Big Rick Posted May 18, 2019 Share Posted May 18, 2019 Yesterday I was delighted to find VOB 1.75 once again at my go to store. I grabbed one and when I got home I 1st noticed that the neck label said 100 proof. Later when I cracked the seal I notice that the BiB designation was missing. Anybody have any information about this? I know that the 6 yr part was gone but is it no longer BiB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted May 18, 2019 Share Posted May 18, 2019 21 minutes ago, Big Rick said: Yesterday I was delighted to find VOB 1.75 once again at my go to store. I grabbed one and when I got home I 1st noticed that the neck label said 100 proof. Later when I cracked the seal I notice that the BiB designation was missing. Anybody have any information about this? I know that the 6 yr part was gone but is it no longer BiB? Correct no longer BIB as it's no longer from a single distilling season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcgumbohead Posted May 18, 2019 Share Posted May 18, 2019 11 minutes ago, Big Rick said: Yesterday I was delighted to find VOB 1.75 once again at my go to store. I grabbed one and when I got home I 1st noticed that the neck label said 100 proof. Later when I cracked the seal I notice that the BiB designation was missing. Anybody have any information about this? I know that the 6 yr part was gone but is it no longer BiB? They dropped the bib designation last year some time, too bad as I was a big fan of VOB bib. It was a must buy on any KY trip. Boom or not I can’t imagine any reason why they would abandon bib ( except to bolster the swelling 1792 line at a much higher price). I am also a big fan of bib as a category and if they cannot be bothered to maintain at least a bib level of quality I am no longer a buyer. Profile may or may not change but I don’t care, its a vote with your wallet position on my part. The market will push back against this boom at some point and this is my personal contribution, I always liked Barton but there are plenty of others to explore and enjoy and support. Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted May 18, 2019 Share Posted May 18, 2019 2 hours ago, kcgumbohead said: They dropped the bib designation last year some time, too bad as I was a big fan of VOB bib. It was a must buy on any KY trip. Boom or not I can’t imagine any reason why they would abandon bib ( except to bolster the swelling 1792 line at a much higher price). I am also a big fan of bib as a category and if they cannot be bothered to maintain at least a bib level of quality I am no longer a buyer. Profile may or may not change but I don’t care, its a vote with your wallet position on my part. The market will push back against this boom at some point and this is my personal contribution, I always liked Barton but there are plenty of others to explore and enjoy and support. Cheers. You may be exactly correct about Barton/1792 dedicating more distillation time to the various 1792 brands. That wouldn't surprise me, Kevin. Makes perfect sense. That 'higher' rye mashbill wasn't always the big player in the market that it has possibly become, especially when you allow for the premium prices attached to those brands, and their wider distribution (at least some of the extensions). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Rick Posted May 18, 2019 Author Share Posted May 18, 2019 4 hours ago, kevinbrink said: Correct no longer BIB as it's no longer from a single distilling season. That stinks as the price hasn't changed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Rick Posted May 18, 2019 Author Share Posted May 18, 2019 5 hours ago, kcgumbohead said: They dropped the bib designation last year some time, too bad as I was a big fan of VOB bib. It was a must buy on any KY trip. Boom or not I can’t imagine any reason why they would abandon bib ( except to bolster the swelling 1792 line at a much higher price). I am also a big fan of bib as a category and if they cannot be bothered to maintain at least a bib level of quality I am no longer a buyer. Profile may or may not change but I don’t care, its a vote with your wallet position on my part. The market will push back against this boom at some point and this is my personal contribution, I always liked Barton but there are plenty of others to explore and enjoy and support. Cheers. That stinks as the price hasn't changed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 6 hours ago, Big Rick said: That stinks as the price hasn't changed! Why would it in reality, it's a budget bottle to start with, it didn't get younger by losing the BIB designation in some ways they are likely to be able to make a more consistent product by blending multiple seasons. Losing the 6 year age statement was certainly more of a step down than removing BIB. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcgumbohead Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 8 hours ago, kevinbrink said: Why would it in reality, it's a budget bottle to start with, it didn't get younger by losing the BIB designation in some ways they are likely to be able to make a more consistent product by blending multiple seasons. Losing the 6 year age statement was certainly more of a step down than removing BIB. Agreed the price was and is an outstanding bargain and the step down from 6 to 4 was bad enough but it certainly remained a delicious and affordable expression. IMO dropping bib is just lazy on their part and disrespectful of the brand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted May 20, 2019 Share Posted May 20, 2019 On 5/18/2019 at 12:08 PM, kcgumbohead said: They dropped the bib designation last year some time, too bad as I was a big fan of VOB bib. It was a must buy on any KY trip. Boom or not I can’t imagine any reason why they would abandon bib ( except to bolster the swelling 1792 line at a much higher price). I am also a big fan of bib as a category and if they cannot be bothered to maintain at least a bib level of quality I am no longer a buyer. Profile may or may not change but I don’t care, its a vote with your wallet position on my part. The market will push back against this boom at some point and this is my personal contribution, I always liked Barton but there are plenty of others to explore and enjoy and support. Cheers. Your comment about "a BIB level of quality" is a bit puzzling. BIB follows all the rules of straight with the addition of the 100 proof mandate and coming from one distillery and one distilling season. In this case the proof was still at 100. How does the ability to blend other whiskey from the distillery that is aged at least four years lower the quality? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcgumbohead Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 12 hours ago, Old Hippie said: Your comment about "a BIB level of quality" is a bit puzzling. BIB follows all the rules of straight with the addition of the 100 proof mandate and coming from one distillery and one distilling season. In this case the proof was still at 100. How does the ability to blend other whiskey from the distillery that is aged at least four years lower the quality? Let me clarify my position. BIB as you are aware by quoting some of its requirements, established a level of quality. It has and remains in this enthusiasts opinion an important designation. I also framed it in reference to the history of this particular expression as a bottled in bond. I don’t like that they dropped bib, I don’t care that its still a 4 yr. I like the tradition of bourbon and of bottled in bond as a category. Sazerac decided to F**k with VOB yet again, that was it for me, see ya. I have had enough of the BS moving of ages to the back label, leaving numbers where age statements used to be, dropping them altogether... 6yr to 4 as bib then lose the bib, they apparently don’t have much regard for this particular expression but I did. I will state again, I am choosing to exclude it from future purchases because I am taking a stand. I also said the profile may very well remain intact but again, I don’t care. Others may agree,disagree,understand or...not. My dollars my choice and to me this latest move has IMO degraded the brand and thats where I will leave it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 19 minutes ago, kcgumbohead said: Let me clarify my position. BIB as you are aware by quoting some of its requirements, established a level of quality. It has and remains in this enthusiasts opinion an important designation. I also framed it in reference to the history of this particular expression as a bottled in bond. I don’t like that they dropped bib, I don’t care that its still a 4 yr. I like the tradition of bourbon and of bottled in bond as a category. Sazerac decided to F**k with VOB yet again, that was it for me, see ya. I have had enough of the BS moving of ages to the back label, leaving numbers where age statements used to be, dropping them altogether... 6yr to 4 as bib then lose the bib, they apparently don’t have much regard for this particular expression but I did. I will state again, I am choosing to exclude it from future purchases because I am taking a stand. I also said the profile may very well remain intact but again, I don’t care. Others may agree,disagree,understand or...not. My dollars my choice and to me this latest move has IMO degraded the brand and thats where I will leave it. I agree with much of what you are frustrated with for certain, in the scope of things this is the least offensive transgression to me, but I get how it could be the last straw for someone. I've curtailed my BT/Sazerac purchases in the last few years for similar reasons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry in WashDC Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 As a search on SB for "VOB" will reveal, the issues of: replacement of "aged 6 years" with a "6" on the neckband; replacement of "6" with "100 proof" on the neckband; and dropping of "BIB" or its equivalent from anywhere on the bottle have each been discussed. At length. A lot. Not enough for us geeks. Also discussed several places including "History" is the "Bottled in Bond Act" and its purpose and affect on the industry. I won't mention the related discussions in the half dozen books by current and former SB contributors that also address age statements, BIB, labeling, etc. Based on my admittedly anecdotal experience with intentional and UNintentional SBS testing of VOB 100 proof (see my posts someplace on here circa March 2018 which kevinbrink also posted near as well as stuff some other old folx (recognize yourself?) posted as far back as late 2014 when I think ER 10 YEAR messed with its neckband), I mostly go by what the stuff in the bottle tastes like. For example, three years ago, WT 101 tasted "off" to me so I quit drinking it (except for the two bottles I kept for refilling my fishing flask as I only drink WT 101 when fishing as it is "lucky"). Lately (like the last year or so), it has tasted like its old self so I'm now a buyer. I gotta say, however, VOB "100" "crafted" just doesn't taste only 4 YO to me. It STILL tastes like it is a 5-6 year (or 6-7?) mix. Maybe it is not "all" from one distilling season anymore, but I bet its "blend" from youngest to oldest is measured in months, not years. I say this because my sweet spot for bourbons is 6-8 years, and I have consumed many GALLONS in that range in my relatively short life. Even my most recent 750 of VOB "100" "Crafted" which I finished off about four minutes ago satisfied that brown whiskey itch. Just saying. Respectfully submitted. And so to bed. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 9 hours ago, Harry in WashDC said: I kept for refilling my fishing flask as I only drink WT 101 when fishing as it is "lucky". Well! I had no idea there could even be a "lucky" Bourbon! No wonder so many of my fishing trips concluded with, shall we say; 'less than fabulous results'! If I'd only known; who knows how many more trophies and how many more over-the-top fish fries I could've enjoyed? Damn! It's so frustrating to find out too late how dumb one has been! All those years of drinking whatever beer was 'on sale', or whatever whiskey I could easily fit into a thermos... Who Knew???!!! Note: I DO NOT regret consuming so much Molson Ale, Labatt's 50, and Brador during the Canadian fly-ins! Damn! Those Canadians make great ale! (Or used to, I don't know about now...) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 As a dedicated fly fisherman I can attest that Harry is indeed correct, there is such a thing as "lucky" fishing Bourbon. It's not WT 101 but it does exist. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vosgar Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 20 hours ago, Harry in WashDC said: For example, three years ago, WT 101 tasted "off" to me so I quit drinking it (except for the two bottles I kept for refilling my fishing flask as I only drink WT 101 when fishing as it is "lucky"). Lately (like the last year or so), it has tasted like its old self so I'm now a buyer. Nice going Harry . Now there's going to be a HUGE run on WT101 by fishermen (and women). We better stock up now before it's all gone...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry in WashDC Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 (edited) 12 hours ago, Richnimrod said: Well! I had no idea there could even be a "lucky" Bourbon! No wonder so many of my fishing trips concluded with, shall we say; 'less than fabulous results'! If I'd only known; who knows how many more trophies and how many more over-the-top fish fries I could've enjoyed? Damn! It's so frustrating to find out too late how dumb one has been! All those years of drinking whatever beer was 'on sale', or whatever whiskey I could easily fit into a thermos... Who Knew???!!! Note: I DO NOT regret consuming so much Molson Ale, Labatt's 50, and Brador during the Canadian fly-ins! Damn! Those Canadians make great ale! (Or used to, I don't know about now...) Um, never said I do not drink beer (or Canadian ale, depending) while fishing. Just said I carry and drink WT 101. I am a craft beer lover although Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager (5.2% ABV) usually is what I grab when bugging (20 YO Orvis 865-4) for bass locally. FYI, I use a several years old Snow Peak 5 oz. titanium flask. Never had an off flavor or a leak or a stripped cap thread. AND, its solder is not lead so . . . Edited May 22, 2019 by Harry in WashDC LAGER not LAGE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry in WashDC Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 1 hour ago, Vosgar said: Nice going Harry . Now there's going to be a HUGE run on WT101 by fishermen (and women). We better stock up now before it's all gone...... Sorry, Dad. WHAT WAS I THINKING????!!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts