Show Us Your Stash -- Volume 4

[Madhatter]

OP picked the wrong thread for his post & pic.

[Jace]

That's a lot of fine bourbon I have not, and never will taste. 

 

If you ever open op one of those A.H. Hirsch, don't hesitate sending me a sample!
I can live without trying any of the Pappys, but that Hirsch 16 is one of the two bourbons I need to try at least once.

Edited December 9, 2017 by Jace

[redlinerobert]

Thank you all for your kind words.  They are appreciated. 

 

As mentioned earlier, I'm slowly working through the bottles I have.  At one point I simply started buying way more than I could possibly drink at the time.  Some of these 'special' bottles I'm saving for special days.  Milestones in my life, grandchildren, a special moment with my father, etc. 

 

The issue going forward is that the probability of obtaining any more special releases is almost non existent.   That only makes my bunker even more special, as I don't expect that fact to change.  Some of the prices I've seen and been offered are downright silly. 

 

Not to worry.  These bottles will be enjoyed at some point, perhaps even with some of the members here. 

 

Carry on boys.

[Bourserker]

Nice collection there, really enjoyed seeing the Hirsch 28.  I have a Hirsch 22 myself, and saw a 28 back in the day...still kick myself that I didn't but it on sight. 

 

As others have said ignore the dissenters in the thread.  Maybe it's bunker envy or maybe something else...who knows.  I can admit that years ago I probably would have been one of those dissenters purely out of frustration.  I was having a lot of trouble getting any of the unicorn bottles, but I hunted hard and got most of them.  That was back in the 2011/2012 time period though, and things have changed now.  Back then you could actually occasionally find unicorns on the shelf, and now it's pretty much impossible to get one unless you win a lottery or know someone.

 

At any rate, with the more time you put into collecting bourbon (just like collecting anything else), you develop a maturity about it.  So I say if you want to collect 30 PVW 20s and never drink any of them then have at it if it gives you joy.  Me personally, I collected for a while and didn't want to touch any of them...had the whole Gollum (from Lord of the Rings) thing going on where they were "my precious".  Now as I've gotten a little older and my opinion has changed on things I don't know where I'm at.  I've opened a few unicorns for special occasions, I have a few I still can't bring myself to open and I look at a few and just ask myself are they worth opening based on their current street value.  I did find it amusing when I opened my first Pappy 20 earlier this year when Clemson won their 2nd National Championship in football (I was at the game by the way).  I think I paid maybe $120 for it, and I was sitting there thinking "man, each pour out of this is probably worth a street value of at least $40-$50 now".  It made it feel that much more awesome to drink some of it. The one thing I can say is that I have a few bottles ear marked for some upcoming special occasions.  One will get opened if Clemson wins a 3rd National Championship in football next January, and I have 2 bottles ear marked for when I finish section hiking the AT (Appalachian Trail).  Maybe that's how they'll all eventually get consumed.  As more events come up I'll just save them for that.  

[Bourserker]

10 minutes ago, redlinerobert said:

Thank you all for your kind words.  They are appreciated. 

 

As mentioned earlier, I'm slowly working through the bottles I have.  At one point I simply started buying way more than I could possibly drink at the time.  Some of these 'special' bottles I'm saving for special days.  Milestones in my life, grandchildren, a special moment with my father, etc. 

 

The issue going forward is that the probability of obtaining any more special releases is almost non existent.   That only makes my bunker even more special, as I don't expect that fact to change.  Some of the prices I've seen and been offered are downright silly. 

 

Not to worry.  These bottles will be enjoyed at some point, perhaps even with some of the members here. 

 

Carry on boys.

Ha ha, that's funny because I just posted a similar response to what you just said.  I guess I was typing and posted right after yours.  

[redlinerobert]

24 minutes ago, Bourserker said:

Nice collection there, really enjoyed seeing the Hirsch 28.  I have a Hirsch 22 myself, and saw a 28 back in the day...still kick myself that I didn't but it on sight. 

 

As others have said ignore the dissenters in the thread.  Maybe it's bunker envy or maybe something else...who knows.  I can admit that years ago I probably would have been one of those dissenters purely out of frustration.  I was having a lot of trouble getting any of the unicorn bottles, but I hunted hard and got most of them.  That was back in the 2011/2012 time period though, and things have changed now.  Back then you could actually occasionally find unicorns on the shelf, and now it's pretty much impossible to get one unless you win a lottery or know someone.

