BTAC was a week earlier than last year. No reason to expect Pappy et al. to be a week earlier, too. I do, however, expect it to be like BTAC x 10.

The new issue of Imbibe has a subdued, at times almost prosaic piece about Louisville, managing to invoke Pappy only in passing in a really refreshing way.

I have always had better luck with Pappy then BTAC for some reason.

Since I got skunked on BTAC this year, I hope I have better luck with the pappy.

That was a pretty solid imbibe article.

It's a little too quiet around here....

http://www.businessinsider.com/bourbon- ... ng-2014-11

Someone who would know told me last week for Pappy, btw, but obviously that did not happen.

BTAC was at the same price this year as last year....
Pappy should be soon, usually the Thanksgiving week or the the weak after.
But, if you don't already know you are getting a bottle, you probably are not getting a bottle....

One retail source in KY was touting Van Winkle being in their store last Friday (by email). Not sure what that means for conduits outside of KY.

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By some accounts Pappy already made it to WI (Madison) and downstate IL. Dunno why it hasn't hit Chicago yet. I bet it's this week.

New Details in Pappy Van Winkle Heist

http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/New- ... 44141.html
(full video story at link)

WKYT wrote:Last year, Franklin County Sheriff Pat Melton said "Pappy" is gone, and promised to "bring Pappy home."

On Monday, Melton was able to offer a more detailed explanation of how that bourbon was stolen. The sheriff thinks the bourbon has left the state.

Melton thinks the heist was an inside job that was pulled off by at least two high-ranking employees with access to the bourbon and knowledge of Buffalo Trace's facilities.

Guess Pappy release was yesterday, FYI.

Missed the Pappy at my local last week. More accurately didn't bother since I heard the allotment was 2 or so bottles. Pappy is worth the MSRP but any more than that is hype.

More importantly found Parker's Heritage 2014 at Woodmans Green Bay today for $45. Had to check the label about 10 times because I couldn't believe it. Bought 3, left 4 for the next guy (was actually 2 guys who bought 2 each - both seemed as thrilled as I was).

socko wrote:More importantly found Parker's Heritage 2014 at Woodmans Green Bay today for $45. Had to check the label about 10 times because I couldn't believe it. Bought 3, left 4 for the next guy (was actually 2 guys who bought 2 each - both seemed as thrilled as I was).

Barrel-aged (13 years), barrel-proof Bernheim's, from what I am told. Don't know if it's true or not but it is a wheat whiskey, not a bourbon so that does make sense. Good stuff. I tried it at Scofflaw last week.

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Speaking of the BTAC, I tried the 2014 Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye last night and I have to say that it may be the best rye I've ever tasted. I've had some nice ryes in my day but this, while having some very familiar rye notes, also had a brilliantly full and round array of other complementary flavors that I'd never experienced in a rye before. It's 129.2 proof (6-year) and while intense, was even sippable neat (I eventually dripped a bit of water into it). It really was on a whole other level.

Now, I'm a guy who definitely prefers bourbon, so perhaps a more hardcore rye fan might have found these other notes distracting. But for my palate, I found this preferable to some of the best ryes I can ever remember trying, including the High West 21-year and 16-year, Black Maple Hill 21-year, Rittenhouse 25-year and 23-year, the best releases of the Van Winkle 13-year -- and even more enjoyable than the Michter's 25-year, which until last night, was probably my favorite rye of all time. If you can get your hands on a bottle, I highly recommend doing so.

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the Sazerac Rye 18 is really really good. Gave up my Pappy 15 slot for the Rye this year.

I find that I'm really enjoying whiskey and bourbon and would like to become better versed, more discriminating. Anyone know of tastings or classes that are learning opportunities? North would be best. If this is wrong place to post, my apologies.

sujormik wrote:I find that I'm really enjoying whiskey and bourbon and would like to become better versed, more discriminating. Anyone know of tastings or classes that are learning opportunities? North would be best. If this is wrong place to post, my apologies.

Major spirits retailers tend to have tasting sessions on a quasi-regular basis, I know Binny's does - most predominately at their South Loop and Lincoln Park stores. I imagine if you stopped in and spoke to someone about getting on a (e)mailing list you would be alerted to upcoming events (or using social media to follow them). You could also call their "Whiskey Hotline" and ask about upcoming events and/or being put on a list to be notified, as well as ask about other non-store events they might recommend.
N.B. - I don't have any financial (or other) interest in Binny's, I just shop there . . . probably too much.
http://www.binnys.com/whiskeyhotline

Fine Wine Brokers in Lincoln Square had a whiskey tasting one evening last week. I don't know if this is a (semi-) regular offering or annual/holiday-related. I was just stopping in for wine and it became awkward because they were clearly focused on setting up in the back room, but if that's your goal, I'm sure they pulled it off well.

Is the 18 year Saz Rye distilling caught up to date yet? As of I think even last year it was supposedly sourced from the same stainless steel storage vat of long-ago distilled rye as the last several years while more recently distilled rye aged.

