fishnbowljoe Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 There's really only one bottle that I have that probably fits this category. I was born and raised in Indianapolis. I followed all of Indy's sports teams. Pacers, Checkers/Racers, Indians, and of course, the Colts. I have a MM Colts Superbowl bottle signed by Bill Samuels and (then) master distiller Dave Pickerell that more than likely will never be opened. Cheers! Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musher Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 (edited) I have a few that I've been sitting on for a special occasion... Wild Turkey 12yr (gold label) Russell's Reserve 101 Wild Turkey Tribute (signed by Jimmy on Nov 7th, 2004) Old Rip Van Winkel 15yo I'm also working slowly through a few bottles of BT Antique Collection selections from the mid 2000's. Edited July 15, 2016 by musher Dang auto-correct! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vosgar Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 While I don't consider any of my bottles as trophies, some are certainly more "special" than others. However, events of the past week at work reminded me that life is very uncertain and not to wait to enjoy what I have (and not just bourbon). My workplace only has about 25 employee's and when I returned last Monday after a week of vacation I was told one of the guys had been diagnosed with colon cancer and a lady had just had a stroke. I'm a couple of years older than them and have known both for 20+ years. I had taken the prior week off to celebrate my daughter's wedding, so coming back after a great, fun filled celebration to that kind of news was a huge shock. Thankfully the prognosis for both of them is good. So......... even though I've never hesitated to open any bottle, and currently have 50+ open at the moment, more are going to be uncorked in short order. First up was a 2010 WLW that I'm enjoying right now with an '08 FR Mariage waiting in the wings. The upcoming weeks will include other goodies I've been fortunate enough to find since Fishnbowljoe got me started in this about 8 years ago. Nothing is sacred, screw the secondary market and I'm looking forward to sharing whiskey with my friends. Parting words.... drink up boys and girls, there's no time like now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BourbonJoe Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 On 7/14/2016 at 10:12 AM, ratcheer said: I think I have had an unopened bottle of Blanton's for several years. It's not exactly a trophy; I just save it for a very special occasion, such as if I ever have a grandchild born. Tim Or if I stop in on my way down to Foley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey buyer Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 33 minutes ago, BourbonJoe said: Or if I stop in on my way down to Foley. As in Foley Alabama? My Mom lives there. I grew up in Mobile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulO Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) I got two bottles of ETL 90th birtday commemorative right after they came out. I opened one right away, saved the other. At least I know what it tastes like. It was good, but not very different than the other bottles I had tried. It would be hard to open the one I have remaining; given this was selected by the man himself. Also I have managed to save a bottle of Weller 12 with the embossed wheat on the bottle shoulder. I picked up several of these in Chicago. It was the best batch of W12 I ever tasted (like liquid pecan pie). I have an older bottle of Very Old Barton BIB in the anchor bottle, and a Henry McKenna older bottle. Those are just cool to have around. They bring me back to when I started to know what was the good stuff. Edited July 17, 2016 by PaulO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwin Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 I'm afraid I might wake up under the lawn tomorrow, so everything I own is meant to be enjoyed now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey buyer Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 Take a bottle with you in case you do wake up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwin Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Just now, whiskey buyer said: Take a bottle with you in case you do wake up. A cask strength expressions should wake the dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcheer Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 19 hours ago, BourbonJoe said: Or if I stop in on my way down to Foley. Yeah, that would do it. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey buyer Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 3 minutes ago, Darwin said: A cask strength expressions should wake the dead. 3 minutes ago, Darwin said: A cask strength expressions should wake the dead. Yes it should, hum I know a couple of people I should give some to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kepler Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Probably the OP wasn't meaning to take the term "trophy" literally like some of you seem to assume. Also, I don't think it matters whether a bottle is out on display or hidden away in your bunker. I, too, have some special bottles I'm saving for special occasions. Have a bottle of PVW15 given to me as a gift that I am waiting for the right occasion. I have a FRSmB 2015 LE that I guess will always be Rutledge's final limited edition release, so I consider it special. . That was another gift (I'm a lucky guy). I plan on opening these, just don't know when. The ones I may not open include some MM and KC bottles I dipped myself, plus some hand-signed Wild Turkey/RR bottles from Jimmy R. I also have an unopened original tax stamp ceramic decanter filled with WT 101 8-year I haven't opened because I'm not sure it's safe to drink. I guess that one is a true "trophy." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 1 hour ago, Kepler said: Probably the OP wasn't meaning to take the term "trophy" literally like some of you seem to assume. Also, I don't think it matters whether a bottle is out on display or hidden away in your bunker. Oh it definitely matters to some. The sight of certain bottles on the bar is a status symbol for some. These are the same guys that post crotch shots of the bottle from the parking lot on Facebook. (The ones that aren't immediately selling it that is.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey buyer Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 8 hours ago, flahute said: Oh it definitely matters to some. The sight of certain bottles on the bar is a status symbol for some. These are the same guys that post crotch shots of the bottle from the parking lot on Facebook. (The ones that aren't immediately selling it that is.) I am thinking of a bottle that carries a certain sentimental value, and well as one that may be rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beasled Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) I have 2 bottles of (believed to be) signed Elmer T Lee, pre-2005 or so BT thought. I'll open them one day, but I have plenty of recent bottles to get through first before I do. Edited July 18, 2016 by beasled image removed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 On 7/17/2016 at 10:12 AM, PaulO said: I got two bottles of ETL 90th birtday commemorative right after they came out. I opened one right away, saved the other. At least I know what it tastes like. It was good, but not very different than the other bottles I had tried. It would be hard to open the one I have remaining; given this was selected by the man himself. Not to burst your bubble but the commemorative bottle, while no doubt selected by the group that selected Elmer T. Lee for years and in the same profile as Mr. Lee established years ago, was not selected by Elmer T. Lee. He most likely continued to play a part in selecting the bourbon for his brand over the years and certainly established the profile that was used to determine what would go into the bottle but it is unlikely he had involvement in every bottle that came out, especially in later years. From what I have read from sources at the time it came out the commemorative bottle was picked by the BT "tasting team" to reflect the profile he liked and established but was selected after he died, making it somewhat difficult for him to have been directly involved... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoboda Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 ETL 93 Proof Commemorative is way back in the wings. Perhaps I'll open it when I hit 93 . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnbowljoe Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Here's the story that I heard about the ETL 90th Birthday bottling. Supposedly Harlan, and maybe others at BT told Elmer that they had a very special customer, and that they wanted him to select X number of (honey?) barrels of ETL for that customer. I guess he didn't know that he was actually asked to pick the barrels for his own 90th Birthday bottling. The 90th Birthday bottling was unveiled at his 90th birthday party. You can read more about the party here. http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2009/08/elmer-t-lee-at-90.html Like I've posted before, I heard this story from a fairly reliable source. Who knows whether it's true or not. Still, it does make for a good and fitting story. FWIW, I tend to believe it myself. Hey, ya' gotta believe in something. Right? Cheers! Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lepisto Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 Not so much a trophy, but instead a souvenir. I took the family to Yellowstone a couple of summer ago on a 2 week vacation through the usual "out west" stops - badlands, mt. rushmore, devils tower, etc. We were at a gift shop in Yellowstone looking for souvenirs. Kids got some toys or stuffed animals, wife got a sweatshirt. They had bottles of Wyoming Whiskey for sale, and I had never seen it in Kentucky (we have it now). It was a no brainer to pick it up as my souvenir, but it cost about double what it costs now. I haven't opened it and I don't know if I will or not, since it is a reminder of a great trip. Plus I have read that the first few batches up to batch 25 or so aren't very good, and I have batch 25. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey buyer Posted July 19, 2016 Author Share Posted July 19, 2016 10 hours ago, Lepisto said: Not so much a trophy, but instead a souvenir. I took the family to Yellowstone a couple of summer ago on a 2 week vacation through the usual "out west" stops - badlands, mt. rushmore, devils tower, etc. We were at a gift shop in Yellowstone looking for souvenirs. Kids got some toys or stuffed animals, wife got a sweatshirt. They had bottles of Wyoming Whiskey for sale, and I had never seen it in Kentucky (we have it now). It was a no brainer to pick it up as my souvenir, but it cost about double what it costs now. I haven't opened it and I don't know if I will or not, since it is a reminder of a great trip. Plus I have read that the first few batches up to batch 25 or so aren't very good, and I have batch 25. This is what I am talking about when I say trophy. A bottle that has special significance attached to it. What is the name of the Whiskey? Is it called Wyoming Whiskey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lepisto Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 2 hours ago, whiskey buyer said: This is what I am talking about when I say trophy. A bottle that has special significance attached to it. What is the name of the Whiskey? Is it called Wyoming Whiskey? It is called Wyoming Whiskey, but it is a wheated bourbon. It was started with the help of the former Maker's Mark master distiller. I think it is 88 proof. Haven't read to much about it on these pages, but have seen it in KY for a touch over $30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 On 7/17/2016 at 10:12 AM, PaulO said: I got two bottles of ETL 90th birtday commemorative right after they came out. I opened one right away, saved the other. At least I know what it tastes like. It was good, but not very different than the other bottles I had tried. It would be hard to open the one I have remaining; given this was selected by the man himself. Also I have managed to save a bottle of Weller 12 with the embossed wheat on the bottle shoulder. I picked up several of these in Chicago. It was the best batch of W12 I ever tasted (like liquid pecan pie). I have an older bottle of Very Old Barton BIB in the anchor bottle, and a Henry McKenna older bottle. Those are just cool to have around. They bring me back to when I started to know what was the good stuff. 15 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said: Here's the story that I heard about the ETL 90th Birthday bottling. Supposedly Harlan, and maybe others at BT told Elmer that they had a very special customer, and that they wanted him to select X number of (honey?) barrels of ETL for that customer. I guess he didn't know that he was actually asked to pick the barrels for his own 90th Birthday bottling. The 90th Birthday bottling was unveiled at his 90th birthday party. You can read more about the party here. http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2009/08/elmer-t-lee-at-90.html Like I've posted before, I heard this story from a fairly reliable source. Who knows whether it's true or not. Still, it does make for a good and fitting story. FWIW, I tend to believe it myself. Hey, ya' gotta believe in something. Right? Cheers! Joe Ah, my mistake. The original post was talking about the 90th birthday bottling and not the bottle released after his death. I guess it is my bubble that is being burst! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey buyer Posted July 19, 2016 Author Share Posted July 19, 2016 1 hour ago, Lepisto said: It is called Wyoming Whiskey, but it is a wheated bourbon. It was started with the help of the former Maker's Mark master distiller. I think it is 88 proof. Haven't read to much about it on these pages, but have seen it in KY for a touch over $30. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajparent Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I was fortunate enough to to get a bunch of really good bourbons/ryes at retail or very close to retail, so my unopened trophies at this point are: Wlliam Larue Weller George T Stagg x2 Thomas H Handy x3 Pappy 12 yr Turkey Hill 17 yr Masters Keep Elijah Craig 18 yr all purchased this year. I have a problem ???? I didn't count the stuff I already opened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b1gcountry Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 Welcome to the forums Ajparent! Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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