 

At any rate, with the more time you put into collecting bourbon (just like collecting anything else), you develop a maturity about it.  So I say if you want to collect 30 PVW 20s and never drink any of them then have at it if it gives you joy.  Me personally, I collected for a while and didn't want to touch any of them...had the whole Gollum (from Lord of the Rings) thing going on where they were "my precious".  Now as I've gotten a little older and my opinion has changed on things I don't know where I'm at.  I've opened a few unicorns for special occasions, I have a few I still can't bring myself to open and I look at a few and just ask myself are they worth opening based on their current street value.  I did find it amusing when I opened my first Pappy 20 earlier this year when Clemson won their 2nd National Championship in football (I was at the game by the way).  I think I paid maybe $120 for it, and I was sitting there thinking "man, each pour out of this is probably worth a street value of at least $40-$50 now".  It made it feel that much more awesome to drink some of it. The one thing I can say is that I have a few bottles ear marked for some upcoming special occasions.  One will get opened if Clemson wins a 3rd National Championship in football next January, and I have 2 bottles ear marked for when I finish section hiking the AT (Appalachian Trail).  Maybe that's how they'll all eventually get consumed.  As more events come up I'll just save them for that.  

Back in '06-'09 I'd give bottles of Pappy away as gifts.  I remember calling the distillery once, asking for a retailer in Tennessee as I had a friend that I wanted to send a bottle to.  After he gave me the name of a local retailer, I thanked him, asked his name.  "Julian". 

 

Oh and my wife, God bless her, back in '08 called me and asked for some bourbon to make some bourbon pumpkin pies.  I told her to help herself to whatever bottle was open.  When I got home...I noticed the PVW 20 was almost empty.  Those were the best bourbon pumpkin pies ever made... 

[DCFan]

16 minutes ago, redlinerobert said:

Back in '06-'09 I'd give bottles of Pappy away as gifts.  I remember calling the distillery once, asking for a retailer in Tennessee as I had a friend that I wanted to send a bottle to.  After he gave me the name of a local retailer, I thanked him, asked his name.  "Julian". 

 

Oh and my wife, God bless her, back in '08 called me and asked for some bourbon to make some bourbon pumpkin pies.  I told her to help herself to whatever bottle was open.  When I got home...I noticed the PVW 20 was almost empty.  Those were the best bourbon pumpkin pies ever made... 

Robert, this is gold. If you had led off with this as your intro to SB instead of the, look at me and my collection which I don’t drink, you’d have had us all then. So it took you a few more posts but we’re all on the same page now. Welcome to the group.  

[redlinerobert]

1 hour ago, DCFan said:

Robert, this is gold. If you had led off with this as your intro to SB instead of the, look at me and my collection which I don’t drink, you’d have had us all then. So it took you a few more posts but we’re all on the same page now. Welcome to the group.  

DCFan,

 

There.  Now we can be friends. 

[DCFan]

1 minute ago, redlinerobert said:

DCFan,

 

There.  Now we can be friends. 

It always pays to have friends with a collection like yours. 

[Gorzo]

5 hours ago, Jazz June said:

On a related note, I plan to drink all of my whiskey, but wonder if I ever really will. Because I certainly seem to be buying at least as much as I am drinking. Does anyone with a sizable collection/bunker/whatever actually think they will finish it or reduce it down to a hand full of bottles at any point in their lifetime?

 

Doubtful because for me hunting is as much fun as drinking. 

[Canarse]

18 hours ago, redlinerobert said:

Back in '06-'09 I'd give bottles of Pappy away as gifts.  I remember calling the distillery once, asking for a retailer in Tennessee as I had a friend that I wanted to send a bottle to.  After he gave me the name of a local retailer, I thanked him, asked his name.  "Julian". 

 

Oh and my wife, God bless her, back in '08 called me and asked for some bourbon to make some bourbon pumpkin pies.  I told her to help herself to whatever bottle was open.  When I got home...I noticed the PVW 20 was almost empty.  Those were the best bourbon pumpkin pies ever made... 

I too used to exchange gifts in the mid '00s of Pappy.  Still have a few bottles left as I can't find it for the life of me now.  I had an online conversation with Julian back in those days as well.  Very nice guy.  Happy for the success of the brand for him and his family. 

 

Impressive collection.  Diverse.  Hope you get to enjoy it as we can't take it with us.  I do get disappointed when I see collections that may have a dozen individual Pappy/Stagg/name your unicorn.  There is so little of that stuff out there for all of us to enjoy I wish folks wouldn't  hoard, but there is no law against it.  To each his own.

