cowdery Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 The new Reader will go into the mail this weekend. The principal story is about wheated bourbon, with a tasting of several current Bernheim wheaters compared to Maker's Mark and a known Stitzel-Weller wheater from my bunker, and I talk about what I think the Bernheim wheaters are lacking.For those of you who don't get The Reader, I have a standing offer of a free issue if you will send me a stamped, self-addressed #10 envelope. You can get the address from my web site (or just go ahead and subscribe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgonano Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 I just signed on as a subscriber, Chuck. I feel bad that I have waited this long to do so. I know I won't be disappointed. Dave G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoTexan Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 I also waited too long to join. I have just rectified that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted March 7, 2005 Author Share Posted March 7, 2005 Welcome, all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrbriggs Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 This will be my second issue of the Reader, and I'm greatly looking forward to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelshare Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 Hey, Chuck, great issue! A couple of questions, if I may: 1) Is there a reason you chose NOT to taste the VW Special Reserve 12 year old in the line up? The reason I ask is that I perceive that VW SR is the most available (in terms of distribution)and affordable of the remaining S-W whiskey. Perhaps this perception is inaccurate, but it is the only S-W whiskey available in VA, at least. 2) If S-W closed in 1992, does that mean that VW SR 12 year will soon be Bernheim whiskey? Mixed with 12 year Bernheim whiskey (although you note in the Reader that such mixing is not commonly done)? Or will VW SR be a little older than its stated age for a year or two until it can be bottled as Pappy 15 year? Once again, great issue. I think you did an excellent job of condensing recent wheated bourbon history and presenting it in a very understandable way for us non-experts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted March 14, 2005 Author Share Posted March 14, 2005 Thanks for the kind words.The only reason I didn't include the VWFR12 is because I already had the Old Commonwealth and all I really wanted was a reasonably representative SW wheater to use as a reference point. It's likely the OC and the VWFR12 are virtually the same, as at the time the OC was released it was exactly the same as the ORVW10.Someone else, in private, asked me why I didn't include Rebel Yell, another wheater. Same basic answer. I felt it would have been just another Bernheim wheater, of which I was already reviewing five examples.As for the future of VWFR12, Julian is the only one who can answer that. He may not know yet. As you correctly observe, a 12-year-old only has to be at least 12 years old, so he can continue to put SW whiskey in it for as long as the supply lasts. Only Julian knows how much SW whiskey he has left and how he wants to parcel it out.I don't know how Julian feels about the current quality of the Bernheim wheaters, except for whatever you want to read into his discontinuing the ORVW15 to keep the VWFR and Pappy lines all SW. The suggestion of stretching the remaining SW by mixing it with Bernheim may give BT/VW a way to keep at least some of their wheaters (maybe just Pappy or VWFR and Pappy) at a higher quality level until their own wheated bourbon comes of age. It probably is being looked into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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