How big is your bunker ?

[Paddy]

I can see where someone new to this game could be a little shocked by this crowd! :grin:

One must gain a little perspective though. Many here have been buying and drinking (myself included), longer that some reading may have been out of their mothers womb. I've never been a collector, but I have started bunkering on what I consider to be a small scale. This is due to the fact that many of the brands that I've been accustomed to having access to have, for a lack of a better word, disappeared and/or dramatically increased in price over the past couple of years.

I've been buying whiskey legally since 1983, so my perspective is that I could very easily have a bunker of 700 bottles...

...if I didn't drink so damn fast! :skep:

[brettckeen]

Definitely been shrinking the bunker by drinking and sharing with friends. 147 Not open. 40 or so open and about to be shared with a group of friends this afternoon.

[R-Savage]

Right now I have 2 open and 7 In the bunker

[Special Reserve]

I can see how someones remarks are misinterpreted. It happens to all or us.

I went into a liquor store in Detroit yesterday where I mined over 20 exceptional bottles in 2007. These bottles had been on their shelves at least a decade with their original prices.

After looking around for a minute or two, the store clerk asked me what I was looking for then he remembered me. He remarked you got some great bourbon from here. My reply, I sure did. Unfortunately he didn't have any more.

That's when and how a lot of bunkers were built.

[Pjcowboy]

52 opened and 35 bunkered. Just starting out.

[The Black Tot]

I think pinkfloyd4ever is right, actually. I agree his tone leaned toward the negative end of the scale, but it should be considered that he was likely overwhelmed, dismayed, and threatened by the concept of the existence of bunkers of the size we are used to considering on here, which are certainly outside of the conceptual spectrum of most people.

I think more bottles are going into collections than are being drunk at this point in whiskey market history. People are starting the building of new bunkers every day. Bunkering American whiskey isn't the historical norm, and those of you who started this 5, 10, 20, etc years ago were well ahead of the curve. Kudos to you, I wish I was among you.

My bunker is not the biggest here, but it's large (I have no clue of the actual count but it's probably at least 300). It's mostly just above average stuff, because I didn't start hard until early 2014, and the majority of the crown jewels were already hunted, and the new releases were harder to fight for. I got some enjoyable dusties, but I have no illusions - they were the dusties that the first guys didn't want

I sure as hell wouldn't want to start NOW, since now the playing field is significantly worse than even just 12mo ago. But lots of people ARE starting now.

And it IS these bunkers, mine included, where the whiskey is going. I have been buying about ten times the volume that I drink (probably more). I'm slowing down now, because I've learned what I like and I've got my bases nearly all covered. But there are lots of guys starting up behind me.

When these new bunkers reach their critical mass, and the new higher volume production comes of age, it's glut 2.0 time. Which pinkfloyd4ever should get excited about, because he'll probably be around to see it.

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I'd be dismayed myself if I were just looking into this now. And I really wish I'd started even just one year sooner.

Edited March 1, 2015 by The Black Tot

[Harry in WashDC]

Wasn't going to play, but pinkfloyd4ever got to me. (Thanks, pf4e.) I used to casually buy whatever I wanted whenever. Lot B was a standard (and I mean STANDARD) pour @ $45-55 - always neat, sometimes shared when I knew the drinker liked bourbon. Then, stuff started disappearing from the shelves or wasn't there when I "needed" it. I realize now that pf4e is talking about me. I had NO bunker - maybe a standing array of 5 to 10 open, but I only had one, sometimes two if one was close to empty, of each and just went to the store when I finished one. Then, the market changed, and I started looking around at "why" it changed. [it's how I found you guys while I lurked unregistered on the public threads.] I now have a nice bunker - of things that are released seasonally or that are locally hard to find (VOB BIB isn't widely available here, for example); very few "rarities" and no "dusties" are in there. And the few rarities in there are opened and sipped by me and those who know about them. In short, there are a couple posts above, Shoshani and TBT come to mind, that sound really close to home for me. That plus increased demand for this wonderful product is just something I have to live with. ANd, I'm doing just fine thank you very much.:drinking:

