2014 Four Roses LE Single Barrel

[joboyd]

I have bottle 5,124, at 63.8% (Barrel 47-5P) and, after sharing some with the liquor store staff, finally brought it home. This barrel is delicious, but very, very oaky. More wood than I've ever tasted from a Four Roses product, and especially at such a (relatively) young age. It took a bit of water to tame it (acid reflux disease means the high-proofers aren't my best friends), but it is delicious, thick bourbon. I'm not the biggest fan of a strong oak note, but I really enjoy this one.

[jvd99]

Make sure you are speaking with a manager who does ordering when asking about releases.

And I will say that truck chasers are very frustrating to a retailer. When something comes in, we can't just scan it and sell it. It has to be entered into inventory and priced. So do the other hundreds of cases that are on the same truck. Oftentimes we might not be able to enter the items into our POS until later that day or the next.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

The surprising thing to me is apart from the whisky bars, I've not seen this pop up in that many of the Louisville urban bourbon trail restaurants. I assumed massively reduced retail allocation meant it was going to on premise accounts. Maybe just all going out of state?

I practically tripped across this in 2013, buying 5 and directing SBer's to another 2. Could have bought more if the budget allowed...yet this year both my go to and my backup shops could have got me a grand total of 1. I have enough private selection bottles that I passed.

[Chi-Town]

I was "told" that more was going to the gift shop than in previous years. Doesn't explain why other states are getting less also.

[bicktrav]

A lot of stores around me held them for the customers that drop the most money, and those folks are invariably wine enthusiasts. That happens with Pappy all the time. They've got these wine guys who drop loads and loads of cash each year, and they've heard that this or that bottle is a must have. Since major wine customers spend WAY more than spirits buyers, when they ask for a bottle the store obliges. Sucks because they really don't knowing anything about whiskey, and are only asking because bourbon has become hot recently and folks the likes of Robert Parker are weighing in on the whiskey world. The shame is that, of course, the people who end up with the bottles won't appreciate them in the way the members of this board will. Anyway, I'm fairly certain that happened at a few places near me. Can't blame the store owners for that. You have to keep your biggest fish happy. It just sucks for the rest of us.

[garbanzobean]

A lot of stores around me held them for the customers that drop the most money, and those folks are invariably wine enthusiasts. That happens with Pappy all the time. They've got these wine guys who drop loads and loads of cash each year, and they've heard that this or that bottle is a must have. Since major wine customers spend WAY more than spirits buyers, when they ask for a bottle the store obliges. Sucks because they really don't knowing anything about whiskey, and are only asking because bourbon has become hot recently and folks the likes of Robert Parker are weighing in on the whiskey world. The shame is that, of course, the people who end up with the bottles won't appreciate them in the way the members of this board will. Anyway, I'm fairly certain that happened at a few places near me. Can't blame the store owners for that. You have to keep your biggest fish happy. It just sucks for the rest of us.

I run into this issue as well, and my solution to that has been bringing new customers to my primary bottle shop. At this point, the employees all know me, so when I walk in with unfamiliar faces who are all happy to spend money, I always try to introduce my friends to the manager and whisk(e)y guy and explain that he/she is new to the area and I thought I'd show him/her my preferred liquor store, etc. It's not the same as dropping 30 grand a year on wine, but it's what I've got. Most of the people I've taken to my local shop have all become repeat customers, so hopefully my good karma will continue to be rewarded.

[Indesertum]

How do I find out if some made it to New Jersey? I've been hounding my local retailers but they never get back to me. I was in DC and saw a few selling for $200 and I just couldn't do that especially since a few store had private selections.

[smknjoe]

Get to know a couple of retailers close by (buy some booze from them on a regular basis) that sell 4R and they will probably find some for you if they can.

[KyleCBreese]

How do I find out if some made it to New Jersey? I've been hounding my local retailers but they never get back to me. I was in DC and saw a few selling for $200 and I just couldn't do that especially since a few store had private selections.

I'm in NJ and was able to get one about 2-3 weeks ago.

[bananaslug]

My local BevMo has had one on order for over a month with my name on it. They aren't hopeful that the order will get filled however. Not sure how it works with a chain but collectively BevMo buys a tons of Private Selection barrels. I tried going through the local BevMo that definitely sells the most bourbon, but I was hoping at least one in my area would get it. Alas, none have.

[HD 335]

My local BevMo has had one on order for over a month with my name on it. They aren't hopeful that the order will get filled however. Not sure how it works with a chain but collectively BevMo buys a tons of Private Selection barrels. I tried going through the local BevMo that definitely sells the most bourbon, but I was hoping at least one in my area would get it. Alas, none have.

I've done the same before without much luck. I even once found a Bevmo where someone placed an ordered for 6 bottle of the 2013 LE SmB, it was never fulfilled according to a store rep who saw the order. Of course, it never hurt to try.

[Indesertum]

I'm in NJ and was able to get one about 2-3 weeks ago.

damn i guess i missed it then. i've been hounding the big box stores and local stores ever since i saw people posting pics of it starting in like early june

[garbanzobean]

FWIW, I'm pretty sure this hit Maryland sometime this week. Good hunting, y'all.