[BigRich]

On a related note, I plan to drink all of my whiskey, but wonder if I ever really will. Because I certainly seem to be buying at least as much as I am drinking. Does anyone with a sizable collection/bunker/whatever actually think they will finish it or reduce it down to a hand full of bottles at any point in their lifetime?
 

Share more. I don't mean that in a harsh way but it's made to be drank and one the best experiences I have as a whiskey drinker is the enjoyment I get from people enjoying my whiskey. I had three neighbors over a few weeks back who had never had any Van Winkle when this bottle came my way. We ended up killing the whole bottle that night but they really enjoyed it which made me happy. The picture is kind of silly but it does speak to the general sense of merriment that night.


I've been fortunate enough to have sampled and mostly owned many of the great bourbons out there and years past. I'm at the point where I know what I like. That means I'm not chasing every new shiny thing anymore. But that's 17 years into this hobby. Jazz, you will find your groove and how best to balance purchase and consumption.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[$helby]

22 hours ago, Jazz June said:

On a related note, I plan to drink all of my whiskey, but wonder if I ever really will. Because I certainly seem to be buying at least as much as I am drinking. Does anyone with a sizable collection/bunker/whatever actually think they will finish it or reduce it down to a hand full of bottles at any point in their lifetime?

 

There is no doubt in my mind I will never drink all the Bourbon in my collection as I seem to purchase 4-5 for every couple I drink.  While I usually have 5 bottles open for everyday drinking, I only open the hard to find items when one or both my children are visiting.   They both share my love for Bourbon so in a way it's easy to justify buying more than I drink as I am quite sure they will divide the collection up when I'm gone.   Hopefully they will continue to open rare bottles when they are together and reminisce old times.    Sharing the experience is far more enjoyable than hoarding could ever be! 

[Tennessee Dave]

@redlinerobertI think I made the first post that may have caused some harsh comments toward you.  I meant nothing disparaging.  Just pointed out that I have never purchased a bottle and not opened it. I can't relate to that however that doesn't mean that I think you are nuts or anything. I do have a bunker of things that I like  and open them as replacements when one is finished.  I really enjoy good bottles with friends and some family members so they don't last long around here.  Heck sometimes just because it's Tuesday night is enough reason for me to open a special bottle. Enjoy yourself here.  It's a warm fire.

[Madhatter]

On 12/9/2017 at 11:57 AM, Jazz June said:

On a related note, I plan to drink all of my whiskey, but wonder if I ever really will. Because I certainly seem to be buying at least as much as I am drinking. Does anyone with a sizable collection/bunker/whatever actually think they will finish it or reduce it down to a hand full of bottles at any point in their lifetime?

 

At the rate I drink it, I have a 4 year supply of bourbon and rye.  The plan is to drink and purchase at a rate that keeps a 2-3 year supply on hand.  Why just a short term amount?

I'm not convinced some expensive whiskies won't deteriorate over time.

A natural disaster might destroy what I have, so why have more to be destroyed?

The doctor will tell me sooner or later to stop to preserve my liver or something else.

If you own too much of something, it begins to own you, rather than you owning it.

Ever tried moving the contents of a wine cellar?

For some people, hoarding is a sign of a mental problem.  

In a few years I might go on to a new, more expensive hobby, like scotch or narcotics.   

 

 

[DCFan]

48 minutes ago, Tennessee Dave said:

@redlinerobertI think I made the first post that may have caused some harsh comments toward you.  I meant nothing disparaging. 

Yeah, that would be me. I came to my senses and made peace with Robert as well. At least I think I did. Happy sipping to everyone. 

[birdie]

I just found a new place to have my ashes scattered when I pass away ......and answering an earlier post, I too probably now have more than I will ever drink, but I still keep buying......funny how that works. 

[Jazz June]

10 hours ago, BigRich said:

Share more. I don't mean that in a harsh way but it's made to be drank and one the best experiences I have as a whiskey drinker is the enjoyment I get from people enjoying my whiskey. I had three neighbors over a few weeks back who had never had any Van Winkle when this bottle came my way. We ended up killing the whole bottle that night but they really enjoyed it which made me happy. The picture is kind of silly but it does speak to the general sense of merriment that night.


