Our ongoing observations about whether the boom has peaked

[steven s]

FWIW- I had a friend today who was so psyched to get 4 bottles of OWA107 delivered to his door for $120 each OTD.

 

thoughts?

[Wedelstaedt]

7 minutes ago, steven s said:

FWIW- I had a friend today who was so psyched to get 4 bottles of OWA107 delivered to his door for $120 each OTD.

 

thoughts?

A pretty bad case of FOMO, it seems to me. 

 

Cheers

[fishnbowljoe]

The last OWA I bought was a couple of years or so ago for $79.99. I saw one last year for $119.99. I passed. Even though I’m a Weller Whore, I don’t like being “rode hard and put up wet”. 🫣

 

Biba! Joe

[Kepler]

50 minutes ago, steven s said:

FWIW- I had a friend today who was so psyched to get 4 bottles of OWA107 delivered to his door for $120 each OTD.

 

thoughts?

 

Thoughts?  He's a moron.  

 

As always, a fool and his money are soon parted.

 

[PhantomLamb]

10 hours ago, Kepler said:

The history of this thread is amazing.  Judging by my own personal observations on local Facebook bourbon groups recently, I am sensing a plateau has been reached.  Seems like the rate of new joiners has slowed.  That's always been my barometer.  When fewer people begin joining the craze ("I'm new to the game" -- btw I hate that phrase ... is drinking bourbon a "game"?) ... anyway I digress... When the number of new joiners levels off, the craze stops growing, and inevitably the temporary hobbyists (the ones just passing through) will slowly leave and over time equilibrium will be reached.  In theory mind you. 

That’s been my wish for a while now. With how todays pricing and secondary market have been, I would most certainly say, especially for allocated items, that this is a “game”, one that I’m not willing to play .

[TunnelTiger]

Still have 3 OWA in the bunker that I paid $39.99 for.  This time last year I could get HMcK for $39.99 but now it's $119.99. Ugh the boom is still alive here.

[PaulO]

21 hours ago, steven s said:

FWIW- I had a friend today who was so psyched to get 4 bottles of OWA107 delivered to his door for $120 each OTD.

 

thoughts?

My main thought is I wish it was still in the anchor bottle with the 7 year age statement sitting multiple on the shelf of a local store priced at $20 odd something.  It used to be the same price as regular Maker's Mark (for a long time).  

When they doubled the price - I'm out.  The $50 MSRP is too much, but it's never seen anymore around here, so doesn't really matter.

If your friend is loaded with cash, he can do as he pleases.

Otherwise, I'd say check out the MM 101 or CS.

[MM818]

I wouldn’t buy 4 bottles at $120. But I would probably pick one up. One of the stores I purchase from has OWA in a glass case.  $200. Limit one! As with any of these “unicorns” it just takes one dude with an expense account to keep those prices high. 
 

It’s just a fun little bourbon to drink at a great proof point. It’s popular for a reason. 
 

$120 doesn’t go very far anymore. I spent $60 to park my car yesterday. 

Edited June 27, 2022 by MM818

[fishnbowljoe]

1 hour ago, MM818 said:

$120 doesn’t go very far anymore. I spent $60 to park my car yesterday. 

Wow, $60.00 to park your car. Were you visiting Chicago  @MM818? 
 

Biba! Joe

[fosmith]

9 hours ago, MM818 said:

$120 doesn’t go very far anymore. I spent $60 to park my car yesterday. 

I spent more than $120 filling up my car with gas last week.  I bet I could make a bottle of OWA last longer than that tank of gas.  On the bright side, I'm less tempted to drive out to Total Wine to "see what they have"...

[mal00768]

I'd say that it has gotten even worse, if that was even possible. The required buy in for most things these days is astronomical; more often than not even if you can find that OWA for msrp you still need to spend $500 on bullshit to get the opportunity to purchase. Stores near me have implemented convoluted lottery systems designed to reward their best customers, ie those who spend tons of money. I don't blame them, they had to do something. Many of the people in line snapping up those average barrel picks were immediately flipping them online. They have no shame. Not to mention needing to line up hours before release, etc.

