(Topic ID: 171391)

Pinball and Bourbon

By Whysnow

7 years ago


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    #253 5 years ago
    Quoted from Chisox:

    I’ve given up of the unicorns like Pappy, WLWeller, Stagg etc. and focus on Blanton’s, Elmer T., W12, Rock Hill Farms and the like. I’ve overpaid trying all the unicorns at restaurants and bars and was underwhelmed for the price. Give me a couple fingers of Elmer T Lee or EH Taylor neat and I’m a happy man.

    ETL, W12, OWA, RHF, even WSR are all basically unicorns in the New England area at this point. Regular old BT is getting scarce. Blanton's is usually around (and priced decently at $50 in most places), as is the Taylor line, minus bp and the annual releases.

    The distributor of the BT line here in CT and RI essentially rations out at random the above to stores (though I've heard rumors the more FireBall they sell, the more they get...) without them even being ordered. Essentially, they send bottles and the owner/permittee can refuse them or take them.

    I am absolutely convinced liquor store owners and employees snatch anything of relevance up, and immediately flip it on the secondary market. It's crazy at this point, far worse than even this hobby. PVW23, which retails for $299, easily fetches $2k. I guess if the market will bare it...

    Similar to this hobby, it's just frustrating when profiteers figure out that people are very passionate about something, and combined with hype, are able to exploit long time enthusiasts/new hobbyists. That said, it's not like anybody is forcing anyone to pay top dollar for a luxury/entertainment item.

    I'll stick with my $30 ER.

    If anybody wants to work out a pins-for-bourbon trade, pm me. I'm looking for Nascar, BSD, FT, T2, Sopranos...

    1 month later
    #302 5 years ago
    Quoted from cjmjmm2006:

    I have 1 case total so 12 bottles. =)

    BTAC comes in 3 bottle cases.

    I scored a case this year of GTS, and straight traded a bottle for a lot b. Debating trading the lot b and another gts for a pvw15. Tough decision.

    #312 5 years ago
    Quoted from cjmjmm2006:

    3 bottles is a case. I apologize for this misunderstanding. Just spoke with my wholesaler. I understood an MC to be 12 bottles but George T doesn't do MC so I got awarded 4 cases.

    I can't really fathom what kind of dough you must be dropping each year to get allocated 4 cases to you personally. Impressive nonetheless.

    For reference, the largest commercial retailer (think warehouse store, but not total wine) in central CT received 3 bottles of GTS from the distributor.

    I got mine by being a good customer at a smallish mom and pop, and around August, started telling them I would take anything they got in, as CT is usually late for distribution.

    They called me 2 weeks ago to say that they got their allocation, and that the owner was keeping the orvw they got, and that I could buy the GTS, for $109.

    The other two I got from a warehouse type place that gets a decent sized allocation each year (think a couple GTS, a single WLW, a lot b, 2 orvw, and a pvw15). I kind of befriended the manager of the place and would stop in once or twice a month and shoot the shit with him, and occasionally buy some moderate stuff. I asked him a month ago if he knew when anything would drop, and he said "not yet, but I'll hook you up.". I walked in last Friday during lunch break and he pulled a brown bag out from under the counter with two GTS in it. They rang up for $119 ea.

    Needless to say, it was a good season.

    I kind of chuckle about it now, but less than 10 years ago, I could walk into a number of local places and buy basically any of the BTAC or VW line off the shelf, one bottle at a time, and return a few weeks later for another bottle because it sat, whether it be a combination of people didn't want to spend $60 (at the time) on such plain looking bottles, or people were just drinking tons of flavored vodkas then. Hell, we used to drink orvw10 in college because it was cheaper than Jack or Jim. Sigh.

    #366 5 years ago
    Quoted from wyopin:

    I’m pretty pumped...I just got a pappy 12...

    No such thing as a Pappy 12, but there is VanWinkle Reserve "Lot B" 12 year old, haha

    Congrats on paying legitimate retail. It's probably my favorite, and the most balanced, of the entire line.

    2 months later
    10
    #471 5 years ago

    Yeah, I definitely like my bourbon...

    This is the "small" bunker down by the machines. I did a little rearranging the other evening.

    I'm glad that I used to be able to buy owa by the case for $140 out the door, especially now that the new retail cost has climbed to roughly $50 per bottle in CT, if you can even find it. Forget secondary, its at or over $100 now.

    I'm also a fan of EC. Glad I hoarded it too, prior to the age statement removal, believe I used to get those for about $200 a case.

    My real go-to's are BT and ER, but they are starting to creep up too. I go out of my way to get store picks of nearly any BT product, as they are usually superior. It helps when you are on the tasting panel, haha.

    CrazyLevi Still working on that Lexington, huh? As to answer your question, Eagle Rare and Buffalo Trace are certainly solid (around $32 and $29 in CT). Weller Special Reserve ($20) isn't bad either, but is hard to find these days.

    My real secret these days, which I'll probably regret for sharing is Wild Turkey 101 ($22). The trick is to find new bottles, however. Flip the bottle around and look at the tiny laser etched code. Anything beginning with GG (the first G being 2018, and the second G representing the 7th month, July) is good to go. I read an interview with the master distiller, Jimmy Russel, who stated that due to the release of Wild Turkey Longbranch last year, they were short of the usual 6 year old barrels they regularly used to batch WT101 with, so to keep up, they dumped a ton of 10 year old barrels instead! It's now outstanding. I drink it straight, mostly; but on the rocks, mixed with a diet coke, even in a cocktail are all excellent. It's great stuff nowadays.

    A couple other great ones are any of the bottled-in-bond bottom shelfers. Old Grand Dad BIB, Evan Williams BIB, Jim Beam BIB. All highly undervalued.

    Finally, any of the Jim beam selects (disteller's cut, black, etc.) are all very good, especially when they are under $23. Don't over pay for these. I've seen them as high as $35 and laugh. If you like the Beam profile, you'll love these. And if you really like the Beam profile, splurge once in a while and get a Booker's; it's essentially the honey barrels of Beam, at barrel proof. Great stuff, especially before they raised the price from $49 to $79 a couple years ago.

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    #473 5 years ago
    Quoted from swillie:

    +1 on the Wild Turkey 101...and thanks for the info on the recent bottlings being superior, going to hunt one down.

    the good thing, unless you're like me and like "the hunt", haha, is that there is no more hunt. WT101 is literally everywhere where bourbon is sold. Find a liquor store that has it in stock, check the date code, then buy a bottle here and there. Rinse, wash, repeat. Trust me, they'll still be sitting there when you return for another...The best part, is they offer this in 1.75 size, and it's $34. Smoking deal these days for a bourbon of this quality.

    For the wheater fans, I've been enjoying the hell out of Makers Mark (Gasp!) Cask Strength these days. I tried it when it first came out, when it was grossly overpriced and only available in 375ml bottles, and didn't care for the florally, perfumy aftertaste. Fast forward a few years, and I tried it again, and it was excellent. Very close to being on par with WLW, and for $44, it's the best deal in wheated, cask strength bourbon.

    #481 5 years ago
    Quoted from bowz:

    First off, that is a bad ass bourbon collection!!
    I had either heard this from someone else or read this, but now that you’re confirming it, I’m gonna go hunt down a bottle or 2 to try it for myself.
    How can you tell when this runs out? The date goes to 2019?

    I've been finding tons of GG, GH, and GI; I've had all three, and all are miles above older offerings.

    Realize that most people, bourbon aficionados included, usually consider WT101 to be bottom shelf, so there isn't a ton of turnover. The first store that I usually go to had two GG's and then a bunch of GA's. When more inventory arrives, I'll check those.

    Knowing what I do, I absolutely expect a run on the late G coded Turkies by flippers looking for max proffitz, until the next shiny object comes along.

    #483 5 years ago
    Quoted from Chisox:

    Really? Ouch. I thought MD was state controlled liqour sales?
    This is another $34.99 favorite that’s getting to be a bitch to find.
    [quoted image]

    New price of $45 in CT as of a few months ago. Was $32 prior to that. There's still a few stragglers out there; I grab them when I see them at the latter price.

    #493 5 years ago
    Quoted from swillie:

    Stopped at Meijer... one bottle in range. Thanks for the tip, I have always felt WT101 to be a real good bourbon but havent bought a bottle in awhile.[quoted image][quoted image]

    Nice!

    Probably going to crack a GI tonight for "friends board game night" at my house. Bolderdash is way more fun with bourbon.

    Pinball, too, haha

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    #496 5 years ago
    Quoted from bowz:

    Did a little hunting tonight, with bad results.
    Every WT101 around me had the LL starting. I don’t know if there’s a chance they can still get it, or if they’re onto more recent WT and I have no chance...

    They all start with "LL"; the codes you are looking for are "LL/Gxxx".

    #501 5 years ago
    Quoted from bowz:

    Actually, thinking a bit about it, I saw all GI. But just to be clear-I’m on the hunt for GG, correct?

    GG, GH, GI have all been very good. From my understanding, anything released up to today, and for the immediate future, should have a significantly larger proportion of 10 year old barrels in the mix. WT101 is currently advertised as a blend of 6-8 year old barrels.

    I happen to feel bourbon hits its sweet spot between 10-14 years old in most instances; too young (as most releases are these days) and it tastes less complex and more alcohol forward, too old (looking at you pappy 20/23) and it's like drinking oak tincture. Obviously bottling "to taste/profile" has its merits, but there is no substitute for time in the wood. I have yet to find a bourbon that I thought was better after its age statement had been removed or lowered, and I've proven this multiple times with countless blind tastings. Bourbon can reach maturity sooner than anticipated, and in fact become "too ripe", but this most definitely an exception, and not the rule.

    I'm pretty basic when it comes to bourbon, really.

    Give me a corn heavy mash bill, preferably sweetened up with some wheat, (or the rye portion throttled back some), give me 10 years in the wood, and give me at least 94 proof, 100 being better, 107 being optimal. To me, that is basic bourbon, which used to be so common, but now is getting harder and harder to find.

    Jim, Jack, and the rest of the watered down, over-priced regulars are basically swill to me at this point; genuine proof and age is actually needed to carry flavonoids. If it wasn't for the advertising campaigns and ties to Sinatra, run of the mill JD would be bottom shelf $15 whiskey at best.

    #510 5 years ago
    Quoted from SirScott:

    I read that WT Rare Breed also benefited from this "shortage." I picked up a bottle of GG yesterday and sampled it with a neighbor. Wow--definitely worth a try for those shopping in the $40 range. I am going to pick up a few more bottles on the way home from work today.

    Not sure what the latest proofs are, but WTRB has always been a mystery to me...not that its bad or anything, it just kind of exists in a weird market segment.

