Old Rip Van Winkle 15 year - available anywhere?

[Virus_Of_Life]

A bitter sweet day today. Yes I drove 60 miles to a store that had some ORVW15, 5 they said. Unfortunately the cap on one of the bottles was cracked so the person wouldn't sell it, but I did get 4 of them!! :woohoo: 3 of them are "B" series and the other is an "A" I am assuming there is no difference as I know we've talked that those with no numbers are the same as well... Anyway I am very happy it was a long drive in a lot of bad traffic with a whole bunch of rude L.A. people around.

The other small find (I'll post a picture when I can) was 4 Van Winkle Family Reserve Ryes 13yo! :grin: :grin: That was not expected but very welcomed! Along with a pretty good price on a Pappy 15 and a bottle of Tequila, I'd say it was a pretty good day! I'd like have have come across a WT 12, but can't complain! Any day you come across some of the hard to find Van Winkle family that has strayed from home is a good day!

[Virus_Of_Life]

I hate when one person buys the entire lot of one bottle from a store. I guess there are two schools of thought on that. I've done it before but when it happens to me I get so pissed. Anyway if your lucky enogh to read a post before everyone else and get to that store first, more power to you.

I have been waiting and wanting to express my opinion on this and will simply some it up by saying in the couple of occasions that I have done this it was solely with the inention of sharing the bounty with others. I NEVER intend to keep anything all to myself.

-The time I cleared 4 bottles of VWFRR13yo off the shelf one was immediately offered to another SBer who helped me out greatly in a long distance trip.

-Of the 4 ORVW15s I got off a shelf, one is already promised to my best friend in PDX as one of the greatest bourbons I've ever tasted it's only right I share with my best and only bourbon loving friend. He also got one of the 3 BMH 16yo's that i got at a bargain basement price and will be getting a Saz jr. this weekend in Vegas - no charge just because we're friends and friends treat others that way in my opinion.

-Most recently I found a small jackpot in the form of a two Saz 18 2000s and two ER 17 2000s. I gave it some thought, wanted to keep them both but realized by all the messages that I received that there were a lot of members who never got those first releases so duplicates are already promised to another SBer... The only expectation with something like that is that I get something in return that I've never had/can't get/is out production - something along those lines.

So just for future reference if anybody reads a post of mine about clearing anything out feel free to ask because most likely I've done it with the intention of trading for something I haven't had. I got to admit it does bother me a little also when I read someone has taken 6 of this, or 7 of that, 8 of another and never mentions anything about sharing. That is totally any person's perogative and I understand that, but I lock it into the memory banks and as the old saying goes, "do unto others..."

[Sijan]

I found three ORVW 15/107s at a liquor store in Brewster, MA on Cape Cod yesterday and bought all three without hesitation.

I don't think there is, or should be, any etiquette about leaving bottles for other bourbon enthusiasts. I'm generous with the bourbon I own, and I'm willing to trade most bottles for which I have extras, so I feel no guilt about clearing a shelf, and I don't think others should fret over it either. While occasionally someone clearing a shelf might keep me from getting a bourbon that I would have otherwise found, on balance it probably makes more bourbon available to me (nationwide) via trading, etc. Plus, at least the bourbon is finding someone who will appreciate it and not just some rich guy who wants to impress his buddies with an expensive bottle of bourbon for mixing.

[Joeluka]

What bourbons do rich guys buy to impress their friends??? I thought that was the point of SMSW.

[Rughi]

...I'm willing to trade most bottles for which I have extras...the bourbon is finding someone who will appreciate it....

Sijan,

I've found a strange LACK of interest from this forum on the many older bottles that I've posted with a clear statement that there could be bottles available for others (ie "left several on the shelves"). There is a very narrow range of bottles that have elicited queries from board members, and on those few "usual suspects" bottles there's a feeding frenzy.

I admire your approach, but wouldn't advise bunkering up extra on too wide of a variety expecting the interest of others.

Roger

[Virus_Of_Life]

Roger, I am fairly new to the board so I don't know that I have seen your postings about the older bottles you've come across. Could you please point me in the direction of a thread that may contain some of them? I would really like to taste some older GD sometime and am pretty well interested in a lot of older stuff as I am willing (and wanting) to try just about anything that is no longer made... I don't have a lot of canon fodder for trading yet, but adding to it practically weekly.

Where is Richmond? (I am assuming bay area?)

[Sijan]

I'm also interested to hear which bottlings Roger has available for trade.

[Rughi]

Roger, I am fairly new to the board so I don't know that I have seen your postings about the older bottles you've come across. Could you please point me in the direction of a thread that may contain some of them? I would really like to taste some older GD sometime and am pretty well interested in a lot of older stuff as I am willing (and wanting) to try just about anything that is no longer made...

It's not just me, in fact it's mostly _not_ me. There are several threads in Collectibles that talk about tradeables. Pretty much any of the "dusty bottles," " dusty corners" etc. will mention when there might be extras up for discussion. If something is of interest, just inquire to them directly. I suspect much of this type of discussion goes on in PM's (as it should be; it's pretty boring when several posts of two people making a private trade hijack a thread ), so it isn't obvious until you start asking about possibilities.

Where is Richmond? (I am assuming bay area?)

It's where the eastern end of the Richmond-San Rafael bridge lands :grin: More helpfully, perhaps, it's 2 miles northwest of Berkeley's northern border. I have a 4 mile commute to Berkeley that takes me through 4 cities and 2 counties in just those 4 miles (El Cerrito and Albany have thin slivers of territory along the route).

Roger

[Sijan]

I found two more bottles or ORVW 15/107 in DC a few days ago for about $50/each. And there's a liquor store in downton DC that still has several (4-5?) of these on the shelf at the same price. Given that I'm not yet earning a salary while I study for the bar, I can't justify picking them up this summer, but if they're still there come September...

On the same trip, I managed to find a bottle of Eagle Rare 101 (actually three, but I only bought one of them - should I pick up the others at $22.99 each?) and two bottles of Old Fitz BIB from DSP-KY-16 (Stitzel Weller!) - one 750ml and one 1.75L (!!)

[TimmyBoston]

I have been checking out all of my local liquor stores unable to find this bottling and I'm very interested in purchasing one.

I'm looking for bottles of ORVW 15 and ORVW 10/107 and/or Lot B from the SW stock. I'd like to pursue a trade or purchase if anyone is interested, please private message me.

Cheers

[Sijan]

Sadly, I think I have cleaned DC out of all known bottles of ORVW 15/107 and all are now either already shipped out or spoken for.

[FlashPuppy]

I couldn't believe it. i was in a local liquor store, which i visit frequently, last night. i was looking at a few bottles of bourbon (they actually have a 20 - 25 different bottle selection), when there in the back, behind the basil hayden, ORVW 15/107!! i couldn't believe it! needless to say, it is now safely in my possesion. just waiting for a special occasion to open 'er up.

[Sijan]

Congrats, Jeremy! Frankfort or Lawrenceburg?

[robbyvirus]

When I was there last (beginning of June) the Cork n'Bottle in Covington, Kentucky still had a few bottles of the Van Winkle 15.

[gr8erdane]

Isn't finding it special occasion enough?

[CrispyCritter]

:slappin: Yeah, just finding an ORVW 15 around here would be cause for celebration - by opening said bottle. :slappin:

That being said, my recent revisitings of my PVW 15 bottle have been so much a dead ringer for the late, lamented ORVW 15 that Pappy 15 is an excellent substitute...

[tritioch]

Orchard Park location of Premier in Buffalo NY has a boat load, (I saw 20+ btls) of ORVW-15yr. Priced out $41/btl.