Edited March 1, 2015 by Harry in WashDC
spelling, of course - realyze sheesh

[ggilbertva]

And this is the point that Harry makes that I think is missed by many new comers to bourbon. What's missing from Pf4e comments was context from my perspective. What's missing from mine and a couple others was context from his perspective. Newcomers viewing these sizable bunkers can be shocking but understand there are many of us that were collecting long before the new guys even thought about buying more than one bottle at a time. I used to buy one bottle at a time. What changed for me was dusty hunting and buying multiples of out of production bourbon. I was picking up Old Fitz, ND OGD or ND OT for less than $15 a 750ml knowing that these were not being made anymore. That in turn modified my purchasing of bourbons that I truly enjoyed like PVW15 or WLW. The context and perspective of someone like Pf4e is that somehow we all swooped in and gobbled up all the great limited release bourbons when in actuality, when we purchased multiples, we also left plenty behind. I walked away from many bottles of BTAC because "I had plenty in the bunker". If I was the FNG to bourbon, it would be deflating to see all these bourbons well outside my reach unless I had deep pockets. Over time my interest has expanded to include private barrel picks and world whiskies so the reality is, the highly sought after bottles today have declined in my bunker in favor of other bottles I desire more. Truth is, I have no more PVW15 in the bunker as I've moved those out for things I prefer. I moved all my PVW20 for the same reason. I used to have nearly 60 bottles of BTAC and that's been reduced to about 20. I don't buy to horde or run a for profit business. My bunker is for sharing and drinking and nothing else.

[B.B. Babington]

...Lot B was a standard (and I mean STANDARD) pour @ $45-55 - always neat, sometimes shared when I knew the drinker liked bourbon. Then, stuff started disappearing from the shelves or wasn't there when I "needed" it.

And there's the best reason for bunker. A collection of lots of different flavors is a fine larder, but necessities stored for the end times when favorites are no longer on the shelf is a whole different matter.

[garbanzobean]

My wife and daughter are going out of town this weekend, so naturally I intend to do some bunker reorganization. One of my many goals for the weekend is to get an accurate count of what's in my bunker. And maybe sneak a Stagg Jr or two in if I can find them. That's been sounding good lately. One thing I will say is that I don't really drink a ton of super limited bourbon anymore, preferring to stick to everyday favorites and store select barrels I enjoy, so I can see how even I might end up with more than I will ever drink on my own.

And once again, I will sheepishly admit to finding photos of Greg's tasting room a couple years ago (before I started posting on SB) and jumping to conclusions that were unwarranted. So it's hard to cast stones at the pink floyd enthusiast. Greg, I still owe you an email, just been busy keeping this milk powered sleep deprivation machine functioning at peak efficiency.

[bigtoys]

I may have posted this before and I haven't gone back to read the last few pages, but I remember around 2004 or so going into Sam's (since bought by Binny's) and there would be 6 bottles of Pappy 20 ON THE SHELF--not in some locked cabinet or room. So, every now and then I'd grab "an extra". If I only knew.

I remember when they were going to run out of Lagavulin 16 a friend and I drove around and bought all the bottles we could find. I still have some of those; that's how much I drink.

[BFerguson]

Big toys and others hit it exactly. It's all about knowing the history.

Not long ago, there was no mania, stuff sat forever on the shelf unwanted by all except a few.

Multiple BTAC, yep, I remember that, PVW for less than $100, bought that too. 4 editions of Parkers in one store, sat unnoticed.

That's the thing to remember, it wasn't always like this. No long ago, you could bunker every rare and LE edition to your hearts content, but nobody wanted to, again, except for the few of us who did.

While it may sound excessive, case in point, I've think I've bought nearly a dozen PHC wheater, most from one store, back when it came out, over multiple months, and about half went to others. It just sat there and nobody bought it.

It's a different world we live in today.

