Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve Question?

[photogjunkie]

A couple of weeks ago, I found a bottle of Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve 13yo Heritage Collection reduced for 24 bucks. I had not tried this before, so I bought it. It was in the (I think) original English (UK) gin bottle with a Frankfort bottling 88004 zip. I found it satisfying and tasty, as all the Heritage Collection has been for me. Today, I came upon another bottle...a Louisville Version with a zip of 88076 dated 1998 in a slightly taller bottle, but still a Heritage Collection version. I couldn't pass it up. Man....what a difference. This bourbon is gold...so much better than the Frankfort bottling. There was a hanging tag around the bottle which was a promo for the Heritage Collection bourbons and United Distillers was mentioned in the print. My question...which came first? Not that I care...but the '96-97 Louisville Monde Selection (Gold Medal Winners) bottling is the bomb. If you find it...buy it. Great rye recipe.

[TNbourbon]

The slope-shouldered Louisville bottle was the original/first version of OCPR.

[jeff]

A couple of weeks ago, I found a bottle of Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve 13yo Heritage Collection reduced for 24 bucks. I had not tried this before, so I bought it. It was in the (I think) original English (UK) gin bottle with a Frankfort bottling 88004 zip. I found it satisfying and tasty, as all the Heritage Collection has been for me. Today, I came upon another bottle...a Louisville Version with a zip of 88076 dated 1998 in a slightly taller bottle, but still a Heritage Collection version. I couldn't pass it up. Man....what a difference. This bourbon is gold...so much better than the Frankfort bottling. There was a hanging tag around the bottle which was a promo for the Heritage Collection bourbons and United Distillers was mentioned in the print. My question...which came first? Not that I care...but the '96-97 Louisville Monde Selection (Gold Medal Winners) bottling is the bomb. If you find it...buy it. Great rye recipe.

Double check that zipcode, as I believe all Frankfort zips begin with 406

[photogjunkie]

I'm looking at the Frankfort bottle now...the zip is 88004. Another note: the Louisville bottle has a screw-off cap...the Frankfort bottle has a cork. Is the Louisville SW for sure, and the Frankfort version a maybe?

[jeff]

Interesting. A search of 88004 comes up Las Cruces New Mexico.

[TNbourbon]

I believe he means "UPC", not "ZIP" -- 88004 IS the first five digits of one of Buffalo Trace's UPCs. And 88076 is the UPC precedent to United Distillers bottlings.

[TNbourbon]

...Is the Louisville SW for sure, and the Frankfort version a maybe?

Old Charter never was Stitzel-Weller -- it's a rye-recipe bourbon. The Louisville version was made at DSP-KY-2, which was part of the original Bernheim Distillery, since replaced by the current one.

[Virus_Of_Life]

Old Charter never was Stitzel-Weller -- it's a rye-recipe bourbon. The Louisville version was made at DSP-KY-2, which was part of the original Bernheim Distillery, since replaced by the current one.

That original stuff is pretty tasty, I was lucky enough to find a couple of bottles of that along with some others from the original issue of the HC.

Haven't tried the new stuff.

[photogjunkie]

TNbourbon is right...me bad. Old Charter not SW...Old Fitzgerald was. Old brain got confused with United Distillers products. I love the OC's wherever they are made...though the older UD Louisville product seems superior to the BT Frankfort bottlings. Or is it the "don't make 'em like they used to" bias setting in?

[Ken Weber]

Interesting thing I learned about Charter production. I was speaking with our retired Master Distiller - Gary Gayheart - and he said that he was making Old Charter 25 years ago when it was part of the Schenley family. It seems he would distill at one plant, then head to another one to make a different product. So, even though the early bourbon was made at Bernhiem, Gary also made it at Buffalo Trace. The 1998 labels could have been bottled at BTD from Bernhiem whiskey since the BATF allowed us to use the old labels (Louisville address) rather than throw them away. We used up all of the old labels sometime in 1999.

