How much does a barrel of whiskey cost?

[craigthom]

Oh, for the Carter years and gallon jugs of whiskey...

Fie on that evil Reagan and his Un-American obliterization of our beloved US sizes, tax stamps, "key men", and especially for his mandation of tiny, girlie-man sized 1.75 liter handles of whiskey! Handle , I say? Bah! That's a handle barely even worth holding onto! Is we supposed to point our little pinkie finger while drinkin' outta it, too???

(Maybe it wasn't all Reagan's fault personally...but then again MAYBE IT WAS!)

Roger

I'm no fan of Reagan, but I remember clearly that the switch to metric sizes for liquor bottles started no later than 1978 (that's when I bought my first).

I believe it was also voluntary. With the exception of the liter (and the 500ml, which they later corrected to 375ml), the switch to metric sizes allowed them to sell less liquor for the same money.

[Rughi]

I'm no fan of Reagan, but I remember clearly that the switch to metric sizes for liquor bottles started no later than 1978 (that's when I bought my first).

I believe it was also voluntary. With the exception of the liter (and the 500ml, which they later corrected to 375ml), the switch to metric sizes allowed them to sell less liquor for the same money.

I guess I wasn't really serious.
But I am still not going to point my pinkie finger while I drink out of the 1.75 liter handles. Fight the Power!

Roger

[p_elliott]

I think all of the distilleries have a "buy-a-barrel" program now, plus some non-distiller producers (most notably KBD) do them, though less formally.

The "set" programs have parameters. For example, Heaven Hill does a "buy-a-barrel" with Evan Williams Single Barrel. If you want Elijah Craig instead I can't say they'll say no, but it wouldn't be the same deal. In most cases it's a single barrel but Woodford Reserve, for example, insists that you select two barrels and combine them, although you're only buying half of each barrel, since it's still a buy-a-barrel program. (It's complicated.)

If you want to buy a barrel outside the established programs, you can always ask. If the money is right, anything is possible. Buffalo Trace, for example, will do buy-a-barrel for retailers on a lot of different brands. I imagine they'll do the same thing for consumers.

Banding together with a group of friends to do a barrel can make it affordable for just about anybody. Get 20 people together and you each get a case.

If you do that, however, the distillery won't manage it. One person has to be the buyer and handle the money collection and bottle distribution for the group.

This maybe a technical splitting of a hair since they are now joined at the hip with BT but it's not meant to be. But Tom Moore does not have a barreling program.

[Josh]

This maybe a technical splitting of a hair since they are now joined at the hip with BT but it's not meant to be. But Tom Moore does not have a barreling program.

Let's hope that's one thing BT changes there. A single barrel program or some more upper shelf offerings. I can see it now. Mattingly & Moore 107 proof, 23 y/o. In the crystal decanter and a wooden box.

[ErichPryde]

How about an incarnation of 1792 at barrel proof?