Achieving Bourbon Zen - A Mini Manifesto

[jwacky]

Nice post. As a 'millennial' I will admit to sometimes getting caught up in the chase for BTAC, Pappy, etc. I get frustrated with how tough it is to acquire a bottle, but admittedly more so because I can't get it easily. I like this harder to find stuff but don't have the connections to buy it (relatively) easily.

I've been smoking cigars since I was of legal age to purchase them on my own, and I see the same thing with these. People go crazy over the limited yearly releases only to find that they don't like them THAT much when they smoke them. You can only do so many things with tobacco, ya know? Just because they're expensive doesn't mean they're good and/or different than something you can buy all day every day.

So when I see people swear off the hunt, I can't help but think that part of it is out of frustration that they can't find the 'good stuff' and not because they truly don't want it. That's certainly the case with me at times. Other times it's because i just don't have the money to hoard it when I do find it.

The secondary markets get frustrating to deal with because you have people buying the BTACs and don't even drink whiskey. They only want to flip it. There are numerous posts on BX from people asking what something is 'worth'. That's too relative a term to answer. It's worth whatever you're willing to pay.

People go crazy over the latest barrel proof release, writing off anything not over 120 proof as a rip off, yet Bookers is available at every liquor store everywhere. Is it just not scarce enough for people to care?

Yet in the end I'm sitting here working on a glass of Mellow Corn and enjoying the hell out of every sip, but if I came across a bottle of ORVW at retail pricing I'd buy it without a second thought.

Don't even know what I'm trying to say at this point. Too new to whiskey in general, I guess, to have an opinion with much credence. And I'm ok with that. I try to see it as a journey. A marathon, not a sprint. Drink what you like, like what you drink. Want what you have.

Cheers!

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[ChainWhip]

Quickest way to Squirehood:

- Blind tastings

- Write down what characteristics you like / don't like in whisky

- Train your palate to recognize the above characteristics

- Realize there can be only one... one Squire

If, after you've done the above and are still only mollified by BTAC/VW/Limited Allocation, then give up... You're screwed - you may as well pull the "Eject" handle.

All joking aside, regardless of what it is we are drinking / chasing, a few things have become important to me in my first few years in this hobby:

- Taste as many different whiskies / spirits as I can.

- Give people the benefit of the doubt (virtually speaking). If somebody's online persona / posts rubs me the wrong way? (Well, text is not always the best way to convey nuanced meaning and emotion) I've found that in most cases, they're usually pretty decent folk in person when we are sharing a pour.

- If I can't taste the "cat urine" or "pencil shavings" in my whisky when blogger X says I should, who gives a $#!+

- Enjoy the hobby. If it ain't fun, why bother doing it?

I do want to give a shout out to SB for being the great resource it is (I've learned a ton!) and for providing a way to meet some really cool folks.

SBr's, I tip my glass to you. I've made some good friends here and thanks for the fun journey in this hobby.

Edited November 13, 2013 by ChainWhip

[Wryguy]

The goal is to become one with the elements, grain, yeast, water and fire.

And I have a new signature! I for one hope that you are declared BOTY, cause, well, you've been anointed the Bourbon Zen Master. Who else is more deserving?

[Wryguy]

West Coast drivel. Nothing against West Coasters in general, but you do tend to play the Zen card a bit much, lead your followers up to the hill to meditate before taking off with the bus and all their clothes. By all means everyone, abandon the chase! Forswear the hobby! Put it back into the hands of the virgins who yearn to come face to face with the force that will pop their cherries...

You get reamed because you have a single minded manifesto without the experience someone such as Squire brings to the table.

While I can appreciate the idea that you can reach a bourbon drinking homeostasis, I find myself yearning to try anything and everything that is released. I am still inexperienced enough that the newness of a pour is one of the draws of this hobby.. But to me the community feeling and building of friendships far outweighs even the finest pour I have had.

While I'm not going to call out the use of the term 'Zen' as strongly as Aaron, I do feel like it is a bit too easy and neat a term to refer to what Mike so aptly calls 'bourbon homeostasis'. But not everyone is Gary Snyder, most Americans tend to have a more Kerouacian conception of Buddhist philosophies. And as for philosophies, if you espouse your own experience as a true philosophy with great force of conviction and little substantive experience and objectivity, you won't find many converts. Just more reaming.

