cowdery Posted April 16, 2003 Share Posted April 16, 2003 I am a happy boy.Tonight I obtained a bottle of Stagg and learned a valuable lesson: it never hurts to ask.As I have previously reported, I looked in vain for Stagg at Sam's. I usually shop there because they have an unbeatable selection and generally the best prices in town. I usually don't shop at Binny's, although it is much closer to me, because they are a little more expensive. Also, before Joe Congiusti jumped ship at Sam's and moved to Binny's, Binny's didn't have as good of a selection. Their prices are still a little higher, but their selection is now nearly as good as Sam's, and virtually the same where it counts.I went there to get something specific that I could get anywhere, a bottle of George Dickel No. 12. Naturally, I browsed and made a couple of other selections. They had some Old Commonwealth for $19.99 and some Pure Kentucky XO also for $19.99, so I already had about $60 worth of bourbon in the cart when Joe came over to ask if I needed help with anything. I asked about Stagg, which was not on the shelf. "Do you want a bottle?" he asked. "Yes," I answered. He went in the back, came out with one, and gave it to me for $39.99.I am indeed a happy boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted April 16, 2003 Share Posted April 16, 2003 How nice! If you thought you were the derserving happy boy , Just wait until you liberate a portion of that wonderful Stagg to the Rocks Glass or Whatever! A vicarious thrill for me Chuck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swash1 Posted April 16, 2003 Share Posted April 16, 2003 I'm jealous and inspired. Makes me wish I had asked a few times ... Since I live in New Jersey, the local stores generally don't have much selection. I'm still new to sippin' bourbon, so that hasn't been a huge problem, but I'm starting to run out of new bottlings to try. I have a friend who commutes out of state and keeps me supplied with my every day favorite, EC12. Last night I found myself in an "upscale" liquor store with a reputation for being expensive. To my surprise, I was able to pick up both Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel and EW '93, for $18 & $19 respectivly. Still, now I wish I had asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CL Posted April 17, 2003 Share Posted April 17, 2003 Those prices are excellent. I don't see ETL SB for less than $25 except in KY. And here in NC, EW SB was $22 last time I was in the store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CL Posted April 17, 2003 Share Posted April 17, 2003 Good deal. I am glad you struck gold. I was in Binny's this past Friday looking for Pappy 20 yo. I asked, but, they were out, just like Sam's. :-(While you were at Binny's, did you see the price on the Birthday Bourbon? Someone else had asked me that, but I hadn't noticed the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CL Posted April 17, 2003 Share Posted April 17, 2003 Vicarious is right. One bottle since November. Sheesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrel_Proof Posted April 17, 2003 Share Posted April 17, 2003 I found my Birthday Bourbon in Houston. We should harvest a forum member in Maryland to visit Cranberry Liquors!!! They still have a 2002 Birthday lode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted April 17, 2003 Author Share Posted April 17, 2003 They did have it (Birthday Bourbon), but I didn't notice the price. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon seems to have gotten to Chicago late, but both Sam's and Binny's seem to have a pretty good stock of it. By the way, Binny's also had a very good supply of Old Commonwealth and Pure Kentucky XO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted April 17, 2003 Author Share Posted April 17, 2003 When I was talking to Joe Congiusti about Stagg, he pointed out that the Eagle Rare 17 year old and the W. L. Weller 19 year old are no longer being shipped, i.e., the stock in stores now is the end of both products. I knew that was true of the Weller but he says it's true of the Eagle Rare as well. Neither has flown off the shelves as fast as Stagg did, but I'm sure they have their fans who might want to stock up while they can.We can't say enough good things about what Buffalo Trace has done with the Antique Whiskey Collection. Great whiskey and gorgeous packaging. I look forward eagerly to the next installment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest **DONOTDELETE** Posted April 17, 2003 Share Posted April 17, 2003 Taste it Man! Taste It! What the hell is wrong with you???? Oh! That's right you only make your tastings available to those that pay. Yet you're not too proud to lift subjects from this forum and print them in slightly altered form in your newsletter. Hmmmm???? Not too cool Chucky Baby! Not plagiarism, but damned close. You can do better Chuck. Just try. If ever the tail was wagging the dog 'The Bourbon Country Reader' is it. If I wanted to read distillery controlled tripe - I'd read the 'Malt Advocate'. They have no shame and insult the intelligence of their readers. I am very tired of their drivel being pedeled as something readable, and worthwhile. Chuck you can do far better than what I've seen of late. Don't sink to John Hansel's low standards. Raise yourself up and go back up to where you used to be. I am very much tired of the low getting lower and dragging everyone down with them. Such is Malt Advocate. - Linn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted April 18, 2003 Author Share Posted April 18, 2003 I'm just one person and The Reader is a deliberately personal and idiosyncratic publication. There is crosstalk between what I write here and what I write there, and I credit this forum and its participants in both venues for the ideas that are generated here. Not all of my subscribers are Straight Bourbon participants and vice versa. I'm comfortable with my choices and not too concerned if I don't live up to someone else's ideals of editorial purity. As for the Malt Advocate, they're trying to run a commercial publication and it's always hard to be all things to all people. I don't think there's enough bourbon content, and not nearly enough Chuck Cowdery content, but there are probably other MA readers who think there is too much. I find it a more enjoyable read than the much bigger and more lush Whiskey Magazine, the only other remotely comparable publication out there, which is even more like everthing Linn criticizes MA for being.I have tasted the Stagg. It's wonderful and everything I remember from our taste of it last September. It really pushes the envelope of that which we call bourbon. I noticed in September and again when I opened this bottle how the aroma of corn seems to jump out at you, right from the bottle. Maybe it's a function of the high proof. I just keep thinking that Buffalo Trace has really raised the bar with this one and God bless them.Fair warning. I like some of that last paragraph and you may come across it in the next Reader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcheer Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 I like that last paragraph, too.Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesbassdad Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 Chuck,</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /> Fair warning. I like some of that last paragraph and you may come across it in the next Reader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted April 18, 2003 Author Share Posted April 18, 2003 I'm glad you liked the BIB article. I'm told it has had some impact in the industry, causing some makers to rethink their decision to abandon that designation. Or maybe they're just blowing smoke.That piece also had some of its origins in discussion here on SB, though that may have been before you joined us.As for the corn aroma of GTS, I'm really talking about corn, like fresh corn on the cob, but there is definitely wood in it too, which may be where you're getting Cognac. I've never really done this before, but I find it interesting to rub a little of it on my skin and smell that. It would make an interesting aftershave.Regarding nosing GTS in general, I caution everyone that nosing whiskey at that proof (137.6) straight can actually damage or at least numb the receptors. At distilleries, every barrel is nosed before it is dumped and the person doing it always dilutes the spirit 1:1. Of course, he has to do it all day. Still, be careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 When I poured my first glass of GTS, out of habit I took a good, deep whif. WRONG Of course I tasted it right away, but then I had to set it aside for a few moments to allow my olfactories to recover from the burn. But it was a good kind of hurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts