Van Winkle Rye no longer available?

[cowdery]

Really, really bizarre. But I won't complain. I guess if I'm going to have my first bottle of Stagg, it might as well be from the first bottling.

Bizarre and yet, strangely, not. One hobby practiced by some bourbonians is to search around in liquor stores (old, urban, mom-and-pop stores are the best) for old bottles from discontinued distilleries that have sat on the shelf for 20 years or more. I, myself, found three bottles of Old Taylor, with tax stamps intact indicating a 1972 distillation (the last year Old Taylor operated), at a liquor store right around the corner from me, in 1993 or thereabouts.

And let me also take this opportunity to congratulate you on your good fortune.

[voigtman]

So who knows how much Stagg might be caught up in eddy currents in the distribution stream? This is great: Stagg 2002, 2003 and 2004 might still be available, but there is no way of knowing without hunting it down. Win-win situation ... Ed V.

[wrbriggs]

I wonder if NH could get in more Stagg if we asked nicely... their distributor could have more, and they might have only ordered 3 cases due to perceived low demand

I think I will email Kathleen from the state liquor board and see.

[voigtman]

Boy, you are great! This is absolutely what is needed! Cheers, Ed V.

[wrbriggs]

Done, and done. She's usually very prompt about returning emails, so I assume I'll hear at least a "No" or an "I'm working on it" tomorrow.

[TNbourbon]

Great find! Keep your hopes up -- I was still buying '03 Stagg and '03 ER17 at an area store right up till just before Christmas last month. Also in December I found multiples of '89 EWSB and '97 Wathen's. It's suprising what you can find just by looking (to paraphrase the inimitable Yogi).

[Ken Weber]

Since I promised some Stagg for a special order somewhere in the Northeast, and because I was advised that we had shipped all that we had, and because I hate to promise someone something and not deliver, and because I generally keep some cases of special items in my office closet, I sent the last of my personal stash over to shipping and they used it to fill this order. Alas, my cupboard is now bare. I noticed that someone else here at Buffalo Trace has been helping themselves to my closet. After locking the closet, I was asked by Mark Brown why I had done so. Now I know where my stuff has been going. He fessed up!

Ken

[TNbourbon]

Ken,
Do you have a key to Mark Brown's closet? And, if not, will you be at the Sampler in April? If so, let me know, and I may be able to help you out since my Stagg stash apparently is now bigger than yours.

[voigtman]

Ken, this is just a stunning display of integrity, personal honor and way over the top treating customers like kings! I would NEVER have expected you, or anyone else, to make such a personal sacrifice! I'm sure I speak for those of us who got those precious Stagg 2002's in saying a heartfelt THANK YOU!
We owe you big time! Tomorrow after work I'm going to go spend some more money buying Buffalo Trace bourbons, all of which are simply wonderful! This is truly amazing, in this day and age! Ed V. Thank you, Jim Butler: it is an honor to be in such excellent company!

[wrbriggs]

Ken, this is way above and beyond. I'm not sure what to say except "thank you".