    It's essentially a barrel-proof version of the standard 101 proof offering, but because of the relatively low barrel entry proof (107-115) to begin with, which is a signature of the WT brand, you only end up with a couple more proof points over the standard 101 offering.

    In my neck of the woods, WTRB is a $50+ bottle, and at an average of 6-14 proof more (3%-7%), it just doesn't justify the 100+% price increase.

    I saw a spread sheet a while back that showed the cost to proof ratio of barrel proof offerings over the standard versions, and was shocked to see how much of a premium you pay.

    Example being: EC = $28, 94 proof. ECBP = $65+, avg 130 proof. You're only getting 18% more proof, but paying 150% premium for the uncut juice!

    As I recall, OGD114 was the best bargain, as Beam charges linearly for alcohol % in the OGD line 80/$16; 86/$18; 100/$22; 114/$26

    Stagg Jr, at $49 and about 130 proof is also a great bargain (when it can be found, of course) for a Buffalo Trace Product barrel proofer.

    I could go on for days, and I haven't even had a drink yet, haha.

    #519 5 years ago
    Quoted from plovis:

    Interesting thread.
    Agree with BrewNinja, enjoy neat for lower proof and a bit of ice for higher proof. Although I've never particularly enjoyed whiskey stones. Nothing like the feeling of those things slamming into your teeth to get your weekend started. I get them all the time as gifts and theres probably 4-5 packs of them just taking up space in the freezer.

    Agreed; whisky stones are the dumbest things ever...they appear like a great idea on paper, but the execution is shit. Plus they don't have the thermal mass to really do anything at all. And like you, I get a set at least once a year as a gift because family and friends know me as a "whiskey guy". I've started putting them in house plant pots around the house as decorations, haha.

    If I want my bourbon cold, I add a cube. If I want it cold, with no watered down taste, I either put a glencairn in the freezer for 20 minutes, or put the bottle in the fridge or freezer for a little while, depending on how cold I want it. It doesn't have to be complicated, haha.

    #523 5 years ago
    Quoted from t2:

    I assume it best to sip your glass and not drink it like a soda or beer?
    Is it ok to leave bourbon in the frig?
    I like the test sample idea
    Thanks

    I keep a bottle of Weller Special Reserve in the freezer for bourbon-diet cokes and manhattans; works well.

    1 month later
    #780 4 years ago
    Quoted from Daditude:

    Anyone have any pappy on hand?

    I'm assuming you've never had a bottle, so pardon me if this is incorrect...

    Here's the thing; literally the only thing the ENTIRE PVW line has going for it, especially now that all of the hallowed Stitzel-Weller juice has long been used, is hype. They are essentially status symbols now; trinkets, talisman, tulip-mania if you will. Literally anyone who drinks bourbon, or pretends to, knows what it is, and is perpetually on the hunt for it.

    As a "normie", you will likely never see it on a shelf again. If you do, it will likely be marked up 1000%, at a minimum. Non-ABC Retailers hold back the allocations they receive to flip on the secondary markets themselves, or offer them to only their best customers, often significantly above m.s.r.p. You will never stumble into a little mom-and-pop liquor store and find a dusty one sitting on the shelf. Everyone knows what it is now. There are simply too many two-bit have-to-have-it's-stepping-over-their-own-dicks that are willing to pay insane prices for it, because they've been told it is the best thing on earth.

    Let me tell you a dirty little secret.

    Not all that long ago, they could be found at or below retail price, throughout the year. Retailers often times had to discount them just to move them. The whiskey drinking public simply wasn't aware of them, and if they were, people weren't willing to spend $99/$199/$299 for a bottle of American bourbon. They were really marketed as a niche product to connoisseurs. (All this sounds familiar, huh? , haha)

    I'm not going to go into the brand history, because it is easily googled, but most people are chasing over-aged and over-oaked whiskey that at one point, the VanWinkle family could barely give away. When they sold their stake in SW, they kept their namesake line, and almost went bankrupt because of it. But their persistence paid off, when a bunch of bloggers and whiskey writers starting hyping it back in 2012 or so. Keep in mind that Buffalo Trace contract distills this product for the VanWinkle family; they essentially get first dibs of the wheated barrels, and get to bottle x-amount as their own private label.

    That all said, is PVW good whiskey at it's retail price? I think the 15 and 20 year olds are. They certainly wouldn't be everyday pours, but I would probably rotate a bottle or two into the bar every year if they ever became regularly available again at their retail price points and quality. The 23 is like drinking oak tincture to my palate, so I'd probably skip it. Especially at $299 m.s.r.p.

    I now chase the Antique Collection myself, as though while still produced in very limited quantities compared to standard offerings across the BT line, there are substantially more available. For example, they bottled nearly 40,000 bottles of George T Stagg last year. Don't get me wrong; it's still not easy to find, but it isn't exactly hen's teeth either. I give it a few more years until these become total unobtainium like their neighbors over at VW.

    End rant.

    #795 4 years ago
    Quoted from Fulltilt:

    I don't know about... but if it were me.. I'd grab the Pappy first.
    [quoted image]

    But, but, but...the bag and tag are missing! It's worthless!

    I half heartedly chuckle when perusing the secondary markets and see people heart broken because a bottle has a small smudge on the back label, a nick in the foil, or a hairline crack in a wax seal. Those little superficial wounds REALLY effect the taste of the whiskey!

    I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've thrown out 30 packs of beer because the carry handle had creasing in the cardboard.

    It's like the time I noticed an irreparable scuff on the rear of the cabinet on my otherwise perfect BBB. I just couldn't bring myself to play it anymore, so I did what any other sane person would do. I Viking funeral'd that shit!

    This post is mostly in jest. Mostly.

    #831 4 years ago
    Quoted from boscokid:

    Good price too - that's $80-85 around PA/DE

    sigh, I remember when it was $55 just two years ago...

    I haven't bought a bottle in longtime now.

    1 week later
    #882 4 years ago

    Still see lots of this and S.o.Mauve around...

    Whiskeyin' is a fickle thing, that's for sure.

    Example: KC2001 and KC25th still WIDELY available on shelves, years after their respective releases. They carry all the right credentials, and are aged and proofed up compared to even the best (and costliest) store picks.

    Booker's 30th? Gone before it even hit the shelf...

    Basically any new Weller or CEHT special release? Seemingly spoken for before it leaves the distributor's warehouse...

    #887 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    I've never had this stuff and it's only an 80 proof but was on closeout at the store for $13 a bottle so I grabbed a couple. Figured if nothing else I could pawn it off on guests who ask for a jack and coke.
    [quoted image]

    "With a Rebel Yell, she cried "More! More! More!"..."

    For that price, you did good. Mixes surprisingly well. It's probably sacrilege to say this, but I prefer this well wheater to wsr *Gasp!*. If you go into it expecting it to be a bargain bottle, you won't be disappointed.

    The single barrel 10 year, which drops once or twice a year, is very good for the price ($50-60) these days, usually isn't too hard to get, and is a great alternative to ORVW10. (There, I said it.)

    #890 4 years ago

    $?

    I saw one at $199 last night, but didn't pull the trigger...

    #933 4 years ago
    Quoted from boscokid:

    I grabbed a bottle of Mellow Corn today because it's cheap at $14, 100 proof, BIB and 90% corn mash. The plastic screwtop is there as warning so you know what you are getting.
    Initially smelled like rubbing alchohol, then it would die off, swirl glass again and the ethanol whiff was back. Odor was gone completely after about 10mins.
    Undeterred, I moved to tasting. Surprisingly not bad at all. Not a deep flavor, light with just
    a bit of burn. Nowhere near the worst whiskies I've had; it feels like a nice change of pace to heavier and way more expensive bourbons and ryes.

    Ahh yes, the legendary Mellow Corn...Technically a corn whiskey. The only aged/bottled-in-bond one that I'm aware of. What it lacks in bold character and big flavor, it makes up with lots of subtle, but noticeable, flavor nuances and a surprising lack of heat on the palate. Corn bread and caramel (whooda thunk?!?) push through in this one, and if you like corn flakes, you'll like this whiskey. It's the exact polar opposite of a spicy rye.

    Do a side by side by side by side with Mellow Corn (Corn Whiskey), Bernheim Wheat Whiskey (Wheat Whiskey), a Rye Whiskey of your choosing, and then a regular, straight, bourbon of your choosing (Heaven Hill to keep up with the theme, maybe?). You will see the similarities and not-so-subtle differences between them.

    Mellow Corn and cider at my local fall fair is a tradition. It's really good as a substitute for the vodka in a Bloody Mary as well. Straight works, too, or mixed with 7up. Cheers!

    #966 4 years ago
    Quoted from djreddog:

    At the New York City Pinball Championships and this is the spread in my hotel room. Anything worthy?[quoted image]

    Huh. Wish I knew you were here last night. The boys and I nearly polished off a bottle of Weller 12. Good luck in quals.

    1 month later
    #1199 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Anybody ever had this Michters American? I've never seen it before now. Its a low proof bourbon at only 83 proof. Just wondering if it is worthwhile to pick up or not I like the regular michter's but was worried there wouldn't be much to this one[quoted image]

    I've had it. It's not bad, but not great either. It's basically a light whiskey (unblended whisky aged in used bourbon barrels). I'd pass at that price. The US-1 next to it is pretty good, but its much better at it's suggested retail of $40.

    #1243 4 years ago
    Quoted from New_England:

    Anyone have Weller or Blantons they would be willing to ship to Vermont?

    Going to pintastic?

    1 week later
    #1326 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Went ahead and picked this one up yesterday, didn't get a chance to sample it yet.[quoted image]

    It's a sleeper for sure. Checks the right boxes. Aged stated 7 years, 107 proof, small batched, always available. Doesn't really exhibit any of the "Beam Funk".

    When it's on sale for $39, I grab one for a change of pace. The normal $49 price point, that it has sat at for years, I always felt hurt its popularity because there were so many offerings that checked those same boxes in the $20-$25 range (OWA, WT101, etc.), but now that many of them are gone/had age statements removed/moved up in price (looking at you, OWA), that $49 price isn't such a hard pill to swallow anymore.

    I'm usually not a huge Beam profile fan, but I've been on an OGD/JB Bonded kick for a couple weeks (not on the same level as Baker's, but pretty close); they are really good straight/on the rocks; and I don't feel guilty mixing them with a splash of ginger or diet coke. I fear that before long, most of the bonded varieties will be pulled (ala Heaven Hill BIB 6 year for $13), and rereleased a short time later as "premium" offerings at much higher price points (Heaven Hill BIB "7 Year age stated") for $40). Can't blame them for doing it though, if the market will bare it...