[squire]

As Groucho famously said, "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member".

[bingstein]

Right now my every time I drink a fantastic pour I think, "This is fantastic. I want to be able to drink this forever and ever without worrying about it." I believe I will reach total zen when I can take it one step further and say, "I want to be able to drink this forever and ever without worrying about it, but I know that won't be possible, and I'm okay with that."

I haven't hit that point yet, but I hope to soon because boy I am exhausted from the last 2 months.

[squire]

He says homeostasis, I say stubborn old fart, we all walk in the light.

[Tony Santana]

Interesting discussion. I'm no "Millenial"; I've been drinking whiskey in one form or another for literally decades now, but I'm relatively new to bourbon as an "enthusiast". As someone said above, the newness of a pour I haven't yet had is part of the draw of the hobby. I don't have a bunker full of SW Pappy, old Staggs, etc. like some of you, so yeah, I want to try the BTAC's and the VW's. But it's not a single-minded obsession.

In the past couple of months my collection has grown a fair amount, and I've acquired multiple BTAC's, VW's, VOS's, WFE's, Bourye, etc. - what many would consider pricey bottles. That said, I'm not buying them at these outrageously jacked up prices or getting them on the secondary market, so in that sense I guess I'm not part of the problem. Plus, I've also bought FC, ER, OGD, OF, etc. in that same time frame. Honestly, I drink that stuff more than the high end bourbon (just polished off a bottle of Henry McKenna last night), so I guess in that sense I've achieved Bourbon Zen. I'm happy drinking Eagle Rare 10. But that won't stop me from snapping up a 4R limited edition or eventually dropping some coin on that EC21. Like much else in life - and bourbon - it's all in the balance.

And I'll ditto the praise of SB as a great resource.

[Tony Santana]

Thinking about it some more, there are three reasons I collect bottles. The first, least important and admittedly most superficial - I just like to have a bunch of bottles of different stuff in my collection. Second, to me it's the most effective way to try new stuff - and trying new stuff is part of the journey to Bourbon Zen, right? I don't have the time or the inclination to spend all my time in bars, so even though one pour of something I want to try may be cheaper than buying a bottle of it, multiple pours of whatever in a bar is ultimately going to cost me more than sipping whatever I have at home (plus, sometimes you don't really appreciate something on the first try). And while obviously I like some better than others, I've had very few duds. I'll never buy another bottle of Russell's Reserve Single Barrel, but hey, lesson learned. The percentage of outright failures is small.

Third, having a decent sized collection simply ensures that I'll be able to drink well for a long time. I can afford to buy "good stuff", but I can't afford to drink it ALL the time. I can enjoy my middle shelf pours just fine, and occasionally reach for a WLW or a VOS 19 or that bottle of EC18 I have squirreled away. It's like having a bourbon 401K plan.

Okay, I have to go to work.

[SLOandSteady]

Thanks for the great post. A millennial here myself. I'm relatively new to drinking Bourbon after spending my earlier years with PBR and then progressing to more refined and/or craft beers. I don't actually recall how I ended up landing on getting into Bourbon (Beam White Label?), but I've enjoyed the time I've spent learning what is to me a whole new realm of spirits. I have a dozen or so open bottles and probably 3 times that "bunkered" for additional tasting. I'm really in the phase I describe as identifying what I enjoy. Case in point, I've heard/read over and over that Elmer T Lee is wonderful pour; however ETL does nothing for me, yet I truly appreciate Elijah Craig 12yr. Tried Larceny and hated it. Was surprised I enjoyed Bulleit. Preferred Booker's to Blanton's. Every time on partake in a pour, I do so with the goal of identifying what I enjoy. Part of that goal does include more expensive bottles. I have 4 such bottles (PVW15, PHC7 and FRSB 11', Old Forester BB 13'), but I've told myself I'm not going to touch those until a few years down the road when I'll be able to truly discern what it is they are and whether they fit into the style of Bourbon I enjoy. Besides 3 bottles of Buffalo Trace in the bunker all the bottles in my "bunker" are different. I'm not limiting myself to bourbon. Seven or so bottles in the "bunker" are rums, which I am also trying to identify what I like on my palate. Same goes for Irish Whiskey with a few bottles in my "bunker" of Jameson, Redbreast, etc. . . Ultimately, I'm confident I'll land on a few Bourbons that will be in my normal rotation, but that I will aso learn what other spirits I enjoy. To me, buying a bottle to have but not enjoy, whether it be Bourbon, Irish Whiskey or Rum doesn't align with my goal. Cheers!

