Need Advice From All You Experienced Whiskey Guys

[TXNewDude]

Okay, I need some helpful wisdom here. I've only started enjoying the taste of bourbon/whiskey for about a month now. At first, only the high proof stuff would taste unique and enjoyable to me. After a few weeks, I decided to taste some of the stuff that used to gross me out in the beginning (Woodfords, Angel's Envy). Now that stuff tastes good also.

I posted the this pic of my current stock in the "New to SB" area. I know I don't have anything ultra rare/premium, but the higher priced bottles I wouldn't say are notches above more enjoyable than the $30-40 bottles.

All this considered, do you guys who have experience with the likes of BTAC, etc bottlings think I am really missing out if I give up on acquiring those?

I find myself checking the current inventory of Specs/Total Wine online every day or every other day, and driving to different liquor stores in hopes on landing something limited. I don't want to think about it anymore lol. Is the experience worth the hunt?

[Harry in WashDC]

Cover your ears, folks; here comes a parable --

An old bull and a young bull were standing on a hillside looking down at a herd of cows. The young bull danced around and said, "Can we run down there, huh huh, and "see" some cows? Can we can we??"

Old bull said, "Let's WALK down and "see" 'em all." My point is: I don't run after any of them. If they happen to be on the shelf and I'm in the mood, well, then . . . If not, OGD BIB, WT101, VOB, etc., will do me just fine. Of course, I DO like some fine Barrel Select sometimes.

[BFerguson]

Missing out on acquiring, no. Missing out on tasting yes.

I only say this as the whole acquiring of this has reached a point of idiocy in most places.

As for tasting, do take a chance of presented with a opportunity. May sway way opinion, either way, if the hunt is them worth it.

B

[mbroo5880i]

I believe the enjoyment of "highly sought after" bourbon/whiskies relative to commonly available bourbon/whiskey is in the eye of the beholder. I believe GTS, WLW, FRLE's and a few others are among the best bourbon/whiskies that I have had and, for the most part, are worth MSRP. I don't believe they warrant paying significantly more than MSRP when comparing what they offer incrementally compared to standard offerings. For example, I get "relatively" just as much enjoyment from WL12 or FRSB BP at a significantly lower cost and relatively less hassle to find. While I believe they are worth trying as part of "the journey," I don't believe it detracts from the experience if you miss out. Eventually, they will come your way. Now, relative to the hunt, I believe the hunt is part of the fun whether I am looking for a higher end allocated release or just something different. The experience of the hunt is sometimes as much find as finding what you seek.

[MTNBourbon]

If in your area checkout some: Old Forester Signature, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Four Roses Small Batch, Four Roses Single Barrel, Elijah Craig 12 Yr. Old, Wild Turkey Kentuckey Spirit, Buffalo Trace, Bulleit, Woodford Reserve, Colonel EH Taylor Small Batch, Colonel EH Taylor Barrel Proof, these should at least get you going.

[flahute]

If in your area checkout some: Old Forester Signature, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Four Roses Small Batch, Four Roses Single Barrel, Elijah Craig 12 Yr. Old, Wild Turkey Kentuckey Spirit, Buffalo Trace, Bulleit, Woodford Reserve, Colonel EH Taylor Small Batch, Colonel EH Taylor Barrel Proof, these should at least get you going.

[Kid A]

I say enjoy the hunt and try to find a few limited bottles. I think BTAC, Four Roses LE, Pappy and older Willett bottles are much better than most easy to find offerings. And it's always a great feeling when you stumble upon one (assuming they are priced at or close to MSRP). Luckily the hunt is mostly limited to the end of the year, so I would focus your efforts then. Specs has a great selection, but you need to spend big to get anything really limited. I recommend finding a mom and pop store and starting a good relationship with them. You'd be surprised at how many small, random stores get an allocation of limited bottles. Good luck!

[cazolman]

I have been into this hobby for about 3 years and have yet to purchase anything limited edition. I have only purchased one bottle over $50. Am I having fun? Absolutely. I would suggest finding a good whiskey bar near you. Try a few of those elusive bottles by the drink. Then you can decide if the hunt is still worth it to you.

[kjbeggs]

My take on the hard to find bottles is- "If you never try them, you'll always wonder..."

A thousand people could tell you they are heaven in a bottle, a complete waste of time and money, or nice, but not worth the trouble.

Still, it won't answer the question of what do YOU think of them.

No whiskey out there is worth spending more than you can afford, and nothing is worth losing sleep over.

