Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyFlake
Other than that, are you agreeing with me, that it's no the holy grail and that there are other great Wheat Bourbons out there?
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Absolutely. Van Winkle
was special but gone unless you have a grand. Pappy now is good, not that good, not by $$ and not by the effort to obtain it.
Wheated Bourbon is a much smaller team but I like them all. Have Weller and Rebel Yell in the cabinet now. I have been on the lookout for a "missing Fitzgerald" but might have to just swallow my indignation and buy Larceny.
People will notice or already have noticed the absence of Wheaters in the market and fill it. Buyer beware.
*mounting soap box*
The straight Rye whiskey craze is a prime example of what could happen to wheated bourbon. Five years ago, you could get Rittenhose, Overholt, and Wild Turkey Rye, and another I'm forgetting. Look at how many brands of Rye Whiskey are on the shelf now. It is widely believed (and most confirmed) LDI/MGPI of Lawrencburg
Indiana distills all of these:
99 Bottles Rye
Angel's Envy Rye
Big Y Rye
Bone Snapper Rye
Bulleit Rye
Cleveland Rye Whiskey
Cougar Rye
Filibuster Rye
George Dickel Rye
George Remus Rye
Henderson Rye
High Liquors Rye
Hooker's House rye
J. Green Rye
James E. Pepper 1776 Rye
Knotter Rye
LeMont Rye
Lost Rye
O.K.I. Rye
Prichard's Rye
Redemption Rye
Riverboat Rye
Rough Rider Rye
Single Track Rye
Smokin' Joe's Rye
Smooth Ambler Rye
Smuggler's Notch Rye
Templeton Rye
Widow Jane Rye
Willett Rye
Winghart's Rye
Each of these brands will have a website with a marketing pitch something like "this micro-batch craft whiskey is made from the recipe discovered by Geraldo Rivera in Al Capone's treasure vault." In the end, after endless smoke and mirrors, and litigation, even Templeton was forced to admit they are buying their juice from the massive Seagram's/LDI/MGP (or whatever they rename it) plant.
Does that mean the whiskey is bad? No. But a bottle label and $25,000 gets you 100 cases of this "micro distilled craft whiskey" for market. That $80 bottle of craft Rye whiskey might not be as good as a $16 bottle of Rittenhouse. Things can go the other way as well; Bulleit Rye will actually be distilled by Bulleit in the near future
And thus to your point, not a holy grail, diminishing returns, etc.
Go buy a bottle of Rebel and put it into a fancy decanter. Tell your friend's it's the next Pappy.