    #1332 4 years ago

    Michter's US-1 Rye.

    All of Michter's ryes are excellent, a little pricey, but huge maple syrup bombs.

    Rittenhouse is excellent too, and much cheaper.

    #1336 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    I'm usually more inclined to pay more when a bottle has an age statement. That way I at least know what I am getting good or bad. I feel like companies that intentionally don't put an age statement on know that they're shortchanging their consumers. By hiding behind No age statement it just legitimizes that fact. Companies that do post age statements do so front and center and prominent for a reason.

    I absolutely prefer age stated to non.

    That said, barrels can develop faster than others. Even sitting literally next to each other in the same rickhouse. From barrels coopered on the same day. From the same fall of trees.

    If you look at traditional brands, many were developed specifically because of this. Stuff that developed a little too soon was spun into lesser aged/cheaper offerings. Eagle Rare and Buffalo Trace currently for example. Barrels that developed the appropriate flavor profile too soon, but couldn't be stated as 10 years, are dumped as/with Buffalo Trace. Those that make it the full 10 within the understood profile, are dumped as ER10. Barrels that develop too fast or have off profiles are dumped as Benchmark No. 8.

    #1338 4 years ago

    Technically, "small batch" isn't a legal term...

    Define a "small batch". Is it two barrels? 100? 10,000? I guess any vatting of barrels is considered "small batch" compared to the sheer batch size that the likes of Jack Daniels Old No. 7 or Jim Beam White Label must be.

    I'd also be willing to bet that it is distilled in Indiana (MGP Juice). No idea where it's bottled. I don't think I have ever seen a bottle labeled "made in", but I could be wrong.

    #1340 4 years ago

    Ha! Just glancing at that image, it looks like the typical made up story upstart, or resurrected defunct brand launched by investors. They usually sell a good story and a crappy product. These brands generally use the cheapest, youngest juice MGP (or others) will sell them.

    Conversely, brands like High West or Smooth Ambler never made up a "founders" story or tried to imply that they actually distilled and aged the product. They were forward with the fact that they bought barrels (Some VERY GOOD) from other distilleries, and packaged it themselves.

    Ethically, I have no problem with non-distiller producers, as long as they are truthful about it.

    Michter's, Whistlepig, and Willet bottled other's juice prior to their own coming online, and continue to do so with the higher aged offerings.

    #1342 4 years ago

    I should brush up on my trade board legal bourbon definitions, but I don't believe "Single Barrel" is technically a thing either, but rather a marketing term with no legal definition.

    Seems simple, right? Not exactly.

    How could you label something as being "Single Barrel" and not have it be from a single barrel?

    I could mix the contents of multiple barrels, re-barrel them for 1 second to xxx amount of years, and voila!, "Single Barrel" whiskey.

    That said, the major bourbon distilleries use the honor code in this regard. For example, Buffalo Trace voluntarily removed the single barrel designation from Eagle Rare 5 or so years ago. Why? Due to a change in the way they bottled the product, there could be a drop from another barrel comingled in the bottling lines, and therefore, it wouldn't be a "single barrel".

    Prior to automation of the bottling line, they literally punched a faucet tap into every single individual barrel bung, then filled the bottles by hand. Now they use a semi-automated line/pump system, so every 150 bottles or so, depending on barrel yield, you have slight overlap of the contents of one barrel to another in the line. Miniscule, but they felt they shouldn't label it as such anymore. (Even though I still consider it to be)

    #1354 4 years ago

    Rittenhouse is excellent rye. The price just makes it that much better.

    3 weeks later
    #1509 4 years ago

    Anybody going to Pinburgh?

    I typically bring a bottle of OWA with me to shows, but it usually ends up going the first night, haha.

    If anybody would like to share or sample, let's coordinate here and see if we can't get a mobile tasting lounge set up.

    #1534 4 years ago

    Lolololol that stuff is hot garbage.

    “But the bottle’s cool!”

    1 week later
    #1560 4 years ago
    Quoted from BrewNinja:

    I totally get what you are saying. I sort of feel the same way. However, there is a reason for that. Most of the bourbon's we consider "good" are much older ages. Most of the distilleries coming online dont have products old enough to be able to put out those long aged products. They are also usually small and cant afford to sit on a ton of product. So they change things up to be able to still offer something and try to set them apart from everyone else. Sometimes they succeed, most of the time, they do not. So that being said, I dont think there is anything inherently better about Kentucky Bourbon, just that they have done it for a long long time and have the resources most of the smaller new places do not have.

    I'd also preface this that certain climates are clearly better suited to bourbon production, or at least, what "we think it should taste like"...The mix of hot and humid summers, and cold but not frigid winters, and the maybe karmic thing of the perfect time in Oak being about 10 years, just plays into this happenstance.

    Same thing for Scotch, really. I've had the best of the best Japanese, Indian, Malaysian, Irish, English, American, etc "Single Malt Whiskies", but still find myself preferring genuine distilled and aged in Scotland scotch whiskies.

    I wholeheartedly concur that I overwhelmingly prefer KY, and to a certain extent, TN products, over any other locale's. Maybe I've been programmed to think this way, but I can always tell at a blind tasting event when something isn't from there. Maybe I'm just used to the flavor profiles of the big, legacy distillers?

    1 week later
    #1628 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    All of these bottles are long gone but this is the 12-year Elijah Craig that they pulled off the market about three years ago. I stocked up when I heard they were ceasing production and I'm just down to three bottles of it now it's amazingly good stuff.[quoted image]

    “Big Red Elijah Craig”, aka, 12 year front age stated EC with the big red font was my absolute favorite regularly available bourbon for a long time. It was the epitome of Heaven Hill’s flavor profile; buttery, rich, caramel, brown sugar, and baking spices.

    People joke about drinking alcoholic beverages for breakfast, but I would cut it 50/50 with homemade maple syrup, and serve it on pancakes during camping/hunting/fishing trips. I’d paint ribs with the same mixture as a finishing glaze. God damn was it good.

    I’ve got maybe a case and a half left in the bunker, and it makes me sad, as it truly was the best “all-around” bourbon, especially considering it’s $20-24 price.

    If you told me even 5 years ago that 12 year age stated bourbon would be a rarity under $100, I would have laughed in your face. I can’t even really think of one now that I mention it...other than the barrel proof version of EC that has somehow still managed to keep its age statement. (W12 being scarcer than hen’s teeth in these parts, and when seen in retail establishments, priced at secondary or higher...)

    #1632 4 years ago

    I scooped many (and drank all of them) rear age stated, and bunkered the remaining front age stated I had/found in the wild...

    It's the morning as I type this, and just thinking about that delicious juice makes me want to pour a glass. It really was the "bourboniest of bourbons; the quintessential bourbon flavor".

    Of all the label changes/brands disappearing, the loss of this one was the saddest. If I could only have one bourbon from here on out, it would be the old EC12.

    #1649 4 years ago
    Quoted from Reality_Studio:

    Well yolo as the kids say, went to a tiny store walking distance from home and bought these. Sonoma Bourbon is my favorite drink so had to restock on that, and decided to give some cask strength stuff a try. Sonoma Bourbon was $40, Stagg Jr was $90 (ouch) and Elijah Craig was $100 (ouch again). Definitely splurge booze but wanted to try it.
    Have to say the Elijah is glorious, the "intense" definition of its flavor is quite correct, like this one! The regular 94 proof is a better bang for the buck and is plenty good, but this one does take it up to that other notch.
    The Stagg Jr, hmm, I'm not sure. It's no where as intense as the EJ and has quite a different flavor from anything I've tried. Palettes change so I'll see if I grow into this one over time, right now I'm kinda so/so on it but always happy to try new stuff.
    The store told me they select their own barrels of cask strength Old Forrester and Whistle Pig, I'll pass on the pig because I'm not into high rye but I'll give the Old Forrester a chance at some point when they get them.[quoted image]

    ECBP is great. But it’s price tag per proof is not. I saw a spreadsheet a while ago that broke down the price per proof of cask strength offerings compared to their regular versions, and was quite shocked actually.

    Stagg Jr, when found at $50, is a great deal, MMCS at $45 is too. Technically, Jefferson’s at sea cask strength is as well, because there is a $5 markup over the regular version (though I would never recommend either at their price points).

    Old grand dad 114, while technically not “barrel proof”, kicks ass at its $24 price. Once you make a julep or old fashioned with ogd114, chances are, you’ll never want to use anything else.

    WT101, despite its “low” proof, is also close to a barrel proof offering because of the low entry proof to the barrels; very little water is added to proof it down to 101 (see rare breed, which is a true “barrel proof” offering, and is usually seen at a high proof point of about 113ish max).

    That said, enjoy what you enjoy, but don’t be afraid of the lower shelf, legacy high proofers, you might just be surprised.

    *tips back a glencairn of the final pour of a maker’s 46 cask strength a buddy brought back from the distillery...

    Cheers!

    #1677 4 years ago
    Quoted from Reality_Studio:

    For the Maker's Mark, do you mean this one:
    https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/bourbon/makers-mark-cask-strength-bourbon-whisky/p/143298750
    I have Maker's Mark 46 which I like especially at just $27, but I didn't see any high proof version of that one.

    That’s the one.

    Makers 46 Cask Strength is currently only available at the distillery, however, according to rumor, it will probably start national distribution by year’s end.

    1 week later
    #1761 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Well you can now focus on some weller full proof since you are all stocked up on blantons

    Much like CYPB, with these new yearly "special/limited" weller releases (ala CEHT), you won't be seeing these "hit the shelves", but rather held back for big spending regulars (at probably an inflated price), or peddled on the secondary...

    I've practically done an about face in the last few months; I've been grabbing scotches (peat bombs being my new sipping weakness), under appreciated value bourbons (MMCS, OGDBIB, WT101), and *gasp!* even blended American whiskies *gasp!*

    Had an impromptu gathering over the weekend and decided to make a classic, really old-school bourbon amaretto punch for the guests. Instead of dumping in a 1.75 of something more expensive/hard to find (I'd usually use WSR or BT), I used a $15.99 handle of Calvert Extra, and kicked it up with some generic Trader Vic's over-proofed amaretto. I had about 40 people giggling for $32, with nary a complaint, and even a few compliments of it being the best punch they ever had. I may try Heaven Hill white label next time to technically make it "bourbon punch", but I don't really see handles of it in my area and am not sure what they cost.

    For those that can't get Blanton's on the regular, I MAY be able to grab some and get them out, for cost+, as long as the shippee assumes all risk for breakage/confiscation (I've shipped MANY a bottle of *ahem* "Olive Oil/Homemade Artesian Barbeque Sauce/Maple Syrup" to friends all over the country without a single problem, so I wouldn't worry too much). Typically, it sits on the shelves here between $50-$65.

    1 week later
    #1847 4 years ago
    Quoted from Fremen:

    Nope.... rum is the pinball drink for me (sorry had to chime in on your bourbon parade)
    - Kirk and Sweeney 23 year
    - Don Pancho
    - The Kraken (with some ginger beer)

    White Claw thread is that way, brosef! ------------------------------------>

    Haha, J/K, I have a soft spot for some of these high aged rums that have been popping up recently, especially at their respective price points! It's like bourbon was 10 years ago; I can get a 15 year aged for under $25! The K&S line has been very good, as I have sampled many of them at a friends place, and they are all outstanding; big time werthers/butterscotch bombs!

    Quoted from djreddog:

    Saw this on limited sale at my local Costco but hesitated to buy it because I'm not too familiar with the Makers Cask strength line of bourbons. For $70, should I just dive in?[quoted image]

    If those are 750's, I'd grab as many as I could reasonably afford (assuming you like MM), @ $23.33 a bottle, that's insanely cheap. I'm guessing those are 375's based on the price, and that's not even that bad...

    1 week later
    #1906 4 years ago
    Quoted from DBLM:

    It was a little intimidating. Because so much of the place is the production and craftsmanship that goes into things I didn’t want to go order bourbon on the rocks (besides the Pappy). Due to this, you just have to talk with the mixologists. They ask you what you like and a few other questions and go from there. Best to have an open mind and bankroll when you got to a place like this.

    Don't you just love paying for the "privilege" of having others tell you what's best for you?

    I was at a very poo-poo establishment recently where I asked the sommelier for a particular bottle (one that I have ordered prior in this establishment), and after they tried incessantly to steer me towards something else, quite rudely I might add, I just said very politely, "you know, maybe my wife and I will just have a bud light." At the immediate realization that they would lose their 15%-20% commission from the original $450 bottle I ordered, they backtracked.

    Needless to say, we suffered down our bud lights, paid the $12 tab, and left. We went across town to our usual date night dinner place, and had a great meal.

    Petty? Maybe. But it's my damn money, and I'll spend it how I want. Now get off my lawn!

    2 weeks later
    #1976 4 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    What the hell is it? Come to the home of bourbon and hard to find anything worth note [quoted image]

    Because everyone and their brother rolls through KY and TN on the hunt for bourbon when they do the trail/tours...

    Friends that live down that way usually stock up when they are up here in Yankee land visiting.

    The whole insanity of all of this in recent years has me almost completely giving up looking for anything; I'm a relatively young man, and I've probably got enough of the good stuff bunkered for a good 15-20 years (if I average a bottle a month or so) bought at pre-insanity prices. The days of $170 cases of OWA are LLLLOOOOOONNNNNGGGGGG gone...

    Should I tire of drinking owa/ec12/w12/er/ecbp, I doubt I'll have any problem finding regular old MM.

    Sorry for the doom and gloom, haha.

    I'm holding out hope that my couple regular, longtime loyal, mom and pop's call me in November for my yearly allocation of the antique collection, assuming they even get a bottle or two anymore.

    #1993 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    When you are down at the BT distillery do you hsve the ability to buy whatever you want or are the top botrles still not for sale there either?

    Very little is actually for sale, other than regular bt and er. Sometimes Blanton's. Because of the three tiered system, the distillery must still bring in their own product for sale through a distributor to sell at their on premise store front.

    It is not like Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory: There aren't fountains of pappy, and they definitely don't flush the urinals with weller.

    #1996 4 years ago
    Quoted from Forum-ninja:

    I will be at Buffalo Trace in two weeks. Did they have weller full proof for sale ? In the picture,the bottles had tags,was the stuff for sale?[quoted image]

    I'd wager a big time "no" on the weller; the picture is of the locked library at bt, of which none is for sale. They tell you multiple times during the tour, and people still ask at the end, lol.

    #2020 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Not sure where your gonna find a 10yr bourbon as good as this for the money.[quoted image]

    If I could upvote that more...

    I was a little worried for a while there as it started to get a little scarce in these parts, and figured the age statement would go “poof”, but it seems like it’s back everywhere in quantity like it was a few years ago.

    True story: this was one of the first non Jack/Jim/etc. bourbons I fell in love with about 20 years ago. And the honeymoon still isn’t over, haha.

    Cheers!

    #2059 4 years ago
    Quoted from flashsmith:

    There are numerous "craft" distilleries sourcing from Dickel. Heavens Door being one of the big ones. I've got a bad bottle of Angels Envy right now. Everybody raves about it but mine tastes like straight ethanol. I've let it sit to oxidize for a few months and its still undrinkable. Can't get past it. It's sourced as well but it's never been determined from who. Also had a horrid bottle of Makers 46 awhile back that worked well as drain cleaner. Tasted like a 2x4 soaked in gas. I think it happens to every distiller from time to time.First of the run,last of the run who knows? I learned my lesson and avoid anything sourced. The Dickel is a limited release. Check it out. Its got alot of rewards and accolades and it's smooth and clean.

    This why I don't fault batching to an established flavor profile...

    Not really comparable, but I've had side by side by side by sided Crown Royal expressions from 1960/1974/1993/2017 and they were essentially identical.

    As much as I bitch about Heaven Hill removing the 12 year age statement from Elijah Craig, they did the smart thing and stopped limiting themselves to the barrels they could use in making it, and now batch to a particular flavor profile with a mixture of barrel ages.

    This is why I also give extreme praise to consistent single barrel offerings; it's VERY difficult and expensive to quality control individual barrels on the scale of say, Buffalo Trace, in regards to Eagle Rare or Blanton's to maintain their flavor profile consistency. I don't think I've ever had an "off" bottle of either, and I've had plenty of both.

    Store picks, which are almost always single barrels, (unless we are talking about the new "micro" batches we see from time to time) are where I enjoy the variations from the old standbys. I had an ER store pick last year that was so different, yet so "Eagle Rare" at the same time (if that makes sense) that it was mind blowing. It had the oiliest, velvetiest mouth feel I've almost ever had (outside of super premium/limited offerings), and an almost earthy, Werther's caramel taste, but by god, was it AMAZING. Of course when I opened the bottle, the store was long sold out of that particular pick, as I would have bought a case of it...

    Of course, this very variation in barrels from essentially only a few distillers making only a few different mash bills gives us the incredible variations in brands that we have all come to know and love.

    Cheers all!

    #2073 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    $119 for that one. The rye is a 12yr and it goes for $210 and the few places I have seen it.

    Pretty much this in Yankeeland at TW and any of the other big boys, usually +$10 at the good mom-and-pop shops, and +$80/$90 at the less-than-scrupulous stores that know suckers will see it based off the reputation of the first releases and think it's gold...

    #2075 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Talking bout suckers or just jackasses I've been to 3 TW store openings and at each one theres this same group of 4 guys and they are always 1st or 2nd in line. So aggravating to see these doushebags rush in and snatch up the limited high end stuff. There were 4 bottles of weller 12 and 4 bottles of weller full at this lsst TW opening a couple weeks ago. No way the average person can even score 1 when you have these bourbon whores running around in a gang snatching the shit up.

    This is why building relationships with the smaller places has worked well for me through these recent years...

    I have about 3 places that will literally call me when something "new and interesting", or "old and revered" comes in to

    1: ask my opinion about it
    2: offer it to me first

    Don't want to curse myself here, haha, but I can practically depend on getting a couple bottles from the antique collection and a bottle of PVW/LOTB/ORVW every season. Takes the urgency and anxiety out of "the hunt" this time of year, which is a good thing.

    These were the places I used to order cases through in the days when you could get cases of OWA/ETL/W12 for less than $200 because they sat on the shelves for months. I'm in my mid 30's and I shudder to think that I used to mix W12 with diet coke because it was cheaper than JD, lol.

    1 week later
    #2150 4 years ago

    So you think you MIGHT like MWND?

    Instead of spending the new normal price of $99-$199, I would suggest pouring an ounce-and-a-half of Rittenhouse BIB Rye ($24)/Wild Turkey 101 Rye (if you're feeling frisky, $24) and adding a couple drops of a Ruby Port Wine ($15, will last a loooooonnnnggggg time if this is how you intend to use it). Let it sit for a few minutes before consuming.

    Don't feel like spending the money on port you may never drink again? Add a few drops of your favorite merlot/cabernet sauvignon/etc. and a drop or two simple syrup.

    Or, once you figure out the level of port you like, make your own solara bottle by pouring a half to one-and-a-half ounces into your favorite glass. Drink the glass of rye, then top the bottle off with your port. Let it sit for a day or two.

    I've side by sided with other people, and we unanimously picked the home-rolled.

    You're welcome, haha.

    #2152 4 years ago
    Quoted from Forum-ninja:

    That bottle of MWND was given to me,I can not comment on its value proposition. Does every act and scene have the same recipe and age?
    I am a BIG proponent of “poor mans pappy”,if there is a work around for MWND,then go for it....

    My comment wasn't directed at you, or anyone else for that matter... Just a tip for people who aren't psyched about pulling the trigger on an expensive bottle of a variety of whiskey they may not like. Or for those who like it, and can't find a bottle. (It's been unusually abundantly available in my AO for $99 the last few weeks, and I've not plucked one yet. Nor probably will I.)

    Just an alternative to the new, crazy prices of this stuff. (Even when it was $69 a short while ago, I was hard pressed to grab more than a bottle a year.) It's polarizing stuff for sure amongst the whiskey aficionados in my circle. They either love it or hate it. But those that love it, agree that the cheaper, home grown variant, is superior to the vastly more expensive store bought variety.

    1 week later
    #2249 4 years ago

    I had a couple of bottles of the old 6 year bib sent to me throughout the years that this has supposedly replaced when they discontinued it last year. Not life changing, but a super sippable straight-or-on-the-rocks bourbon, and at $13, not guilt inducing to add a splash of ginger and some ice. If I was a KY local, I would have bunkered a few cases of it once they announced it was being discontinued.

    Interested to see how the new, likely 4x priced version will be, especially in comparison to another hh standby that was killed off, EC12...

    #2257 4 years ago
    Quoted from djreddog:

    Just an FYI for everyone, I've shipped a few bottles recently via UPS, shipping cost alone was $20. Add an additional $5-7 for packaging, etc. Just to set expectations for everyone.

    I usually ship via UPS, but that is right about spot on. Can be a little less if shipping to a commercial address, and if you have an account. You can also save 10%-20% by using any of the readily searchable coupons and sending it out from Staples (they ship UPS). While it isn't exactly major contraband, shipping booze across state lines is highly frowned upon, and USPS being a quasi-federal agency has the power to screw you if they figure out what's inside the package. Fed-Ex/UPS will simply confiscate or return the package to you if they figure out what's inside, but the level of risk of any of this is extremely low.

