I can't wait to....

[Flyfish]

bourbonNcigars' comment in the 4R Cult thread got me to thinking about the number of posts over the years in which SBers say they have just bought some Old Fillintheblank SmB and can't wait to try it. I admire their restraint. Evidently they can wait long enough to post about it first. When I buy a new (to me) bourbon, I don't wait. As soon as I get home, it gets opened. Some of you, evidently, buy bourbon and resist temptation for months. bNc's rationale is that he has too many bottles open already. To which I respond, "Such a problem!" So, what is the excuse for those of you who can't wait--but do?

[393foureyedfox]

ive been holding an 8year WFE since November, saving it for a celebration once I pass my state board exam. Keeps me motivated and looking forward to something even more. other than that, I dont save anything.

If Mrs Fox and I were to have a little fox, Id track down something specially dated and hold it for his/her 21st birthday. Those are the only two save-only bourbons I can think of

[bourboNcigars]

Lol, well having too many things open is subjective I guess, mainly if I have too many bottles open it just makes it harder for me to decide what I want to pour..currently i have about 20 bottles open

[393foureyedfox]

i have 6 open...thats about as much as I have open at any time. 4 regularly enjoyed pours (HH 6/90, WT101, Booker's, and Larceny), One treat (Dickel 9), and one that I just dont enjoy all that often (MM46). I have no interest in having 200 open bottles sitting here in the way.

[BonVivant84]

Special occasion / forget what i have. I've had a 2013 OF Bday that i initially threw downstairs in the bunker because i ran out of shelf space on my bar (that thing takes up some freakin space) and never brought it up when a new space opened up (due to other new incoming buys). Meant to crack it for my 30th but never got the chance.

I also put aside a PVW20 for my wedding day.

[Richnimrod]

I probably have about 40-bottles open at any given time. I tend to save some 'very specials' for celebratory occasions; but often those 'best intentions' don't make it to the intended occasions. I don't always open stuff as soon as it gets home; but I sometimes do... In fact, I sometimes open 'specials' at the liquor store, offering tastes to the owner, and a particular clerk, to curry favor and keep good relations with same. That said, I do have a few that I haven't gotten around to after more than a couple years.... my own fault, I guess! It's really only good for one thing: DRINKING!!!

[petrel800]

bourbonNcigars' comment in the 4R Cult thread got me to thinking about the number of posts over the years in which SBers say they have just bought some Old Fillintheblank SmB and can't wait to try it. I admire their restraint. Evidently they can wait long enough to post about it first. When I buy a new (to me) bourbon, I don't wait. As soon as I get home, it gets opened. Some of you, evidently, buy bourbon and resist temptation for months. bNc's rationale is that he has too many bottles open already. To which I respond, "Such a problem!" So, what is the excuse for those of you who can't wait--but do?

To each their own I guess, if that's how you enjoy the hobby, good for you. Personally, I don't like to have a bunch of bottles open, been there, done that and I felt I missed out on a few of them by not spending more time on them instead of having a pour every now and then. Now I'm typically somewhere around 10-12 bottles open at any time.

I'll also point out, in today's climate, a lot of times you have to make a spot decision to buy or pass when you get the opportunity. I'm not always ready to open said bottle, sometimes I have last years bottle open and going, but when given the chance on some releases, you have to pull the trigger or miss out.

[Tony Santana]

I don't have much trouble waiting, although curiousity sometimes gets the better of me. With probably somewhere in the range of 25-30 open bottles I sometimes have enough trouble deciding what to drink without having even more options to choose from. Particularly when the open bottles cover a fairly good range - some wheaters, some ryes, high end stuff, value pours, etc.

Plus, all my open ones are in the cabinet in the dining room. It has some that have yet to be opened as well, but if I opened every one the minute I brought it home, I'd have all sorts of open ones in the cabinet in the basement too, and for some reason that just doesn't seem right.

[garbanzobean]

I don't like having a bunch of bottles open. Sometimes I want to get more familiar with a distiller's more basic offerings prior to opening something special (Example: A Bruichladdich 1973 I'm holding onto as I slowly work my way through other Bruichladdich expressions). Sometimes I change my mind and decide to give something in my bunker as a gift.

Also, picking out the next bourbon/whisky I want to try is exciting, and sort of like going shopping again.

[kjbeggs]

I don't force myself to leave things unopened, but I do now try to wait until I've got time to kick back and spend some time with a new bottle. I've probably got over 20 open bottles at any given time, and several "top-shelf" pours that I opened up the day I bought them. The more I get, the longer I seem to go without opening something new though.

[squire]

Of course I open it as soon as I get home, that's why I bought it.

[Flyfish]

I have no interest in having 200 open bottles sitting here in the way.

I, on the other hand, would love to have a couple hundred bottles sitting here in the way.

[tanstaafl2]

I, on the other hand, would love to have a couple hundred bottles sitting here in the way.

It has its pluses and minuses...