I believe Charter Prop. Reserve is perhaps the hidden gem of bourbons. The price is very reasonable and the taste is awesome. Finally, I have noticed some differences in taste of particular brands over time. Even though we try to maintain a consistent flavor profile, changes do seem to creep in from time to time. Usually, I find that it is my own taste buds that are playing tricks on me. I had a BT Old Fashioned in London and thought someone was messing with me by changing bourbons. I re-visited the same place and ordered the same drink from the same bartender (this time watching him as he poured) and enjoyed the best old-fashioned I have ever had. Did he make it differently, maybe; was it my taste buds? I don't know.

Ken

[jburlowski]

I believe Charter Prop. Reserve is perhaps the hidden gem of bourbons. The price is very reasonable and the taste is awesome. Ken

How right you are, Ken! I feel sorry for the folks on this board who don't have ready access to this wonderful whiskey!

[BobA]

This was a timely thread. On my holiday travels, I found an OC PR Heritage Collection from Louisville (I'd been hoping to find some of any bottling for a while now) and this answers some of my questions about the different labels. At the same store, I picked up a Weller Centenniel HC from Louisville (and celebrated when I got home by hitting my open bottle) and a Eagle Rare 10 yr. from New Orleans. With the young Saz bought elsewhere, definitely good holiday loot that doesn't rely on whether family guessed the shirt size correctly.

Bob

[scopenut]

I picked up a Heritage Collection in 1999, and found the OCPR to be my favorite of the bunch. As I recall, I paid an average of $15 per bottle, I miss those days :grin:

Since then, I've been trying in vain to get more OCPR, but it's tough here in FL.

-Kevin

[BobA]

I picked up a Heritage Collection in 1999, and found the OCPR to be my favorite of the bunch. As I recall, I paid an average of $15 per bottle, I miss those days :grin:

Since then, I've been trying in vain to get more OCPR, but it's tough here in FL.

-Kevin

Kevin,

It's tougher in GA. FL's where I found this. Lake Harris s. of Leesburg, but I took the only bottle. Still had some New Orleans Eagle 101.

Bob

[Old Lamplighter]

I picked up a Heritage Collection in 1999, and found the OCPR to be my favorite of the bunch. As I recall, I paid an average of $15 per bottle, I miss those days :grin: -Kevin

Wish it were still around that price. The one I left on a shelf today had an asking amount of $32.99 plus tax. :smiley_acbt: The good & hard to find stuff does hit the old wallet a little harder I guess.

[barturtle]

Wish it were still around that price. The one I left on a shelf today had an asking amount of $32.99 plus tax. :smiley_acbt: The good & hard to find stuff does hit the old wallet a little harder I guess.

Damn, run to KY, I was looking at it going for $25 and of course no sales tax to make it any higher...now if I can just remember which store I saw it for at that price so I can go get some.:cool:

[ThomasH]

I bought my OCPR this past April for about 25.00 at Liquor Barn on Fern Valley Rd. in Louisville near the airport!

thomas

[wku88]

They still had some when I was there on Tuesday,Thomas. I passed tho, mainly because I had some OC8 at home, and I can get that every day, and didn't remember the PR being that much better than the HH10, and I got 3 bottles of the HH10 for little more than the one bottle of OCPR.

[straightwhiskeyruffneck]

i'll be picking up a OCPR tomarrow when i'm in casper,along with some others.including heaven hill 10. i cant wait to try this stuff!

[oldironstomach]

Hi all; been lurking since summer (and trying to learn a small fraction of the staggering amount of knowledge you folks share) but first-time poster.

I might be misremembering, but I believe there are now *two* OCPR's...the existing Proprietor's Reserve, and a newer Private Reserve being test-marketed in TN and TX (flask-shaped bottle, big "P R" on the label). We took the hard-hat tour of BT last week and our guide Freddie thought the Private was the expression to watch.

Dave

[TNbourbon]

Hi all; been lurking since summer (and trying to learn a small fraction of the staggering amount of knowledge you folks share) but first-time poster.

I might be misremembering, but I believe there are now *two* OCPR's...the existing Proprietor's Reserve, and a newer Private Reserve being test-marketed in TN and TX (flask-shaped bottle, big "P R" on the label). We took the hard-hat tour of BT last week and our guide Freddie thought the Private was the expression to watch.

Dave

Tasted the newer Private Reserve in the BT lab last spring -- it's a blended whiskey, its intent to compete in the market which includes Crown Royal.

It wasn't bad.