Apprehensive about opening a "good" bottle?

[ebo]

Are any of you apprenhensive or just not ready to open another bottle of "good" bourbon because you know it will be more than you want to spend to replace it?

I have a few bottles of bourbon that, while not overly expensive, I seem to be hard pressed to make myself crack open. I have a bottle of Four Roses Mariage and Single Barrel... a bottle of Bookers and a bottle of Elijah Craig 18. I love them all, but... I find myself enjoying a pour of Jim Beam Black because I just can't bring myself to open the "good stuff" because I don't want to have to replace them.

Anyone else find themselves doing this from time to time?

[Joshua]

I go a bit wild with opening bottles, then have far more open than I can drink in a reasonable time. (35 now maybe?).

I only hesitate opening good bottles because I've got a ton of great ones open that need to be consumed! That being said, some other bottles I won't open until I have company or someone else to enjoy them with.

[WsmataU]

Well, that is why I "Ideally" have five bottles of a bourbon before I open one. That way I have one to burn, two to trade, and (if I really like it) two for long term storage, if it is something that is no longer available.

[mrviognier]

Bourbon is for drinking. Look at it this way: you may die tomorrow. Would you like to have sampled your best Bourbons or would you rather leave them to those who might not appreciate them? There will ALWAYS be another bottle of amazing/must-have Bourbons out there. Better a memory than a regret.

By the way, WsmataU? Ever been to Mark's Duck House in Falls Church? Best Chinese dumplings in the U.S.

[OscarV]

Yeah, I plead guilty but I am always looking for a backup to drink.

I will get to these "good" bottles eventually.

I am working on thinning down my bottles and I'm drinking the bottles that I have a lot of duplicates in.

I will add to the rotation some current 4R1B and WTRB to increrase my mileage.

Also as mentioned earlier, if I die tomorrow I won't know anything about it, so no loss.

[ebo]

Bourbon is for drinking. Look at it this way: you may die tomorrow. Would you like to have sampled your best Bourbons or would you rather leave them to those who might not appreciate them? There will ALWAYS be another bottle of amazing/must-have Bourbons out there. Better a memory than a regret.

By the way, WsmataU? Ever been to Mark's Duck House in Falls Church? Best Chinese dumplings in the U.S.

I can't disagree with any of this.

I haven't been working as well I had been used to, since this "recession" hit, so I have to make due with a lot less whisk(e)y than I'm accustomed to. I'm even worse with my Scotch.:grin:

Things seem to be looking up as far as work is concerned, so, I'll probably start stocking up on the better stuff again.:cool:

[BBQ+Bourbon]

I am getting less apprehensive about opening good bottles. I bought them to drink, and when I'm ready to open them, I do. I opened the R/E 6yo in celebration of losing my job. I'd open any bottle I have for anybody who would appreciate it. The rest of the bottle will remain and I will enjoy it....

[silverfish]

Are any of you apprenhensive or just not ready to open another bottle of "good" bourbon because you know it will be more than you want to spend to replace it?

[bigtoys]

YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU

drank this tonight, as I don't usually get much summer night time with this friend, as I stated in the "what are you drinking tonight" thread.

[SMOWK]

Ever been to Mark's Duck House in Falls Church? Best Chinese dumplings in the U.S.

Noted. Thanks for the tip!

[unclebunk]

I am getting less apprehensive about opening good bottles. I bought them to drink, and when I'm ready to open them, I do. I opened the R/E 6yo in celebration of losing my job. I'd open any bottle I have for anybody who would appreciate it. The rest of the bottle will remain and I will enjoy it....

That's about my take on things as well. For the longest time I wouldn't open my rarest or most expensive bottles unless it was a very special occasion. But when my bunker grew to unreasonable proportions, I said enough of this nonsense, time to drink up. I've been cracking open a few seriously good bottles for select friends and then putting them on a special out-of-the-way shelf to finish off myself. I nip at them conservatively over time and enjoy them to the last drop. As others have said, you can't take 'em with you, so you might as well enjoy them now while you can.

[ebo]

Why do you need to "replace" it? That sounds more along the lines

of a collector and not "just" a drinker.

So you want to have the unopened bottles in your "collection" (?)

and never plan to open them? I can understand wanting to have

"rare" bottles to perhaps save for a special occasion or to stockpile

bottlings no longer being produced but to "save" a bottle of Bookers

because you don't wanna replace it - I dunno.

I do have some unopened bottles and will probably let them stay that

way, but if a friend/fellow board member came over and wanted to try

it, I'd crack it open and worry about "replacing" it later. I'd suggest go

ahead and open some and replace them as you can. Chances are you

won't finish the bottle before it's replaced so it's a win-win.

