El Vino Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 (edited) On my way to Atlanta on business Tuesday night. I am then driving from Atlanta to Charleston to be with my son to celebrate his 21st birthday on Wednesday afternoon (I'm packing Dunn/PVW in the suitcase...gulp!). I'll have some time to shop in the Buckhead area Tuesday night and then on Wednesday while driving to Charleston. Any recommendations on where to shop would be most appreciated. I hope to find a broader selection of FR private selections (which disappear as soon as they hit the shelves in this neck of the woods) and Smooth Ambler barrel proofs - which never to my knowledge made it to NJ. Thanks in advance! Edited March 25, 2017 by El Vino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limegoldconvertible68 Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 The high crime areas still have a decent selection. Unfortunately it's a choice between your life or a bottle of bourbon you can't find at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 3 minutes ago, Limegoldconvertible68 said: The high crime areas still have a decent selection. Unfortunately it's a choice between your life or a bottle of bourbon you can't find at home. Typically, stores in "high crime areas" in ATL don't carry private selections of 4R and SA from what I've seen? You've seen different, here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limegoldconvertible68 Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 Definitely no Private Stock 4R but I've seen SA10 in stores that scared the crap out of me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 Not sure what LGC68 is referring to here in Atlanta, but Towers, Minks, Smokerise, Greens, Dekalb Bottle House, Decatur Package Store, etc are area stores that all have very good selections (including potential 4R and maybe SA PS) that in no way would frighten you to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Vino Posted March 25, 2017 Author Share Posted March 25, 2017 Thanks LGC and Smokinjoe! Don't run as fast as I used to, so I think I'll focus my interest on those stores where the greatest risk is straining my credit card... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcgumbohead Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 5 points in Athens recently got their latest OBSF pick in. Dont know your route but may be worth a small side trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Vino Posted March 25, 2017 Author Share Posted March 25, 2017 Thanks KC. As luck would have it, I have several expressions of that recipe in the bunker. Distributors up here must think the high rye recipes sell best. The low rye recipes are a rarity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spade Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Smokinjoe's suggestions are very good. As for "high crime" areas... well, like any large city Atlanta has some areas that aren't as nice as others. In my experience, stores in these areas tend to be better for more recent dusties (EC12, for example) or sometimes have stuff that sits on the shelf because it's probably not what their clientele is interested in — there was one store that had two bottles each of Blanton's and RHF for what seemed like at least a year and always seems to have WSR. The Totalwine in Alpharetta recently had an OESO (but it is $75 which is the most expensive Four Roses PS I've seen). They're likely to have a Smooth Ambler barrel proofer as well. If you do go to Totalwine, note that two of the locations in the area don't sell liquor (just beer and wine) for some reason (I've always assumed it's the result of some arcane law). The locations in Kennesaw and Alpharetta do sell liquor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbowl Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 If you're willing to take a 400 N detour on the way to Charleston; Jax off exit 14 has OESO OESV OBSK and another I forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Vino Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share Posted March 28, 2017 Thanks for the suggestions! Stuck in Newark at the moment due to weather, but I am looking forward to a stop on the way to the hotel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Vino Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share Posted March 28, 2017 Jbowl: willing to make a recommendation from among those you mentioned? Thanks, EV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 On 3/24/2017 at 9:59 PM, El Vino said: On my way to Atlanta on business Tuesday night. I am then driving from Atlanta to Charleston to be with my son to celebrate his 21st birthday on Wednesday afternoon (I'm packing Dunn/PVW in the suitcase...gulp!). I'll have some time to shop in the Buckhead area Tuesday night and then on Wednesday while driving to Charleston. Any recommendations on where to shop would be most appreciated. I hope to find a broader selection of FR private selections (which disappear as soon as they hit the shelves in this neck of the woods) and Smooth Ambler barrel proofs - which never to my knowledge made it to NJ. Thanks in advance! There have definitely been SA barrel picks in NJ though they seem to be long gone, and FR Private Selections are pretty widely available as far as I can tell in my area, though I also do some shopping in NY. That being said not sure where in NJ you are but I can certainly help you with some places both local and those that will ship for a decent price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 On 3/26/2017 at 9:22 AM, Spade said: Smokinjoe's suggestions are very good. As for "high crime" areas... well, like any large city Atlanta has some areas that aren't as nice as others. In my experience, stores in these areas tend to be better for more recent dusties (EC12, for example) or sometimes have stuff that sits on the shelf because it's probably not what their clientele is interested in — there was one store that had two bottles each of Blanton's and RHF for what seemed like at least a year and always seems to have WSR. The Totalwine in Alpharetta recently had an OESO (but it is $75 which is the most expensive Four Roses PS I've seen). They're likely to have a Smooth Ambler barrel proofer as well. If you do go to Totalwine, note that two of the locations in the area don't sell liquor (just beer and wine) for some reason (I've always assumed it's the result of some arcane law). The locations in Kennesaw and Alpharetta do sell liquor. As I understand it a liquor license in the Atlanta area (maybe Georgia wide?) is limited to two location on a single license and in theory the same entity can't have more than 1 license in the state. Hence the limit of 2 Total Wines that have booze. I don't think I have been to the one in Alpharetta but the one in Kennesaw rarely seems to have anything of note in stock. There are still a limited number of two different FR PS bottles at my regular store, DeKalb Bottle House (I participate in some but not all the picks), which is not that far from the Buckhead area. An OESV and an OBSV I believe. We have two more coming (I was up in KY to help pick those. A nice OESK as I recall) but they are probably a month away. There are also a few bottles of two very nice Knob Creek barrels, one is 12+yo and one is 13+yo. We had a SA BP bourbon recently but it sold out at the first of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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