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Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 rye


Vange
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The first US release of VWFRR was in 1999. That was the "A" bottling at 14 y/o

I wonder how different the new A Label VWFRR is from the the unlettered series still available here in Japan.

ACDetroit, what say you?

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I wonder how different the new A Label VWFRR is from the the unlettered series still available here in Japan.
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  • 2 weeks later...
I just bought No. 1053 in Japan today. No letters whatsoever.

Letters or no, it is an amazing drink.

Small world. Our club got No. 1057 to share a couple weeks ago. A free taste of it recruited a couple more members. It's really so excellent.

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Small world. Our club got No. 1057 to share a couple weeks ago. A free taste of it recruited a couple more members. It's really so excellent.

This is amazing drink. I have gone thru more of these than any other whisky.

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Atilla, Edo, do you guys find this on the shelves where you are? I have never found VWFRR 13 up here in Sapporo, but have been able to order it on line.

Amazing whiskey, isn't it? All I have of it right now is 300 ml that I decanted into a well rinsed shochu bottle last winter, I think. I will have to order more and open the bottle I already have. It isn't doing me any good inside a bottle.

Ed

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Its on rakuten.com (particularly Kawachiya) for 4,000 yen. Some guy keeps trying to sell some at auction for 7,000 yen, though.

Atilla, Edo, do you guys find this on the shelves where you are? I have never found VWFRR 13 up here in Sapporo, but have been able to order it on line.

Amazing whiskey, isn't it? All I have of it right now is 300 ml that I decanted into a well rinsed shochu bottle last winter, I think. I will have to order more and open the bottle I already have. It isn't doing me any good inside a bottle.

Ed

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I got mine through Kawachiya, too. I was just about to order more, but ...

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/kawachi/428639/449867/449882/#404992

dammit. There is no more.

The numbers should have been a tip off. We bought #1057 to share. I bought #1055 for personal use. Attila mentioned he had #1053 and #1051 is in the Kawachiya photo.

Is it possible there were only 10 bottles ever shipped to Japan?

The horror!

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I got mine through Kawachiya, too. I was just about to order more, but ...

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/kawachi/428639/449867/449882/#404992

dammit. There is no more.

The numbers should have been a tip off. We bought #1057 to share. I bought #1055 for personal use. Attila mentioned he had #1053 and #1051 is in the Kawachiya photo.

Is it possible there were only 10 bottles ever shipped to Japan?

The horror!

A lot more than 10. I am sure.

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All I have of it right now is 300 ml that I decanted into a well rinsed shochu bottle last winter, I think.

Why did you do that? Why decant?

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To reduce the effect, if any, of air on the whiskey during long term storage. There is some debate on whether there is an effect and if that is necessarily a bad thing. Rather than leave a couple of fingers rye in the bottom of a bottle I decanted it while the bottle was still freshly opened. I didn't think I would be able to get it again, at least not soon. That was at least a year ago. The pour I had the other day was very nice! Unfortunately, it is a 200 ml bottle, not a 300 ml bottle as I had thought.

I bought my bottles, I think I got two, from http://www.sake-brutus.com/ If I hadn't been underemployed at the time I would have tried to clean them out.

They don't have any VWFRR 13 listed now, But they do have VW Olde Time Rye 12 yo. I had a bottle of that and it was wonderful, but not as good as the VWFRR 13 in my opinion. I have never had any of the VWFRR 13 yo that contain older rye.

Ed

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Spotted and had the first pour out of bottle No. 1099 at jazz club LifeTime in Miyazaki last night. I informed the master that he may have the last bottle available. After taking a taste, he put the bottle out of clear sight of the patrons. ...

but :skep: ...I don't expect it to make it to the New Year.

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:lol: :lol: :lol: You go to some kinky places, dude!!!:lol: :lol: :lol:

Oh-oh... :o ...I mean the bar master! ...:blush: ...I, uh- I mean the club head hancho! ...:shocked: ..uh- I mean the mama-san's uh ... :eek:

... yeah, kinky (kinki?):grin:

... back on topic ...

Our whiskey committee got in our holiday order. I had won the share-bottle selection and ordered Old Rip Van Winkle Old Time Rye (Bottle No. 71). Passed it around. Very excellent. Good reviews all round. I think it is closer to bourbon than the Family Reserve. The Family Reserve seems moving more toward (dare I say it) congac-like flavors in comparison.

One member, a Texas (generally) tequilla-drinking woman (who until she tasted the VWFRR last month claimed she did not like whiskey, bourbon or single malt) prefered VWFRR to ORVWR, but just by a bit.

We did not try the two back to back and no one else (including me) expressed a preference, but all agreed Old Rip is mighty tasty.

... just wish it was cheaper

... and that may happen for us (in Japan) with the dollar hitting 88 yen yesterday

... .whew!

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This excellent brand seems very difficult to find here in Europe nowadays. I have been looking for it quit a wile but failed.

Leif

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This excellent brand seems very difficult to find here in Europe nowadays. I have been looking for it quit a wile but failed.

Leif

The brand seems to be highly allocated, it's getting hard to find even in Kentucky.

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I believe it has been widely allocated. In my travels around various parts of Tennessee via my job this year, I have seen very few. Where I have seen it, never seen more than 2 on the shelf. I suppose Julian is having to spread fewer and fewer each year as supply is running lower with every bottling. Wonder how much is left? BT should be close to having some ready for him in the next 2-3 years I would think.....of course, with a higher price tag......better grab these 18-19 yr old bargains whenever we can!

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I believe it has been widely allocated. In my travels around various parts of Tennessee via my job this year, I have seen very few. Where I have seen it, never seen more than 2 on the shelf. I suppose Julian is having to spread fewer and fewer each year as supply is running lower with every bottling. Wonder how much is left? BT should be close to having some ready for him in the next 2-3 years I would think.....of course, with a higher price tag......better grab these 18-19 yr old bargains whenever we can!

IIRC, the rye has been tanked for a number of years, so isn't it still "just" a 13 year old rye?

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Ahh, I didn't realize that it was beyond it's labeled age when tanked.

Thanks for the info, Timothy.

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Check out post #41 on this thread. From the Man himself. :grin:

What got my attention was the last sentence from the Man in post #41. Anyhow, I cannot say enough good & great things about this rye. It is the only rye I keep going back to again & again.......and plan to buy as much as I can while I can!

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I just found a shop that sells it from Rakuten. Cheap too.

Ah! I see it. Tsutaya!

They have a few more things that Kawachiya is currently missing, too.

Outta cash for the moment, tho'...

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  • 4 weeks later...

Anyone with the newest "AA" bottles notice any change from the previous offerings from the last year or two? Just curious. Someone commented here about the newer/newest Saz 18 as well as Hirsch being different due to the stainless steel storage. I am curious if this might affect the VWFRR as well since it has been stored the same way for the last 5-6 years. If so, I am thinking of going back and getting 2 more of the "I" bottles @ $49.99 each that I ran across back before the holidays.......that is, if they are still there.

Probably not a bad idea to get them anyway since the price is going up yearly and supply is finite.

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