[silverfish]

As for needing to replace it...don't you replace stuff as you drink it, if you like it?

Sure. Like you, I sometimes try'n replace 'em before I drink 'em.

As I mentioned, I do have some unopened bottles but would

gladly crack 'em should an occasion arise. The thread title is a bit

different from "...replace stuff as you drink it". Using Bookers as

the example, I'd say go ahead and open it and "replace" it as

you're able, especially since it is easy enough to get another bottle.

Of course, if it's a bottle no longer being produced, how long do you

save it for? And why save it for so long? You can open it and then

save it for the best of both worlds.

[dmarkle]

You know, the apprehension about opening bottles for me is that someone will come over and see my stash, and then look to the open bottle and say, "I'll try some of that" and then you have the awkwardness of telling them that since they never drink bourbon and they want ice with it, that no, they can't drink any of my Pappy 20.

Herein lies the genius of the "velvet bag" that the Van Winkles (ok and Crown) ship with their bottles. If it's in the bag and open, this whole socially awkward situation never arises, and you don't have to feel like you're hiding away all of your stash, and yet you still get the satisfaction of seeing your precious, precious babies when you open the doors.

[ggilbertva]

As I've mentioned before, my weakness in opening bottles has produced an open bottle count somewhere north of 50. I really do try to not open a new bottle but sometimes it's a losing battle. As others have stated, whiskey is for drinking and I like to try many different drams, thus my high open bottle count. What I find though is even if I open that "special" bottle, it will sit open for quite some time as I rarely drink the same thing twice in a row. I have bottles that are near empty that I opened 2-3 year ago and it's taken this long to get to the bottom. Now, if you don't have a lot of bottles open, then obviously you will go through it faster but again, I don't see the downside. Enjoy.

[SMOWK]

You know, the apprehension about opening bottles for me is that someone will come over and see my stash, and then look to the open bottle and say, "I'll try some of that" and then you have the awkwardness of telling them that since they never drink bourbon and they want ice with it, that no, they can't drink any of my Pappy 20.

Herein lies the genius of the "velvet bag" that the Van Winkles (ok and Crown) ship with their bottles. If it's in the bag and open, this whole socially awkward situation never arises, and you don't have to feel like you're hiding away all of your stash, and yet you still get the satisfaction of seeing your precious, precious babies when you open the doors.

:lol::lol: - I hide lots of stuff in Pappy bags.

[kyoung]

To me, and this is just my opinion; GREAT bourbon and GREAT cigars are to be enjoyed. With that said, my motto is "smoke em and drink em if you got em". To be more blunt... Hell, you may not be here tomorrow, what are you saving it for?

[SMOWK]

To be more blunt... Hell, you may not be here tomorrow, what are you saving it for?

[BourbonRob]

I have a similiar but opposite problem... I only open "the good stuff" for family/friends who enjoy bourbon or would like to learn about bourbon. I try to always have a backfill before opening...but sometimes you just can't find another bottle.

I had to actually TRY to get my open bottle count over 5...because once opened, its tough to pass up a good pour.

Lately, I've been taking pours by age in my open bottle collection and that has helped alot...

Rob

[smokinjoe]

Sure, I'll delay opening certain bottles. I just did this with the FR 100th, but I got a back-up yesterday, so I'll open one up tonight.

As a general statement (i.e. :soapbox:).....If you bought it with your money...It's yours. You can do whatever the heck you want with any bottle you have, IMO. Set it on your mantel. Mix it with buttermilk. Pour it on the crabgrass in your lawn. Sleep with it. Sell it on E-Bay. Give it away. Do anything you dang well please, with it. Don't let anyone tell you that you aren't doing the right thing with it.

:toast:

[sgtgto]

I am never apprehensive about opening a new bottle. I AM apprehensive about finishing a good bottle. Especially if I don't have a backup. A few Willetts come to mind.. they will remain opening for a few more years until I reluctantly finish them off.

[PaulO]

I guess the only bottles that I have real apprehension about opening are items that are not sold in my state. I have some stuff like Old Bardstown Estate Bottled, Cabin Still, Mellow Corn... (nothing too expensive or rare). These are all bottles I picked up while traveling. The funny thing is there is a lot of the high end stuff out there I could buy locally any day except Sunday. Something like Mellow Corn on the other hand, I would need to go to KY to replace. I don't have anything I would never open. I think there is a happy medium of having both a collection and a couple opened in the cabinet.