Whiskey Best and Worst of 2011

[stevegoz]

Best

• Learning a whole lot from this forum
  
• Getting caught up in the Pappy chase for the first two times
  
• Helping a few locals find some/trade for Pappy
  
• Binny's World of Whiskies event -- got to try a whole lot of bourbons and meet a few luminaries
  
• Ending the year with a bunker big enough to allow me to take a year off from buying (potentially rough year ahead with two clients going out of business)
  

Worst

• The flavored bourbon trend. Easy enough to avoid, but hard to be enthusiastic about
  
• Realizing again just how much I don't know about this stuff
  
• Grappling with the fact that most of my old friends much prefer beer or wine to whiskey
  
• Ending the year with a bunker big enough to allow me to take a year off from buying (potentially rough year ahead with two clients going out of business)
  

[smokinjoe]

Where are the pics?! :grin:

Righcheer!

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showpost.php?p=258442&postcount=75

[leebo]

Best, rising popularity of local distilling

NH state liquor stores, 10-30% cheaper than MA

finding a 16 yr old hirsh lost in the back closet

inventory the stagg, find one from every year from 02 - 09,

including the 2, 05' spring releases

lots of rye in the bunker, handy, 18 yr, and VMFRR

Worst, TOO much money for the BTAC, haven't even tried for the

last 2 years.

[BroInBourbonMD]

Best:

Discovering the wonderful world of Bourbon (Thanks BourbonBoiler!)

A 2 day KY Bourbon Trail trip with great friends.

My first sip of PVW15 and PVW20 at the Chapeze House in Bardstown.

Drinking a glass of PVW23 and Rittenhouse 25 at City House in Nashville with Pleeplius from Drinking Made Easy

Building from nothing the complete BTAC and Van Winkle line, including a decanter set, at "normal" retail prices..and having multiple bottles of many

My wife learning how to make a terrific Manhattan.

Adding WTAS and WTT to the top shelf.

Being given a Jimmy Russell autographed bung hammer and bottle of WT101.

Finding my absolute favorite liquor store in Texas.

Finally realizing that everything I have bought in such a short period of time is very likely going to be available again in the future so I don't have to hoard every bottle I ever see.

Finding many great bourbon people on SB and being able to trade bottles with others so they can enjoy items that are not necessarily available in their area.

Worst:

Getting completely consumed by the thrill of the hunt for top shelf bottles, and buying way too many too quickly (although most bought retail and none were bought from the online profiteers)

Discovering that my previous love for Maker's Mark was misplaced and now I only drink it in a Coke.

Ohio being a control state and buying bottles of bourbon in 7 different states in a 6 month span.

[cbus]

Best:

Turning 21

Starting and finishing the bourbon trail with my family this summer

Going to Buffalo trace in the fall with some buddies from college

Really getting into bourbon, beyond Evan Williams

Getting my hands on some Van Winkle products in the fall, thanks in part to Clingman

Discovering my love of cocktails, and then making them for family and friends

Handy

PHC 2010

Everything I've had from four roses

Worst:

Arriving at Party Source at 8:15 on the day of the BTAC release only to discover that they were sold out

Probably spent more than I should have, and I show no signs of slowing down....

[silverfish]

Best:

Building from nothing the complete BTAC and Van Winkle line, including a decanter set, at "normal" retail prices...

Just curious - you've been a member for three months and

you've built a complete BTAC line-up at "normal" prices?!...

Not that this site has anything to do with helping with your

collection but are you talking about a set of 2011 BTAC or

a bottle from every year of BTAC release? I'm assuming

(I know, I know!) the "complete" 2011 BTAC because an

"entire" set at "normal" prices would be quite a coup.

[maxblack]

Best:

Really starting to dig into my fascination with Bourbon.

Rye baby Rye.

Finding SB.com

EVSB 2000 Vintage

My first bottle of PVW20.....I'm happy I have it but too scared to open it

Worst:

The price extortion we have to put up with in Australia to enjoy a nice Bourbon :hot:

[tigerlam92]

Best:

I am honored and grateful for the following:

- Very Very Old Fitzgerald 18 years

- Very Extra Old Fitzgerald

- Very Old Fitzgerald - two bottles

- Old Weller Original 107 Barrel Proof, really old version with pics of Pappy and Weller

- Other than the above, was able to follow through with my commitment to stop bunkering.

Worst:

Mostly cold turkey through the year

Not being able to drink much of my stash, but was able to lose 26 lbs so far, shooting for another 20lbs!

Cheers

--Hugh

[timd]

Best:

• Rye's growing popularity. Finally having more choices after years of limitations!
  
• Stockpiled enough VWFRR, older Pappy15, Vintage Rye 21, and Saz 18 to last for a good while
  
• 4 Roses continues to be outstanding - can do almost no wrong
  
• PHC offerings that were amazing. Keep it up HH!
  
• Meeting great new friends via this forum.
  
• Discovering the Poison Girl bar in Houston
  
• GREAT Micros: MB Roland & Balcones
  
• Sprinbank's increased US availability (gotta toss in a Scotch reference or two...)
  
