Biggest regret for not buying?

[Cards fan]

At my last tasting with my local group we got to talking about our biggest regret for not buying a whiskey you had a chance to buy in a store. We all have become more interested in whiskey in the last 2-3 years. As a whole we passed on 3 Thomas Handy being sold for $150 (2012 edition). I had purchased one already for 75-85 that year and it didn't seem like a good idea at the time. Seeing what we are paying for BTAC now it doesn't seem that far fetched. Not to mention I really enjoy the taste. I've passed on some dusties and have gone back to find them gone.

This raises the question, what whiskey do you regret not pulling the trigger on? It fits in with the article Sku wrote on his web site about that $100 barrier. Often times price/value is what keeps me from purchasing a new whiskey.

[dcbt]

I passed on a GTS a few years ago for the same reason as your Handy pass. Oops.

[garbanzobean]

At my last tasting with my local group we got to talking about our biggest regret for not buying a whiskey you had a chance to buy in a store. We all have become more interested in whiskey in the last 2-3 years. As a whole we passed on 3 Thomas Handy being sold for $150 (2012 edition). I had purchased one already for 75-85 that year and it didn't seem like a good idea at the time. Seeing what we are paying for BTAC now it doesn't seem that far fetched. Not to mention I really enjoy the taste. I've passed on some dusties and have gone back to find them gone.

This raises the question, what whiskey do you regret not pulling the trigger on? It fits in with the article Sku wrote on his web site about that $100 barrier. Often times price/value is what keeps me from purchasing a new whiskey.

[dmarkle]

Given how difficult it is to find reasonably priced, good bourbon nowadays, the answer is:

"Each and every single bottle of bourbon I have ever seen and wanted, but not bought."

[BFerguson]

I can picture it like yesterday. PHC1 and Hirsch 16. I thought it was nuts to buy two of the Hirsch and one of the PHC that day.

I was nuts for not buying a case of the Hirsch from he stack of cases, and more than one PHC.

Live and learn.

B

[gooneygoogoo]

Saz 18 and PHC Cognac on the shelf at MSRP. I just didn't know at the time.

[dmarkle]

I can picture it like yesterday. PHC1 and Hirsch 16. I thought it was nuts to buy two of the Hirsch and one of the PHC that day.

I was nuts for not buying a case of the Hirsch from he stack of cases, and more than one PHC.

Live and learn.

B

Ugh, now that you've jogged my memory, it was 4 bottles of PHC 27 at MSRP. Ugh

[ramblinman]

All the awesome stuff I walked by on the way to the beer coolers between the ages of 21 and 29 without having a clue what I was missing.

[nd2005]

Van Winkles galor, BMH age stateds of several varieties, early release 16-20 yr Willetts, vintage 17-23 yr releases, and several other options that routinely sat on the shelves at MSRP while I was a grad student just barely learning about bourbon and with minimal spare coin to spend on them...

[T Comp]

Not being on SB in 1999 would be one of them:

10/17/99 11:24

jvanwinkle Enthusiast

Join Date

Oct 1999

Location

Louisville, KY

Posts

265

Re: barrel investing

Chuck,

I saw the question about investing in a barrel of whiskey. It just so happens that I am trying to come up with a way that people can buy a barrel of aged whiskey. I'm talking 10-years and older. Perhaps $1,200.00 per barrel. So that you will get about 5 cases (60/750ml bottles), and have your own label designed. That's only $20.00/bottle. What do you think?

Julian

[wmpevans]

Several years ago walking by several cases of JPS-18 on sale for $69.99 bottle. I had just bought quite a few JPS-17's, which I preferred, and did not buy the 18's.

Live and learn. If you like something, buy for the bunker.

[dcbt]

All the awesome stuff I walked by on the way to the beer coolers between the ages of 21 and 29 without having a clue what I was missing.

This rings really true to me mainly because I always got my dad a bottle of bourbon for his bday, Father's Day, and Christmas even before I was into it so I knew nothing about what I was buying. I looked mid shelf, though, since I was poor (he usually bought bottom shelf back then so it was still a step up for him), so who even knows what I passed up if I had arched my neck a bit farther up. Of course back then it wouldn't have meant anything to me anyway. But it still makes me wonder sometimes, especially since after I picked out his bottle it was off to the beer aisle for me.

[dcbt]

Not being on SB in 1999 would be one of them:

10/17/99 11:24

jvanwinkle Enthusiast

Join Date

Oct 1999

Location

Louisville, KY

Posts

265

Re: barrel investing

Chuck,

I saw the question about investing in a barrel of whiskey. It just so happens that I am trying to come up with a way that people can buy a barrel of aged whiskey. I'm talking 10-years and older. Perhaps $1,200.00 per barrel. So that you will get about 5 cases (60/750ml bottles), and have your own label designed. That's only $20.00/bottle. What do you think?

Julian

hah. wow. Great find in the archives there!

[Quantum]

I passed up a lot of JPS 17/18, but not grabbing an extra 6 bottles of WLW in 2012 is the one that really stings.

[squire]

That post speaks volumes Thad.

[Paddy]

I can still see the squat bottles of Old Rip collecting dust on the bottom shelf (in my mind)!

[elmossle]

Passing on a bottle of THH last year at MRSP still burns a hole deep in my mind. Passed because I was more interested in looking for more WLW. Now it is the last missing piece of the BTAC collection for me.

[flahute]

Thad!!!!! Holy crap. That takes the cake.

I haven't been at this long enough to have the regrets that many of you have, but I did pass up 2-3 bottles of '13 OFBB because I only bought one to make sure I liked it first. When I decided I did like it, too late. I didn't make that same mistake this year.

[bin31z]

Passed on 2 separate opportunities to pick up FR 2013 LE single barrel. Both places had multiple bottles but I was like...meh, just get one. I love it but they were sold out. I almost passed on opportunity to pick up 9 bottles of lot B at 10% under retail but I bit the bullet and grabbed them at what seemed like an insane price at the time (440 total). Been drinking them and sharing them since. Not a bourbon but passed on many bottles of Bowmore Devil's Cask, now its selling in UK for 500+. Also, I've bought and sold at retail many bottles of scotch including Ardbeg Nam Beist, Hibiki 21, Ealanta. Lesson learned, money comes and goes, Whiskey is forever

[Cards fan]

I just hope the bottles we passed up over the years have gone to good homes. I drank makers mark from college on. I wish I would ventured away sooner. It would have been fun to experience the possibilities. But now I have lots of great whiskey stocked away and have been enjoying them with friends! T comp, once I get my flux capacitor working we'll pay Mr. Julian a visit.

[garbanzobean]

I left a shelf full of 2012 THH at MSRP sitting around for 6+ months in 2013. I don't really know what I would have done with 7-8 bottles of that though. They probably would have probably taken me a decade to finish, and my wife would have killed me for buying that many of the same thing. I regret that the bottles all probably eventually went to one person and not a bunch of people. 2012 was a good year, and every non whiskey drinker I let try my open bottles ranked 2012 THH in their top 3.

[jvd99]

Recently passed on a WFE 23 sitting on the shelf b/c I had just bought one from another store. Went back the next day and it was gone.

BTW Thad - I'll go in on that barrel if the offer's still good:)

[ramblinman]

Passed on 2 separate opportunities to pick up FR 2013 LE single barrel.

oh man yeah. I randomly picked up my 2013LE for under msrp, only got one because I was still coming around to the Four Roses style and a bit nervous about cost/quality of limited releases.

Should have cleared the shelf, was at least 4 deep, absolutely love that bottle, think it might be the best bourbon I've ever had. Still nursing on it 18 months later and I probably have one good pour left. Thankful for the store picks, and I'll pick up an OBSK in a heartbeat but the extra few years and the selection of the 2013LE was just amazing.

[ccleve23]

I regret not picking up a bottle of the FR 2014SLE. I saw it sitting on the back shelf in the store with no price on it. This store have been overcharging for everything (GTS and WLW 599 for example) so I figured why ask. I heard it sold at MSRP so I was a bit disappointed. Oh well.

I also should have bought the other three bottles in the OFBB14 case, but my pregnant wife was with me and if I would have come back with 6 of those I would not be around to type this message.

[TunnelTiger]

Cases of W12 when it was actually available.