[Tony Santana]

I counted it up - I currently have 27 open bourbons, plus 3 vatting experiments, plus another 8 open bottles in the "other" category (rye, Tennessee, Irish, scotch). When I drink I tend to sample a couple different brands in an evening, maybe 3, but rarely more than that. But I don't drink every day. So if I spread the love evenly, it's still going to take me about a month or more to get through to a sample of everything I have open.

But I don't spread the love evenly, as there are some pours I go back to on a more consistent basis. I have a couple bottles in the "meh" category that will likely take a long time to finish. The rest range from "like it" to "love it".

The point is, if I opened everything as soon as I got it, I'd probably forget what half of them even taste like by the time I get around to them again. Like some others who have posted, I like to get to know one, and having too many open prevents that from happening.

The last 4 I opened - EC12, Barterhouse, Booker's 25th and Whistle Pig. The former is one of my regular pours. The other three were all "curiosity got the better of me" situations - tried them once, tried them a second time just to see if my initial impression was accurate, and so far that's been it. It may not be a bad thing, but I'd have a heck of a lot more bottles with two drinks poured out of them if I opened them all as soon as I got them.

[squire]

If I had 200 bottles open I wouldn't know because I would be too busy drinking to waste time counting.

[mbroo5880i]

I like to have enough open bottles to provide diversity but not so many that I can't figure out what to pour on a given night. Not that that isn't problem on some nights. I have 16 open bottles, which I think is too many. Two will bite the dust in the next week or so. Three of the open bottles are "special" pours that I drink infrequently so as to make them last or to share with company (WFE 9-Yr, FR SmBLE 2013, Blanton's). I have 12 unopen bottles, including a few dusties, WLW 13, ECBP, a few retailer selects, and standard fare. I will get around to them. I just prefer to share some of these rather than drink them as regular pours.

So, I can wait depending on what I have open and opportunities. If someone comes over and wants to try a dusty, we open it. If they prefer something already open, that is fine too.

[tylermke]

I generally keep around a dozen bottles open. I buy enough to where my drinking does not offset new bottles coming in. Some bottles are being saved for special occasions and others I have in multiples, so no sense in having many of the same open at once.

Whenever I can find something new, I'll try to buy two: one to open when I get home and one to bunker. If I like it and it's available again, I'll buy a few more backups.

[Paddy]

I used to open up everything right away, because I couldn't wait. Now I just keep piling the bunker up, because I don't have enough sense to quit buying.

They're is just too darn much fine whiskey out there to let it all go somewhere else!

[boneuphtoner]

I generally try everything I buy new as soon as I get it. If it is exceptional and I know I can't replace it, I will enjoy it on a more special occasion. Otherwise it will get put in the open bottle rotation with everything else

[Kyjd75]

My problem is that if I buy a bottle ostensibly for a "special" event I must keep it unopened until the supposed "event" occurs. Otherwise, if opened early, it will be gone very quickly. Every time I open a bottle of PVW 15, 4RSB (LE or PS), WFE or OFBB 2012-2013, it disappears almost like magic, while the regular stuff just sits there.

[bourboNcigars]

My problem is whenever I have the chance to pour a glass I consider that a special event lol

[Renegator]

My problem is that if I buy a bottle ostensibly for a "special" event I must keep it unopened until the supposed "event" occurs. Otherwise, if opened early, it will be gone very quickly. Every time I open a bottle of PVW 15, 4RSB (LE or PS), WFE or OFBB 2012-2013, it disappears almost like magic, while the regular stuff just sits there.

Party of 2 on this...

[fishnbowljoe]

I'm at the point in my 'bourbon" life now, that I really don't wait too long before opening anything. (Other than having multiple bottles of a few of my favorite bourbons.) I went through the collecting/gotta have it stage. No more. I have decided to enjoy what I have for the most part. The few exceptions I have; ETL. I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Lee a couple of times. What a wonderful gentleman. Very unassuming, mild mannered and soft spoken. Many of you may have seen the picture that I posted in the ETL Commemorative thread. Call it what you will. Sentimental reasons, or for posterities sake, but I'll probably keep the three variations of ETL that I have for a long, long time. The bottling that we did here on SB of the HHSS is another. I will probably keep one of those stashed away for quite a while. The third example I have is of the 2007 BTAC WL Weller. One of my all time favorites. I still have half a dozen bottles bunkered. At least one will probably remain unopened for a long, long time. The last example I have, is of some "other" Wellers that are in my cabinet. I've been lucky enough to have procured a few older bottles of Weller. Older, as in SW Weller. :skep: I've had bottles of SW Weller SR, and SW Weller 12, but until very recently, I've never been lucky enough to have any SW OWA. Through the good graces and generosity of a fellow SB member, I completed my own personal trifecta of SW Weller. These are also ones that will be held onto for a while for various reasons.

Aside from the four previously aforementioned examples, everything else in my cabinet is fair game. The only problem I have, is that I have so much bourbon, and so little time. Good problem to have I guess. :grin:

Cheers y'all! Joe

[Old Dusty]

Joe, great stash/bunker/bar setup! We have very similar taste in old wheaters. You are just missing the old ryes!