simply can't make consistent juice 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FasterHorses Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 Really great information! Love the knowledge on this site. Thanks fellas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FasterHorses Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 (edited) Grabbed a 2013 Campfire and passed on some 2012 Rendezvous Rye. Probably will go back for the 2012. Edited January 21, 2018 by FasterHorses 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FasterHorses Posted February 24, 2018 Author Share Posted February 24, 2018 Found a batch 4 and batch 6 of American Prairie Bourbon...Not the reserve. The American Prairie Bourbon was first bottled in 2015 and batches 1-10 were marked with only 1 number per HW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzhead Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 On 12/28/2017 at 9:11 PM, Kane said: Speaking for Stranahan's, I had one of their earliest releases thanks to a friend that did their bottling line volunteer thing. It was very different (loads of caramel, no hint of malt) from and much better than my modern day bottle (malty & herbal, strong pine notes, yet a weird bourbon sweetness from the barrel). Then I had pours of it here and there for a long time, and finally realized that, actually, they are all very different. The moral of the story is, pre or post, they simply can't make consistent juice I've had four bottles of Stranny's over the years, and just opened a new bottle from batch 199. While I've never had two bottles open at the same time to do a proper comparo, every bottle I've tried is more or less similar to the others. It's the odd duck of an all malt whiskey, like a scotch, aged in new charred oak barrels, like a bourbon. The primary note I recall from all bottles, including the current one, is graham cracker. Kinda similar to Nikka Coffee Malt. I know that many critics have noticed big differences between batches (both pre and post-sale), but as far as I can tell Stranny's has been pretty consistent and, if you like that graham cracker note, it's both tasty and balanced. I've had the longer aged stuff (Diamond Peak), and still prefer the regular yellow label Stranny's, especially at close to a $20 difference in price. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 On 12/17/2018 at 10:49 AM, Jazzhead said: The primary note I recall from all bottles, including the current one, is graham cracker. Kinda similar to Nikka Coffee Malt. Hmm, not the first comparison that comes to mind for me. Going to have to try those two side by side! Going to have to be blind because I am likely a bit biased towards the Nikka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbstout Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 I love how the back of the bottles tell you to go to the website to find information on the particular batch you bought. Good luck. I am a buyer of anything 2014 and earlier. Later years makes me wonder what stocks of MGP/Barton/4 Roses were left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarthQuake Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 I never realized the american prarie had four roses in it, makes me regret not picking up bottles. Is this still the case with the stuff I'm likely to find on the shelves today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 On 12/20/2018 at 11:26 PM, EarthQuake said: I never realized the american prarie had four roses in it, makes me regret not picking up bottles. Is this still the case with the stuff I'm likely to find on the shelves today? Depends on how often the website is updated (and how much you trust it to be accurate). It currently lists the lower rye mashbill from MGP as one of the bourbons and a very low 8% rye mashbill from an undisclosed source so it could be anything but sounds to me like it could be Dickel. BT seems an unlikely source but they have a very low rye mashbill as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarthQuake Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) 7 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said: Depends on how often the website is updated (and how much you trust it to be accurate). It currently lists the lower rye mashbill from MGP as one of the bourbons and a very low 8% rye mashbill from an undisclosed source so it could be anything but sounds to me like it could be Dickel. BT seems an unlikely source but they have a very low rye mashbill as well. Thanks for the heads up. Dickel is the magic word for me. As in poof and I'm gone when I hear it. I'll give it a pass unless I can find some older batches. Edited January 12, 2019 by EarthQuake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0895 Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 (edited) On 1/21/2018 at 12:15 AM, FasterHorses said: Grabbed a 2013 Campfire and passed on some 2012 Rendezvous Rye. Probably will go back for the 2012. You passed on a 2012 Rendezvous? ...................................... Um... seen that topic in the other section of the forum? Something about, help a member (me) find a bottle of something (2012 HWRR) (I'm on my knees praying here) Older batches of rendezvous should have the 16 year Barton rye in them, which frankly , I don't think you'll like at all. It's terrible stuff. Hell, I can't even keep a straight face typing this. Edited January 25, 2019 by 0895 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 8 hours ago, 0895 said: You passed on a 2012 Rendezvous? ...................................... Um... seen that topic in the other section of the forum? Something about, help a member (me) find a bottle of something (2012 HWRR) (I'm on my knees praying here) Older batches of rendezvous should have the 16 year Barton rye in them, which frankly , I don't think you'll like at all. It's terrible stuff. Hell, I can't even keep a straight face typing this. What would the batch codes be on those, I don't check that thread much but if one of my local places has one and ships I can certainly give you a heads up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0895 Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 1 hour ago, kevinbrink said: What would the batch codes be on those, I don't check that thread much but if one of my local places has one and ships I can certainly give you a heads up. First two digits of the batches are the year. Arguably anything 15 and before should have Barton rye in it, but that’s just speculation. Store pick single barrels are usually just labeled w/ the barrel #. not much good info, except that the last store picks of RR were 2014-15 I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FasterHorses Posted January 26, 2019 Author Share Posted January 26, 2019 On 1/25/2019 at 9:54 AM, 0895 said: First two digits of the batches are the year. Arguably anything 15 and before should have Barton rye in it, but that’s just speculation. Store pick single barrels are usually just labeled w/ the barrel #. not much good info, except that the last store picks of RR were 2014-15 I believe. Just PM’d you.. was gonna mention kevin as a resource as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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