"Pro Tips"

[Bnrhodes3]

1 minute ago, JTaylor said:

Wow... Yeah... that's why I qualified it by saying "... as far as I'm concerned."  People spend all kinds of money on whiskey, art, guns, wine, cars, etc... the list is endless and I admit I'm one of those people... The last time I checked my bunker value was somewhere in the $6k range, to many people who see it this is excessive, to others it might seem perfectly reasonable or even low. I'm in no position to judge anyone's Whiskeyrexia Nervosa... To someone out there PVW23 might be the best most delicious stuff to ever see oak or they just want the prestige of having a bottle on hand and to them it might be worth every penny... to me it's no longer worth the $300 retail price, let alone the prices it commands on secondary. It was worth the $300 (to me) the first time I bought it because in my mind I assigned a value to the "experience" but now that I've put that notch in my belt, I just wouldn't get $300 worth of enjoyment out of owning another. To some people the $300 is outrageous, I know my wife is one of those...  and to some people who light their cigars with flaming $100 bills the $3K or whatever secondary price is no big deal.

 

One of the ongoing themes on here can be summarized by a couple acronyms:  "YMMV" and "IMHO". I used "As far as I'm concerned". Everyone has different tastes, palates, and disposable incomes. One guy's favorite $150 daily drinker might not be worth $1 to another, and some people go ga ga for $20 WSR... I don't care for it that much. To me it's all just future pee and to spend $500 on one bottle of future pee seems funny to me, but somehow $6k on a couple hundred bottles is perfectly reasonable.

 

Whiskey, Cigars, Firearms, Automobiles, all hobbies of mine.  I enjoy these hobbies for exactly the reasons you point out in your last paragraph, for the artistry, craftsmanship, engineering, time, and human ingenuity that went into the invention, production and perfection of these finer things in life. Believe me, I enjoy my whiskey, but I enjoy it without any desire to spend $500 on a bottle. We just all have different tastes and disposable incomes and value the commodity differently. The beauty of it is that most of these hobbies can be satisfactorily enjoyed at pretty much any level. Just personally, even though I could, I won't spend $500 on a bottle of booze...  At this point in time there's just no bottle worth $500 TO ME. YMMV. 

I hope my post didn't come of as an attack! I was just curious to your perspective since I've heard a similar statment a few times (never got an answer in those cases though). I'll also be frank in that I've not purchased a bottle over $200 yet myself, so I'm not pushing that either. I only took it as "there hasn't ever been any whisk(e)y produced that is worth $500", which is where that came from.

I tried to do the IMHO with the "from my perspective" thing as well, since everything I said just comes down to my opinion anyway (agree or not, I won't be offended in the least).  I am with you at this time as I personally can't see myself spending more than $500 on a bottle of anything either, unless my income jumps significantly - so while I don't want to spend large sums on something, I still think it might be worth the price, and 100% agree that hobbies can be enjoyed without having the most expensive or most sought after things. 

 

I do think we are in agreement, and I'm glad I started my last post with a question just so I could get this perspective (which ended up being different than my first assumption of what you meant). I don't have the time or disposable income to collect and tinker with automobiles, but I definitely appreciate them (on the other hand, the money I've dumped in to firearms and whisk(e)y is something I still scratch my head about though ). 

 

 

[lcpfratn]

... (on the other hand, the money I've dumped in to firearms and whisk(e)y is something I still scratch my head about though ). 

I definitely resemble that remark! [emoji6][emoji106]



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[WhiskeyBlender]

1 hour ago, JTaylor said:

Everyone has different tastes, palates, and disposable incomes. One guy's favorite $150 daily drinker might not be worth $1 to another, and some people go ga ga for $20 WSR... I don't care for it that much. To me it's all just future pee and to spend $500 on one bottle of future pee seems funny to me, but somehow $6k on a couple hundred bottles is perfectly reasonable.

 

 

"To me it's all just future pee".....this has to be one of the best and funniest quotes I've seen in a while! Loved the entire post. 

[JTaylor]

1 hour ago, Bnrhodes3 said:

I hope my post didn't come of as an attack! I was just curious to your perspective since I've heard a similar statment a few times (never got an answer in those cases though). I'll also be frank in that I've not purchased a bottle over $200 yet myself, so I'm not pushing that either. I only took it as "there hasn't ever been any whisk(e)y produced that is worth $500", which is where that came from.

I tried to do the IMHO with the "from my perspective" thing as well, since everything I said just comes down to my opinion anyway (agree or not, I won't be offended in the least).  I am with you at this time as I personally can't see myself spending more than $500 on a bottle of anything either, unless my income jumps significantly - so while I don't want to spend large sums on something, I still think it might be worth the price, and 100% agree that hobbies can be enjoyed without having the most expensive or most sought after things. 

