Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year 107 Proof?

[Geo]

I spent $45 on a 15 yr ORVW squat bottle. Its my favorate bourbon now. Delicious!!!

I dont have that kind of money for a regular poor. I like Old Grand Dad 114 as my second and have not tasted the ORVW 10yr old.

Question: What would you choose?

A. Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year 107 proof

B. Old Grand Dad 114

[brian12069]

those are probably 1 and 2 in my book...decisions decisions...

[nysquire]

ORVW 10yo 107!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ratcheer]

I like both and would favor the OGD 114.

Tim

[bobbyc]

You can't go wrong with any of the VanWinkle products commercially available. After this past weekend however, my favorites are the Pre-bottling barrel sample and the stuff in Julians garage.

[Geo]

I am leaning on the ORVW, only because how smooth the 15 year is. But, I have yet to try the 10 year. Anyone have any judgements on ORVW 10 year?

[doc_mcCabe]

There's been a lot of discussion in another forum regarding the differences between the various bottlings of the VW products. My conclusion is that the 10/107 Frankfort bottling is incredible--maybe my favorite everyday pour. The Lawrenceburg/Old Commonwealth bottling was fantastic, and now very hard to get. What are you going to do? Not drink the Frankfort expression until you stumble upon that lost bottle of Old Commonwealth? That would be a mistake. Ultimately, what we have here is the evolution of a living, breathing bourbon (as they all are), which changes over time. I view the changes in the VW line as horizontal changes rather than vertical changes. That is, more diversity, but equally wonderful, IMHO.

[Geo]

When I get to the store, how do I tell which bottles were bottled where? I want to get the best ones I can.

[TNbourbon]

When I get to the store, how do I tell which bottles were bottled where?..

The rear label of the 10/107 will state "Bottled by Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery", with then either "Lawrenceburg, Kentucky" or "Frankfort, Kentucky" underneath.

[luv2hunt]

Look at the back label.....under Bottled by Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery it will say either FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY or LAWRENCEBURG, KENTUCKY.

LAWRENCEBURG is SW

Dawn

[doubleblank]

Some of the Frankforts are SW too as I recall. Anything bottled since last summer in Frankfort is Bernheim. There's probably some lot number info available which would help distinguish Frankfort bottled SW and Frankfort bottled Bernheim. As Julian has said, they are different enough in taste to identify.....but both are very good bourbons.

Randy

[Gillman]

And each bourbon can serve for a different purpose. I happened at Sampler to take a shot of ORVW 12 year old Lot B after one of the desserts there, not a bourbon ball but some kind of pie (like a derby pie). It was the best possible combination one could imagine.

Gary

[doubleblank]

I certainly hope it was the Van Blankle 12yo Gary????? LOL.

Randy

[Gillman]

Well that would have made it even better.

Gary

[dhooch]

I have not tried Old Grand Dad.

My first premium bourbon was ORVW 10 yo, 107. I thought is was pretty good. After buying the ORVQ 15yo, 107, I prefer much more than the 10 yo, even at the much higher price. I even like it over the 20 yo VW Family Reserve. In my opinion, a close second to the ORVW 15 yo is the 12 yo (Van Winkle).

[Geo]

Woohoo! I found a Lawrenceburg bottle of ORVW 10 year.

So it must be bottled before 1992. I just opened it and can say its fantastic! I found my common pour. I still like the OGD 114 though, but this wheater is so smooth and sweet...mmmmm.

PS: they had a few bottles of 16year Hirsh for $66 each, too much for my wallet, I wanted it bad though. George T, Stagg is hard to get if not impossible in my store, but they carry all the Van Winkles, except have the 20 yr on order, and a wide assortment of great bourbons.

[TNbourbon]

...they had a few bottles of 16year Hirsh for $66 each, too much for my wallet...

Actually, that would be an excellent price today, especially for the wax-top version(s). Around here, even the seemingly lesser gold-foil -- the current and last bottling -- runs around $75 before tax. The gold-wax version is still a rare find, at about the same price.

[doc_mcCabe]

Where, may I ask, were you so lucky to find the Lawrenceburg bottling?

[Geo]

I live in Oregon and we have state controlled Liquor stores. I called around and found this one store only in Downtown Portland called "Uptown LiQuor". They sell to the premium downtown restaurants and stock a lot of high end bourbons, including the 16 year Hirsh and they have some George T. Stagg on order. They had the old squat bottles on the shelf. So I found the Old Rip Van Winkles and reached to the back of the stack and checked on the labels until I found the Lawrenceburg bottling. I found a 10 and a 15 year old and bought both. They had a few more left, but my wallet was drained. I heard that they were rare, now I know why. They taste so darn good.

Thank you Van Winkles!

[BourbonJoe]

I would choose the ORVW 10 year old. I have had both and much prefer the ORVW.

Joe

[BSS]

If I know of a store that still has about 20 of the 15 Yr old Old Rip Van Winkles on the shelf, are they worth investing a few hundred dollars on? They were bottled in Frankfort.

[luv2hunt]

My advise, for all it's worth....if you like it.....buy as many as you can afford. I buy every one I see.

Dawn