There they go again

[Flyfish]

This morning the Wall St. Journal has a story about people bunkering because supplies of sought after bourbon are unreliable.

But supplies of every bourbon are more reliable than the journalists who report on bourbon. One fellow is reported to have picked up that famous wheater--Blanton's.

[KyleCBreese]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/fear-of-a-bourbon-shortage-puts-enthusiasts-over-a-barrel-1418004595?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLE_Video_Third

[miller542]

"Steffen Braüner, a surveyor from Denmark, travels to Las Vegas for a whiskey-tasting event so he can embark on an annual bourbon hunt. Last year, he drove from Las Vegas to Utah, hoping that in a state filled with teetotalers he would be able to find a bottle of the extremely limited George T. Stagg."

Let your fingers do the walking, Steffen. Utah has a really nice online inventory system showing all inventory as of end of day the prior day. Would have saved you the 3.5hr round trip. Many other states have a similar system.

"Sales of bourbon are growing at a dizzying rate." because of the fear buying featured in the article combined with speculators?

I'll give credit for bunkering ER101, but fear buying Henry McKenna SB seems silly considering all the Heaven Hill products available and barrels aging.

[petrel800]

Not only did I like the fact that Blanton's is a wheater, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning that you can skip the retailers by going right to a distillery to buy your barrels. Good tip.

I get the point of the article, which was to sensationalize the demand for bourbon, but how hard is it to fact check your work. If you're going to put things out as fact, get it right, or leave it out.

I will say, the article does bring up an interesting question. While I agree there are a lot of new folks coming to bourbon, I have often wondered how much have the "enthusiasts" contributed to the supply issues with bunkering? Probably something that cannot be quantified, but an interesting question to me none the less.

[jaycamm]

Every mainstream article on Bourbon has factual errors. For me the fun of reading those articles is to see how many mistakes I can find.

[393foureyedfox]

I have often wondered how much have the "enthusiasts" contributed to the supply issues with bunkering?

[jaycamm]

I agree with the Fox. I already have more than a lifetimes worth of stuff in the bunker. We enthusiasts buy at least 50x as much as the regular Joe and make ourselves known to the owners. A proprietor will take notice if 5 people inquire about a specific bottle, while the masses come and go unnoticed. Also have high profile dudes like Hansell and Chuck involved so closely in our scene must contribute. The mainstream media seems to crib story ideas from the major blogs. Add it all up and you have a craze. And like Beany Babies, Cabbage Patch Kids, the Atkins Diet and Rock-N-Roll, this Fad will crash and burn big time. And when the Glut comes we will be around to enjoy the spoils.

[BourbonGuy]

No doubt we are part of the issue. To 99% of the populations Jack Daniels= Bourbon. How many of the "normal" population knows Elmer T Lee?

I started to bunker a bit when I realized I wanted to retire and may not be able to spend as much on bourbon. I think I now have a whopping 18 bottles. I see articles like that and have to wonder what those 700 bottles cost? At $100 per that is $70,000. I told my wife I'll be annoyed if I die before I retire. All that great bourbon I could be drinking. Wonder how often that happens?

[jaycamm]

A wise man said "Dead men don't drink whiskey".

[dcbt]

It's funny, I think about this every time I read an article like that and / or every time I'm in a liquor store. Who ARE these people causing the run on bourbon? Obviously we do, but who else; it can't all be us, can it?... I assume there are enthusiasts out there who are not part of this forum, seems odd to me but I get that. I also assume there are flippers out there who are not members here.

But every time I'm in the bourbon aisle of a liquor store I like to see what others are buying. Without fail, it's ALWAYS Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, or a pseudo-Texas bottle (that the consumer undoubtedly doesn't realize isn't really a Texas distillate). I have never seen anyone grab a Four Roses, or Turkey, or Eagle Rare, or Elijah Craig, Old Grand-Dad, or even Weller 12 that Texas is known for, or anything else down the line. But someone must be buying all this stuff. Is it really just us?

I was at a raffle for BTAC and Pappy recently and there were Angels Envy tastings taking place at the same time. I can't count how many times I heard this conversation:

AE Rep: "Are you familiar with our releases?"

Consumer: "No, I have never heard of it."

Now AE may not be mainstream but any hobbyist would know about them. From what I can tell the mainstream consumer is all about JB/JD and Pappy (because the media tells them to be.) So who is buying all the other stuff? People like us? Are we our own worst enemy? Are there that many hobbyists out there? Are we the so-called vocal minority in terms of buying power?

[BourbonGuy]

We do educate others around us. If someone told you they "hate bourbon" you might point them to bourbons they may have never considered.

I am sure the liquor stores have a part in this. Someone goes in and asks for Jack Daniels. He may say “Have you tried this specialty bourbon? It is excellent!” Usually he makes a higher mark-up on it.

I am sure from articles I read, they saw interest growing in the past I increased capacity. But I think China ad overseas took everyone by surprise.

Edited December 8, 2014 by BourbonGuy
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[squire]

I wonder what their employers think about these acquisition habits, or if these fellas being interviewed even thought about that.

Edited December 8, 2014 by squire

[miller542]

Are there that many hobbyists out there?