However, there's nothing wrong with asking around, doing a little hunting in your free time, and making friends with some store owners.

[melon16]

Grab some friends, go to a good whiskey bar, and try some of what you've been looking for. Then you'll know if you've been missing out or not.

[Richnimrod]

For my money (& mainly my time & effort) the really rare and hard to get (limited release) offerings, in general are good to great.... but NOT necessarily worth the extra trouble, time and cash, especially if you have to pay over MSRP, as mbroo5880i said.

But until you get the chance to decide for yourself, as kjbeggs said; 'you'll always wonder'. So, if you ever get the opportunity to try a sample, or if you're at a bar that stocks these rare pours (you'll pay plenty, but a lot less than a bottle) definitely try any that interest you at least once.

Here's my history....

Having tried all the Pappys and only really liked the 15-year for the charge (back then about $65), I no longer chace 'em. Having tried several 4-R limited releases I'd pay retail for 'em in a heartbeat; but those have become as rare as hens teeth, too. Having owned all the BTAC at one time or another, I'd say the WLW is worth retail, the GTStagg might be most years, the Handy or the Sazerac isn't my cup of tea, and the EHTaylor isn't that special. The Old Forester Birthday Bourbon has become harder to lay hands upon and also overpriced at retail. The 'Orphan Barrel' stuff isn't even worth retail.

Now, all this is only my opinion, and my taste, ...and my lack of ambition to hunt some of these down. Too many other options at reasonable cost out there.... but, I found this out because I tried most of the rare stuff and found out what it was .... to me at least.

[BourbonJoe]

I have been in this game for a long time. I have a very large collection and do not chase the more mundane bottles. These days I don't buy anything under about 10 y/o and barrel proof, which means I am not buying much these days.

[Richnimrod]

I have been in this game for a long time. I have a very large collection and do not chase the more mundane bottles. These days I don't buy anything under about 10 y/o and barrel proof, which means I am not buying much these days.

[393foureyedfox]

your collection looks like you have been buying what others have been telling you is good.......not that they arent. But, there are lots of things out there that dont have the 'status' of some of those in your collection, that are just as good if not preferable, and often a fraction of the price. If youre around here for very long, youll realize a lot of guys that have been into this for a long time are more than content with a $15 bottle of OGDBIB, a HHBIB, a WT101, etc. Tonight, at a party, I took it upon myself to blindly hand every bourbon drinker who came in a small pour of HH6BIB, and every one of them liked it. Had they seen me pour it from said bottle, their opinions would doubtlessly change. Marketing tells you you have to have that $40 bottle, and theyre constantly pushing that perception/dollar value higher, but it neednt be.

as far as is the hunt worth it, is up to you. I refuse to participate in the 'limited' hunt as I dont enjoy being one of 100 people looking for something that there are 10 of, and I wont pay the prices knowing there are much cheaper bottles that I enjoy just fine. I do, however, enjoy "hunting" while vacationing/out of state just to see what is potentially left behind over time.

one guy above said "My take on the hard to find bottles is- "If you never try them, you'll always wonder..."..........but my view is the opposite: if you dont try them, youll never know/care what youre missing. I have a strict $50 limit to any bottle purchase. Several of my favorites are pushing that limit, but several favorites are also in the $10-$20 range as well.

as is often said here, blind tastings are very revealing. participate in them whenever you can. Ive turned numerous friends into fans of HH and OGD114 who previously turned up their noses at the sight of the label.

my advice is just to start at the bottom shelf, try as much as you can, and dont buy into any of the BS you read in practically every blog or news report on bourbon.

but most of all, have fun with it

[TXNewDude]

Very interesting. Many thanks to all. I keep hearing OGD114 pop up here and there and I definitely see it on the shelf. I'm definitely guilty of judging the bottle based on its pricing ($20!).

I guess it'll be my first $20 bottle. Maybe the Rittenhouse rye also?

On another note, any of you Dallas SB fellows have bar suggestions that may stock rare bottles? Nickel and Rye came up on a quick google search for me.

Thanks again all....all the info you can get on the net these days is just damn cool

[BigBoldBully]

No need to fret over not having tried them all, since you will never have tried them all. (Even if you were to acquire everything in current production, there would still be all that great dusty stuff to look for.) What you already have is plenty of fodder for contemplation, although I would suggest (as did the Fox) that you add some more "bargain" bourbons to your spread. While I find GTS offers a different experience from anything else I've got, and worth buying if you come across it, I can say the same about much cheaper and easier to find bottles.

