Amusing, yet scary...

[T Comp]

If you can find it watch the documentary Mondovino (world of wine).

It's very interesting, very entertaining, and in some ways probably pertains to the world of whiskey as well.

As I recall, Parker is in it.

In addition to Mondovino the book The Accidental Connoisseur by Lawrence Osborne is an excellent read into the wine world and its themes can pertain to our whiskey world (Osborne says "wine is 99 percent psychological, a creation of where you are and with whom")

As long as we're piling on , here is an entertaining write up which was originally linked to by the the Whis(e)y Apostle Blog summarizing the arguments for wine tasting, ratings, reviews and descriptions being full of BS. It includes the exception too.

http://io9.com/wine-tasting-is-bullshit-heres-why-496098276

[Barrel_Proof]

I've spent plenty of time talking through bulletproof, but this shop was a somewhat touristy Liquor Barn. Why they would move Weller 12, something I've never had a problem picking up, to a display case escapes me.

It's hard to believe, but the current bottling of Weller 12 has become so allocated in Kentucky that it is now on lock-down in many stores. TPS in Bellevue has done this, as well. One bottle to a customer, there, at present.

[brettckeen]

It's hard to believe, but the current bottling of Weller 12 has become so allocated in Kentucky that it is now on lock-down in many stores. TPS in Bellevue has done this, as well. One bottle to a customer, there, at present.

Same in Illinois. We need special permission to order. They never said specifically we were allocated X but in order to order a few cases they had to go higher up. Scary times on the horizon?

[squire]

Good write up Thad with which I totally agree. When dining out with friends I am routinely asked to choose the wine for the table and I know just enough about the stuff to pronounce the names of some of 'em. A little bullshit, spread thin, will cover a surprisingly large area.

[Sasquatch]

It's hard to believe, but the current bottling of Weller 12 has become so allocated in Kentucky that it is now on lock-down in many stores. TPS in Bellevue has done this, as well. One bottle to a customer, there, at present.

Hmm. That's interesting. I started buying it in handles last year when I heard rumors of it becoming an annual release.

Too many people have caught on, I guess.

[WAINWRIGHT]

It's hard to believe, but the current bottling of Weller 12 has become so allocated in Kentucky that it is now on lock-down in many stores. TPS in Bellevue has done this, as well. One bottle to a customer, there, at present.

[smknjoe]

It must be a regional thing. You can find cases, upon cases, upon cases of W12 in most liquor stores around here and it's cheaper than OWA.

[squire]

Same here, donno why.

[Phil T]

It must be a regional thing. You can find cases, upon cases, upon cases of W12 in most liquor stores around here and it's cheaper than OWA.

[Crowes]

This may be old news or not true, but when I was in Louisville last week, having dinner at Bourbon's Bistro, the bartender said his distributor told him that Julian Van Winkle was buying up the W12 stock for their own release and that it would be scarce until around October.

[cowdery]

I do love the idea of Parkerphiles plowing up the pavement to get bottles of Old Bardstown, since Old Bardstown is of course the best kept secret in whiskeydom (spread the word). I sure hope Drew and company have hiked up the price.

[Barrel_Proof]

Who makes up this nonsense ... and for what reason? That such a tall tale is being told by the Bourbons Bistro is rather sad to say the least. I have no reason to expect better, but it's still disappointing.

... when I was in Louisville last week, having dinner at Bourbon's Bistro, the bartender said his distributor told him that Julian Van Winkle was buying up the W12 stock for their own release ... .

Edited May 20, 2013 by Barrel_Proof

[squire]

I suppose there are some folks that feel special about possessing 'inside information'.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

It's hard to believe, but the current bottling of Weller 12 has become so allocated in Kentucky that it is now on lock-down in many stores. TPS in Bellevue has done this, as well. One bottle to a customer, there, at present.

[Parkersback]

Same in Illinois. We need special permission to order. They never said specifically we were allocated X but in order to order a few cases they had to go higher up. Scary times on the horizon?

