Hancock's President's Reserve deletion in MD?

[TheWhiskeyViking]

Hi Ken

One of the things I like best about this site is people like you participating as forth coming as possible.

I was wondering about the change you mentioned considering the Elmer T. Lee. Have you only changed the bottle once?

I found this bottle (se below) for sale on the net - is this an really old version or just an export only edition?

Guess I'll have to start saving up for a trip across the atlantic in 2010.

Regards

Thomas

[OneCubeOnly]

In the U.S., the ETL bottle looks (or I guess I should now say looked) like this:

http://www.greatbourbon.com/elmer.html

[Nokia]

Thomas,

I live in the US and bought a Elmer T. Lee about 6 years ago that looked like the one in the picture you posted. I can't tell from your picture but my bottle was square, kind of like Johnnie Walker bottles.

[squire]

Evening Ken,

I first came across the Elmer T. expression about eight years ago in a liquor store in of all places the back bay area of Boston. Was there on business and was referred to the store. Asked for the Bourbon selection and was told they only had two brands in stock. Jack Daniels and Elmer T. Lee. When I asked the assistant manager if there were any others in the storage area he actually sniffed when he allowed, "I wouldn't know as I favor single malts. The Bourbons are simply too sweet for my taste". Caught him off guard when I offered to buy two additional bottles of Elmer T. on the condition that he promise to take them to the next store sponsored tasting as a gift from a friend from the South. He declined my offer but was gracious enough to thank me and I believe he meant it. Liked the whiskey and the simple bottle.

I like Hancock and it seems to me to be like the nerdy child at the family reunion. Everbody who knows him likes him but no one has anything special to say worth mentioning.

Point is, I like all the single barrel expressions you fellows put out but have no use for the empty bottle/box. Too nice to throw away and no reason to keep. We have, however, found the Hancock box to be useful as a fort defended by small plastic soldiers.

Of course, being in Mississippi, the defending soldiers are always yankees and our assualting troops always win.

Regards,

Squire

[gr8erdane]

A bottle of this expression made it to the Gazebo this year. I forget who brought it but then I only tried a sip or two. Or three. Or..........

[Ken Weber]

Actually the Elmer bottle has changed twice. The original bottle (pictured below)was 107 proof and about 7 years of age. The package was just ugly! We changed to a square bottle and reduced the proof to 90 (at Elmer's insistance) and the age increased to 10 years.

About 2 months ago we had a retailer from Chicago visit the distillery to select individual barrels of Eagle Rare 10 year old Single Barrel, Elmer T. Lee, Blanton's, and Buffalo Trace. As I joined Elmer and our friends from the windy city in Warehouse H, I noticed something strange. The Elmer T. Lee was by far the best of all the bourbons being sampled. Now being the best is a subjective matter, as I am usually partial to Buffalo Trace. I took a close look at the barrels, did a double take, and then asked Elmer if he and I could talk outside. As we left the tasting room he had this big grin on his face. I asked who had selected the barrels, knowing full well he selects all the barrels for ETL and ERSB (he is a panelist on the Buffalo Trace and Blanton's). He told me he had "found" some very tasty 14 year old bourbon that he thought fit the Elmer T. Lee taste profile perfectly. In hindsight, I don't know if he was talking about his brand or his own personal preference!

Anyway, the 107 has been discontinued for at least 7 years. I bought the last one I found in Memphis and it is sitting on a table in my room, signed by the master.

Ken

[Ken Weber]

The federal regulations call for bourbon to be aged "in charred new oak containers." Now in the U.S., we generally use American white oak. It works very well and it is abundant. Why not experiment with other types of oak, like French Oak for example. We are in the process of releasing our experimental collection and a French Oak sample will be included. The taste of the bourbon is akin to cognac. We also have some double barreled whiskey that was aged in a new oak barrel for about 5 years (I think) and then re-barreled in another new oak barrel for some additional years. Finally we have played with the char levels and have a sample from barrels that were just about charred through!

About 3 years ago a Straightbourbonite said that a sample of our bourbon tasted during a visit to the distillery did not taste like the traditional rye recipe or wheat recipe bourbon that he was accustomed to drinking. The reality was that the bourbon was a rye recipe we use here. However, his comment got me to thinking. The regs say that "Whiskey is an alcoholic distillate from a fermented mash of grain...." Now, why limit ourselves to rye and wheat? Why not use another grain? Basically you are looking for something that will ferment. So, we took our rye and wheat recipes and replace these short grains with other grains. Since Mark may read this thread, I am not at liberty to say what the grains are (however, some old Straighbourbonites will remember). These samples will be rolled out in the next few years.

Ken

[Paradox]

Finally, our Elmer T. Lee single barrel bourbon has also had a bottle change. Again the former bottle was discontinued and we found one that looks almost the same. No one has even noticed this change yet.

For those who care: Here is a pic of the new bottle. As you can see the extra edged ring is missing from around the top right below the neck and the wax now extends longer. Also, the edges are a bit more 'rounded' or 'pronounced'. (Sorry for the crappy airsprayed writing! )