Quantum Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 The Elmer craze is the perfect storm. The product flew under the radar for years. It has a good back story. The package is attractive and easy to recognize. It's also a very easy whiskey to drink. There's nothing really incredible about it, just very balanced. New people and experienced bourbon people probably would both like it. I will buy it now and then around $30. If the price goes up much more than that, I start to have a lot of other options.This. It is a fairly smooth and easy drinking bourbon, but is just distinctive that it is hard to find a close substitute. Some bourbons say hello by slapping you in the face, this one does with a firm handshake and direct eye contact. Its not flashy, but memorable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicktrav Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 This. It is a fairly smooth and easy drinking bourbon, but is just distinctive that it is hard to find a close substitute. Some bourbons say hello by slapping you in the face, this one does with a firm handshake and direct eye contact. Its not flashy, but memorable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auracom Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 From some random searching online the last few days, it appears market value for regular ETL is now around $60. At least that's the ballpark price that allows it to stay in-stock from an online site. :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I agree with much of what has already been stated. I will say that my most recent standard ETL was thin and disappointing. I am not sure if it was the specific barrel but I found my initial bottle of ETL Com to be much better. It was more than just 3 proof points. Although I believe it already is allocated, I hope it doesn't become an annual allocation like other Sazerac releases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsOnTheGround Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 From some random searching online the last few days, it appears market value for regular ETL is now around $60. At least that's the ballpark price that allows it to stay in-stock from an online site. :/I see an avg price of $34 on a pull of 30+ stores nationwide, a very small sample. It's edging up in price, but no more than a 5% per year raise over the past 5 years. Nothing compared to something like BMH NAS which has gone absolutely bananas for what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auracom Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I see an avg price of $34 on a pull of 30+ stores nationwide, a very small sample. It's edging up in price, but no more than a 5% per year raise over the past 5 years. Nothing compared to something like BMH NAS which has gone absolutely bananas for what it is.Perhaps I'm still a rookie in my searching, but you're sure these places all actually had it stocked? The aggregate sites I've seen generally don't differentiate between stores that are actually carrying inventory vs. an out-of-stock listing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsOnTheGround Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Perhaps I'm still a rookie in my searching, but you're sure these places all actually had it stocked? The aggregate sites I've seen generally don't differentiate between stores that are actually carrying inventory vs. an out-of-stock listing. Yes. Some of them I added bottles to my cart to make sure. A few of them were in my area where I know they have it in stock. But you are correct that some stores will price it at $60 - $90. Greed? Desperation? But that's the nature of speculation. If you thought that your favorite bottle would cost twice as much in the future, how much would you buy today? As I said before, there's a definite sense of fear with ETL, W12, and a few other otherwise average bottles. It's all rather irrational IMNSHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renegator Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I agree with much of what has already been stated. I will say that my most recent standard ETL was thin and disappointing. I am not sure if it was the specific barrel but I found my initial bottle of ETL Com to be much better. It was more than just 3 proof points. Although I believe it already is allocated, I hope it doesn't become an annual allocation like other Sazerac releases.I agree with this 100% on all points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicktrav Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 Opened my bottle of Elmer Commemorative last night. I didn't find it as enjoyable as the standard release. Still good, but I love the standard, and I don't think it's an improvement. Good thing I tried because I found a shop with nearly ten of them sitting on the shelf yesterday and I was about to bunker a bunch. I'm going to let it breathe for a while before trying it again. Maybe it will evolve some, but for now I think I'll pass on a repeat purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 I've yet to see the commemorative version here in Seattle (probably came and went quickly) but we do have the standard version sitting on the shelves, and they've been there for a while, so perhaps the craze has passed. I have three in bunker so I'm resisting buying more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TunnelTiger Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 I haven't seen anymore on the shelves here in the past month but my bunker has all I need of both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicktrav Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 Haven't seen the standard in a while here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryT Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 I saw some recently and briefly around ATL (can't recall where now), but being well stocked with GBS ETL passed on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffrey r Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I never saw the ETL Comm on the shelf, and the regular ETL has gone from readily available to barely available. Fortunately, I have several in the bunker (mostly barrel selects). But I would say there is a definite scarcity of ETL these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jburlowski Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Opened my bottle of Elmer Commemorative last night. I didn't find it as enjoyable as the standard release. Still good, but I love the standard, and I don't think it's an improvement. Good thing I tried because I found a shop with nearly ten of them sitting on the shelf yesterday and I was about to bunker a bunch. I'm going to let it breathe for a while before trying it again. Maybe it will evolve some, but for now I think I'll pass on a repeat purchase.Keep in mind that ETL (both the Commemorative and standard OTS) is a single-barrel expression so there will be some (sometimes significant) variation from purchase to purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicktrav Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 Keep in mind that ETL (both the Commemorative and standard OTS) is a single-barrel expression so there will be some (sometimes significant) variation from purchase to purchase.Very true. And I ought to note that the bottle seems to have improved some since I opened it. Had a glass last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not quite as much as the standard, but still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amg Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Keep in mind that ETL (both the Commemorative and standard OTS) is a single-barrel expression so there will be some (sometimes significant) variation from purchase to purchase.I just wish they would put barrel numbers or at least warehouse locations on these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Advantage Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Very true. And I ought to note that the bottle seems to have improved some since I opened it. Had a glass last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not quite as much as the standard, but still.Keep in mind that ETL (both the Commemorative and standard OTS) is a single-barrel expression so there will be some (sometimes significant) variation from purchase to purchase.Also keep in mind that Elmer is no longer selecting the barrels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd2005 Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Also keep in mind that Elmer is no longer selecting the barrels.That was the case for quite a long time before his death as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Sir Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 That was the case for quite a long time before his death as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TunnelTiger Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Tonight is going to be an ETL nite, I can almost taste it already! :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 I was under the impression that he was selecting up until his final year. I'm not sure where I received that info...Supposedly he continued to pick a few of them up until shortly before his death but nowhere near enough to be picking all of it. And of course there was never any indication of who picked what on the bottle itself. There weren't even any barrel numbers to tell you what to look for if you found one you liked which was kind of annoying but apparently a BT thing. I don't think Blanton's or ER, when it was still single barrel, ever had barrel numbers. Or at least not in the recent past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAGentleman Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Supposedly he continued to pick a few of them up until shortly before his death but nowhere near enough to be picking all of it. And of course there was never any indication of who picked what on the bottle itself. There weren't even any barrel numbers to tell you what to look for if you found one you liked which was kind of annoying but apparently a BT thing. I don't think Blanton's or ER, when it was still single barrel, ever had barrel numbers. Or at least not in the recent past.Just checked m Blantons bottle(bought 6months ago) and it has bottle date, rick # and barrel # Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Just checked m Blantons bottle(bought 6months ago) and it has bottle date, rick # and barrel #Well, then I stand corrected! Haven't had Blantons around the house for awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Keep in mind that ETL (both the Commemorative and standard OTS) is a single-barrel expression so there will be some (sometimes significant) variation from purchase to purchase.Also keep in mind that Elmer is no longer selecting the barrels.It's worth noting that Mark Brown has said that they have a large library of barrels selected by Elmer that are used as control by the panel that selects the current barrels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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