What bourbon did you purchase today? Summer 2016

[gtg1]

Snagged a Bookers Annis' Answer for 49.99, EH Taylor Rye and Weller Antique (last week on the Weller). Life is dang good in Colorado!

[Kepler]

Snagged a 4R Elliott's Select and picked up a SAOS Ten. 

[Kepler]

On ‎9‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 1:48 PM, garbanzobean said:

The new Willett-sourced old Bardstown and a Willett 12 yr single barrel.  I said I'd never do it, but I caved after the tour. 

What did you say you'd never do?  I don't really get it.

[Kepler]

On ‎9‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 2:56 PM, Redslayer said:

A handle of WT101 for $31.02, out the door price, still one of the best bangs for your buck in the bourbon world imho.

Wow that was a great deal! Never seen it anywhere near that price here in Texas.

[garbanzobean]

4 hours ago, Kepler said:

What did you say you'd never do?  I don't really get it.

I don't want to make any assumptions about how long you've been into bourbon, so please understand that I am responding from my own perspective, which is as a bourbon drinker of about 12 years (well, legally anyway), the first 7 or 8 of which were very casual.  

 

First and foremost, Willett is a business selling a luxury product.  They can do whatever they wish with it, and after seeing the jackasses flipping bourbon in their parking lot myself, I am more inclined to be kinder toward them when it comes to their attempts to take the wind out of the sails of flippers.  I also respect the fact that they are rebuilding their site with their own money, and are supposedly 100% without backers.  That said, Willett's rapid increase in price for their single barrels over the past few years has been off-putting to me.  Combine that with the facts that they have been less than aboveboard about some of their KBD business, have made interesting claims about their NDAs with distilleries they source from, and that they don't let most people try before they buy on their $10-$20+ dollar per year aged Single Barrels (that price includes the MGP sourced ryes, which are expensive relative to their peers).  Those aren't business practices I adore.  I know I am not the only SBer who feels that way, but there are plenty of others who don't, and that is okay too.  So up until I decided to visit and do the tour, I just wasn't their target customer, which is why I stated that I said I'd never do it, and have indeed passed on many a Willett single barrel bourbon and rye to float my way.

 

 

What I WILL say in defense of the Willett Distillery, and what ultimately convinced me to splurge on the single barrel bourbon was the quality and price point of their house distilled Old Bardstown.  $23 MSRP for a 100 proof BIB from a distillery as small as Willett is a decent enough price, and the spirit is plenty mature at 4 years.  I'd take this over other 100+ proof and BIB releases from much larger distilleries.  I mean, HH6BIB is still a gold standard for VFM, but this is a good product at a fair price.  I took that as putting their money where their mouth has been on their promise that they intend to offer multiple tiers of products, and decided to splurge on a souvenir as well as the Old Bardstown.  Hopefully it is good, because they didn't let me taste it prior to buying.  It could end up being one very expensive fancy bottle, particularly given that the BHC had shelves of already above market price ECBP at about half the price, and odds are pretty good this product isn't too dissimilar in origin and maturation to that one.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2016 by garbanzobean

[GeeTen]

OWA @ $21.99 OTD yesterday - just because.    

[Paddy]

On ‎9‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 3:56 PM, Redslayer said:

A handle of WT101 for $31.02, out the door price, still one of the best bangs for your buck in the bourbon world imho.

I had to pay $3 more than you, but that is a deal that can't be passed up.

[GaryT]

While in Kentucky, picked up a HH 6YR BIB, OGD 114, Old Fitz BIB, Blanton's (first ever full-size bottle, but it was dumped on my anniversary - so it's really a gift for the wife!), and a Canadian Club 100% Rye.  Not purchased, but brought home two bottles (CEHT SmB & BP; half-2/3 full each) from Jeremy, who shared them at the gazebo but didn't want to mess with flying with open bottles.  I'll bring those to some GBS meetings, as well as the B'town trips (I tried explaining to the wife that I'm merely "holding them", so they don't count towards my stash . . . not sure how well that has gone over, but if successful - I'll amazingly be found to be "holding" bottles for several imaginary friends )

 

[Auracom]

On 9/18/2016 at 5:07 AM, garbanzobean said:

What I WILL say in defense of the Willett Distillery, and what ultimately convinced me to splurge on the single barrel bourbon was the quality and price point of their house distilled Old Bardstown.

 

As usual we're of the same mindset, Eric. I haven't bought anything labeled or bottles under KBD/Willett in nearly 4 years, though I've also done their tour and tasted their new distillate a few times since.

 

I really like their own product. Bringing a value-minded BIB to market is simply a fantastic move all-around. I can predict in 3-4 years I will be buying a fair amount of Willett. They just needed time (as all the new guys do) to let their product do the talking. Difference was the reputation of the WFE bottlings that preceded all of the new make and bad feelings that may/may not have been related to that for a number of folks. 