B

[docbible]

I agree with many of the previous posts. Much of what I have sat on the shelves and was available every visit to the store and not under lock and key. Just 2 years ago the first 5 PHC releases sat on a shelf where i would grab a bottle every year prior and open/share. The owner stated one person came in and purchased everything left (unopened cases in the back as well). Gone are the days when I would get a call from a liquor store telling me the new shipment of PVW, BTAC, etc...was on the way and did I want last years release at a discount to clear up shelf space. You bet I do! This actually trained some of us to get one bottle at release to try it and leave the rest on the shelf for future clearance. The dust continued to settle. I would have to check in on inventory levels and go ahead purchase when they got low. Those days are gone, the calls are gone, and I am left looking at the same regular stock shelves as the rest. I still wish for another phone call stating "we still have three ORVW decanters that aren't moving....." At the time I thought I had missed "the good ol days" of VVSOF, VSOF, SW, etc.., just as those starting today think they have missed the boat. tim

[dSculptor]

Thought I'd throw in my 2c's worth. I can see 100-200 bottles in a bunker, but over 500, would you really ever need to buy another bottle again your lifetime? That's a lot of bottles and to me may be bordering on OCD, man.... on top of all that, the real estate involved in storing that many has to be rather large. On the other hand, would I have that many if I could? ...you bet! But alas, I think I'm drinking too much the way it is already. Another question comes to mind... are there really over 500 DIFFERENT bourbons out there? I wonder what that actual # may be? I realize with a bunker that large there has to be a lot of multiples in it....?

[docbible]

Doubles of most and some multiples. OCD does come into play if you consider trying to obtain each batch# (like JPS 17 yo), expression (like PHC #1 different proofs), or release (like OFBB 2002-present) a disorder. The bunker is in the "show us your stash" thread as it was then. Quite a few taken out and empty, current editions added to continue a series (OFBB, EWSB, etc)

[Scotch Neat]

Thought I'd throw in my 2c's worth. I can see 100-200 bottles in a bunker, but over 500, would you really ever need to buy another bottle again your lifetime? That's a lot of bottles and to me may be bordering on OCD, man.... on top of all that, the real estate involved in storing that many has to be rather large. On the other hand, would I have that many if I could? ...you bet! But alas, I think I'm drinking too much the way it is already. Another question comes to mind... are there really over 500 DIFFERENT bourbons out there? I wonder what that actual # may be? I realize with a bunker that large there has to be a lot of multiples in it....?

[Vosgar]

To justify a large bunker, I'm going to steal BourbonJoe's tag line: "Bourbon......It's cheaper than therapy" :grin:

[Paddy]

To justify a large bunker, I'm going to steal BourbonJoe's tag line: "Bourbon......It's cheaper than therapy" :grin:

....and it's still cheaper than buying a liquor store!

[The Boozer]

My suggestion for the new guys and youngsters out there, (I could legally by whiskey in 1976 so I guess that makes me an old fart), is that in a few years the next hot market to buy dusties will not be run down liquor stores but estate sales. Start checking out the Obit pages.:grin:

[ggilbertva]

To justify a large bunker, I'm going to steal BourbonJoe's tag line: "Bourbon......It's cheaper than therapy" :grin:

Or..... it's never cheaper than it is today.

[bigtoys]

I don't remember where, probably Sam's, but I ran across 2 bottles of this several years ago. One still unopened.

There's even a book about it.

I know, a little off topic. One of these days I'll go down and photo the whole bunker; I should inventory it anyway.

And, yes, there are multiples.

[AaronWF]

Don't you even pivot table?

What, you want more detail?

[capitals83]

7 sealed in the bunker.

2 Elijah Craig 18

3 Elijah Craig 12 Barrel Proof Batch 7

2 Old Grand Dad 114

[paris1129]

Care to share a template of your spreadsheet for those of us that need one?

[AaronWF]

Care to share a template of your spreadsheet for those of us that need one?

Yes, happy to. I'm always making adjustments and it's been awhile since I created a template, but I will work on it tonight and see if I can post it for DL in this thread.