What Bourbon did you Purchase (Summer 2022)

[FasterHorses]

19 hours ago, flahute said:

Wut?

 

5 hours ago, PaulO said:

Those look to be the original OF Sig label that came out after the B.I.B. was discontinued.  I'd wager they are 15 - 20 years old. 

Any theories?? Thes three were behind the counter on the shelf.  Saturday. Cleared from old boxes found in the back of a store or something? One store had closed recently and this was a newer store that id imgine boughht the liquor license from the old store. Maybe these were old stock from that store. 
Funny thing is that i was down there looking at land and remembered a different store had an old OF SIG bottle before covid started.. maybe not this old.. but i was hoping it might still be there. The lady locked up the store and went home sick just as i pulled up so i may never know. 
They also had about 6-8 of those Jack Daniels Master Distiller Series No.2 for sale. Anyway, not sure what to make of it. 

Edited July 27, 2022 by FasterHorses

[IamMatt]

I made friends with a young guy who worked at a big-box liquor store.   He worked at a liquor store but he would spend days going to every liquor store around hunting.  Told me some interesting stories, like one about a local liquor store that closed shop with all the inventory sitting for years til a new owner bought it and was trying to work through it all before reopening the store.  He said there were all kinds of great dusties he was hoping to go pick up once the store opened up.  Maybe something like that?  Or maybe just as simple as you say, some old boxes got lost in the shuffle.

[Harry in WashDC]

Wegmans just opened a store in Wash DC close to our house.  It is one of the few groceries in the City to get a spirits license - most sell beer and wine, but distilled spirits is a separate license and hard for groceries to get.

 

One each 4RYL and Jos. A. Magnus came home with me.  Prices are more than competitive with the neighborhood liquor stores.  THIS could be a game changer.  Now, if they'd just carry more of what I want . . . 

[Cibsie]

Last week I received a forgotten about random credit card reward bonus, so I finally bit the bullet and paid secondary on this (110 after shipping).  An extra 60 isn't too bad when I'm pretty sure Minnesota only gets 1 bottle for the whole state per year.  Can't wait to crack this with a friend this weekend.

 

[fishnbowljoe]

8 hours ago, PaulO said:

Those look to be the original OF Sig label that came out after the B.I.B. was discontinued.  I'd wager they are 15 - 20 years old. 

I don’t think they’re quite that old. The last few OF BIB’s  I bought were in the fall of 2010 IIRC.

 

Biba! Joe

[GeeTen]

9 hours ago, Cibsie said:

Last week I received a forgotten about random credit card reward bonus, so I finally bit the bullet and paid secondary on this (110 after shipping).  An extra 60 isn't too bad when I'm pretty sure Minnesota only gets 1 bottle for the whole state per year.  Can't wait to crack this with a friend this weekend.

 

 

$110 - Ouch!   

 

[B.B. Babington]

16 hours ago, FasterHorses said:

 

Any theories?? Thes three were behind the counter on the shelf.  Saturday. Cleared from old boxes found in the back of a store or something? One store had closed recently and this was a newer store that id imgine boughht the liquor license from the old store. Maybe these were old stock from that store....

 

Your theories seem sound to me.  I'm jealous.  Our ABC system efficient at moving things through.  Recently some "dusties" (ok, only last year) have popped up.  Dickel BIB #3, Laphroig Lore, Courvoisier Avante-Garde.  Dickel and Lore still in warehouse, Courvoisier simply a case on store stockroom floor that never was put out.  Yea, you guys get excited when you find whiskey bottled when dinosaurs roamed earth, we get tickled to find a favored stock from last year.  

[Anwalt]

Bookers.  I've always liked it.  I know some of you checked out on it due to price increase/drop in quality/both compared to years past.

 

I got two at Ohio MSRP which is now $90.  Both were 2022-1.  Curious as to anyone's opinions, tasting notes, etc. on that particular release.

 

I've heard tell Bakers 7 is what some are replacing Bookers with.  Got a bottle of the former as well, will try it next to Bookers.  With different ice dilution due to different proofs.  We'll see how that all works out.

 

Comments welcome.

[FasterHorses]

Went back to the store with the OF pints.. he said they definitely were old stock from when the store license changed hands last year.

The other store tbat was closed this weekend was open today but did not have that OF sig I had seen before covid. These older Chattanoogas were there though. I really liked the one I had at the beach so these came home today. 

[markandrex]

I stopped by a few stores today to pass some time and talk bourbon with the managers.  These came home with me.

 

[PaulO]

On 7/27/2022 at 10:56 PM, fishnbowljoe said:

I don’t think they’re quite that old. The last few OF BIB’s  I bought were in the fall of 2010 IIRC.

 

Biba! Joe

It's quite possible you found some OF B.I.B. dusties in 2010.

I'm pretty sure Old Forester discontinued the white paper label B.I.B. and replaced it with Signature around 1999 - 2000.

Then we had the OF Sig label changed several times while it was in production.

The ones FasterHorses found are the original OF Sig label.

[fishnbowljoe]

1 hour ago, PaulO said:

It's quite possible you found some OF B.I.B. dusties in 2010.

I'm pretty sure Old Forester discontinued the white paper label B.I.B. and replaced it with Signature around 1999 - 2000.

Then we had the OF Sig label changed several times while it was in production.

The ones FasterHorses found are the original OF Sig label.

You just might be right @PaulO. I did a little research. I found mention in Chuck Cowdery’s blog of him tasting OF Signature back in 2007. I also found some other interesting info. The Signature, while bottled at 100 proof, isn’t a BIB because it appears it was a blend. I’m  guessing that’s probably why some folks detected a difference in the taste when OF changed from the BIB to Signature. I’m gonna venture a guess that the current OF 100 is also not a BIB. Weird. I feel a bit disappointed in myself in that I didn’t notice before now that there was no BIB designation on bottles of the Signature and 100. 🫤

 

Biba! Joe

[PaulO]

B-F came out with the Old Forester 1897 that is B.I.B. and that's been around several years.