[suntour]

Called a liquor store that was showing some stock and before I could even ask he quickly countered "We don't have it." Must've gotten some other calls.

Anyway since I'm not going to get one this year, let's hear some tasting impressions from those of you with open bottles.

[BootsOnTheGround]

Tell you what, if you didn't have the motivation to show up in my store and thought it would be ok to call instead, I'd be happy to sell you one thing: a case of 99Bananas at full retail.

How much does an avg LQ store have to spend just to maintain consistent foot traffic in their stores? How much do they have to invest in actually knowing what a 'limited edition single barrel' is? Cause most don't give a rip.

I bought 5/5 BTAC bottles last year at retail and one below because my ass was there. One LQ store pointed to a whole wall of post it notes full of numbers of people who had called, left their name, bla bla for a bottle of "Pappy" or Stagg and said 'none of them will be called because you are here (I didn't ask for any, he offered)" as he ringed me up for $67.99 on a GTS.

<<< BootsOnTheGround! Ya herd!? /rant

[garbanzobean]

Tell you what, if you didn't have the motivation to show up in my store and thought it would be ok to call instead, I'd be happy to sell you one thing: a case of 99Bananas at full retail.

How much does an avg LQ store have to spend just to maintain consistent foot traffic in their stores? How much do they have to invest in actually knowing what a 'limited edition single barrel' is? Cause most don't give a rip.

I bought 5/5 BTAC bottles last year at retail and one below because my ass was there. One LQ store pointed to a whole wall of post it notes full of numbers of people who had called, left their name, bla bla for a bottle of "Pappy" or Stagg and said 'none of them will be called because you are here (I didn't ask for any, he offered)" as he ringed me up for $67.99 on a GTS.

<<< BootsOnTheGround! Ya herd!? /rant

Well that was constructive.

At any rate, popped onto a nearby liquor store website and noticed they had Four Roses LE SB for sale. I figured "what the heck, I was going to pass on this release, but I don't even have to leave my couch to get it" and ordered it for pickup. The order went through, but I'm about 14 hours past the 24hr "ready for pickup" deadline. The store manager at this place is notorious for cancelling web orders and either keeping bottles he wants for himself or selling them to his friends, so I doubt I'll actually end up getting the bottle. He also hides LEs that are already entered into inventory in his office until his friends can get there, leading to a lot of angry customers and apologies from store employees.

Edited July 11, 2014 by garbanzobean

[mbroo5880i]

Sounds like a great guy to do business with!

[garbanzobean]

Sounds like a great guy to do business with!

Yeah, can't say I've bought anything from there since I found that out. I figured it is worth a try, but am assuming I won't be purchasing this, either.

[smknjoe]

Sounds like one of our local stores.

Every store is different when it comes to how they handle merchandise and even then it varies from customer to customer and employee to employee. I know of a few stores where if you don't call and have them hold a bottle for you it will be gone before you get there to pick it up. Other stores will deny ever getting anything in unless you happen to be a customer the manager likes and then they'll offer it to you as you're checking out...

[mbroo5880i]

Just a word of caution. I have only tried the F recipes a few times. I just bought a store select OESF and I like it. But, the F recipes are different animals. I wouldn't consider buying this just because it is an LE unless you are certain you like the F profile. It is a lot of dough to drop on something without knowing what you getting.

[garbanzobean]

Sounds like one of our local stores.

Every store is different when it comes to how they handle merchandise and even then it varies from customer to customer and employee to employee. I know of a few stores where if you don't call and have them hold a bottle for you it will be gone before you get there to pick it up. Other stores will deny ever getting anything in unless you happen to be a customer the manager likes and then they'll offer it to you as you're checking out...

Pretty sure this gem of a human being doesn't even call preferred customers or big spenders, just his personal friends.

[smknjoe]

Just a word of caution. I have only tried the F recipes a few times. I just bought a store select OESF and I like it. But, the F recipes are different animals. I wouldn't consider buying this just because it is an LE unless you are certain you like the F profile. It is a lot of dough to drop on something without knowing what you getting.

I think a lot of guys are passing this one for that reason. I haven't even looked for it myself since I already have an OESF from the gift shop. It's probably long gone from around here by now anyway.

[flahute]

Around here, you absolutely have to both call and ask at the store in person multiple times, making sure you ask multiple different people, to get to the bottom of when limited editions will show up. Once you have good intel on when it will show up, you have to get up at crack:30 and call to confirm it's coming in that day and if so, get over there post haste before the line gets too long and then wait a few hours until the store opens. For this release, I just wasn't interested enough to put in that effort. If I come across one though, I'll for sure leave the store with it. I'm weak that way.

[Restaurant man]

Tell you what, if you didn't have the motivation to show up in my store and thought it would be ok to call instead, I'd be happy to sell you one thing: a case of 99Bananas at full retail.

<<< BootsOnTheGround! Ya herd!? /rant

So you're an angry clerk at a liquor store? Good for you boots. Which store is that? You get a little rant break every 15 mins? Good for you pal. Hate the customer? You must be a bad mother ducker. Cheers??????

[callmeox]

The topic of this thread is 2014 Four Roses LE Single Barrel.

If you wish to rant about pissy store employees or managers who hook up their buddies, open another thread.