Edited November 13, 2013 by SLOandSteady

[nd2005]

Thinking about it some more, there are three reasons I collect bottles. The first, least important and admittedly most superficial - I just like to have a bunch of bottles of different stuff in my collection. Second, to me it's the most effective way to try new stuff - and trying new stuff is part of the journey to Bourbon Zen, right? I don't have the time or the inclination to spend all my time in bars, so even though one pour of something I want to try may be cheaper than buying a bottle of it, multiple pours of whatever in a bar is ultimately going to cost me more than sipping whatever I have at home (plus, sometimes you don't really appreciate something on the first try). And while obviously I like some better than others, I've had very few duds. I'll never buy another bottle of Russell's Reserve Single Barrel, but hey, lesson learned. The percentage of outright failures is small.

Third, having a decent sized collection simply ensures that I'll be able to drink well for a long time. I can afford to buy "good stuff", but I can't afford to drink it ALL the time. I can enjoy my middle shelf pours just fine, and occasionally reach for a WLW or a VOS 19 or that bottle of EC18 I have squirreled away. It's like having a bourbon 401K plan.

Okay, I have to go to work.

I think this hits pretty closely to how I feel. I like having a variety of bottles, and I like trying new stuff. My "prized" bottles get opened and consumed quite slowly. I'm less than 1/3 way through my bottle of GTS and it's been over a year since I got it.

Despite being very new to bourbon compared to most on this site, I'm definitely happy with my "middle range" options day in and day out. Also I'm a complete sucker for a Manhattan and continue the quest to find my perfect recipe - so I pretty much exclusively use the $20-30 range bourbons for those experiments.

I will however admit there is a definite pride component involved - while it pales in comparison to what I see on this site, my collection is the best amongst my friend group. Last time I had people over one of my buddies just sat on the floor in my bar and stared at the bottles for ten minutes trying to make up his mind!

Edit: I also would continue to posit that the "chase" doesn't need to be that hard or that much effort. I've obtained every limited release in the past year that I've wanted (ECBP, PHC, Stagg Jr, 4R single barrel, OFBB, 1 BTAC bottle, 1 van winkle bottle) and that's shopping at with rare exception 1 liquor store in a small town in a control state.

Edited November 13, 2013 by nd2005

[Yeti]

I had my first "religious" bourbon experience at the Gazebo. Prior to that, and certainly after that as well, I was in mass accumulation mode. I had long lusted over the photographs in the Show Me Your Stash threads and wanted to be one of the guys with a big impressive spread of desirable whiskies. Arriving at the Gazebo early Thursday in April I found a few guys enjoying cigars (Fricky and Bourbon Joe if memory serves) and they invited me to join them for a sip and smoke with open arms, not knowing me from any other bearded thug on the street. Shortly after, WAINWRIGHT introduced himself and sat a bottle of Abraham Bowman TPS Rye on the table and said "drink up".

As the evening, and following days, unfolded I saw that the real point of this "hobby" wasn't to get $#!*faced on alcohol (although that's occasionally a good time) nor was it to hoard up a "he who dies with the most toys wins" type of hidden collection. It was to lead with generosity, openness and inclusion; to enjoy a common experience while sharing past unique experiences. The table would fill up each night with myriad bottles from every distillery, style, price range, and era. I noticed many of the established and respected members reaching for pours that to my untrained eye didn't seem especially sexy, while saying simply "I haven't tried this for a while..."

It struck me as odd - How could there be BTAC, or rare Willett, or old Four Roses, or whatever else on the table and not just be swarmed and consumed in minutes!? Why were these other bottles even on the table? And that's when I realized that many of these guys had reached this "Zen" or "Homeostasis" you guys are talking about. They weren't interested in a never-ending arms race of hoarding and label chasing. They had been to the mountaintop and had returned to share the bounty, and perhaps some perspective.

Now, please do not misconstrue my story. I, and every other attendee, certainly enjoyed many pours of all those fine and rare whiskies. After all, that's what they're there for, right? But I saw just enough from those members, who helped to build this community into what it has become, to inform my attitude toward this lifestyle moving forward.