For what it's worth, here in NYC I am seeing Weller 12 more prevalently. I used to only ever see at it at one store. In the last few months it has appeared at a few stores that are not especially high end.

When I saw it, I was reminded of the anxiety many of us have discussed about another age-stated bourbon biting the dust, especially one that could presumably be packaged in a Lot B bottle and sold for 3X the price. But the small slice of anecdotal evidence here in NYC suggests otherwise.

[mosugoji64]

As long as we're piling on , here is an entertaining write up which was originally linked to by the the Whis(e)y Apostle Blog summarizing the arguments for wine tasting, ratings, reviews and descriptions being full of BS. It includes the exception too.

http://io9.com/wine-tasting-is-bullshit-heres-why-496098276

:slappin: Thank you for this! Loved the article and laughed a few times reading it. Good stuff! :slappin:

[cowdery]

Psychological research has shown that people who believe in conspiracy theories have trouble accepting the randomness of existence. They have trouble accepting that most bad things happen for no reason. They believe there has to be someone at fault, someone to blame. I had the same reaction Cliff did. If bartenders at Bourbon's Bistro are that badly informed, and understand the industry that poorly, that makes me sad. But these rumors sometimes gets started and attributed to an 'authority' who is not actually the source. That's hard to check out too.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

Psychological research has shown that people who believe in conspiracy theories have trouble accepting the randomness of existence. They have trouble accepting that most bad things happen for no reason. They believe there has to be someone at fault, someone to blame. I had the same reaction Cliff did. If bartenders at Bourbon's Bistro are that badly informed, and understand the industry that poorly, that makes me sad. But these rumors sometimes gets started and attributed to an 'authority' who is not actually the source. That's hard to check out too.

The people at bourbons are usually quite knowledgeable.

I think a number of reports/rumors/facts/unknowns were skewed to come up with the story.

The van winkles do need quite a bit of the aging wheated stock at BT. How much of it BT has and how much would have gone into weller12 are the big unknowns.

[mbroo5880i]

For what it's worth, here in NYC I am seeing Weller 12 more prevalently. I used to only ever see at it at one store. In the last few months it has appeared at a few stores that are not especially high end.

When I saw it, I was reminded of the anxiety many of us have discussed about another age-stated bourbon biting the dust, especially one that could presumably be packaged in a Lot B bottle and sold for 3X the price. But the small slice of anecdotal evidence here in NYC suggests otherwise.

I don't shop around but the liquor store that I frequent carries Weller 12. Of course, it is in the 'burbs of Indy.

[mosugoji64]

I don't shop around but the liquor store that I frequent carries Weller 12. Of course, it is in the 'burbs of Indy.

We've been seeing it more and more in the Indy area over the past year. Don't know why, but not complaining at all! The selection around here ain't half bad lately. All that's missing are Larceny, VOB BIB and AAA 10yr.

[ChainWhip]

Well, that was a short-lived bourbon reviewing career:

http://fredminnick.com/robert-parker-will-not-review-whiskey-exclusive/

(if true)

[Alden]

Dang. And here I was gearing up to accuse every verbose-hyperbolic-pedantic tasting reviewer a "Parker".

I guess that won't be happening now.

[boneuphtoner]

RobourbonParker has since reviewed McDonald’s McRib, calling it the “Colonel EHTaylor of the sandwich world,”

[mosugoji64]

Dang. And here I was gearing up to accuse every verbose-hyperbolic-pedantic tasting reviewer a "Parker".

I guess that won't be happening now.

I think you can still use that. We'll know what you're talking about and will be suitably amused. :grin:

[Flyfish]

Parker gets credit for the quality of his tasting notes even though there are so many errors of fact--not to be confused with opinion. Looking at his list of bourbon descriptors reminded me of the Buzzword Generator List. For you young SBers, this was a Chinese menu for ambitious bureaucrats who wanted to sound impressive. The procedure was to select one term each from columns A, B, and C. String them together and you could sound like the pointy-haired boss in "Dilbert."