[DonutsNBourbon]

went mildly searching for any of the special releases that came out last week, ended up coming home with a store select BT and ER, and then also a CEHT SmB and a Rock Hill Farms.  not too bad of a haul, very BT centric though.

[fishnbowljoe]

30 minutes ago, DonutsNBourbon said:

went mildly searching for any of the special releases that came out last week, ended up coming home with a store select BT and ER, and then also a CEHT SmB and a Rock Hill Farms.  not too bad of a haul, very BT centric though.

 

Ain't nothing wrong with that Derek. 

 

Cheers! Joe

[DonutsNBourbon]

12 minutes ago, fishnbowljoe said:

 

Ain't nothing wrong with that Derek. 

 

Cheers! Joe

 

would've rather been with you guys down at KBF!

[Hop]

While in B'town this week I:

 

Sat in the early morning line at HH and got a bottle of Parkers and Wm Heavenhill

Sat in the early morning line at 4R and got a bottle of 4R SmBLE then went back with my wife and she waited and got a bottle for another SB'r

 

Picked up a backup bottle of Bulleit Cask Strength since it's a KY only release and a bottle of Beam Double Oaked just to try (had it at the Sampler and wasn't impressed but I already bought it)

 

Picked up a bottle Booker's Rye that a fellow SB'r had gotten for me a few months back

 

Make the Bardstown Newspaper with a picture and everything from the Bourbon, Cigars, & Jazz event and had a pour of  WT Kentucky Spirit poured for me by Jimmy Russel at the Sampler

 

All in all a good few days

[Harry in WashDC]

6 hours ago, GaryT said:

* * *  (I tried explaining to the wife that I'm merely "holding them", so they don't count towards my stash . . . not sure how well that has gone over, but if successful - I'll amazingly be found to be "holding" bottles for several imaginary friends )

 

  Thanks.

 

[mbroo5880i]

On 9/18/2016 at 6:35 AM, GeeTen said:

OWA @ $21.99 OTD yesterday - just because.    

 

Now, I am banging my head on the wall.  

[Tony Santana]

OFBB '16, Weller 12 and Jefferson's Groth Reserve Cask Finish.  And then a box showed up on my door - a 24 year store select single malt and 4R OBSQ.  An embarrassment of riches.

[BottledInBond]

More OWA today. I feel like when it's available at reasonable prices I should grab them, within reason. I have this terrible feeling that whenever the new bottles start showing up in stores they will be accompanied by a noticeable price hike. Hope I'm wrong about that

[GeeTen]

ECBP, 139.4 proof.  $49.99 OTD.  Nice!   

[Niner Outlaw]

Got 3 EC12 and one lucky bottle of WL12. 

 

Weller 12 finally hit my area. Only the 2 biggest LS got any. 1 case apiece. LS#1 put them on the shelf and in 3 days they were all gone. I missed out. Got the 3 750 of E12 (still a few out there) as hollow consolation. Owner did tell me he'd see if he could get a stray bottle of weller and would hold it for me. So, as the vets here always say, it pays to buy something even if you miss out.

 

LS#2 had theirs in the office and none of the employees apparently knew it was there. I asked and they looked on the store shelves...I told them, yes, Bub, I know there aren't any out here, but I also know that this area got some in the last 3 days, so Check in the office. They radio someone. Then the owner comes out , recognizes me, disappears and then reappears with one bottle of WL12, gives it to me and says it's one of the last 2 left. The sad thing is that judging from 

last year, there won't be any more in my area till next fall.

[LCWoody]

Was in Houston today and stopped by Specs and picked up a store select Woodford R. double oaked SB. I hope its good, WR use to be soooo good.

[flahute]

3 hours ago, BottledInBond said:

More OWA today. I feel like when it's available at reasonable prices I should grab them, within reason. I have this terrible feeling that whenever the new bottles start showing up in stores they will be accompanied by a noticeable price hike. Hope I'm wrong about that

I would do the same for the same reason. The OWA's have very good as of late.

[Hop]

Bought a bottle of FC103 age stated cause I haven't tried it in a while and it was there, couple of OGD114's cause I bought into the rumor mill, and a couple of ECBP cause that's what I was looking for

[Richdel]

Bought a 750ml of Buffalo Trace for $27.49.  Haven't opened it yet as I am working on several others at the moment (Wellers SR, FRSB, EC12(nas), and Larceny).

[Harry in WashDC]

Heard about a store sort of near me that had both OGD BIB and 114 on sale. The road trip was uneventful; the rumors of the sale were true.  So, I drove home carefully with some treasures.

[BigPapa]

Picked up these two beauties today. 

 

First:

High West  "Rendezvous Rye"

finished in Quady Port casks for 2 months. ABV @ 50.7%.

 

Second:

Elijah Craig "Barrel Proof" 

 

man an that High West is darker than the ECBP!!!!