Fans of Old Grand-Dad 114, this is for you.
The folks at Beam Suntory have been mulling over the fate of this small but beloved expression of their high-rye bourbon. Late last year, the word was that it 'probably' would be discontinued in 2017, but the final decision hadn't been made. Shipments from the distillery were stopped for a few months due to supply constraints while the number-crunchers worked out whether or not it made sense to continue the product going forward.
They decided that it does.
Shipments will resume shortly and availability should improve in the second quarter.
Nothing is forever, of course. They'll probably look at it again in a year or so. Supply will be a prime consideration. The high-rye recipe used for Old Grand-Dad is also used for Basil Hayden.
The widespread confusion and concern about 114 has led to rumors that the entire Old Grand-Dad line is being discontinued. There is no truth to those rumors. In fact, Old Grand-Dad is doing very well despite virtually no marketing spend.
26 comments:
I really like O.G. 114. I buy it at Liquor Barn, Lou. Ky. (outer Loop) and was disappointed to see it gone from the shelf. I couldn't get any info and hadn't got a round to it in contacting OG. Now I am glad to hear it's available in 2nd qtr. Will stock up this time. another higher rye mash bill I really like is my "go to" Bourbon JTS Brown BIB. To me it is under rated and worth almost twice the price. I also keep 10 yr singl. barrel Henry McKenna BIB on hand and Turkey 101 just for variety. 'til OG 114 shows up I keep Old Forrester signature BIB, sure be glad when Old Grandad 114 returns!
Well, bought 2 bottles today at $20 ea
Just in case.
Oh Come on. Does anyone even drink Basil Hayden?
The Basil Hayden brand is doing very well and they will soon be releasing a Basil Hayden Rye.
I don't buy Basil Hayden, but I'll gladly drink it. Had some for the first time in ages, the other night, at a friend's house. It was delicious. I just prefer to buy higher proof, better value, bourbon.
I'm a fan of OGD 114, who doesn't buy it often enough, I fear. When I heard the rumors of it's doom, I was sad. Now that it's coming back to the shelves, I plan to buy it a little bit more often. Doing my small part to help keep the brand alive.
I'm often saddened to see the old classics disappear while the boutique expressions become the go-to pours.
I had Basil Hayden awhile back and it was just "meh"...but maybe my buds (taste) need to sample more bourbons to be sure, you see ;-)
Huzzah!! OGD 114 is an old fave. Got me thinking...I'll go sip some from the National Distillers era now...
I want to try the the Bottled in Bond Old Grandad.
Me too! There is too much marketing fluff over good quality substance.
Is it true that Beam is now supplying the juice for Bulleit bourbon in place of Four Roses? If so, I would think that the amount of high-rye juice required for Bulleit would be greater than that of all the Old Grand Dad expressions combined and might influence future business decisions on Old Grand Dad products.
Beam seems to be consistently inconsistent - Booker's price jumps/scaled back, OGD 114 gone/back, etc.
Chuck - thanks for the article on this. Much appreciated.
Glad to read that it's sticking around. I like both OGDBiB and 114 and would be sad to see either go. Of the higher rye bourbons I tend to prefer Old Forester Signature though.
While it is possible that Beam is making some Bulleit for Diageo, I don't consider it likely and even if they are, it's new-make and therefore would have no effect on Old Grand-Dad availability.
So to paraphrase Twain here:
"If you don't like the news from Beam/Suntory, just wait a few months."
Basil Hayden has never really impressed me. OGD 114 does(for the money)! Of course, it lacks some complexity but it ticks all of the boxes of what most bourbon lovers want. That spice swell is consistently in the sweet spot of the development. Very satisfying while not requiring much thought.
Gotta love OGD 114. Spilled some on my lawnmower, wiped it off with a rag, and it took off the red paint!!!
I have no respect for BH. what a waste of a bottle. 80 proof, $70 buck Canadian, nothing special. especially when BiB OGD is $32, and twice as good.
Rick
I love OGD. It's my go to. The 114 and BIB are both very solid, too. I encourage someone to try OGD every time I pick a bottle up. It's hard to beat the value.
I had written dear Old Grand Dad off for dead. Glad to hear he's still on life support.
The reports of Old Grand-Dad's death have been greatly exaggerated, to paraphrase Mark Twain.
I had always heard that Bulleit was literally a blend of bourbon and rye, each from different sources. Any truth to that?
There is a Bulleit Bourbon and a Bulleit Rye, but never the twain shall meet.
I can't wait to try that!
Old Grand Dad BiB is usually the best buy on the bourbon shelf of any liquor store. For the price it's damn hard to beat. and honestly, as long as they continue making it, I appreciate the lack of marketing. Let's keep this secret, and low price, to ourselves , shall we?
Well, I didn't see this post about OGD 114 not going away before sending my last post about my finding and buying six bottles. Not to worry though as they are definitely NOT going to be wasted.
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