Jump to content

Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 rye


Vange
This topic has been inactive for at least 365 days, and is now closed. Please feel free to start a new thread on the subject! 

Recommended Posts

Direct email text:

"We decided to skip to Z this year to denote the last of the tanked rye that we’ve been using since around 2003. "

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said:

 

But is it all Bernheim or is it a blend of tanked whiskey and BT whiskey as has been speculated for a while now? I would guess the later since I think that has been the case for several years now.

Bruce, I think your guess-the famous tanked Medley/Bernheim blend with BT rye added to the mix-is right. Either that or it's just the last of the tank. But that would seem to defeat the pourpose of blending in the BT to slowly change the profile to next year's (presumably) all BT version. Assuming that was the pourpose. And assuming that it was, in fact, being done. Lots of guesswork for us poor heathen consumers. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm getting the indication through my emails with Van Winkle that there was no blending of stocks going on. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ethangsmith said:

I'm getting the indication through my emails with Van Winkle that there was no blending of stocks going on. 

 

I only ask because Harlan Wheatley said it was being blended with BT whiskey starting several years ago. To release an all tanked rye now would seem odd but always possible I suppose.

 

Not that it matters that much to me as I am unlikely to see one anyway!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had heard rumors about the blending in regards to the bourbons, but I had always thought the rye was all still from the Bernheim source. My source of information is Preston, so I have no reason to doubt him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought it tasted different in 2015. We tasted it side by side with a 2013 bottle and it was definitely different, according to three of us doing the SBS who are all pretty serious rye junkies. I know some people will start by saying it wasn't a perfect scientific SBS if they hadn't been open for the same amount of time or whatever but they were both 85%+ full. I personally feel as though they have already been blending in new stock, and it hasn't been a good thing. Combine that with a broadly perceived drop off in quality of the new 2016 batch of Saz18, and I shudder to think of the 2017 batch of VWFRR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, BottledInBond said:

I thought it tasted different in 2015. We tasted it side by side with a 2013 bottle and it was definitely different, according to three of us doing the SBS who are all pretty serious rye junkies. I know some people will start by saying it wasn't a perfect scientific SBS if they hadn't been open for the same amount of time or whatever but they were both 85%+ full. I personally feel as though they have already been blending in new stock, and it hasn't been a good thing. Combine that with a broadly perceived drop off in quality of the new 2016 batch of Saz18, and I shudder to think of the 2017 batch of VWFRR

 

Not likely to get a chance to try the "Z" VWFRR side be side with anything but I can definitely say that I am not in the group that found the new Saz18 to be in anyway inferior.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said:

 

Not likely to get a chance to try the "Z" VWFRR side be side with anything but I can definitely say that I am not in the group that found the new Saz18 to be in anyway inferior.

Are you saying that you thought the new Saz 18 batch was either equal to, or better than, the tanked stuff? If so I'd be happy to hear that as it would be encouraging to a devoted Saz fan, I just haven't heard that from others as of yet

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/7/2016 at 2:33 PM, BottledInBond said:

Are you saying that you thought the new Saz 18 batch was either equal to, or better than, the tanked stuff? If so I'd be happy to hear that as it would be encouraging to a devoted Saz fan, I just haven't heard that from others as of yet

Click on his link and read his review.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, flahute said:

Click on his link and read his review.

I had tried to do this previously and saw some Four Roses and Knob2001 stuff. Look like I didn't scroll through it far enough. My mistake. 

 

Now it appears I will have to find a way to do a blind SBS of my own........ Which maybe difficult since there isn't that much of the new batch and I haven't aggressively pursued it. But, even if I don't find it, it's nice to hear a more positive view on it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, BottledInBond said:

I had tried to do this previously and saw some Four Roses and Knob2001 stuff. Look like I didn't scroll through it far enough. My mistake. 

 

Now it appears I will have to find a way to do a blind SBS of my own........ Which maybe difficult since there isn't that much of the new batch and I haven't aggressively pursued it. But, even if I don't find it, it's nice to hear a more positive view on it. 

 

Yes, there were four of us involved in the blind SBS, all of whom were reasonably "seasoned" whiskey drinkers, including having had Saz18 in the past (the 5th person was not as experienced and had not had Saz18 before). There was some feeling that the older Saz18 (a 2014 edition) did not seem to match with the taste remembered from prior Saz18's but it was the only one handy. It is worth noting that the 2014 was a previously unopened bottle that had been stored in my basement away from light and temperature extremes so I felt like it was a reasonable bottle for comparison. All but one of us were convinced that the preferred 2016 was in fact the older tanked bottling until the truth was revealed. And the person who got it right still liked the 2016 as well. All in all a fun tasting and as is often the case with blind tastings, a bit humbling.

Edited by tanstaafl2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.