Determining Bottle Age

[cigarnv]

I have come across a few bottles of bourbon that I would like to date. They all have a UPC as well as a Gov. warning so I assume they are all post 1989.

Bakers - UPC code is on a sticker on the bottom of the bottle. It has the old label with a B-85-001. Could this be the first bottling? Is this a similiar taste profile to the current offering?

WT- This is a 1.75 liter of 80 proof. It has a Maryland tax stamp.

Dant - DSP-31. Not sure when this would have last been made.

I have attached a few pics. Also, any thoughts regarding the bourbon's themselves would be appreciated.

Thanks for the help!!

[mozilla]

There is a two digit number on the bottom of the bottles that should get you real close to the fill date. Usually in the bottom right hand corner of the bottle base, as you hold it on its side.

The Dant is the only one I can comment on....it is still being made at HH. They seem to have picked up that label in 1992 or so, from UDV/Diageo.

I think the Turkey bottle is also from the mid 1990's.

Oh yeah, you also wanted comments...HH Dant is very low on the Bib scale. Bakers is just another Bean product. The Turkey, on the other hand, is always top notch. It is usually very fat and powerful.

[ThomasH]

Check the bottom of the bottles. Many times there is a two digit number on the bottom that is the year the bottle was made which is usually pretty close to when the whiskey was bottled. Also, the WT bottle appears to have a tamper evident (TE) cap and I think it was mentioned elsewhere on SB that these were first introduced in 1992. I think the Government warning labels started appearing on bottles in 1988 and tax stamps disappeared from bottles in the mid 80's!

[cigarnv]

Thanks for the info.. It appears that the WT has a "90" on the bottle bottom which would seem to fit. The Bakers "appears" to have a "92" which would be 1985 +7 years...does this make sense?

The Dant appears to have an "06" which does not seem to fit with the KY-31??

[TNbourbon]

I find that version of Baker's to be much fuller-flavored than the current issues. I wish I had more (especially since they were priced around here about $10 lower than current Baker's.

[mozilla]

The Dant appears to have an "06" which does not seem to fit with the KY-31??

They are probably just using up old labels.

[BourbonJoe]

Just for your info., The Dant was made at Heaven Hill in Bardstown before the fire.

Joe :usflag:

[mozilla]

I doubt that, Joe. Have you tasted the Dant recently? It is not 10 yrs old by any means. IIRC, Bettye Jo said that they are allowed to use up old labels in certain circumstances.

I have a few HH bottles that are labled exactly the same...with the DSP of Bardstown. Also, from BJ....HH is trying to put Bardstown on all their labels...as per Family preference. They are sure proud of their Bardstown facility and employees.

[drunkenjayhawk]

I have a JW Dant BIB bottle date from 07. Its just another label owned by HH now. Decent but not great.

[cigarnv]

I doubt that, Joe. Have you tasted the Dant recently? It is not 10 yrs old by any means. IIRC, Bettye Jo said that they are allowed to use up old labels in certain circumstances.

I have a few HH bottles that are labled exactly the same...with the DSP of Bardstown. Also, from BJ....HH is trying to put Bardstown on all their labels...as per Family preference. They are sure proud of their Bardstown facility and employees.

Jeff, are you saying that even though the label says "distilled at DSP-KY31" that it may have actually been distilled at DSP-KY1 or anywhere else?

Thanks!!

[mozilla]

Jeff, are you saying that even though the label says "distilled at DSP-KY31" that it may have actually been distilled at DSP-KY1 or anywhere else?

Thanks!!

I am saying that I was told that by a HH employee. Also, I have been told by others that it is true. Distilleries are allowed some allowences when it comes to using up old items. I do not know how long they will be able to continue it, though.

Ken Weber told me the same thing about BT, when they bought some labels and were allowed to use up the old invintory first.

Not that big of a deal, IMO. If you look at the bottle date...then the stated age on the label(no age means 4yrs, usually)....do some math magic....et voila. Where it was made becomes crystal clear.

[cowdery]

As a matter of policy, Heaven Hill is labeling products distilled at DSP-1 as DSP-1. They are rather enamored of the fact that they own DSP-1 and want to use it. Assuming that those inexpensive bonds (I'm a fan of J.T.S. Brown myself) are bottled at 4 to 5 years old, they last contained DSP-31 whiskey five or six years ago. Is it credible that they have not reprinted those labels in five or six years? Yes, because those brands are very small. They're not bottled very often or in very large quantities. Plus the pipeline itself adds time, so it wouldn't surprise me if a print run of J.T.S. Brown labels is a ten year supply. Of course, they knew the days of DSP-31 whiskey were numbered in 1997 (the year of the fire) but didn't know they were going to be producing at DSP-1 until 1999.

I have a JTS Brown in an 04 bottle that says DSP-31 and one in an 08 bottle that says DSP-1, so Heaven Hill appears to be playing straight with us on this.

[mozilla]

Heaven Hill appears to be playing straight with us on this.

Just to clarify, HH has been forthcoming about the origin of these labels, anytime asked. No mystery here.:cool:

[chilidawg7]

I find that version of Baker's to be much fuller-flavored than the current issues. I wish I had more (especially since they were priced around here about $10 lower than current Baker's.

I saw 4 bottles of this stuff today at a local grocery store. Looks like I may have to go back and pick one up...