 

I've accepted the fact that I'll never complete all 10 4R recipes and that if I want good RR picks then I should try to buy them from one of the old guys huge bunkers. Otherwise, thank goodness for scotch. But even that has a lot of the same problems. \rant

[MM818]

9 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

Wow, $60.00 to park your car. Were you visiting Chicago  @MM818? 
 

Biba! Joe

I miss Chicago in the summer. I haven’t been back since the pandemic. I was looking back through photos and I spent a lot of time there 2017-2019. Work, pleasure, also was a committed Kohler, WI golf fanatic so I would fly into Chicago and drive up.  I have a very close friend in Chicago(Lincoln & Montrose area) and we would spend a lot of time walking to all the local shops. I scored a ton of great bottles. This one I couldn’t fit in my golf bag so I left it there. Mainly 4R and KC store picks made in home. 

[FasterHorses]

On 6/25/2022 at 11:00 PM, Kepler said:

The history of this thread is amazing.  Judging by my own personal observations on local Facebook bourbon groups recently, I am sensing a plateau has been reached.  Seems like the rate of new joiners has slowed.  That's always been my barometer.  When fewer people begin joining the craze ("I'm new to the game" -- btw I hate that phrase ... is drinking bourbon a "game"?) ... anyway I digress... When the number of new joiners levels off, the craze stops growing, and inevitably the temporary hobbyists (the ones just passing through) will slowly leave and over time equilibrium will be reached.  In theory mind you. 

Go back and read BlackTots post on page one. Fascinating what he thought was nearing the end in 2015!  Truly a cool thread to follow. 
Hope the BlackTot is ok.. hasnt posted since march.

 

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

12 hours ago, PaulO said:

My main thought is I wish it was still in the anchor bottle with the 7 year age statement sitting multiple on the shelf of a local store priced at $20 odd something.  It used to be the same price as regular Maker's Mark (for a long time).  

When they doubled the price - I'm out.  The $50 MSRP is too much, but it's never seen anymore around here, so doesn't really matter.

If your friend is loaded with cash, he can do as he pleases.

Otherwise, I'd say check out the MM 101 or CS.

Same here. I have not bought any since the 2.5x price price hike ($19.99 to $49.99). 
 

Enough time has passed for me to stop being mad and the whiskey is good enough that I will purchase it again when my store gets our barrel in.

 

But no chance at $120 and I am not waiting in any lines or that sort of nonsense. 

[fishnbowljoe]

5 hours ago, MM818 said:

I miss Chicago in the summer. I haven’t been back since the pandemic. I was looking back through photos and I spent a lot of time there 2017-2019. Work, pleasure, also was a committed Kohler, WI golf fanatic so I would fly into Chicago and drive up.  I have a very close friend in Chicago(Lincoln & Montrose area) and we would spend a lot of time walking to all the local shops. I scored a ton of great bottles. This one I couldn’t fit in my golf bag so I left it there. Mainly 4R and KC store picks made in home. 

 

Great stuff @MM818! My wife and I like to take long drives or weekend trips up into Wisconsin. We’ve been by the Kohler area. Beautiful. We even stopped by their showroom once. 🥹 If you’re ever in that area again and have some extra time to look around, let me know. There’s some really cool places in and around that area I can direct you too. Maybe even a couple of liquor stores.

 

Biba! Joe

 

 

[smokinjoe]

On 7/1/2021 at 9:40 PM, smokinjoe said:

There is the bourbon “boom”, and there is a bourbon “bubble”.  Don’t confuse them. “Taters”, secondary, LEs, etc., is the bubble. The bubble is but a gnat on the ass of the bourbon boom.  

My yearly PSA…

 

Bourbon is still in a boom, as we see by the numbers.  The other crap (bubble) is just noise.  

[bayouredd]

A New "WTH" moment: No OGD BiB on the shelves here!!! A 1st, not to mention I have to find something else to fill my decanter...

[Harry in WashDC]

LOTS of OGD 114 and 80 around here at reasonable prices and many stores, but the BIB has been spotty for at least the last six months - more missing than hitting.

[fosmith]

10 hours ago, Harry in WashDC said:

LOTS of OGD 114 and 80 around here at reasonable prices and many stores, but the BIB has been spotty for at least the last six months - more missing than hitting.

Would proofing OGD 114 down to 100 proof get you something pretty much the same as OGD BiB?  According to the dilution calculator

https://americanhomedistillers.com/distilling-calculator/

that would take one oz. water to seven oz. OGD 114.  Desperate times call for desperate measures...

[bayouredd]

5 minutes ago, fosmith said:

Would proofing OGD 114 down to 100 proof get you something pretty much the same as OGD BiB?  According to the dilution calculator

https://americanhomedistillers.com/distilling-calculator/

that would take one oz. water to seven oz. OGD 114.  Desperate times call for desperate measures...

Probably not a bad way to go, but I'm more apt to drink the 114 with a cube since that one is around at the moment.

[Harry in WashDC]

56 minutes ago, fosmith said:

Would proofing OGD 114 down to 100 proof get you something pretty much the same as OGD BiB?  According to the dilution calculator

https://americanhomedistillers.com/distilling-calculator/

that would take one oz. water to seven oz. OGD 114.  Desperate times call for desperate measures...

Funny about this.  I've tried adding just the correct amount of water per the calculator to 114 several times to take it to 100.  Done it with adding to a 750 as well as interim spots - 500 ml and even a series of 2 oz. pours for example.  It tastes fine but is always a little different than bottled 100 SBS.  It might be our water as I've not tried it with distilled water.  While playing around with this last year, I discovered that I like 114 dropped to 105 better than at 100 SO that's what I do when I'm out of 100.  Which I am not right now, but I went looking because I'm down to a handful of the BIBs.

[B.B. Babington]

12 hours ago, Harry in WashDC said:

Funny about this.  I've tried adding just the correct amount of water per the calculator to 114 several times to take it to 100.  Done it with adding to a 750 as well as interim spots - 500 ml and even a series of 2 oz. pours for example.  It tastes fine but is always a little different than bottled 100 SBS.  It might be our water as I've not tried it with distilled water.  While playing around with this last year, I discovered that I like 114 dropped to 105 better than at 100 SO that's what I do when I'm out of 100.  Which I am not right now, but I went looking because I'm down to a handful of the BIBs.

 

Some people mix it by taking dram of 114 followed by smaller dram water.  Or does that now work for you guys?  

[Kepler]

On 6/27/2022 at 9:01 AM, mal00768 said:

I'd say that it has gotten even worse, if that was even possible. The required buy in for most things these days is astronomical; more often than not even if you can find that OWA for msrp you still need to spend $500 on bullshit to get the opportunity to purchase. Stores near me have implemented convoluted lottery systems designed to reward their best customers, ie those who spend tons of money. I don't blame them, they had to do something. Many of the people in line snapping up those average barrel picks were immediately flipping them online. They have no shame. Not to mention needing to line up hours before release, etc.

 

I've accepted the fact that I'll never complete all 10 4R recipes and that if I want good RR picks then I should try to buy them from one of the old guys huge bunkers. Otherwise, thank goodness for scotch. But even that has a lot of the same problems. \rant

 

I saw a tater moron on my local FB group recently posting that he camped out the night before at the gift shop while visiting distilleries in Kentucky.  Like he was proud of it.  He was traveling with wife and kids.  I couldn't imagine leaving my wife to stay at the hotel while I camped out on a lawn chair overnight.  To each his own I guess, none of my business and all that.  But good lord.  

[B.B. Babington]

23 minutes ago, Kepler said:

 

I saw a tater moron on my local FB group recently posting that he camped out the night before at the gift shop while visiting distilleries in Kentucky.  Like he was proud of it.  He was traveling with wife and kids.  I couldn't imagine leaving my wife to stay at the hotel while I camped out on a lawn chair overnight.  To each his own I guess, none of my business and all that.  But good lord.  

 

choice to stay overnight?  it's all mathematics.  quality of whiskey vs mosquito threat level

[flahute]

1 hour ago, Kepler said:

 

I saw a tater moron on my local FB group recently posting that he camped out the night before at the gift shop while visiting distilleries in Kentucky.  Like he was proud of it.  He was traveling with wife and kids.  I couldn't imagine leaving my wife to stay at the hotel while I camped out on a lawn chair overnight.  To each his own I guess, none of my business and all that.  But good lord.  

Yeah......that is super sad.