Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 rye

[The Boozer]

Forgot to mention the 2 bottles I picked up are also labeled "A".

[sailor22]

A is the current release. Not sure why they started over.

[The Boozer]

Is the current release still the older aged tanked stuff? I recall another post in which Julian stated all the VWFRR was left over aged rye that they finally tanked. The more recent bottles actually have rye that's been aged 18-19 years. ???

[callmeox]

A is the current release. Not sure why they started over.

According to Julian in post 35 in this thread, they started over with A in 2008.

Apparently they printed lots of labels as they are still at A in 2010. It looks like the label lettering is no longer an indicator of the release year.

[The Boozer]

Correction, both my bottles start with "B".

[BourbonJoe]

Is that the new "B" or the second U.S. release "B"?

Joe :usflag:

[The Boozer]

Is that the new "B" or the second U.S. release "B"?

Joe :usflag:

Don't know. Is there something on the bottle that indicates one or the other? These are two bottle that I just picked up the other day.

[barturtle]

Don't know. Is there something on the bottle that indicates one or the other? These are two bottle that I just picked up the other day.

[The Boozer]

Thnaks Tim. I believe this would be the 2nd release. The store I purchased the bottles from has a high turn over and didn't have any for at least the last 6 months.

[The Boozer]

Out in the field today. After doing a building inspection, stopped by a party store over on the east side. Just looking to pick up a bottle of WT 101. Sitting on the shelf were three bottles of VWFRR. I was taken aback! First because I found VWFRR and 2nd this is Tony's (ACDetroit) backyard. Anyways, two bottles have made their way home with me and I left 1 bottle for Tony (or any other MI hounds). My 2nd surprise came when I took a closer look at the bottles and saw they are both "I" bottles. I have had this experience before. Recently picked up a bottle of Stagg and much to my surprise in turns out to be a 2009 bottling. Apparently, there are older bottles of BTAC, VWFRR and likely Pappy 15 yr sitting in some distributor's warehouse. I highly doubt that some of these bottles have been sitting on store shelves for over a year.

[cowdery]

That's an exciting find. Were they reasonably priced?

I think the natural incompetence of any system run by a government is probably a benefit to dusty hunters. In Illinois, stores can't transfer bottles between stores, even of the same chain, nor can they sell product back to the distributor. Once it's in the store they either have to sell it or drink it.

[Special Reserve]

Out in the field today. After doing a building inspection, stopped by a party store over on the east side. Just looking to pick up a bottle of WT 101. Sitting on the shelf were three bottles of VWFRR. I was taken aback! First because I found VWFRR and 2nd this is Tony's (ACDetroit) backyard. Anyways, two bottles have made their way home with me and I left 1 bottle for Tony (or any other MI hounds). My 2nd surprise came when I took a closer look at the bottles and saw they are both "I" bottles. I have had this experience before. Recently picked up a bottle of Stagg and much to my surprise in turns out to be a 2009 bottling. Apparently, there are older bottles of BTAC, VWFRR and likely Pappy 15 yr sitting in some distributor's warehouse. I highly doubt that some of these bottles have been sitting on store shelves for over a year.

TB,

I've had similar experiences. Recently I found a WLW 117.9 that was not in the store on many earlier visits. Also in the recent past, I found old (cheesy gold medallion style) RHF and of all things a gold veined OWA that the store owner insisted just came in "this week" and had absolutely no dust on the bottle.

Will

[The Boozer]

That's an exciting find. Were they reasonably priced?

I think the natural incompetence of any system run by a government is probably a benefit to dusty hunters. In Illinois, stores can't transfer bottles between stores, even of the same chain, nor can they sell product back to the distributor. Once it's in the store they either have to sell it or drink it.

Chuck, they were priced @ the State min of $59 and change. Store advertized State minimum price which is the reason I stopped. Had a similar experience last year when I found 3 bottles of WLW. Thought they were all 2009. Nope; 05', 07' and 08'. Got those at the State min price also.

[roostercogburn]

Chuck, they were priced @ the State min of $59 and change. Store advertized State minimum price which is the reason I stopped. Had a similar experience last year when I found 3 bottles of WLW. Thought they were all 2009. Nope; 05', 07' and 08'. Got those at the State min price also.

Really good find, Boozer. I'm still kicking myself for passing on what seems to be the last two bottles in the Dallas area (for 59.99 too!), which were picked within days of my passing them up. Valuable lesson learned.

[unclebunk]

TB,

I've had similar experiences. Recently I found a WLW 117.9 that was not in the store on many earlier visits. Also in the recent past, I found old (cheesy gold medallion style) RHF and of all things a gold veined OWA that the store owner insisted just came in "this week" and had absolutely no dust on the bottle.

Will

Hmm...time to re-visit all those stores I checked out last year. Who knows what may (re)appear?

[Parkersback]

Any tasting notes on these new bottles would be mighty welcome.

[BBQ+Bourbon]

After reading this thread, I checked the two bottles of in my cabinet for both the hand written date and the printed julian date. The first bottle, purchased fall of 09 is marked NoA3875 while the printed date is K2590914:26. I'd interpret that to say it was bottled on the 259th day of 09 at 2:26pm which jives with the time of purchase. The second bottle is marked No.B4246 and the julian date is N2771011:23 which seems to indicate it was bottled on the 277th day of '10 which also jives with the timeframe in which I found the bottle.

Also, the UPC of the first bottle is applied OVER the printed date on the bottle. I had to scrape it off to read the julian date.

[Beer&Bourbon]

The bottle I got the other day is also a new B bottle. When I first popped it I got lots of caramel corn with oak and lots of rye spiciness on the tail - the rye spiciness that I've long searched for.

Right now I'm picking up lots of caramel corn and vanilla on the nose. There's a good amount of citrus on the nose that really comes out on the tongue as well. Oddly this isn't something I particularly noticed on my last few go arounds.

[SMOWK]

I love the dryness of these bottles. The one I have open now is a B and it's got a great spicy dryness that is outstanding.

[squire]

They do rye right.

[tommyboy38]

I thought the latest bottling wasn't quite as good as the Earlier "I" and "A" versions. I'll have to try them again.

[HRay]

I am having trouble finding any VWFRR in Atlanta. I would love to find a couple of current bottles so I could finish the "I" bottle that I have had opened for quite a while and compare it to the current offering. This is one of my two favorite whiskies of all time (Saz 18 being the other one). I might have to resort to mail-order!

[Brisko]

I don't see it at my regular haunts here in Minneapolis, either.

[Guest wripvanwrinkle]

I have a bottle from the recent "b"release...and it is the only bottle in my cabinet that I ration.

Most of the time i get punched in the face with caramel followed by a back hand of dark cherry. Other times the cherry comes first. This is followed by vanilla and spice.

The taste is again caramel and dark fruit, with soft rye and hints of milk chocolate. The finish is long.

This isn't whiskey. This is the stuff that I imagined pirates drinking when I was a child.

[RyanL]

If anyone could point me in the right direction within a 50 mile radius of St. Louis, MO or could help me out with some send me a PM. I have looked and called around nearly everywhere but can't find any. Ever since trying it I was blown away and was hoping to not have to wait until Fall.