But OF Sig and current OF 100 don't check all the boxes to be labeled bonded.  I assume it's because the batch contain barrels of different seasons.

[fishnbowljoe]

2 minutes ago, PaulO said:

B-F came out with the Old Forester 1897 that is B.I.B. and that's been around several years.

But OF Sig and current OF 100 don't check all the boxes to be labeled bonded.  I assume it's because the batch contain barrels of different seasons.

This has piqued my curiosity @PaulO. In digging a little deeper, I found an article by Mike Veach stating that the Signature was a blend of 4 yr old and 8 yr old distillate. All well and good, but to be honest, I’m a bit bummed about all this. I like most OF products, and I know they did nothing wrong or illegal. Still, for some reason I can’t help but be reminded of the Templeton Rye fiasco when they were less than truthful with their bottle labeling. What can I say? 

 

Biba! Joe

[IamMatt]

The age issue makes sense to me.  Vaguely around the time OF Signature was becoming OF 100, Knob Creek SB and Elijah Craig SB were eliminating their 9-yr and 12-yr age statements as the bourbon boon diminished the supplies of older distillate.  I suspect the same thing happened at OF, and that Signature is significantly older than OF 100.  At least it tastes older to me.

[JT3NSB]

Picked up an overpriced 17yr Dickel today….. 
 

 

 

[Wedelstaedt]

On 7/24/2022 at 4:05 PM, FasterHorses said:

Just saw a couple No. 2 while lookin at some land out in the country. Worth grabbing?

I never picked one up. But a higher proof JD at a lower price…….. like I said a mistake on my part. 
 

Cheers

[Craig. C. Hively]

Purchased to many to list. Tomorrow. Going to Ft Myers. FL. To get Store Picks Old Forrester Barrel Proof. Had some Traverse City 7 year 4 month old Barrel Proof Rye it was Fantastic. Got Calumet Farms 16.  & 15. Russell Reserve 13 Yr. And Mitchers 10 yr Rye. I have also bought numerous non Bourbons. Whisky’s & Rums. 

Edited July 30, 2022 by Craig. C. Hively

[Anwalt]

Got lucky.  3 JMCB's.  All from OH.  Two from sharp-eyed friends.  One from one of you (you know who you are).

 

May have a lead on two more from SC.  $50 over MSRP for each.  I'm willing to pay it.

 

Had one from MI fall through.  A client had an acquaintance who found it at the client's request.  Then the acquaintance deciding that selling on the secondary market at more than double MSRP was a better idea. 

 

Had two from SC fall through - website took the order then kicked it back because their inventory system was behind.  That's not infrequent with these bottles.

 

And this is of course days before The Boy & I march upon the bourbon trail & the unsuspecting residents of KY for an orgy of alcoholic & culinary excess.  Given that the budget for the original trip to Chile/Argentina was significant and we are now saving a ton on travel & lodging....well, there's a lot of budget left for buying.  The Boy will have a good start on his own collection upon completion of the trip.

[Clueby]

Spent too much money this weekend.

[fishnbowljoe]

17 minutes ago, Clueby said:

Spent too much money this weekend.

Once again, I have to say that I still have yet to see an OF SB BS on a shelf. I do have a couple of 90 proof OF SB’s that are quite good. I also have a sample of  OF SB BS that I received from  @Galvin0791 that I believe came from a store here. Not sure how I missed it. Getting old sucks. 
 

Biba! Joe

[Clueby]

9 minutes ago, fishnbowljoe said:

Once again, I have to say that I still have yet to see an OF SB BS on a shelf. I do have a couple of 90 proof OF SB’s that are quite good. I also have a sample of  OF SB BS that I received from  @Galvin0791 that I believe came from a store here. Not sure how I missed it. Getting old sucks. 
 

Biba! Joe

Come on down to the Lou and we will sbs 3 or 4 different ones!

[GeeTen]

7 hours ago, Clueby said:

Come on down to the Lou and we will sbs 3 or 4 different ones!

 

On my way!  Oh, was I invited?????   

 

[Clueby]

14 hours ago, GeeTen said:

 

On my way!  Oh, was I invited?????   

 

Open invitation!

[Dannabis]

This is the spread I brought back from Kentucky on my road trip from Colorado to Delaware.

Except the Wild Buck Rye which is my dads but he handed it to me to taste which I will be doing about now (just poured a short pour, mebbe one more in the bottle)

 

So far the JTS Brown is quite a bit spicy and has some interesting spiky woody edges to it. More skewed towards a Rye or Peated Scotch palate in my opinion, not at all what I expected and not what I would call smooth or a beginner bourbon at this time.

 

I had fun. I couldn't find any Heaven Hill label whiskeys which are my favorite cheapies to grab in KY.

 

Excited for the Five Brothers and the Pure Kentucky for sure and I love Bonded bourbons. And ECBP is my personal high proof love story so glad to have another.

 

Still I got a road trip back in a bit so maybe this time I'll look a bit more in South Kentucky. The floods made it impossible for me to travel through the lower east corner of KY this time. Prayers to all the souls dealing with the deluge. Also want to book a hotel near bardstown and see if I can visit more distilleries and get proper tastings and tours.

 

I saw another Heaven Hill distillery visitor snag a Toasted Barrel Elijah Craig and I wonder how that tastes and what other goodies they hide behind the gift shop counter only for the knowing.

Edited August 3, 2022 by Dannabis