My First Question

[rancastle]

I guess my first question is what other bourbons are out there such as A.H. Hirsch that will soon be extinct? If I don't know what to look for I might miss something special! I did pick-up a bottle of Hirsch from Binny's in Chicago. If it is as good as I hope I'll split a case with a friend when we go to whiskey fest.

[Mark]

You may know already but Old Rip Van Winkle 15yo is no more, it has been replaced with Pappy Van Winkle 15yo... If you liked that, which I did, grab a few when you see then around. They may still be on some shelves for years to come but like other stuff as it gets rarer and rarer and newcomers seek it out the price will go up.

Another bourbon I really liked that was cheap was Ezra Brooks Single Barrel 15yo. It is still made but now it is 12yo. Not as much character as the 15, but the 15 was a love it or hate it bourbon so watch out.

[cowdery]

Because of the whiskey aging cycle, we generally get a pretty good advance warning when a whiskey is going to become unavailable. First, the distillery closes, then the supply of whiskey from that distillery starts to dwindle, but the process takes years. Right now the whiskey to concentrate on is the dwindling stock of whiskey made at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Right now, anything in the Pappy Van Winkle or Van Winkle Family Reserve line (except the rye) is Stitzel-Weller whiskey. Julian will probably make this remaining stock last as long as possible, but as the years go by it only will get more and more expensive, until it's all gone, so if you like it and want it, buy it now. There'll never be a better time.

I like the Ezra Brooks 15-year-old and if you can find it, get it, just because it's good whiskey, but there's not much of it around. They're now selling a 12-year-old in the same packaging. The only issue here is, was the 15-year-old anything unique or just some bulk whiskey, probably Heaven Hill, that happened to be 15 years old? In other words, just because Sherman has discontinued the 15-year-old, that doesn't mean it was from a defunct distillery like the Hirsch or the Pappy.

[jbohan]

With Conecuh Ridge being shut down in Alabama it might be an endagered species.

[rancastle]

Thanks Everyone ! The more time I spend reading these forums the more I realize how much I don't know ( I DON"T KNOW ). For example, last August Bucky1 (Jon) and I were with our wives in Vail Co. on business. One afternoon we were in a liquor store looking at a very limited bourbon selection. Later that day Jon's wife (Dawn) asked me if there was anything special or rare in the store that would make a good Christmas gift for Jon. I told her I didn't see anything, and as you can tell I'm a huge Van Winkle fan. Anyway, the next day she bought him a bottle of Black Maple Hill 14 yr witch she gave to him later for Christmas. On Feb.23 while researching for bunghlole's newbie contest, I learned that Black Maple Hill bottled in Lawrenceburg was Van Winkle whiskey bottled by Julian. I called Jon immediately to find out his was bottled in Lawrenceberg. Who knows how many treasures I've looked at and walked away from.

[angelshare]

Right now, anything in the Pappy Van Winkle or Van Winkle Family Reserve line (except the rye) is Stitzel-Weller whiskey.

Just to clarify, is the VW Special Reserve 12 year Stitzel-Weller whiskey? If so, will it change to Bernheim whiskey soon given its age?

[TNbourbon]

It's my understanding from other discussions, including input from Julian, that everything "Van Winkle" is still S-W except the 10yo bottlings.

[Strayed]

Just to keep things in perspective, remember that the 1994 "vintage" of Evan Williams Single Barrel is ALSO on the brink of extinction if it's not gone already. As one who has spent many a Saturday making the owners of tiny rural liquor stores nervous, let me assure you that you're more likely to find a bottle of 1979 National Distillers' Old Taylor than a bottle of EWSB 1992 bottled just three years ago.

And anyone who has fallen in love with a bottle of Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit (from one barrel) and then forked over nearly forty bucks for another bottle (from a different barrel) can tell you what a surprise THAT can be!

[TNbourbon]

...let me assure you that you're more likely to find a bottle of 1979 National Distillers' Old Taylor than a bottle of EWSB 1992 bottled just three years ago.

Lucky me, then! I've managed to pick up one of each (actually, the Old Taylor BIB was from '85, but still National Distillers) in the past two weeks.
I've found most storeowners as glad to see those old bottles disappear off their shelves after all those years as I am to find them.