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Rittenhouse 23


birdman1099
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I came across a bottle or Rittenhouse 23. I'm pretty new to the whiskey world. I've seen little talk about the 23. Can anyone fill me in on what to expect from it?

Please be as detailed as possible. (i'm not too smart):grin:

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I did not know the 23yo was out, I knew they were going to put one out for at least $50.00 more than the 21yo.

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The 23yo comes from the same batch as the 21 year old -- the latter was almost 22 when bottled, and the former was barely 23, which is why they're appearing within 18 months of each other.

The 21yo was a stretch @ c. $150 for 100 proof, so I won't be buying any of essentially the same stuff at a higher price aged a few more months.

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I did not know the 23yo was out, I knew they were going to put one out for at least $50.00 more than the 21yo.

The 23 is available at the Super Liquor IV in Ann Arbor. I believe it's about $200.

Craig

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  • 4 weeks later...

I picked up the Rittenhouse 21 for $139 and the 23 for $149 last month at Shopper's Vineyard on sale I'm guessing. Price has gone up since then though.

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I picked up the Rittenhouse 21 for $139 and the 23 for $149 last month at Shopper's Vineyard on sale I'm guessing. Price has gone up since then though.

I'd love to know you thoughts on these.

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Opinion-wise, are these more so a conversation piece than anything else? I ask, because I know people who managed to get bottles, but more so than I think is the usual rate, the bottles were never opened.

There was a local bar that had a bottle of the 21, which a friend of mine pretty much drained solo in $35/per Sazerac cocktails...:smiley_acbt:but other than that, I don't really hear much about how good, bad or otherwise either iteration is / was.

With that in mind, I suspect you guys aren't getting as much of the feedback you had hoped for because the trendency appears to be geared more to collection of these more so than actually imbibing.

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There was a local bar that had a bottle of the 21, which a friend of mine pretty much drained solo in $35/per Sazerac cocktails...:smiley_acbt:but other than that, I don't really hear much about how good, bad or otherwise either iteration is / was.

It was rated in a tasting against Red Hook and Willett's in a tasting thread called "The Great American Rye Shootout".

Joe :usflag:

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It was rated in a tasting against Red Hook and Willett's in a tasting thread called "The Great American Rye Shootout".

Joe :usflag:

I remember that comparison thread. Certainly wasn't taking a swipe or telling anyone to get with the program - lol.

I'm guilty of having an un-open bottle, myself, (RhR 21). Just was pointing out that it seems to be more common that not as many people as usual have first hand opinions on either release.

And while I certainly don't view myself as a 'collector', considering what's already open and needing attention etc. I'm in no hurry to open my bottle either.

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I certainly have plans to open my Rittenhouse 21 and maybe the 23 if I buy another. I do want to keep one bunkered away for awhile.

I have a get together every year and this year the theme will be 200 years of Rye. A Rye tastings extravaganza with:

Black Maple Hill Rye 23

Hirsch Selection 21

Michter's Straight Rye (18 yo?) 10

Rittenhouse Rye 21 21

Sazerac 2005 18

Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye (F bottling, 18 yo) 13

Vintage Rye 21

Vintage Rye 23

Willett Rye (SB.com bottling) 22

Willett Rye (Jake Parrot private bottling - The Iron Fist) 23

Got to cut some of them down to 90-95 proof to make it reasonably fair.

Maybe I'll break out the Classic Cask 22 rye too if there is a need or sneak in a standard Rittenhouse BiB just to see where that would place. At least that is the plan at this moment. We'll see.

I know its only 192 years if you count the advertised age but about 208 if what they say about the Michter's and Van Winkle rye are true.

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Here's an earlier tasting note:

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showpost.php?p=79327&postcount=1

I finished up a bottle last week, and have two more in the closet. I won't hesitate to open them, won't buy any more (of either age), and am in no hurry to dispose of them either.

At first blush, this is/was an overpriced disappointment. I was one of an SB.com group that got to taste this in Fall 2005 straight from the barrel. It was an eye-popper at barrel-proof. Of course, we don't know exactly which barrel that sample was from, but several members of the group immediately tried to arrange for Heaven Hill to sell them that, and maybe other, barrel(s). Whether the distillery already had plans then for this bottling a year later, or judged by our universal reaction that they should make those plans, they wouldn't let us have any then.

Again in Spring 2006, Craig Beam brought some at 100 proof along to Twisted Spoke during WhiskyFest in Chicago. While generally considered inferior to the barrel-proof we'd tasted, this still was a crowd-pleaser that night.

Then, however, when released it remained at 100 proof, but at $150, and as a single-barrel. This when the Vintage 23yo rye was c. $110, and barrel-proof Stagg and Weller were $50-ish. And, who's going to lay out $150 31 times in order to get a sample from each barrel? Now, I realize Heaven Hill sold every bottle, and got its price. The wholesalers and retailers were the ones left holding the bag, because it can still be found here and there on store shelves. If it's been turned into a collectible, it's because of the inflated price.

The good news is that HH seems to have learned a lesson -- its very fine Parker's Heritage Collection bottling is at barrel-proof and about 60% the price.

Anyway, easily lost in all that is that it's very fine rye whiskey -- just not as good as it could have been. So, it's a shame that folks have paid so much for it that they hesitate to open it. If some of you do, please judge it, if you can, with disregard for its price.

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I have a get together every year and this year the theme will be 200 years of Rye. A Rye tastings extravaganza with:

...

Willett Rye (SB.com bottling) 22

I didn't know that SB.com did a Willett Rye.

I'd be interested to try that one.

Roger

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