Found me some Rare Breed!

[Treeguy]

My woman called me from an auction she went to at the cross country ski club last night, "There's a bottle of bourbon here called Rare Breed, do you want me to bid on it?"

Ding!

It had a $25 minimum bid. I told her to go to at least $75. She got it for $36. Can you imagine? Finding good bourbon in Canada is problematic at best. In Quebec it's damn near impossible. A bottle of Rare Breed for $36 is like finding... a bottle of rare Breed for $36. What are needles and haystacks compared to this?

The problem is the bottle obviously came from someone's house, not the store (all items at the auction are donated localy), and it looks like the seal might be cracked. The bottle is full, so I'm wondering if someone bought it or got it as a gift, gave it a whiff, or at least a twist, and left it at that. I live in a smal town and all the ski club people are people we know so I'm not worried about rat poison in the bottle, but I'm going to track down the previous owner and find out about the cracked seal.

Anyway, Rare Bread!

[polyamnesia]

open it, let it breathe, pour it, let us know!

today is the last day for the PA stores' sale on Rare Breed....i need to jet over and get a bottle at $30.99 before they tack on the $3 extra...

[OscarV]

Good score Treeguy.

Is WTRB always available in Canada?

I would have guessed that it would cost a lot more.

[Treeguy]

Good score Treeguy.

Is WTRB always available in Canada?

I would have guessed that it would cost a lot more.

Hey Oscar,

WTRB is never available in Canada. When they say Rare Breed, they mean it. You can get the standard 80 and 101 WT sometimes, but that's it.

The best we can get here is Booker's Best at $90 a bottle and it's very hard to find. You can go years between bottles. Knob Creek is usually available somewhere ($40+ for a 26 oz.), and we get the occasional bottle of Evan Williams or Blantons. Jim Beam White half the time, Jim Beam Black is very rare. For the most part, it's Jack Daniel's and that's about it. And the JD here tastes like crap.

My guess is WTRB, if it was availble, would be in the $75+ range.

Polyamnesia,

I'll do as you say and let you know.

[OscarV]

I stopped at a local favorite on my way home today because this thread reminded me that I don't have any Rare Breed in the house.

I got one of the gift boxes that far exceeds any gift box I have ever bought.

It is a wood box with a metal latch, it contains the Rare Breed and two great looking rocks glasses for only 33 bucks.

I picked one up in KY last month and I was suprised to see it here in MI.

[polyamnesia]

I stopped at a local favorite on my way home today because this thread reminded me that I don't have any Rare Breed in the house.

I got one of the gift boxes that far exceeds any gift box I have ever bought.

It is a wood box with a metal latch, it contains the Rare Breed and two great looking rocks glasses for only 33 bucks.

I picked one up in KY last month and I was suprised to see it here in MI.

yep, on sale in PA still doesn't trump your deal!

a box and glasses?!!!

very nice.

i have to admit, i think i will let this one sit a week before i taste again....it's not as 'impressive' from the first time last year. maybe my tasting has evolved a bit. or experience. right out of the bottle, the OGD114 is great. so was the VWreserve12...this RB seems just barely more complex than the WT101....

[fishnbowljoe]

Oscar, I picked up the same gift set a few weeks ago from a store I stopped at in a little town out in the country. Was on the way to Binny's/Chicago, by way of the back roads. They had another one left. I was thinking about heading back there and buying that one too. It was the same price as yours. $32.99. Haven't popped it open yet. Maybe later tonight. Joe

[Treeguy]

I'm very jealous that you guys have such easy access to great bourbon. I'm lucky if I get one really top shelf bottle a year.

I just had a drink of the Rare Breed with my buddy an hour ago. Good stuff. The initial hit is pretty good but the middle creeps on you really nicely. Don't remember the finish, I'll have to drink more. Nice complex bourbon, it will go well with a history book and a comfortable chair.

My buddy drinks nothing but beer but he thought it was pretty good. His eyebrows went up and he smiled, that was a good sign.

Would love to have another bottle to put away for when the ICBMs fly.

[polyamnesia]

i know shipping can be AWFUL with regards to offsetting costs....but then, a good pour is great and priceless! let that bottle sit awhile...i'm doing the same....my dull tongue isn't ready (again) for such majesty...

[Treeguy]

i know shipping can be AWFUL with regards to offsetting costs....but then, a good pour is great and priceless! let that bottle sit awhile...i'm doing the same....my dull tongue isn't ready (again) for such majesty...

Costs be damned, if I could find a good mail order bourbon store I'd build up a good stock.

If anyone knows a good place, let me know, please.

[ILLfarmboy]

Hey Oscar,

WTRB is never available in Canada. When they say Rare Breed, they mean it. You can get the standard 80 and 101 WT sometimes, but that's it.

The best we can get here is Booker's Best at $90 a bottle and it's very hard to find. You can go years between bottles. Knob Creek is usually available somewhere ($40+ for a 26 oz.), and we get the occasional bottle of Evan Williams or Blantons. Jim Beam White half the time, Jim Beam Black is very rare. For the most part, it's Jack Daniel's and that's about it. And the JD here tastes like crap.

My guess is WTRB, if it was availble, would be in the $75+ range.

It sounds like a wasteland. What the heck is wrong with Canada? How's the scotch situation, any better?

[ThomasH]

If you ever cross the border into the US, WTRB may be available at duty free. I have found it going both directions to and from Detroit and Windsor, Ontario!

Thomas

[Treeguy]

It sounds like a wasteland. What the heck is wrong with Canada? How's the scotch situation, any better?

Nothing wrong with Canada, really. (Mostly.) We have world class beer and the women here in Quebec are oustanding.

You can buy excellent scotch here, we have a huge variety on the shelves. And the rye situation is getting better. Some seriously tasty looking bottles hitting the shelves. 20 year-old super premium rye matured in different kinds of casks, running about $60 a bottle (26 oz.). I'll be trying that for sure. The Irish whiskey selection is standard but good. Bushmills 10 & 16 year-old are available most of the time.

Bourbon drinkers are a minority in Canada and almost an alien species in Quebec. Anything beyond Jack Daniels and they think you were born with gills and two heads.