Black Maple Hill...

[wildcatdon]

Have just seen this in my local store..Is it good? Who makes it? Was in a hurry and did not get a chance to read the lable..Have never heard of it before...thanks..Don

[OscarV]

It is marketed by CVI Brands of San Carlos, California.

Whom they bought the bourbon from is not known, speculation is Heaven Hill.

If anyone has more info on who made this bourbon I'd like to know.

If that is the case then Max and Parker sold them better stuff than what they sell to KBD, but that is another story.

I have 4 bottles of it, the 11, 14, 16 and 21 year old. I have not opened the 21 yet and I did like the other 3.

My only complaint is, that while good, I think it is over priced.

Try the 16yo, I don't think you will be disappointed.

[Rughi]

It is marketed by CVI Brands of San Carlos, California.

Whom they bought the bourbon from is not known, speculation is Heaven Hill.

If anyone has more info on who made this bourbon I'd like to know.

If that is the case then Max and Parker sold them better stuff than what they sell to KBD, but that is another story.

My understanding (it is certainly not the only one) is that:

Lawrenceburg bottlings were bottled and chosen by Julian Van Winkle. This stopped about the same time/because of the BT/VW agreement.

Since then, there are Bardstown bottlings from KBD. I wouldn't assume these bottlings are all HH or even that any one bottling is from just one distillery's juice.

Roger

[OscarV]

Lawrenceburg bottlings were bottled and chosen by Julian Van Winkle.

Roger

Ah yes, now that you mention it I do remember now hearing this about JVWinkle.

All four of mine are Bardstown bottles however.

[BourbonJoe]

I have 4 bottles of it, the 11, 14, 16 and 21 year old.

These are all pretty much gone now from store shelves. They have been replaced by a BMH "Small Batch". I wish I could still buy the old stuff.

Joe :usflag:

[Phischy]

I've got the Small Batch and the next youngest. 11yr maybe? I'd have to check the label. It does get expensive quick! And for the price I'd rather get a Van Winkle or a BTAC than a BMH...but I"ve yet to crack mine open...who knows what's inside!

[OscarV]

Has anyone had any of the Lawerenceburg bottles?

How does it compare to the Bardstown?

[luv2hunt]

Has anyone had any of the Lawerenceburg bottles?

How does it compare to the Bardstown?

Lawrenceburg BMH 14 is like a Pappy 15.

[wskybnt]

I've had all of them except the 21. All are great. I tell you I think I like the 11 best though. If you got the chance try any of them, do it. Since its so expensive I dont buy it that much.

[tango-papa]

Lawrenceburg BMH 14 is like a Pappy 15.

So, if one were to come across a BMH age statement bottling, especially a 14 year, it would be worth purchasing?

~tp

[OscarV]

Lawrenceburg BMH 14 is like a Pappy 15.

Now I have a couple of more questions.

Were the original Black Maple Hill's wheaters?

Are the Bardstown bottles wheaters?

And what was the time frame on the Lawrenceburg releases?

[barturtle]

Now I have a couple of more questions.

Were the original Black Maple Hill's wheaters?

Are the Bardstown bottles wheaters?

And what was the time frame on the Lawrenceburg releases?

I don't believe they are wheaters, either when done by Commonwealth or by KBD.

Commonwealth stopped doing private bottlings when BT took over bottling ops for Julian in 2002. I would guess BMH started as a brand circa 2000, but may be wrong on that.

[luv2hunt]

OK, so it's been a really long time since I tried the BMH....but I knew the bottle we had was a Julian bottle. So tonight I poured a Pappy 15, Lawrenceburg BMH 14 and a WT Tribute. It tastes more like the Pappy Tribute!

OK, I'm done for the night! Tasted Tim's three samples and now this! Quite honestly....they're all starting to taste the same!! Good Grief!

[luv2hunt]

While doing a google search on Black maple hill, I came across a post from Julian on wine lovers page with some history:

"I was crusing your site to see if you ever had ever writen anything about Van Winkle whiskey and noticed the questions about Black Maple Hill.

I indeed bottled this whiskey over the last few years for a distributor in Califonia. He sold it to several markets around the country, but not here in louisville. It was my Van Winkle whiskey under abother label. The ages bottled were 14, 16, 18 & even some 20-year. There was alos a rye whiskey which was mine. All the Van Winkle whiskey would have been in bottled dislaying the "Bottled in Lawrenceburg,KY" address. Since I now do all my bottling at Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, the Califonia distributor is now buying his whiskey and having the bottling done in Bardstown at KY Bourbon Distillers. The whiskey is quite differnt now. I am short of Van Winkle whiskey so I cold not acconodate the Black Maple Hill label anymore.

I hope this answers a few questions.

Julian"

Found this in the sb.com archives.

[cowdery]

To parse a little, by "Van Winkle whiskey," he means Stitzel-Weller whiskey, i.e., wheated bourbon.

[barturtle]

Van Winkle Whiskey? While that is one way to describe it, I guess, it doesn't really say whether it's a wheat or rye based bourbon-he did use and own both types.

I also find it interesting that they were all even ages (well, except the rye was a 15yo) and now are odd ages (again except the rye is 18yo-though that may have changed since the last time I looked)

[gblick]

So, if one were to come across a BMH age statement bottling, especially a 14 year, it would be worth purchasing?

~tp

I guess it would depend on the price.

I saw a BMH 14 just a few days ago, but at that price I could buy two Pappy 15's and have change left over.

[Joeluka]

Send Julian a PM or E-Mail and he will tell you. His BMH's were S-W whiskey. He never used any of the Boone ryed bourbon or any other in the BMH's.

[anacostiakat]

Have just seen this in my local store..Is it good? Who makes it? Was in a hurry and did not get a chance to read the lable..Have never heard of it before...thanks..Don

I bought the 11 year in order to try it and liked it. The next bottle on the shelf at my local was about a yard in price so I didnt jump on it. Yet. . . :cool: