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Celebrating fRYEday with some delicious Dickel house distilled rye. Kinda wish I had some backups…

More WT101 while watching the Knicks-Pacers game. Knicks lead the series 3-2. This game is close and will probably end up that way.

Yesterday and today (THU & FRI 16 17 May) in the mid-Atlantic were wonderful outdoor weatherwise. THURS was a GOOD half day of casual yard work (no trees, no heavy lifting, etc.). I finished up with two (uh, three?) cans of Vienna Lager beer from Devils Backbone - an exquisite 5+% pilsner that reminds me of the beers I drank while in the Army in Bavaria, Germany. Pace yourself,, and you can drink them ALL DAY. Maybe. I skipped the power tools yesterday, of course, just in case . . . Today (FRI) , after refurbishing a chainsaw that's been sitting there for two years then trimming limbs along the driveway then putting two months' worth of hand tools sitting just inside the garage/shed door in their proper places THEN sweeping a winter's worth of crap off the floor, I celebrated that five hours' work (HECK! I'm in my late 70s. ANY movement is good!) by opening one of my favorite Summer whiskies - Bernheim 7 YR 90 proof wheat whiskey. Its light, straightforward cereal notes are not as complex as a good KSBW, but the absence of the corn mouthfeel lets me enjoy its limited palate flavors just like I enjoy Irish whiskies (one-note barley) or lowland scotches. There are no surprises and no AHA moments, but there sure is pure bliss. Yeah, I'm bragging about my work. SWMBO often says, "Well, what about THIS, THIS, THAT, THAT, THIS, . . ." when she asks what I am doing. HENCE, "BERNHEIM!!"

Fixin’ to fire up an end-of-week H. Upmann Classic Toro, with a BT on a cube back.

JEP BP... Upon opening - WTH, this is weird Down a third - beginning to like this Down to half - damn. I better get a backup (and did) Down to a third - I really need a backup of my backup (and did again) Last Pour right now - sh!+, this is my fav bottle this year!!!

Increased availability may not necessarily be a sign of the boom ending, but rather a result of increased production finally coming of age to catch up to the crazy demand that has built up over the past few decades.

Happy Birthday to you both! I will have a pour of some PHC 8 yr double char , no RBR in the house currently.

The Bourbon market is not in a bubble, it has been expanding relentlessly because there are more and more Bourbon drinkers that enjoy it. They have established a large consumer base and the market could plateau, and releases may become more obtainable IF suppliers allow their supply to catch up with demand (ahem...buffalo trace). We are not going to see a bust sort of situation though. Consolidation we could see. Plateaus we could see. Shifting tastes to adopt more tequila or rum is also very possible.

Yep - Barrell had a tough year in 2023. In November we did a barrel pick with them in their brand new blending and bottling facility - really nice space. I'm not sure if you saw/heard but late in the year they laid off most of their sales staff and then early this year that facility was listed for sale. It is now off the market so they must have found a cash injection but they are clearly struggling.

My immediate family is celebrating my son-in-law's birthday (yesterday), as well as mine (actually Sunday) this evening. We're going out for dinner, then back here, whereupon I'll uncork that bottle of Rare Breed Rye I picked up at the gift shop last weekend of April. It'll be offered around and likely partaken by most of us. So, we'll put a dent in the contents; but that signed bottle shall be kept no matter what.

I concur as well. I am seeing more of the previously harder to get Heaven Hill products showing up and being more widely available. Some even with price reductions as well. Now if the same thing starts to happen with the BT portfolio in my area, then that will be a stronger indicator that the bubble may be popping.

Well you know me, I don't like either of the Larcenys! Wondering if I should revisit given that I see more praise these days. For EC - I get it. The BP version has older bourbon in it than the regular.

Yesterday was JDBIB. I picked the bottle up last week and I've been really enjoying it. It's got a lot of deep, intense flavor, but it's a sort of one-trick pony. Not a lot of different notes. The aroma is bold but the finish is short.

Yesterday was FR Sib Select, James Pepper and a WT101, all while watching the Rome open.

I'm way too new to thing thing anyway to be tracking pricing, etc. About the only thing dramatic enough to make me believe prices are coming down is if the Pappy's drop of the secondary market are are sold only at MSRP! Of course, that's also a function of "distribution and demand," but....

I agree; I'm seeing some of the same things.

I saw it on the shelf the other day and elected to grab the Ezra port cask finished instead. I am initially not a fan of it and your post makes me wish I would have chosen differently that day.

MM101 tonight.

That's kind of what I sensed from your post. Thanks for inside info (just between us)

Weller SR this evening.

Ok, just between us 3. It’s actually very good. I hope it doesn’t attract attention though. I can see it being a staple for me if it’s available.

Sort of like, Bill Nye, the Liquor Guy.

I did that a few years back and every sip of my 101 stores reminds me that it was a very good decision. I should maybe grab a current bottle and do a SBS, ya know for science

I have seen some significant price reductions on certain Barrell/Stellum products recently along with significant reductions in the price of Bardstown American Highway. I’m not sure if this was solely a distributor action or not, but I suspect some involvement by the distilleries with this too. Too many products are just overpriced, and sitting on shelves, so I think we’re going to start seeing more of this type of thing happening…and sooner than later. I’m also starting to see allocations on some legacy brand products improving and some things actually coming off allocation. Is the boom over?…maybe not, but I’m starting to see some cracks in the foundation.

Took the last bits of a 4R off the shelf SB and the same (roughly) amount of a 4RPS OESF and vatted the two. The result has been very pleasant and the longer it sits the better it gets and it started out great!! maybe 2more pours after tonight’s and every drop shall be savored. The result clocks in around 107p which over the years has shown itself to be a particularly pleasant sipping proof to my palate (actually 100-109 as a general range has this effect)