• Laphroaig Cask Strength is finally readily available again!
  
• Great guys like Joe at Binny's who actually really care about customers as people and whisk(e)y fans - not just $$$

WORST:

• Rye's "trendiness" making it harder to find and a few inferior products (I'm talking to you Woodford & Ri1!)
  
• Pappy & BTAC Mania. It's whiskey - not unicorn pee
  
• Pappy becoming BT juice
  
• BAD Micros: some of these products just really blow.
  
• Missing out on the AB Rye from TPS. I cry a little tear every time it's mentioned
  
• Everything from Jim Beam still tastes poor to me.

A special additional shout out for such great SB offerings from Four Roses - they are the bourbon to beat in terms of price to quality to availability ratios. We should spend far more time talking about them, tracking down limited/single barrels and less on Pappy & BTAC.

The Good far outweighs the bad. It's been banner year for all whisk(e)y - the best I can recall.

[ethangsmith]

Best:

-Making new American whiskey friends and learning more about the products, heritage, and processes.

-Finding bottles of VWFRR, WT American Spirit, WT Tradition, and Hirsch 21 rye.

-Bulking up my Michter's collection and discovering Dave Zeigler and Continental Distillery.

Worst:

-Watching Michter's get slowly bulldozed and can't stop it because of no support on any government or private level.

-Pennsylvania can't get their act together and dump that "state store" system.

[Young Blacksmith]

Best:

Joining SB, meeting a few guys, the new social aspect of this bourbon obsession.

Dusty hunting the back water Texas towns

Four Roses!

StraightNoChaser's palette expanding trips.

Going to Kentucky between the holidays!

Worst:

IW Harper 4 year old dusty

Stupidly paying $65 for EC12.....even when I knew better.

[CaptainQ]

Best:

• Pappy & BTAC Mania. It's whiskey - not unicorn pee
  

A special additional shout out for such great SB offerings from Four Roses - they are the bourbon to beat in terms of price to quality to availability ratios. We should spend far more time talking about them, tracking down limited/single barrels and less on Pappy & BTAC.

Duh, the VanWinkle's use a special brand of narwhal piss.

Here, here on the Four Roses.

[mosugoji64]

-Pennsylvania can't get their act together and dump that "state store" system.

[Chris24]

Best:

- Meeting more WA state board members.

- I-1183

- Awesome stores and their managers far out from Seattle who held Van Winkle or BTAC for me.

- Finding just about every bottle I needed to complete certain "collections" (FRsmB LE 08 at last!)

- Finding a few bottles of PVW20 for a friend's wife as a surpise Christmas gift.

- Gifting a PVW15 and PVW20 to my brothers, who also helped me find a few others.

Worst:

- Getting called about a bottle of Virginia Gentleman 90 only to discover it had a torn and faded label. (I wanted it for display to remind me of my college days )

- Not having a go to premium rye that I can just buy off the shelf.

- Passing up an ORVW 23 decanter at $400.

- Not buying more Michter's 10 year rye, Vintage 21 or BMH 23 when I had the chance.

[mosugoji64]

I'll take this opportunity to get a jump on the '12 "Worst" list:

The loss of WSR 7yr and its implications for the rest of the line :cry: :cry:

[BroInBourbonMD]

Yeah it is only the 2011 BTAC. I got lucky and found bottles in 4 different states (IN, TX, FL, KY) while on business trips and visiting family.

[BroInBourbonMD]

Just curious - you've been a member for three months and

you've built a complete BTAC line-up at "normal" prices?!...

Not that this site has anything to do with helping with your

collection but are you talking about a set of 2011 BTAC or

a bottle from every year of BTAC release? I'm assuming

(I know, I know!) the "complete" 2011 BTAC because an

"entire" set at "normal" prices would be quite a coup.

Yeah it is only the 2011 BTAC. I got lucky and found bottles in 4 different states (IN, TX, FL, KY) while on business trips and visiting family.

[jcg9779]

• Pappy & BTAC Mania. It's whiskey - not unicorn pee

Maybe unicorn pee tastes like unbelievably good whiskey.

[mrviognier]

THE BEST:

- Finding a steady supply of Weller 12yr;

- Getting a few cases of Jefferson's 10yr Rye (and - in so doing - realizing that I'll never need more than that one bottle of Whistle Pig that I have);

- Meeting so many fellow Bourbon fans around the U.S.; and,

- Going to work for David Perkins.

THE WORST:

- Draining the last of my 1962 VOF; and,

- Knowing that in leaving the distribution side of the business I'll probably be paying more for my Bourbon. :grin:

[deathevocation]

The other top contender for biggest 2011 disappointment? Laphroaig Triple Wood. Being such a rabid fan of the rest of their range, it was a totally forgettable dram: poorly integrated, overly sherried juice from sub-par barrels of Quarter Cask that should have been dumped off to independent bottlers.

I've only had a couple of drams of the bottle I bought. I didn't mind it but it wasn't what I thought it would be. I have a cask strength (from 09 I think) I haven't opened yet (which I imagine will blow the triple away). Not sure when I will open that as I've been going to Ardbeg for Scotch recently.