    For a single 750, "normal" shaped bottle, the inflatable wine shippers are awesome, then double wrap in a liquid tight bag (kitchen garbage bag/trash can liner/etc.) and stuff the rest of the box tightly with crumpled newspaper. I always add a "rattler" to the package, aka a box of store brand mac & cheese, to disguise the "glug" sound. I always declare Legos and olive oil/maple syrup/homemade barbeque sauce/etc. Shipping this time of year (or in the extremes of summer) can be an added risk, as packages can sit overnight in unheated/cooled hub warehouses, and the in trailers themselves, causing bottles to burst. Adding lots of crumpled newspaper acts as insulation as well as padding. I tend to ship on Mondays so packages aren't stuck over a weekend in a freezing/burning terminal. Depending on bottle cost, or if you're extra paranoid, double box and pack with more crumpled newspaper around the inner box. I've shipped hundreds of bottles, and have never had one confiscated or break.

    #2340 4 years ago

    I’m in Hawaii on Oahu this week for a wedding, and surprisingly, BT and ER are PLENTIFUL here, and in nearly every ABC store. And priced well, too.

    Back home in New England, while certainly available, they are getting harder to find.

    The selections of scotch and Japanese whiskies are also outstanding, I’ve seen things here on the shelf at Target no less, that I would never see on a shelf back home.

    I’m heading up to the north shore for some surfing in the morning, and plan on hitting a few liquor stores outside the touristy Waikiki areas to see if anything “interesting” is just hanging out...

    #2345 4 years ago

    I sometimes forget that this is a pinball enthusiast forum and not a bourbon one, lol...

    BT = Buffalo Trace
    ER = Eagle Rare

    I don’t think I’ve been in an ABC here that didn’t have LOADS of either on the shelf, which is quite different than back home. Neither are unobtainium by any means, but you may have to hit 4-5 different stores to find a bottle of either, which is nuts, considering both sat in shelves a short while ago. Now a particular store’s allocation of a couple bottles is gone in a day. For regular old BT and ER.

    1 week later
    #2405 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Funny you say you haven't seen it on the Shelf I didn't either. Just goes to show you should always ask the clerk because all I did was ask if they had any other kinds of Weller besides the one that was on the shelf and she came back up with that 1 bottle. Oddly enough the 12-year was $29.99 and the regular green label was $31.95. Try to go figure that one out

    That's the new "normal" here in CT.

    Special Reserve is $35.99 retail (from $18.99 just last year)

    Antique is now $55.99 (from $24.99 last year)

    And strangely, the retail on the 12, is $29.99, the same as it was last year. Of course, you will never see them on a shelf at this price, or at all, but that's the msrp here...

    Congrats on the unicorn!

    #2431 4 years ago

    Nice score! Have yet to see one myself.

    #2535 4 years ago

    t8tony8t is correct, availability is usually based on how much product you move. I've been on a selection panel a number of times, and usually, we will pick from 3-5 different samples sent to us representing individual barrels. When we make our selection, the distillery is notified, and they reserve the barrel. When it's ready to go, it is bottled and shipped to the local distributor, and sold to us as a private select. While I have never traveled to a distillery to do a pick, it is not uncommon for people to do so.

    The best part of private barrels, are that they are by definition, a single barrel. So brands that are normally "small batched"/blended can be tasted individually, with barrels being all over the spectrum for a particular brand. I've had some really good Elijah Craig picks that were completely outside of the flavor profile I would normally associate with EC, yet somehow, still Elijah Craigesque, if that makes any sense.

    Even single barrel brands can be quite different than their normally offered profile. One of my all time favorite picks ever was an Eagle Rare we did a few a years ago. It had the oiliest mouthfeel of any bourbon I had ever tried, and had earthy, leathery tones that just coated your tongue and then transitioned to toffee and caramel. It was absolutely amazing. I have about 3 fingers left, and might decide to tip it back on Thanksgiving. The funny part about it is knowing that it was an "off" barrel, there is no telling what it would have been blended into, from Buffalo Trace to Benchmark.

    I'm part of a few single barrel "societies" these days, so I usually get first dibs on a dozen or so bottles a year, and while the whiskey is always outstanding, the custom stickers on them are pretty interesting at times too, haha.

    #2538 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Well this pains me to admit but @Chisox you were right about the weller 12. Definitely didnt live up to the expectations I had for it thats for sure. The weller antique is hands down way better than this bottle. I was so displeased with this bottle that I actually sent their customer service an email stating my unhappiness.[quoted image]

    That stinks man, I'm sorry. I know that feeling well, and it sucks. That's how I felt when I finally opened a compass old blowhard a few years ago. It was "old school" stizel-weller juice and hawked as being the second coming of jesus.

    Pure garbage. I let it sit for months hoping it would transform into the unicorn tears it was touted as, but it just stayed as the unicorn piss it was when I first opened it. Big disappointment.

    I'm convinced at this point that W12 is scooped up by people the way it is as trade fodder for other people who have never had it to be used as trade fodder, and so on and so forth never to be opened...which is funny, because it was never a "special" bottle until recently. It's "ok", especially if it was readily available at $29, but it really is a middle of the road bourbon, and by extension, as is most of the pvw line, sans the 15 yo, which is actually pretty good.

    Now that full proof though. I'd bet that's delicious, and lands between the 107 and the Antique Collection WLW in tastiness.

    #2548 4 years ago
    Quoted from bowz:

    And one really quick question: where are you shipping these out of? Mine is wrapped and ready to go, but when I was carrying it, you can hear the liquid on the inside moving, so I’m not sure the Post Office will allow it to ship.
    Thoughts?

    Quoted from djreddog:

    UPS. It’s BBQ Sauce.

    That's always my old standby. "Artesian Homemade BBQ sauce", or being in New England, "Homemade Blackstrap Maple Syrup". Olive Oil is a good one, too. I've heard "water samples" (and marked so on the package) work great, too, and have even heard "urine samples", but I'm not that brave

    I usually ship directly from Staples UPS or one of the other re-senders; they tend to ask less questions, and the packages are picked up directly by a driver once or twice a day, rather than through a UPS store, where they ask lots of questions, and the package is handled by multiple people prior to it actually being picked up.

    That said, I ALWAYS add a "rattler" to packages; a store brand box or two of mac & cheese or just a box of macaroni works wonders. I place one "longitudinally", and the other "laterally" in the box for max effect; no matter what direction the package might be shook, it has maximum "rattle" to cover the "glug" sound.

    So to sum it up, I mix up locations (try to be a week or so between using the same location to ship), and always declare maple syrup for my cousin, and a box of "Legos" for his kid. Works like a charm.

    #2551 4 years ago
    Quoted from Fulltilt:

    Use your own UPS account and have the box labeled and ready to ship.
    I've never had the UPS store ask anything other than, "would you like a receipt?"

    Well, there's that, too...lol

    I like to think of Rube Goldberg as an inspiration.

    Happy Thanksgiving guys!

    1 week later
    #2627 4 years ago

    I've enjoyed the left on quite a few occasions, the middle once, and the right a few times at tastings/bottle shares.

    For the $, the left isn't bad; the middle wasn't my cup of tea; and the right is too rich for my blood, considering what it is, (MGP juice, no different than the Smooth Ambler that used to sell for $45 a few years back...) and was just "ok" to my palette.

    That said, Michter's US-1 is pretty good for the money ($45), is a maple syrup bomb, punches above it's weight class and hold's its own against much costlier competitors, and is very similar to the WP10.

    Unless it's a THH or a Saz18, I'm out of my comfort zone spending much more than $40 for ANY rye. YMMV.

    #2700 4 years ago
    Quoted from Fulltilt:

    Gone up here. A bit over 30 for the holidays.
    Makes a killer Old fashioned.

    Makes for interesting pitchers of juleps at Derby time as well...or anytime, lol. . Add a little more sugar than you think you'll need over a handful of fresh mint in a pitcher, and muddle. Add a splash of club soda, and muddle a tiny bit more. Top off with the ogd114 and stir for a little bit so the bourbon acts as a solvent for the sugary mint mixture. Do not add ice to the pitcher. Pour over an ice filled metal cup, and stir for 30 seconds before topping with additional fresh mint as a garnish, and a float a splash of club soda on top. Heavenly. Super refreshing. Converted more than a few julep "haters" with this one.

    After the conjured "scare" a few years ago that it was going away, the price has finally stabilized around here at $25.

    #2713 4 years ago

    I've never been able to find anything on it, but I have to believe that the ogd bonded and 114 are separate and distinct from the 80 (and now gone 86 proof). I'm guessing the 80 is a catch-all product, probably culled from the their youngest, least desirable barrels after 3 years. Probably blended with better barrels to make it "drinkable" and to a somewhat specific flavor profile.

    The bonded and 114 are probably the barrels that have a much better profile after the initial three years, and are picked to age longer. It leads me to believe, that it all starts off as "bonded" (knowing what the legal definition is) in a bonded wharehouse, and then the least desirable ones are culled early (thus losing their bonded labeling) to make the 80, and the ones that make the grade, are bottled as "bonded" and as the 114 (which can't be labeled bonded because its not at 100 proof). The 114 is then watered down to make Basil Hayden's, hence it being superior to OGD 80, even though they are both 80 proof.

    Put a different way, not all barrels that end up as 80 proof OGD start off in the more expensive bonded warehouses, but all OGD 114 and Bonded do. As the barrels in the bonded warehouse come of age, those that don't make the cut get watered down and added to OGD 80 proof (or other blended, higher rye whiskies in the Beam portfolio).

    Sorry if that doesn't make any sense, and I haven't even been drinking.

    1 week later
    #2886 4 years ago
    Quoted from New_England:

    I cooked up a pound of high quality, thick cut bacon on a low heat. Once done cooking I strained the fat through cheesecloth to pull out any of the extra bits. Then I mixed it with #14 Maple Bourbon, made by a local distillery. I did my best to emulsify the liquids by shaking it roughly for a good 15 minutes. Then I let it sit at room temperature for another hour or so to let it start to harden.
    Right now it's sitting in my freezer to ensure that all the fats have completely solidified. When I get home today, I'll crack the fat puck on the top and strain out the liquid through a cheesecloth again. End result should pull all the fats entirely from the bourbon, but will leave the bacon taste behind.

    If only there was " McCormick Bacon Extract" in the baking aisle, like lemon, vanilla, etc. Would save a ton of time and effort!

    But seriously, if you are into craft/artisanal cocktails and don't want to pay $20-$25 per, there's no better place than home.

    I wonder how a Knob Creek Smoked Maple (fat washed with maple bacon) old fashioned (using pure maple syrup as the sweetener, of course), with a lightly smoked water clear ice ball, with a candied stick of bacon for a stirrer would be?

    Overkill?...probably!
    Exuberant?...definitely!
    An inefficient use of time and ingredients?...absolutely !
    A hot mess?...likely!

    Chances I'll give this one a try, because....America? 100%!

    1 week later
    #2961 4 years ago

    Al Young, of Four Roses fame, passed away yesterday on Christmas day; a true gentleman and legend in the bourbon world.

    I'll raise a glass this evening. Rest easy sir.
    al young (resized).jpgal young (resized).jpg

    2 weeks later
    #3159 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    I was highly skeptical because I generally don't have good things to say about Dickel. However, I too thought maybe they got their shit together and finally made something good. Nope! Nothing pisses me off more than shelling out good money on a bottle of skunk piss bourbon. Real question here is who is the asshole that rated this shit so high? That person either got a big kickback from Dickel or there is something wrong with their taste buds. Anyone else that owns this bottle please post your opinions on this cause now i'm really curious about it.

    From personal conversations with Chuck Cowdery, he swears that the distilleries aren't "buying" their awards from the various outfits that award them, including Whisky Advocate, but I'm not sure I believe him...

    I get that certain flavors have different sensations on different people's pallets, and from being on several single barrel selection panels, I can certainly acknowledge and appreciate the qualities that taste good to others, but don't quite strike a perfect chord with me, if that makes sense. An analogy to this would be that I can certainly appreciate the music of Rush, and their technical abilities, and absolutely get why people rave over them, but I'm just not a super fan like some are. And I can respect that.

    That said, there is nothing redeeming about the festering shit bomb that Dickel "limited" BIB is. Not a single person in the bourbon/whisky hound circles I run in likes it. Even a little. And I can't even recall the last time this has happened with a major release. I'm not even sure that it actually has. Even the Parker's Heritage release finished in orange curacao barrels had it's fans. Not this one though.

    #3163 4 years ago
    Quoted from Jgel:

    On man, I wanted to try this so badly. Could never find a bottle to buy or even a bar that had it to try. If anyone has a bottle of this, I would love to get a sample.

    Ha. Save yourself some dough, and add a few drops of orange curacao to a glass of Elijah Craig. Or rub the inside of a glass with an orange peel and pour some bourbon in. I tried the "real" thing and wasn't very impressed at all, and I'm a PHR fanboy. The two flavors just didn't blend well for me, and left me with a weird, astringent aftertaste.

    Maybe I'm the foolish one, and this stuff was made for making fancy old fashioneds?

    #3165 4 years ago

    Strangely, I've had bottles of both Smooth Ambler Single Barrel Select and Barrell Bourbon batches that were both sourced from Dickel, from what I am guessing were "off profile" barrels, and they were outstanding.

    That said, I absolutely get the "vitamin/medicinal" taste that MANY people describe as an off-putting flavor component of Dickel products (I'm guessing it's a byproduct of the yeast strain they use) in nearly every single iteration I have tried (sans the two mentioned above). And I've tried A LOT of them, haha.

    Now, as far as Tennessee whiskey goes, I would argue that the Lincoln County Process is more of a gimmick than anything else It doesn't really add or remove anything. I bet the good folks over at Jack Daniels are kicking themselves for lobbying to make it a requirement for "Tennessee Whisk(e)y", as they are now bound to bare the cost for what is most likely a process that is imperceptible in the final product. Try regular old Jack and Gentlemen Jack blind, and I'm willing to bet you can't tell the difference reliably. The only difference is that the juice is run through the charcoal a second time. Bold statement I know, but I'm sticking to it, haha.

    In my opinion, in addition to the legally prescribed prerequisites, good bourbon is solely a product of:

    1:Time spent in barrels, in the particular climate that western Appalachia has. Not too little, and not too much.
    2: Consistent quality in the strains of yeast used to ferment the beer for distillation (look at 4 roses, and how much difference their two strains of yeast can make on an otherwise identical mashbill)
    3: Quality control through frequent scheduled sampling by demanding master distillers/tasters to determine when barrels are "ripe" and ready to be bottled.

    No gimmicks.

    #3218 4 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Haven't decided yet. I've heard good things about this so I snagged a bottle today has anyone had it yet?[quoted image]

    Replaces Bailey's in every way. Pretty good poured over a couple cubes as well, as a guilty pleasure.

    I tend to make my own as it's pretty easy and cheap to make; have even made a keto friendly version with heavy cream, Splenda, baker's chocolate, and some other things I'm forgetting from a recipe I found online. Made keto easy when there was a craving for something sweet.

    #3298 4 years ago

    Seeing as I am the the local bourbon contrarian, do you find enough difference in the single barrel to justify the cost over the regular small batch?

    I LOVE both, but in these parts, the small batch is around $36, and the single is around $70.

    And as previously stated, the once "available if you looked around enough" barrel proof variety has now achieved unicorn status...and for any of the annual varietal releases? You better have a special relationship with your local booze monger if you want to possibly pay retail.

    Cheers!

    #3306 4 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    I personally find small batch to be 'safer', but single barrel is more 'fun' to see what you get.
    Small batch also seems to be smoothed out compared to the complex and punch of a single.
    JMHO
    For the price, small batch is good.
    However, the odd/fun/knowledge that you are drinking from a single barrel is also part of all this.

    No doubt, but at almost twice the price, I'll stick with gambling on my everyday favorite single barrel product, Eagle Rare. I usually pick a "loser" every time I have sprung for the single barrel Taylor. (Not that it's ever "bad", just not enough difference to justify the cost over the regular small batch).

    Being a fanboy of Buffalo Trace Mash #1, I love the little nuances between them, and being able to discern the differences in age/proof/singe barrel-small batch/warehouse.

    That said, it's amazing how outside the goal posts from the regular profiles we are all used to, individual barrels can be. Literally two barrels next to another can be completely different (though this usually isn't the case for interior stored barrels, as opposed to barrels stored near walls or the roof)

    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Yep you are right. Theres a shop by me that has a bottle of the barrel proof and he is asking $139 but i'm not paying that inflated price for it.

    Sadly, that's a good price compared to secondary.

    The funny thing to me is the incredible upcharge some of the distilleries charge for their barrel proof offerings. Doing the math, if regular EHTsmb @ 100 proof is $36, the barrel proof should be around $47 for 130 or so proof. But it's not. And I've always found that funny, (as I have gone over ad nauseum in past posts about "bargain barrel proofers") as the distiller doesn't have to add any additional water/steps (that add labor and material costs). Bottling and selling at "barrel proof" actually saves the distiller money. But they don't charge like that...

    Sorry for the (usual) rant. Now back to the regularly scheduled bourbon discussion

    #3342 4 years ago
    Quoted from Green-Machine:

    Any opinions on EC Barrel proof? It’s starting to pop up on the OHLQ site.

    ECBP is generally an outstanding bourbon. Really hits all the right notes. Caramel and brown sugar, with a nice oaky/vanilla/tannin dry-but-not-too-dry finish. What bourbon should taste like. The "bourboniest" of bourbons if you will.

    I've seen it all over price wise here...and it's much more readily available than in the last few years, hardly what I would call "Allocated"; I guess Heaven Hill kept their word in that more ECBP would be available when they removed the 12 year age statement from the regular offering (while the BP still has it...)

    Considering the regular offering is around $27 here;

    At $49, I'm in, buying multiples.

    At $59, I'll maybe buy one if I haven't had the particular batch yet, or it's been difficult to find.

    At $69, Nope.

    At $79, I'll probably never buy anything from the particular store again out of principle.

    1 week later
    #3424 4 years ago

    Lol...The folks over at Pabst have a sense of humor.

    Now my real question would be, do they technically have to "age" it for the stated amount of time?

    It's not like this is Straight Bourbon Whiskey (minimum 3 year age requirement), but I believe if any age is stated, it HAS to actually be aged for that amount of time minimally; so considering this is essentially "white dog" right off the still, is the output stream being directed into a barrel with a spigot on the top that drains down to the main vats for bottling? I would figure it would spend about 5 seconds in the barrel prior to draining out that way...

    Too funny.

    #3507 4 years ago

    hmmm, 4Rsmb is a blend of 4 of their 10 proprietary recipes...

    I believe single barrel is strictly OBSV(?), and single barrel store picks can be any of the 8, in either barrel proof, or proofed down to 100.

    I'm guessing you prefer the "v" and "q" yeast strains with their lighter profiles. (My preference as well).

    #3524 4 years ago

    I tend to hoard things I like, especially if I know, or can reasonably estimate, that their scarcity will increase or their quality will decrease.

    It's not like it goes bad, or is getting any cheaper in the foreseeable future...

    In a lot of ways, I'm a straight "numbers" guy, and they dictate a lot of my purchasing decisions. Was Weller antique a great buy when it was $14.99 a few short years ago? ABSOLUTELY! Was it still a good buy at $24.99? At $29.99? I'd say yes to both. At the new $55 price? I'm probably never buying it again, unfortunately.

    That said, I don't let the prices, then, now, or in the future, effect my willingness to drink them. I hear a lot of people say that they don't want to open a prized bottle because they don't know if they will ever be able to find another, or it's commanding a serious price on the secondaries. I think too many people look at this an "investment", and that, in this bourbon connoisseur's opinion, is the reason we have seen the insanity that is bourbon over the last few years. And honestly, I don't see it slowing down any time soon, even with distilleries increasing their capacities. People are simply buying, and I'm assuming, drinking a shitload of bourbon these days. When my wife and I go out to dinner or out for a drink with people who all used to identify as "wine snobs", or "craft beer people", they are all ordering bourbon/bourbon drinks now. I went from getting funny looks and having to explain what was in an old fashioned just a few years ago to young bartenders, to being handed a menu with a dozen selections of bitters and artisanal cherries to add. Interesting times.

    #3616 4 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    I will be heading to the UK in a week for a work trip. Evenings should have some free time.
    Anything in particular I should hunt for to ship home to myself?

    Blanton's SFTB.

    Maybe some other oddball export-only offerings as well, but definitely SFTB.

    1 week later
    #3720 4 years ago

    Imagine being in a 4 person group at Pinburgh, in the final round of the night, in a group where the cutoff bubble for "A" was basically being decided, and playing a game of LOTR. After the first two players were done with their 30ish minute first balls, I stepped up to a game that had coils so warm, I'm pretty certain you could feel them radiating heat through the lockdown bar...needless to say, the flippers were absolute mush, and I'm willing to bet we had the longest single round of the entire tournament. I know people were standing around drinking beers waiting for us to finish up well past 10 p.m.