Speaking of newer stuff, I tried this year's Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, and I thought it was a little disappointing, at least compared to last year's more interesting iteration.

Re: learning, unlike wine (generalizing) I'm not sure it's something that can be learned in a class or sitting. I mean, sure, you can, but barring the hyper-detailed intricacies of barrels and warehouses and whatnot, the best bet is just to drink more whiskey and figure out what you like and why. Start cheap or at least modest and work your way up, if interest persists, and you'll get a better handle on things. There are a bunch of good whiskey blogs, too, which are informative and, you know, free, though you have to get used to and deal with myriad hidden agendas and vendettas.

ronnie_suburban wrote:Speaking of the BTAC, I tried the 2014 Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye last night and I have to say that it may be the best rye I've ever tasted. I've had some nice ryes in my day but this, while having some very familiar rye notes, also had a brilliantly full and round array of other complementary flavors that I'd never experienced in a rye before. It's 129.2 proof (6-year) and while intense, was even sippable neat (I eventually dripped a bit of water into it). It really was on a whole other level.

Now, I'm a guy who definitely prefers bourbon, so perhaps a more hardcore rye fan might have found these other notes distracting. But for my palate, I found this preferable to some of the best ryes I can ever remember trying, including the High West 21-year and 16-year, Black Maple Hill 21-year, Rittenhouse 25-year and 23-year, the best releases of the Van Winkle 13-year -- and even more enjoyable than the Michter's 25-year, which until last night, was probably my favorite rye of all time. If you can get your hands on a bottle, I highly recommend doing so.

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Might just have to revisit that. I had the 2012 or 2013, can't remember which one, and though it was good it didn't excite that reaction. I'm betting our palates are similar... my favorite ryes are also the High West 21 & VW 13.

I bought a bottle of Old Medley 12 to drink with pals in Louisville over the Thanksgiving weekend, and that was delicious. Spicy, a little hot, and with pronounced cinnamon flavor. After a tumbler, I felt inspired, grilled up some long red peppers and lap cheong sausages, and served them in bibb lettuce leaves. The pairing was great, and I'ma continue this Whiskey and Sausage Party idea back here in Chicago.

I was at Schaefers in Skokie today and noticed some lovely packages on display that said Pappy's Bourbon Balls. I asked the staffer checking me out if these were actually made with Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon and he said yes. Doesn't that seem like kind of a waste of fine Bourbon, I asked? Yes, he said, to you and to me, but people are snapping them up. Great marketing idea.

Cinnamon Girl wrote:I was at Schaefers in Skokie today and noticed some lovely packages on display that said Pappy's Bourbon Balls. I asked the staffer checking me out if these were actually made with Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon and he said yes. Doesn't that seem like kind of a waste of fine Bourbon, I asked? Yes, he said, to you and to me, but people are snapping them up. Great marketing idea.

LOL! I guess that's how a retailer makes as much off a bottle as a bar typically might . . . without gouging (appearing to gouge?) on price. If it truly is Pappy, that means it's either the 15, 20 or 23-year (not the 10 or 12), which seems outright crazy to me but give the people what they want, right?

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It's not Pappy, but it is total bs. A couple of the Van Winkle kids started a sideline of Pappy tie-ins and merchandise:

http://www.pappyco.com/products/pappys- ... -pack.html

Now this, on the other hand:

http://insiderlouisville.com/lifestyle_ ... l-o-shots/

sujormik wrote: I find that I'm really enjoying whiskey and bourbon and would like to become better versed, more discriminating. Anyone know of tastings or classes that are learning opportunities? North would be best. If this is wrong place to post, my apologies.

I have not really attended this (if you really want to know - you can query me off-forum), but, I urge you to buy a ticket to Whiskey Advocate's 16th Annual Chicago Whiskyfest.
It is in downtown Chicago. It has lots of whiskey, and bourbon, and bourbon-barrelled beers. I'll halt there, because, I have not really attended it.

pudgym29 wrote:

sujormik wrote: I find that I'm really enjoying whiskey and bourbon and would like to become better versed, more discriminating. Anyone know of tastings or classes that are learning opportunities? North would be best. If this is wrong place to post, my apologies.

I have not really attended this (if you really want to know - you can query me off-forum), but, I urge you to buy a ticket to Whiskey Advocate's 16th Annual Chicago Whiskyfest.
It is in downtown Chicago. It has lots of whiskey, and bourbon, and bourbon-barrelled beers. I'll halt there, because, I have not really attended it.

Not much in the way of beer that I can ever remember. A great event for a beginner. After attending a few of these, if you don't get into the VIP hour (the first hour, for an extra fee), which sells out very quickly, the event may not be worth bothering with. But if you don't have much experience tasting whiskeys, this is a pretty good event at which to cut your teeth. There's quite a bit to try and if you're smart about how much you consume, it can be a productive and educational experience.

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ronnie_suburban wrote: Not much in the way of beer that I can ever remember. A great event for a beginner. After attending a few of these, if you don't get into the VIP hour (the first hour, for an extra fee), which sells out very quickly, the event may not be worth bothering with. But if you don't have much experience tasting whiskeys, this is a pretty good event at which to cut your teeth. There's quite a bit to try and if you're smart about how much you consume, it can be a productive and educational experience.
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Ronnie, between Anchor, Rogue, & Founders, and a few of the new class of craft brewers who have expanded to craft spirits - that is where the beer and bourbon-barrel beers appear.
And, unfortunately, when I myself clicked on the URL I provided; it seems the whole danged event is already sold out.

pudgym29 wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote: Not much in the way of beer that I can ever remember. A great event for a beginner. After attending a few of these, if you don't get into the VIP hour (the first hour, for an extra fee), which sells out very quickly, the event may not be worth bothering with. But if you don't have much experience tasting whiskeys, this is a pretty good event at which to cut your teeth. There's quite a bit to try and if you're smart about how much you consume, it can be a productive and educational experience.
=R=

Ronnie, between Anchor, Rogue, & Founders, and a few of the new class of craft brewers who have expanded to craft spirits - that is where the beer and bourbon-barrel beers appear.
And, unfortunately, when I myself clicked on the URL I provided; it seems the whole danged event is already sold out.

Yes, it sells out quickly. And I think those beers are just a tiny percentage of the overall offerings at WhiskeyFest. Don't forget, we're not just talking about bourbon and rye but also white dog, Scotch, Irish, Canadian, Japanese, Blended, Vatted, etc.

This used to be an industry-geared event that was held on Monday nights. A few years ago it morphed into a consumer-focused event and is now held on Friday nights. It's not the event it once was but again, if you're looking to try a bunch of whiskeys side by side, it's not a bad bang for the buck. And the opening VIP hour, which sells out even more quickly than the regular tickets, is great in that some relatively rare pours are available.

Typically during the week leading up to WhiskeyFest, a variety of related events are held around town. One particularly good one is Binny's World of Whiskeys, which is held at their Marcey Street store on the night before WhiskeyFest. I think it's $50 and there is a great variety of things to taste there.

As for other tasting opportunities, at least a few bars around town that focus on whiskey offer flights on their menus. For example, Ward 8 in Evanston was recently offering a flight of 3 Van Winkle bourbons for a very affordable $25. Fountainhead, Delilah's and Lady Gregory's also come to mind. Longman & Eagle has literally dozens of whiskeys, many of them very low-priced. Any decent bar would probably be happy to accomodate a request for a tasting flight if it were made early on a weekday or at a time when it wasn't particularly busy. I don't suggest strolling into a place at 8 pm on a Saturday and asking for such customized service.

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Thought this article would fit in well here...

My Search for Pappy

Wow, poor dude jumped through all those hoops and went through all that trouble, and the payoff is that at best he got a shot (literally) at the 10 and 12-year not really Pappy. On the plus side, rumor has it the 10 year may be turned into a regular, monthly allocation bottle. Certainly it's telling that Weller 12 has been AWOL for so long.

Anyone else had cask strength Maker's Mark? I've heard great things.

Vitesse98 wrote:Wow, poor dude jumped through all those hoops and went through all that trouble, and the payoff is that at best he got a shot (literally) at the 10 and 12-year not really Pappy. On the plus side, rumor has it the 10 year may be turned into a regular, monthly allocation bottle. Certainly it's telling that Weller 12 has been AWOL for so long.

Anyone else had cask strength Maker's Mark? I've heard great things.

Insane. I'm also not sure about his assertion that Pappy. . . "is almost universally agreed to be the best bourbon in the world". I'm certainly a fan but I'm not sure about such an extreme proclamation - nor what sample size he's using to state universal agreement. I guess everyone needs their white whale; I just hope that someday when he lands a real Pappy he hasn't overhyped his expectation so high that he's doomed to disappointment.

As to the 10 becoming a regular allocation - that may have already transpired. Binny's SL Tasting Room now has the 10 behind the bar at $10/pour; in a nice touch they also have the Jefferson's Reserve.

GT Fish & Oyster, besides serving up some excellent food, also has a very impressive spirits list which includes multiple Van Winkle offerings including actual Pappy's - at fairly reasonable prices, certainly much better than the predatory gouging the writer encountered.

danimalarkey wrote:Cal me cynical, but I'm surprised this hasn't happened before:
MORE THAN $26K IN RARE BOURBON STOLEN FROM BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY
http://www.state-journal.com/local%20ne ... distillery

And, honestly, not sure how they're valuing the rye at $25 (which seems low) -- the actual value is potentially higher.

Nine indicted in thefts of bourbon from Wild Turkey and Buffalo Trace, including rare Pappy

Nine people allegedly responsible for well over $100,000 in bourbon thefts, including ultra-rare Pappy Van Winkle, were indicted Tuesday in Franklin Circuit Court.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2015/04/21/3811 ... rylink=cpy

More on Chuck Cowdery's blog: http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2015/0 ... theft.html