Exports to Japan

[OscarV]

I stumbled across this on ebay,

http://stores.ebay.com/Jack-Johnnie-Jim

It is someone's shop in Japan. They have 275 labels of bourbon,Tenn.scotch.

I am suprised how many are for export only.

Very, very pricey to say the least.

But interesting to look at.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

Those prices are silly. They do not reflect what I see on the shelves.

Ed

[OscarV]

The names are interesting,...

American Cowboy

Cock Of The Walk

God's Homemade Bourbon

Old Man Winter

Very Olde St. Nick

Pure Antique

Rare Perfection

Virgin Bourbon

And they all have very high aging, some 25 years, I wonder if they are any good, and what distiller they are from? If they are woody, do the Japanese think this is good?

There are two that I would like to try. The Evan Williams 23 year old and the Wild Turkey 1855 Reserve.

Was the EW23yo ever released in the US?

Hey Ed,

have you ever had any of the ones I listed above?

Oscar

[wadewood]

I have been told that the WT 1855 Reserve is the same as WT Rare Breed, different packaging for export market.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

The names are interesting,...

American Cowboy

Cock Of The Walk

God's Homemade Bourbon

Old Man Winter

Very Olde St. Nick

Pure Antique

Rare Perfection

Virgin Bourbon

And they all have very high aging, some 25 years, I wonder if they are any good, and what distiller they are from? If they are woody, do the Japanese think this is good?

There are two that I would like to try. The Evan Williams 23 year old and the Wild Turkey 1855 Reserve.

Was the EW23yo ever released in the US?

Hey Ed,

have you ever had any of the ones I listed above?

Oscar

Here are the ones I have had.

American Cowboy 17 year old: Excellent. Especially since it was priced as the 12 year old. There is a little piece of burlap that covers the top and also the age.

Old Man Winter: Once or twice at my favorite bar. I don't have any particular recollection, but think it was good.

Very Olde St. Nick: Several expressions. 8 year old, 20 year old barrel proof, one pour of the 25 year old and their Winter Rye 9 year old 101 proof. The twenty is probably the darkest whiskey I have ever drunk. I really liked it when I opened it, but last time I had it I thought it had lost some of the spice I like so well and that it was rather woody. I really liked the 25 but the night I had it I was drinking it side by side with my first pour of Eagle Rare 17 year old and the St. Nick suffered in comparison. Of the line I think I like the Winter Rye the best, reasonable price point, too.

Rare Perfection: I have a bottle of the 11 year old Rye, not much left in it. Very, very good. I have had the bourbon at the bar a few times, don't recall the age. It was very good. This line is rather expensive. I eye it on the shelves all the time, but I have always bought something else.

Virgin Bourbon: I have been meaning to try it, but I know that it is Heaven Hill Bourbon and the Virgin 7 year old is more expensive than the Evan Williams 12 year old so that is what I always end up buying. I should try it at the bar next time I go.

As too whether these older bourbons are woody, yes, of course, the time in the barrel has had a profound impact. I, myself, like older bourbon. I think 12 years is about right. Older than that and it might be better and it might be worse. I had a pour of Black Maple Hill 20 year old at the bar the other day and it was excellent, but there were notes that I thought indicated that it had been in the barrel a bit too long. Too much tannin, like a cup of English tea that had been steeped a bit too long. Still, it was great.

The Japanese are very much influenced by the number on the label, not that they are unique in this, still, the older the whiskey the better it must be. Prices start to go up pretty fast after about 12 years old. Older than fifteen and it starts to get out of my price range. But for me, most of the best bourbons I have had are in the 8 to 15 year old range and that age group is very reasonable.

Ed

[OscarV]

I think I would avoid the "God's Homemade Bourbon",...

"HE" might not think I am worthy.

Oscar

[SSBourbon1]

Was the EW23yo ever released in the US?

Oscar

My dad was in France a few years ago and obtained a bottle fo the EW 23. I had written EW and cannot find the response I had gotten about it, but it is certainly export only and usually to Japan. I think I was luck that my dad was at the right place at the right time.

When tasting it, it needed a lot of time to breath to rearlly get the true flavors. It is quite woody and dry compared to the single barrel or any other bourbon I have had. Not sweet like the Pappy 20 (while i have a bottle of Pappy 23, I have not tried it).

I would say that it is a good one to have and try if you can get it.

[jspero]

Those prices are silly. They do not reflect what I see on the shelves.

Ed

You're right about that! I just got back from Tokyo. I purchased an EW 12yo for 2000 yen (about $20) and a Very Olde St. Nick (107 proof - not sure of age) for 4100 yen (about $40), so those prices are WAY out of line.

Jay

[AVB]

I did a review of one of the old Japanese export only boubons here