[R-Savage]

My Favorite Bourbon is a bottom of the shelf Bourbon (Evan Williams 1783 Black) I will buy other bourbon's When I am in the mood. I have a Michters US-1 Bourbon in the bunker, Which I want to open soon. But for me, bourbons like these are a treat. Take your time, I usually buy 1 or 2 bottles per payday. 1 bottom shelf and one (Little Treat). It doesn't break the bank. further more SWMBO doesn't question it.

[The Black Tot]

You're doing fantastic, and the limiteds follow the law of diminishing returns. How OCD are you?

I could have a great year drinking only from that table you pictured. The more whiskey I drink, the more I appreciate, as you've already discovered with your Woodford and AE.

Were I you, I'd get that OGD114 and Rittenhouse, and even more importantly an Old Weller Antique, since BT wheaters are such an important part of the bourbon style range.

You've got some good advice here. Go to a good whiskey bar and try the rare birds. But the more regular whiskey you drink before you do that, the better tuned your palate will be to recognize the difference.

So the news is good - buy a few other good cheap bourbons and ryes and enjoy yourself. Then, go to a whiskey bar and enjoy yourself. Then, if you enjoy something particularly there, undertake the extra effort and expense to have some of that little bit of extra enjoyment at home. There's a common thread here, but it's eluding me at the moment...

[ratcheer]

@TxNewDude - IMHO, it is only worth it if it's worth it to you. I've been doing this for a very long time, and I've only had a few bottles (maybe 3-5) that were more than $50. I generally stick to the $35 or less bottlings. I'm enjoying things just fine.

Tim

[GAbiker]

I would heartily recommend adding Bottled in Bond selections as they are usually reasonably priced and cross the gambit of High/med/low rye mashbills.

[DocHolliday]

Some of my favorite Bourbons are right at $20. Jim Beam Black, Weller 107, Weller 12 year, Buffalo trace, old granddad 114, etc. Learn what you like, drink it. If you find something exciting, evaluate and buy. Most expensive stuff I have bought is Stagg Jr and Bookers.

[LakeJ]

I agree try the limited hard to finds at a good bourbon bar. It's better to lose a few dollars on a pour and find out you don't care for it then actually finding a bottle and spending a ton of money and finding out you don't like it. If you like then the hunt becomes more fun and enjoyable. Bottom shelf has good bourbon. Just enjoy and drink WHAT WHO YOU LIKE.

[Harry in WashDC]

Of course, there is a danger in tasitng the rare ones. I had a GTS last Fall as a dessert at lunch about the time of the releases - just to see what I was missing. Liked it so much, I coveted a bottle but figured they would be long gone. A fellow SBer (thanks, you know who you are) helped me out. At MSRP no less.

[sailor22]

Yes there are good pours under $50. Yes there are some very special pours that are hard to find and well over $50. No, not everything over $50 is worth the extra $.

Judging by the photo it looks like you have a great start in tasting and enjoying a good range of what's commonly available. You might want to seek out some retailer selections of single barrels of some of the shelf versions you have. Knob Creek, WTKS, OWA, 4R, BT, ETL, SA and some others are pretty easy to find as selected single barrels and some even at barrel proof. That should provide you with some interesting variations on what you have tasted without too much work or extra $.

Finding and tasting/enjoying rare Bourbon can be expensive and time consuming. If your goal is just finding a drink you enjoy then it's wasted effort and $. If connecting and sharing with collectors and other whacko enthusiasts is something that sounds like fun then it might be worth your time and money. Your call. Remember, there are no wrong answers.

In searching for something limited and special, the difficulty you will face today is avoiding the false premiums. Expensive whiskies that are little more than average pours at inflated prices. Wild Turkey Diamond comes to mind. Good luck whichever route you choose.

[PaulO]

I highly agree to try Rittenhouse BIB, and OGD 114. I really like Old Forester Signature too, and any bonds. The hunt is fun for me, but I'm really not looking for the high priced super limited items. Hunting in another town or state is something I like to do. Probably the most expensive bottle I would buy now if available is ECBP at MSRP. In some ways, I see the price to quality of bourbon as a bell curve. People sometimes pay a lot for novelty. Also, people can pay a lot for extra years of age. You must ask yourself: do you like the taste of wood that much? For me, some bottles of regular Elijah Craig at 12 years are almost too woody.

The "Bourbon Of The Month" area and "Whiskey Tree" are great resources to help decide what's interesting.

Edited February 22, 2015 by PaulO