I have put back enough Four Roses to last many years. I purchased every BTAC release this year. I have single malt whiskies from my birth year, and my father's birth year. I'm excited about those bottles and look forward to all of the opportunities I will have to enjoy them. But I also drank a Sazerac Manhattan last night, and enjoyed a SB blend the night before. I find that I am gifting some trophy bottles to friends who prefer those specific profiles more than I, and in turn, I have been gifted bottles in the same way. "Embrace the midshelf" could also be stated as "embrace the bourbon". It's (mostly) all wonderful, and we have more options than ever before. It's a great time to be enjoying whiskey. Do so with good cheer, and good friends.

[squire]

Well said, I raise my glass.

[RVTsteve]

Well put Yeti, cheers to that.

I look forward to joining you guys at the gazebo sometime. Seems like a must do/bucket list event and opportunity to share good times and good drink with good people.

Edited November 13, 2013 by RVTsteve

[zillah]

“Everything is amazing and nobody’s happy.”

Two or three years ago when I started this journey, Wild Turkey 101 was about the best I could find on the liquor shelf. Most shelf space was reserved for other better selling spirits. Now when I walk into the store, the range of selection is enormous. And while a few old stand-buys were on that shelf already, and many new whiskies have come out since then, the explosion in whiskey popularity has pushed the other spirits off the shelf and made room for more bourbon to be distributed. Brands are no longer dominated by a flagship name like Wild Turkey or Jim Beam, but now include an expansive line of choices for every budget and taste. Every price-point has a gem to find on the shelf. If my collection was wiped out today, I could easily walk back into the liquor store and find something awesome.

Does one really need to convince themselves that they don’t need these limited release bourbons? Why should one deny what they want? If one really wants these bottles, a market exists (a grey market nonetheless) that can help fulfill that need. It will be at triple the price and I see that could make one feel conflicted. No one wants to feel like they are getting the short end of the stick, but the fact that these bourbons are available at triple the price is the exact reason you could not get these bourbons in the first place. Hatred can be directed at those who take the opportunity, but improper pricing of limited supply and barrier of distribution by regulation is to blame.

There is a game to play here, and while sometimes just quitting can provide comfort, how about we all just face reality? We all want these bourbons. No denying that. Some just can’t when given the opportunity due to budget. You don’t see them complaining. A whole plethora of bourbon is available. As a bourbon drinker this is the best time to be happy. Distribution is at its highest. Quality of selection canvases every price range from the highest to the lowest.

I was going to delete this essay, as I do many of my comments on this website, simply because I fear that I am not as knowledgeable as I think I am and my opinions could step on some toes. I feel that my lack of knowledge is the very reason I feel that I am not worthy of these bottles in the first place. Why do I necessarily want them anyway? It is really because they taste that much better? That my journey won’t be complete unless I have them? Or do I covet these bottles merely as a validation that I can confirm my identity as a bourbon enthusiast? All I know is that I don’t like the person it makes me when you have to compete against others for these bottles. Bourbon should be about enjoying life, not stepping on other people’s throats just to justify my existence.

Anyway, I appreciate your thoughts and echo some similar sentiments. It is nice to see someone try to come to peace with tumultuous emotions of not getting what they want.

Edited November 13, 2013 by zillah

[squire]

Hmm, well, I just drink it because it makes me happy.

[Gillman]

Just catching up with this and I have to say, excepting that you could get Rittenhouse and Pikesville too in selected West Coast stores back in the 80's, that I agree with you. In fact, that is exactly the journey I've taken, except it's taken me 35 years to get there. One could, in the old days, travel at an slacker pace, since good whiskey abounded and high prices did not, but anyway I got there.

In fact, and I will never minimize the (relatively few) highlights, the real value of them was the people and places, not the liquor itself. I remember the late Tim Sousley much better than the sometimes amazing rarities he brought to taste. I remember rocking to Jimi in the car with Thad on the way back from Doug's more than the fab whiskeys on Mr. Philip's table.

But good post, readers can save themselves decades and some greenbucks by following your counsel.

