Quoted from tallkid84:

There must not be many bourbon drinkers among pinheads, at least not the ones who seem upset/shocked about how all this works. I think their heads would explode knowing how liquor stores/distributors handle sought after bourbons. Especially in states where it's not controlled, like NJ (I won't even touch the disgusting secondary market). And the shifts in the market here have been even quicker and more dramatic. MSRP means absolutely nothing, the distillery has a bottle like Weller 12 year at ~$40 MSRP, and you'd consider yourself lucky to have the privilege of paying $250 for it if you can even find it. The only ones you'll see on a shelf are likely behind a price tag of $400+. I need to provide sexual favors to get a bottle of Buffalo Trace in NJ, and this was largely used as a well/bottom shelf bourbon in most restaurants just a few years ago priced at ~$25 a bottle. Believe it or not, there are many hobbies in much worse shape right now then pinball. Not saying this disqualifies the feelings people have expressed in this thread, just providing some perspective. At the very least, it seems like there's still a fair amount of "good" distributers out there looking out for customers. This concept is non-existent in the bourbon world. And there is no resource like pinside either. New people to the hobby posting in groups and forums like pinside are laughed and mocked out of the hobby, pretty much told the best advice for entry is "don't be poor". Super toxic.