[Thig]

I agree with what has been said here, there have to be a LOT of bourbon enthusiasts that are not on this forum. But that brings up another question to my mind, how are they following what is being released and when. Are they just Googleing (sp) and following on the internet in general? There are no publications that are timely enough to create problems. I have about 90 bottles in the bunker, enough to last me several years and yet I still get irritated that I cannot find more of the limited edition releases (and I am not talking about Pappy). I have yet to see an ECBP in my area or MMCS or any of the BTAC. I don't think it is even being distributed to my area to be bought.

[393foureyedfox]

It's funny, I think about this every time I read an article like that and / or every time I'm in a liquor store. Who ARE these people causing the run on bourbon? Obviously we do, but who else; it can't all be us, can it?... I assume there are enthusiasts out there who are not part of this forum, seems odd to me but I get that. I also assume there are flippers out there who are not members here.

But every time I'm in the bourbon aisle of a liquor store I like to see what others are buying. Without fail, it's ALWAYS Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, or a pseudo-Texas bottle (that the consumer undoubtedly doesn't realize isn't really a Texas distillate). I have never seen anyone grab a Four Roses, or Turkey, or Eagle Rare, or Elijah Craig, Old Grand-Dad, or even Weller 12 that Texas is known for, or anything else down the line. But someone must be buying all this stuff. Is it really just us?

I was at a raffle for BTAC and Pappy recently and there were Angels Envy tastings taking place at the same time. I can't count how many times I heard this conversation:

AE Rep: "Are you familiar with our releases?"

Consumer: "No, I have never heard of it."

[The Black Tot]

It's funny, I think about this every time I read an article like that and / or every time I'm in a liquor store. Who ARE these people causing the run on bourbon? Obviously we do, but who else; it can't all be us, can it?...

[kjbeggs]

I don't know how many times I've been on a big chain's Bourbon aisle, listening to someone gift-shopping, get steered to something awful by the store's staff (or at best, they recommend Maker's or Woofdord).

I've probably steered more people toward EC12 than I care to think about.

Fortunately, I tend to stay away from those big chains these days.

I can't think of a single time I've walked into a liquor store (big or small) and found someone in there looking for the same thing I was in there for.

Edit- Actually, ONE time I ran into DCBT who was looking for one of the bottles I walked out with, and I was looking for one of the bottles he walked out with. :cool:

[flahute]

I don't know how many times I've been on a big chain's Bourbon aisle, listening to someone gift-shopping, get steered to something awful by the store's staff (or at best, they recommend Maker's or Woofdord).

I've probably steered more people toward EC12 than I care to think about.

Fortunately, I tend to stay away from those big chains these days.

I can't think of a single time I've walked into a liquor store (big or small) and found someone in there looking for the same thing I was in there for.

Edit- Actually, ONE time I ran into DCBT who was looking for one of the bottles I walked out with, and I was looking for one of the bottles he walked out with. :cool:

Yep! Every time I'm in one of our big chains, the store employees, after figuring out I'm an enthusiast, try to steer me towards their own "special barrel mix" Angel's Envy. Prior to that, they're trying to sell me on various NDP's that I haven't even heard of. I've seen them steer other customers to these and just shake my head.

[rocky480]

I see articles like that and have to wonder what those 700 bottles cost? At $100 per that is $70,000.

If people were out buying older bottles before the current wave of buying cleared the shelves, I suspect it's more likely that 700 bottles have an average cost substantially lower than $100. Also, absent any factual information in the article, 700 bottles may include 200ml, 375ml bottles, etc. Assuming they are all current shelf-priced bourbon is likely a bad assumption.

[rocky480]

I wonder what their employers think about these acquisition habits, or if these fellas being interviewed even thought about that.

If somebody collects bourbon (or wine or beer for that matter), does that provide grounds for an employer to fire them?

[squire]

If somebody collects bourbon (or wine or beer for that matter), does that provide grounds for an employer to fire them?

Certainly not and I say that as one who at different times has represented both employers and employees in labor disputes. Unless drinking interferes with your job performance what you do on your own time is none of your employer's business.

On the other hand if you seek promotion within the company, say from store manager to regional manager, and there're other candidates for the job, your off duty life style is a viable concern if you engage in activities that may affect your performance in the future. If you pick up a reputation as a heavy drinker rest assured the competitors for the promotion will spread that word around.

[Thig]

Best way to beat that is to be your own boss.

[Flyfish]

I started to bunker a bit when I realized I wanted to retire and may not be able to spend as much on bourbon. I think I now have a whopping 18 bottles. I see articles like that and have to wonder what those 700 bottles cost? At $100 per that is $70,000. I told my wife I'll be annoyed if I die before I retire. All that great bourbon I could be drinking. Wonder how often that happens?

Here's a word of encouragement: In retirement you may find that with the mortgage paid off and the kids through college, you have more disposable income that can be reallocated to more important things. Such as bourbon.

[Old Dusty]

Interesting that the gentleman pictured and interviewed is, I believe, a fellow SB'er of long standing. He is also a blogger a/k/a The Bourbon Dork. If you want to see his collection, many are pictured on his blog.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Old Dusty

[Str8ShooterEsq]

Interesting the the gentleman pictured and interviewed is, I believe, a fellow SB'er of long standing. He is also a blogger a/k/a The Bourbon Dork. If you want to see his collection, many are pictured on his blog.

Yes. I would love for him to chime in on this discussion.