Gary

Edited November 13, 2013 by Gillman

[mosugoji64]

Well said as always, Squire. While I don't think I've achieved true bourbon Zen, I'm a lot closer. Being a Weller freak I do shed a little tear knowing that I likely missed out on this year's WLW but won't lose any sleep over it. I've managed to acquire a decent stash and am happy with what I have. I passed on a couple of sought-after bottles recently because I just didn't need them so I suppose I've realized a degree of Zen.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[humchan2k]

I am super glad that this thread has gotten an overall positive reaction, great to see. I guess the biggest point I wanted to make at the end of the day was that people should relax a little bit on all the mania and count your blessings for what you do have whiskey wise, cuz it's pretty great. I am also NOT saying you shouldn't go after a new, rare release if you can score it, (cuz winning feels great!) but don't let that mission myopically destroy your enjoyment of a glass of OGD, you know? I've found a stash of BTAC before, I've found old SW juice before and even have a decent box of 80's dusties....but I don't want the pursuit of keeping up with the Bourbon Joneses (taste everything new, NOW!) to overshadow the fact that RHF and Blanton's are delicious and if they're all you can find at the moment, who cares!?!?

In the end, Bourbon Zen is the ability to keep calm, and drink on!

[DBM]

Right now my every time I drink a fantastic pour I think, "This is fantastic. I want to be able to drink this forever and ever without worrying about it." I believe I will reach total zen when I can take it one step further and say, "I want to be able to drink this forever and ever without worrying about it, but I know that won't be possible, and I'm okay with that."

[TunnelTiger]

As Groucho famously said, "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member".

"A" I remember that quote and "B" I actually know who Groucho was so "C" whiskey hasn't destroyed as many brain cells as my better half thinks.

Edited November 13, 2013 by TunnelTiger

[tylermke]

I find that I am gifting some trophy bottles to friends who prefer those specific profiles more than I, and in turn, I have been gifted bottles in the same way. "Embrace the midshelf" could also be stated as "embrace the bourbon". It's (mostly) all wonderful, and we have more options than ever before. It's a great time to be enjoying whiskey. Do so with good cheer, and good friends.

I can definitely attest to Josh's generosity after helping me land a bottle not too long back. His generosity has certainly spurned many pay it forward bottles to those I've met in my journey.

I hope to meet many of you at a Gazebo gathering in the not too distant future. Cheers!

[rndenks]

I do want to give a shout out to SB for being the great resource it is (I've learned a ton!) and for providing a way to meet some really cool folks.

I have to agree with this quote. I am still a yearling to this "hobby", and I think without SB I might be chasing the uncatchable (at least in Ohio) BTAC/Pappy . Thanks to this site I spend a lot of time reading all the posts, and I have purchased or tried between 25-30 different bourbons and ryes since last January that were discussed or recommended.

It was not until this Monday that I even had a taste of one of the "uncatchable" pours. Thanks to a tip from another SB member (ThirstyinOhio), I stopped by a local whiskey bar that was opening their bottles of GTS. I had two pours that night, the stuff was delicious and I now know what all the hype is about. However, since I have now tasted it that urge to get my hands on a bottle of GTS has subsided a bit, but I would buy it in a second if I found it at decent price.

I am comfortable to continue to grow my collection and try as much as possible. I have already started to find trends in my tastes, and that is thanks to trying A LOT of different pours. It may have missed out if I only settled for the "uncatchables"

Now I am rambling. I will end on that note.

[squire]

Oh that's not a bad thing, when it comes to whisky I can ramble for hours.

[ThirstyinOhio]

I have to agree with this quote. I am still a yearling to this "hobby", and I think without SB I might be chasing the uncatchable (at least in Ohio) BTAC/Pappy . Thanks to this site I spend a lot of time reading all the posts, and I have purchased or tried between 25-30 different bourbons and ryes since last January that were discussed or recommended.

It was not until this Monday that I even had a taste of one of the "uncatchable" pours. Thanks to a tip from another SB member (ThirstyinOhio), I stopped by a local whiskey bar that was opening their bottles of GTS. I had two pours that night, the stuff was delicious and I now know what all the hype is about. However, since I have now tasted it that urge to get my hands on a bottle of GTS has subsided a bit, but I would buy it in a second if I found it at decent price.

I am comfortable to continue to grow my collection and try as much as possible. I have already started to find trends in my tastes, and that is thanks to trying A LOT of different pours. It may have missed out if I only settled for the "uncatchables"

Now I am rambling. I will end on that note.