I've been fortunate enough to have sampled and mostly owned many of the great bourbons out there and years past. I'm at the point where I know what I like. That means I'm not chasing every new shiny thing anymore. But that's 17 years into this hobby. Jazz, you will find your groove and how best to balance purchase and consumption.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I actually completely agree with you that sharing bourbon is the best thing to do with it. I just don't have too many friends and family that like drinking whiskey on its own. My wife and several family members and friends like whiskey based cocktails and I am always happy to make them, but don't use the bourbon I buy for drinking neat to do it. I have thought about looking for a club or something similar locally to find people to share with, but just don't have the time right now. I am planning to do some blind tasting flights with friends who are not big whiskey guys, but curious enough to try, so maybe that will work

[flahute]

On 12/7/2017 at 3:26 PM, redlinerobert said:

As mentioned, I've been collecting now for several years.  These are bottles I've not gotten to.  Yet.  I have several that are open and am drinking.  Also went through a period where I drank lots of wine and stayed away from the hard liquor.  Although found it difficult to say no to a bottle that I wasn't getting another shot at later.  The 'redline' refers to one of my other hobbies.  Cars. 

I've been in China since this reply and haven't had time to respond. Just got back.

 

Nothing wrong with taking it slow and holding back on prized bottles because you know that future supply is limited. My comment was more about most of us here not having the discipline to go slow!

There are also many here who are averse to using the word "collection" even though most of us have a bunker which certainly qualifies as one. The reason for that is due to the changing nature of bourbon culture. Like anything that gets super popular, the early enthusiasts see the late comers showing up with zeal and a lot of money who in this case treat the hobby more like collectors of valuable items than consumers of something meant to be enjoyed. The limited editions for them become trophies to potentially profit from and they post photos of their trophies in order to receive the 'atta boys' from their fellow collectors. The word collection in this context therefore has a different connotation. Since it takes us a little while to get to know newcomers, some will wear their skepticism more visibly on their sleeve than others. Many of us have seen how ugly some of those facebook groups have become with all the snark and dick measuring. 

 

Just letting you know where some here are coming from. (Sorry that some are rude).

 

PS - if the redlines you are referring to are the size you can put in your pocket than you and I have something else we can talk about.

[redlinerobert]

Thanks for your additional comments boys.  They are appreciated.   I absolutely agree that sharing prized bottles like this with friends and family that would never have an opportunity is very gratifying. 

 

Maybe someday I'll open up one of these bottles for you guys as well.

 

On ‎12‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 8:32 AM, Tennessee Dave said:

@redlinerobertI think I made the first post that may have caused some harsh comments toward you.  I meant nothing disparaging.  Just pointed out that I have never purchased a bottle and not opened it. I can't relate to that however that doesn't mean that I think you are nuts or anything. I do have a bunker of things that I like  and open them as replacements when one is finished.  I really enjoy good bottles with friends and some family members so they don't last long around here.  Heck sometimes just because it's Tuesday night is enough reason for me to open a special bottle. Enjoy yourself here.  It's a warm fire.

 

On ‎12‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 9:24 AM, DCFan said:

Yeah, that would be me. I came to my senses and made peace with Robert as well. At least I think I did. Happy sipping to everyone. 

 

[PaulO]

My perspective is that I have a nice little collection of discontinued or now hard to find items.  The only reason I have those is because I have chosen to buy other bottles to open in the mean time.  Now and then, I do get something out of "the bunker".  I lived in MI from 1995 - 2003.  There was a lot of stuff I could only find when visiting down South.  I guess that kind of trained me to take advantage of opportunities, and hold off on opening everything.

Nice collection Robert.  I like tequila too, but have none unopened.  That could change.  

[redlinerobert]

On ‎12‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 8:21 PM, PaulO said:

My perspective is that I have a nice little collection of discontinued or now hard to find items.  The only reason I have those is because I have chosen to buy other bottles to open in the mean time.  Now and then, I do get something out of "the bunker".  I lived in MI from 1995 - 2003.  There was a lot of stuff I could only find when visiting down South.  I guess that kind of trained me to take advantage of opportunities, and hold off on opening everything.

Nice collection Robert.  I like tequila too, but have none unopened.  That could change.  

Thanks Paul.  I really enjoy tequila as well.  I use to be a judge for a local tequila event.  We'd go through 70+ tequilas in a full day of tasting that started at 8 am and ended quite late in the evening.   We'd start with blancos, then work on reposados, then the anejo's and then finally the extra anejo's.   Needless to say it was a lot of work. 

[Dango]

As they say, To each there own.

 

When I get any bourbon its getting open. Life is to short and I could be dead tomorrow. I get more joy opening up a nice bottle and sharing with anyone who's interested, than I do collecting.

 

It's your stuff, you paid for it, and your entitled to do whatever you want with it. 

[redlinerobert]

Here's one you don't see everyday.

 

 

[PaulO]

Hey Robert, since you mentioned your experience with Tequila, there is a nice Tequila thread under General Non-Whiskey Alcohol.  Every now and then some one gets it active again.