    #3729 4 years ago
    Quoted from TKDalumni:

    Anyone have thoughts on CYPB? What’s a reasonable price??

    They trade hands for around $450 on the secondary market...When they were released, I think they retailed at $49, but it's been a few years now.

    Only you can determine if that's reasonable to you.

    I've had it, and to me, I wouldn't pay a penny more than msrp, fwiw

    #3850 4 years ago

    People have been quick flipping PVW23 for about $2k the last few months, when they usually flip for 2.2-2.4...

    With the most recent washing of the secondaries on FB yesterday, maybe they will continue to trend down?

    FWIW, I wouldn't pay $50 over retail for it; too oaky and dry, for my tastes...

    #3854 4 years ago

    Oddball side thing for bourbon drinkers and Pinburgh players...

    A couple of us had a pretty epic Saturday night last year sampling a number of good whiskies and beers right on the floor after finals last year; a great time was had playing pinball after, too!

    I propose the following:

    If you are going to Pinburgh, bring an interesting bottle with you.

    If you qualify for finals in any division, you agree to open said bottle and celebrate said accomplishment after finals on Saturday with folks in this group. We’ll meet up at a location of the winner(s) choice.

    If you don’t, we’ll just drink good bourbon anyways!

    I’ll bring something awesome from the following, and maybe others:

    Anybody else with me?

    1C4F88CC-31AA-4F3C-A3C4-EDD0BADF5404 (resized).jpeg1C4F88CC-31AA-4F3C-A3C4-EDD0BADF5404 (resized).jpeg459791FC-EBFC-4668-88CE-655A09F69FD0 (resized).jpeg459791FC-EBFC-4668-88CE-655A09F69FD0 (resized).jpeg7E0EDA18-6FC2-4B62-9FE7-7F0D27A96A31 (resized).jpeg7E0EDA18-6FC2-4B62-9FE7-7F0D27A96A31 (resized).jpeg9B152E3D-3143-4BA9-A721-A91DF3988E9F (resized).jpeg9B152E3D-3143-4BA9-A721-A91DF3988E9F (resized).jpeg
    4 weeks later
    #4232 4 years ago
    Quoted from TKDalumni:

    Willett OF during a Zoom virtual happy hour. Cheers![quoted image]

    I recognize that Glock armorer's pad...

    Cheers everyone!

    #4236 4 years ago
    Quoted from TKDalumni:

    Not high dollar stuff, but it makes some killer Old Fashioned’s.[quoted image]

    WT101 Rye makes awesome OF's as well... (if you can find it...it's "rare" for the lack of demand, I'm pretty sure, but it's one of the last truly great values in the midst of the Bourbon/Rye boom)

    Also a big fan of Old Overholt BIB

    And Rittenhouse.

    All awesome shelfies.

    #4353 3 years ago

    The now discontinued Ancient Ancient Age wasn't too bad as I remember...

    I find that Benchmark, on the other hand, which is essentially younger Buffalo Trace/Eagle Rare, is swill compared to the latter two.

    Makes decent enough whiskey-cokes though.

    1 week later
    #4555 3 years ago
    Quoted from djreddog:

    Pretty sure I can get Old Fitz. Not sure of the price point though. What’s the ceiling for you guys? I’ll be able to hit up a few of my spots on Friday to check so let me know. Also, I see there are different kinds, so not sure if you guys are only seeking out one particular kind.

    There's been incrementally increased ages with each year's release; 12year, 13 year, and 15 year. I gave up on searching for the relaunched brand of Old Fitz after trying the 12 when it first came out, as I didn't see the value in the price point ($150+ in my ao).

    Heaven Hill has been on a kick recently of discontinuing long established mid-to-bottom shelf/value labels (EC12, Old Fitz BIB, Heaven Hill 6 year BIB, etc.) and re-releasing them with either a bright new label, an additional year of age, or as a completely different brand altogether, at a premium price point (HH 7 year, Old Fitz Premiums, Larceny (basically the old old fitz bib), etc.)

    I can't really blame them for cashing in on the bourbon craziness right now, it just pisses off a longtime bourbon drinker who is also a cheapskate like myself

    #4561 3 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    The bad thing about that is is you get pissed at the price point today and you want to be a cheapskate and not pay it and then all of a sudden next year comes around and the prices that you were pissed off about last year are even more this year. There comes a point where you have to bite the bullet and buy the shit otherwise you get left behind and nothing becomes ascertainable at that point.

    True that...but mark my words, the pendulum will swing the other way in a few years, if not sooner, especially considering the number of bona fide craft distilleries coming on line (in the same vein as the craft brewery boom in the last 5 or so years), there will not only be serious competition amongst whiskey/bourbon producers, but amongst all spirit producers as a whole. Also, as trends continue, bourbon, like every other "trendy" spirit, will go back to normalcy. Remember just a few short years ago when every liquor store had a "vodka aisle/section"? Yeah, now that's bourbon...becoming rye...and who knows what next?

    All I know is, it WILL become untrendy again. And with a glut of bourbon sitting in distiller rickhouses/distributor's warehouses/liquor store shelves, the price WILL drop (relative to current inflationary values), and many smaller brands/labels will go out of business/be absorbed by larger competitors...(see bourbon and whiskey as a whole in the 80's/90's/early 2000's) If scotch is any indication (significantly lower prices, added aging/age statements returning/age statements appearing on bottles that never had them (Johnny Walker…), "rare" bottles sitting on shelves, etc.), bourbon is absolutely heading that way.

    That said, I have roughly a 10 year supply and variety of quality bourbon (at the rate that I currently drink it, which is actually declining as I begrudgingly venture out into other spirits/beers that I deprived myself of for years, lol), so I'm not particularly worried about the situation. One might say, I have achieved bourbon Zen, haha.

    Also sorry for the mini-novel; this quarantining has me with no other outlet to voice my codgerly opinions on things that are indifferent to most people.

    #4563 3 years ago
    Quoted from Jgel:

    Hey Guys. Been a while since I have been on. Glad the thread is rolling like always. All liquor stores in the state of PA have been closed for the past two weeks and will remain closed for the foreseeable future. The joys of this government-run liquor just keep getting better. Funny how all of the people that made fun of me hoarding bourbon now call and ask what I have. Still, bottles are going fast. If this keeps up I will have nothing but good bottles that I was saving left to drink. Oh well, it could be worse. PLEASE DM me if you know of any online stores where I can get some Maker's delivered. Most places online won't ship into PA.

    I hate to say it, but I would take the hour ride to Maryland and stock up. Figure it will cost about $20 per 750 of Makers in shipping costs, so do the math and figure out the point/qty it would be worth it for you when time/fuel is factored in. And you don't have to worry about the complexities and risks of shipping liquor, especially for a readily available label.

    Good luck to all you keystone staters out there.

    #4567 3 years ago
    Quoted from djreddog:

    Well Delaware and Maryland both have bans on out of state people. They have checkpoints setup checking cars.[quoted image]

    reminds me of Nazi germany.

    "Papers please!"

    I'm guessing this is for a covid check, but are they actually stopping, AND searching every out-of-state vehicle? Sounds like an arduous and dangerous task for law enforcement...or is this a legit alcohol check?

    I'm surprised bricks haven't been tossed through liquor store windows yet in PA; I'd argue the ban is criminally negligent, as real-deal alcoholics can DIE from withdrawls. I believe benzos and alcohol are the only drugs addicts can actually die from if they have bad withdrawls; heroin and coke just suck (or so I've been told) to withdraw from, but it won't actually kill you.

    Deranged opinion, I know...

    #4710 3 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    What is the price point on that barrell?
    anyone want to snag me one and do a mutual trade? I could ship you some of that J Henry (WI stuff that is fantastic!)

    between $80-$90...

    I saw an EC18 sitting on a shelf, at $260, fwiw, but I can't imagine you would want to spend that +shipping...

    1 week later
    #5130 3 years ago
    Quoted from FYMF:

    I posted in another thread but if you appreciate oldies you may also enjoy this as well.[quoted image]

    AWESOME!!! Amphicar!

    2 weeks later
    #5531 3 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    yep
    over inflated for sure.

    Sazerac, the parent company of Buffalo Trace Distillery, the exclusive distiller of Blanton's (the brand actually being owned by Age International, Inc., a completely separate company) has exclusive marketing and distribution rights in the U.S.A. (confused yet?).

    The mostly geographically exclusive distributors of Sazerac's brand portfolio, will receive different allocations of the various "coveted" brands, based on sales of the lesser coveted/more available brands, all decided by an algorithm at the distillery, regardless of the requests for more product by these distributors. I "moonlight" in the spirits business, and have been told this is "fact".

    I'm not 100% sure, but I have been told the distillery's algorithm is brand specific, and determines what % of the rarer stuff goes where based on the sales of the other more common things.; i.e. I have been told Fireball sales are directly linked to how much Blanton's a distributor will get; sales of Platinum 7x/Wheatley vodka determine how much Weller (an actual Sazerac owned brand) a distributor will get. Thusly, the New England area, receives a heavy allocation of Blanton's, based on the volume of Fireball sold in the area; Texas receives a lot of Weller based on Platinum 7x sales...This makes sense, as the liquor store owners I talk to in my AO move serious amounts of Fireball, like %10 of their total sales serious.

    As a pseudo proof of this postulation, I can, right now, walk into just about any liquor store within 10 miles of my home, and grab a bottle (or 3) of Blanton's, usually right around $55-$59. Conversely, of the dozens of store owners I speak to, only 1 has received a single Weller 12 in the last year...but people I know in TX, get tons of it. I don't know too many people in the TN/KY area, but apparently, they get the lion's share of Elmer T Lee (another Age international brand), and I have no idea what other brand in Sazerac's portfolio that is linked to.

    So geographical location absolutely determines the availability, and price, of certain brands, that are otherwise, widely distributed throughout the US. Hence the hyper inflated prices for some. I see people tripping over themselves to pay $100 for Blanton's all the time on the various secondary markets.

    There's my bi-monthly curmudgeonly assessment on the state of bourbon on pinside, haha.

    #5534 3 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    sounds pretty accurate from other accounts I have read/heard.
    From a marketing to collector types.... it is genius.
    Seems to work.

    Absolutely.

    The creation of FOMO, mixed with some engineered/artificial sparsity (some actual though, based on the need to age product for years and the difficulty of PUPOSFULY predicting what the market will be 7-20 years out (unlike the glut of bourbon years ago, and the creation of super aged products like pappy 20-23 which were 100% a product of not being able to sell bourbon, so they just kept it in the wood longer...)).

    Having this type of a luxury product, at a price point and range that almost anyone can get into, in a market where manipulation is legal and often encouraged, is basically unheard of, other than maybe diamonds. I wish I had invented it, haha.

    Now what's even crazier to think about, is that a company like Brown Foreman, who owns Old Forester, Jack Daniels, Maker's mark, Woodford Reserve, etc., probably sells more cases of Jack Daniels in a given week, than the entirety of the products put out by Buffalo Trace Distillery as a whole, in an entire year...

    #5535 3 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Sure doesn't work for the customer

    Legal, pseudo-Cartel theory at work! (Until we stop buying it, which given just the small cross section here amongst another, by far smaller niche group, doesn't appear to be any time soon!

    Cheers folks!

    3 weeks later
    #5878 3 years ago
    Quoted from Bax1:

    So went to do a beer run this morning and was told I needed this. How is this stuff?
    [quoted image]

    Blanton's, which used to be a readily available, premium priced ($40, at a time when most other bourbons were in the $20-$30 range), has now become a sought after brand (within the Sazerac portfolio, distilled and aged by Buffalo Trace Distillery, but owned by Age International Corp., made from the higher rye Mash Bill #2, which it shares with Rock Hill Farms, Ancient Age, Hancock's Reserve...confused yet?), which I keep an open bottle around to impress my non-connoisseur, but bourbon-knowledgeable friends.

    It is VERY light and delicate tasting for a bourbon. Not super oaky, not very spicy (even though it is made from the higher rye mash bill); basically right at the low end of the scale of qualities one would normally associate with bourbon. This is not a big and bold bourbon, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I hate to ever describe a spirit as being "smooth", as I would call that a flaw (lacks body), but somehow, it works here. Maybe it's the association of this bottle to race-horse-loving southern gentlemen plantation owners (much like the Madison Avenue created association of cowboys to Marlboro cigarettes...), but I could actually see Colonial Sanders enjoying a glass of this, aside from the fact he died a couple years prior to the first release of this brand.

    Blanton's, in my mind, is the Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream of the bourbon world. At the end of the day, it's just vanilla ice cream, but its executed brilliantly. Best sipped while wearing a seersucker suit, from an old wooden rocking chair while watching the sun go down from your covered porch.

    Slamming shots with your friends? This probably isn't the one for that.

    Quoted from Bax1:

    btw that beer behind it is a scotch barrel aged imperial stout with marshmallows and dark chocolate. should be killer. i always age this beer too. i have some other flavors that are over 4 years old and they are amazing. they do bourbon barrel and rum barrel aged with flavors is their reserve. If the VFW happens this year and you stop by my tailgate, I will be glad to share and show you about this goodness.

    Dragon's Milk is a fine, barrel aged stout; their basic offering is great and readily available, and the reserve offerings can be awesome (Coconut Rum Barrel, Oatmeal Cookie), to somewhat questionable (Chili Pepper, Curry) haha.

    1 month later
    #7079 3 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    I personally would like a bottle of Elmer T Lee, 2 blantons, and weller antique.
    Those 4 are doable on secondary and still some cash to spare. Hunting those down would show a lot of effort and be appreciated.
    JMHO

    Maybe trade for a R&M?

    IMG_4820 (resized).JPGIMG_4820 (resized).JPGIMG_4821 (resized).JPGIMG_4821 (resized).JPGIMG_4822 (resized).JPGIMG_4822 (resized).JPG
    #7082 3 years ago

    I've shown some pics of this stash before; this is just the downstairs cabinet

    The days of $150 cases are LONG gone *SIGH*. I remember the day that article came out about making "poor man's pappy", and knew owa and w12 would be the next things to disappear. Thankfully, I bunkered "a few".

    A give a few away to close friends for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. every year. The way things are now, though, this practice will come to an unfortunate end, as I want be sure I have enough for years to come.

    That said, I always bring a bottle or two of OWA to pinball shows to share as well, as many can vouch for. You meet a lot of nice people when you drink Antique!

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    #7093 3 years ago
    Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

    Holy shit my collection seems so pathetic in comparison to this 1 pic.

    Eh, don't feel bad, I've been at it a lllloooooonnnnnggggg time...

    I could generally say the same thing about some of the pictures of folks' game rooms right in this thread!

    Cheers everybody!

    2 months later
    #8830 3 years ago
    Quoted from kcZ:

    Any tips for shipping this to CA? A friend of mine says this stuff is like gold out there, so I bought him a few bottles.
    [quoted image]

    Make absolutely sure you seal those necks with something prior to shipping. I've seen people use electrical tape in a pinch, but I would suggest a few layers of saran wrap and then some tape. And then put each bottle in a plastic waste paper basket liner and tie it off. And then another.

    Those foil caps are notorious for their guaranteed leakage.

    4 weeks later
    #9388 3 years ago
    Quoted from Green-Machine:

    Now this is a big bottle!
    [quoted image]

    Haha, the "lost" 1.75's of OWA that are showing up in Ohio have been causing an uproar in the secondary groups...

    BT discontinued OWA in handles back in '18; if you look at the laser code it will bee xxx18xxx...; apparently the state of OH, which is a control state, just released a whole bunch that they had been sitting on for 2 years...but, at a "new, inflated price". Considering they purchased them at the old wholesale price, and the new retail price is double, a lot of people are saying the state is playing dirty and profiting off the demand, just like the secondary market...Smart on them and for the taxpayers I guess, because they just doubled their money on an investment in less than two years, haha.

    Cheers folks!

    #9393 3 years ago
    Quoted from Green-Machine:

    I didn’t mind paying $300 for mine

    Wait. What?

    The old wholesale price for those(at least in CT, which is a non control state, meaning the liquor stores are privately owned, and must buy their inventory from wholesalers (also privately owned, but the state sets the MINIMUM wholesale price and the MINIMUM retail price...) was $35, and retailers would put them on the shelf for $41 (or more); it was my understanding, in control states (the state owns the wholesale warehouses and often times the retail outlets), the state sells EVERYTHING for suggested retail pricing...

    Sans the fact that I probably have a 20 year supply of OLD label 107 at the rate I drink it, I couldn't bring myself to pay that for a magnum. Damn dude. But if you were trying to complete a set or you just REALLY wanted it...

    This whole market is just insane now. I'm really beginning to consider cashing out my entire collection and paying my rental house off. It's basically too valuable for me to just convert it to pee it at this point. Maker's Mark Cask Strength is cheap and plentiful, and I like it just as much as anything put out by BT (and I'm a BT fanboy!).

    Either way, if it makes you happy and you enjoy it, cheers!

    #9399 3 years ago

    Well that escalated quickly...

    When a family member decides to close a long held liquor store 11 years ago (before the bourbon boom we are now in) because of changes to the liquor laws within the state you do business in, you tend to acquire things that literally would have been required to be poured out and the empties sent back to the wholesaler...

    You can ask many in this very thread; I've shared tons of rare bourbons and given bottles away as gifts at numerous shows, as well as sent out samples to complete strangers. I customarily bring a bottle of GTS or Lot B to Pinburgh to share with friends and strangers alike in my groupings.

    My apologies if I offended you friend.

    #9401 3 years ago

    You’re absolutely right, I did come off as being rude, even though that was not my intention, and sometimes the tone of a conversation doesn’t translate to written correspondence.

    I just didn’t want to see anyone get unknowingly ripped off by an unscrupulous state trying to get “Max Profitz”.

    So again, my apologies.

    And you are absolutely correct that I can be verbose!

    In the spirit of penance, I “punished” myself by whipping up a Ramos “Bourbon” Fizz; traditional recipe, but the gin replaced with Weller Special Reserve.

    My arms are still sore from shaking that damn thing for so long, but it’s delicious.

    Cheers!

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    #9406 3 years ago
    Quoted from Green-Machine:

    I’m sorry for getting snappy. I bite my tongue 99% of the time probably why I snap every couple years.
    I paid $99 a piece for the 1.75. Ohio’s state minimum price.

    No hard feelings at all...

    Now THAT is a solid price for that volume of owa nowadays, especially considering mags are discontinued. You had me all worked up before thinking you were getting taken by the abc, haha.

    Let me see if I can’t maybe get a sample of some old school owa out to you after the postal service settles down so you can do a side-by-side with the newer offering.

    #9418 3 years ago

    Gobble gobble...

    “GG” coded turkey, mighty tasty!

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    #9425 3 years ago
    Quoted from Flash71:

    Interesting take on the RHF. With a nice cube I find it quite tasty. Maybe let it open up a bit with the ice. Wish they were more readily available. I kinda put Weller 12,RHF and ETL in the same group as they use to be daily drinkers.(haha) I think the RHF is the best out of them.

    ‘member when Hancock’s Presedential Reserve was the “mixer” of the mash bill #2 series?

    Pepridge Farms remembers, haha.

    I’m only anecdotally hoping they have moved the majority of the aging stock to make more Blanton’s Gold, and regular old RHF and ETL, similarly to HH shifting stocks around to make ECBP readily available and retain the 12 year age statement...

    RHF has always been so damn good, sucks that it’s basically hen’s teeth these days.

    #9427 3 years ago

    I’ve had it. Very similar to wsr. Some heat on the front, but in a good way.

    1 week later
    2 weeks later
    #9959 3 years ago

    This year’s haul...entirely at retail, from some very loyal retailers.

    Now this isn’t meant to be a brag, but this is about a third of what I usually expect to get at allocated release time. I usually expect a full horizontal of btac, sans er17 usually, and a full vertical of vw, sans a 23, but a couple extra orvw or lot b’s.

    I’ve been at this a long time, long before the boom, and would take bottles off of retailers at their request because no one was buying $50/$75/$100/$150 bottles of bourbon and rye then, and they would just sit.

    Fast forward to this year, and the stocks simply aren’t reaching the local wholesaler like in years past, and thusly, the retailers. I don’t know if it’s just the current extreme demand, or if BT is allocating more of the supply to different areas of the country, but the northeast received considerably less this year.

    My contacts at the wholesaler have also stated management has steered a much larger percentage of these bottles to on-premise locations, which I guess does give more people an opportunity to try them, but further eats into availability for private individuals.

    And just so people don’t think I hoard these to flip, I donate the majority to charity raffles, gift a bunch to friends and associates, and drink a few myself each year.

    We shall see what the future holds.

    Cheers all.

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    #9963 3 years ago

    All 4 at $106.34 each out the door. So yes, suggested retail.

    The Lot B and a Stagg or two will go to St. Jude’s and/or the local Shriner’s for their respective charity raffles in February.

    I’ll keep a Stagg to drink and share.

    I have a couple more spots I haven’t checked in yet, so who knows, but I’m not expecting anything.

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