 

I do think we are in agreement, and I'm glad I started my last post with a question just so I could get this perspective (which ended up being different than my first assumption of what you meant). I don't have the time or disposable income to collect and tinker with automobiles, but I definitely appreciate them (on the other hand, the money I've dumped in to firearms and whisk(e)y is something I still scratch my head about though ). 

 

 

Nope, I hope my answer didn't come off as overly defensive. Just trying to answer your question from my perspective... My Dad's answer whenever something's value was discussed was always, "It's only worth what someone will pay for it." I guess we're seeing that now with some of the secondary pricing. The PVW and BTAC etc... are "worth" these stupid prices only because someone is paying them. But I'm not about to.

Edited November 22, 2017 by JTaylor

[Kane]

1 hour ago, JTaylor said:

To me it's all just future pee

Spoken like a true connoisseur Sprayed my OWA out of my nose, and it hurts.

[Stump1998]

18 hours ago, JTaylor said:

it's all just future pee

Stuff like this is why I keep coming back to this site, love it...

[smokinjoe]

Pro Tip:

Join any and all distillery sponsored ambassador clubs that you can, particularly if you plan on visiting them on the Bourbon Trail.  Besides getting inside info, birthday wishes, and special offers via email, you get a lot of cool Christmas swag right about now (see current High West thread). And, most offer discounts at their distillery gift shops, discounts at for-pay events/tours, and many other benefits.  

[fishnbowljoe]

17 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

Pro Tip:

Join any and all distillery sponsored ambassador clubs that you can, particularly if you plan on visiting them on the Bourbon Trail.  Besides getting inside info, birthday wishes, and special offers via email, you get a lot of cool Christmas swag right about now (see current High West thread). And, most offer discounts at their distillery gift shops, discounts at for-pay events/tours, and many other benefits.  

I couldn't agree more.  I've received some pretty neat stuff over the years, Some useful, and some trivial, but It's all good to me.  Hell, it's free!  

 

Sláinte! Joe

[smokinjoe]

Pro Tip:

As we are in the middle of Holiday liquor shopping season, and many specialty bourbons are in eyecatching tubes and boxes, it is important that we open them up in the store to make sure that the bottle inside matches the box.  It would be a shame to pay $80 for that EHT Rye for a gift, only to see the recipient pull out a bottle of $39 EHT Small Batch, or worse.  Mistakes can be made at the distillery, or scandalous customers can make that reverse switch days before.  Besides having a disappointed gift recipient, if the cashier checks at the register, you could be mightily embarrassed.

[Kane]

23 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

Pro Tip:

As we are in the middle of Holiday liquor shopping season, and many specialty bourbons are in eyecatching tubes and boxes, it is important that we open them up in the store to make sure that the bottle inside matches the box.  It would be a shame to pay $80 for that EHT Rye for a gift, only to see the recipient pull out a bottle of $39 EHT Small Batch, or worse.  Mistakes can be made at the distillery, or scandalous customers can make that reverse switch days before.  Besides having a disappointed gift recipient, if the cashier checks at the register, you could be mightily embarrassed.

I do this all the time, and everybody around me -- customers and store employees -- give me sad looks I'm glad you confirm it's their lack of "professionalism" as opposed to my paranoid tendencies in play here.

[Clueby]

I even did this the other day when I picked up my online purchase of Founder's CBS. They had it in a paper bag all stapled up with my receipt. I opened up and pulled it out of the bag in front of the employee before I left the store. He gave me a "look" and said...yes that is the stuff you bought.

[flahute]

22 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

Pro Tip:

As we are in the middle of Holiday liquor shopping season, and many specialty bourbons are in eyecatching tubes and boxes, it is important that we open them up in the store to make sure that the bottle inside matches the box.  It would be a shame to pay $80 for that EHT Rye for a gift, only to see the recipient pull out a bottle of $39 EHT Small Batch, or worse.  Mistakes can be made at the distillery, or scandalous customers can make that reverse switch days before.  Besides having a disappointed gift recipient, if the cashier checks at the register, you could be mightily embarrassed.

This is sage advice.

As much as we like to criticize the big box stores on this board, I have to give my local Total Wine credit because they always open up the tubes and boxes at the register to make sure the right bottle is in there. They do this with the expensive ones too where it's more likely that something cheaper could accidentally be in there.

[Mako254]

On 11/28/2017 at 8:41 PM, smokinjoe said:

Pro Tip:

Join any and all distillery sponsored ambassador clubs that you can, particularly if you plan on visiting them on the Bourbon Trail.  Besides getting inside info, birthday wishes, and special offers via email, you get a lot of cool Christmas swag right about now (see current High West thread). And, most offer discounts at their distillery gift shops, discounts at for-pay events/tours, and many other benefits.  

 

Hadn’t thought of this. Signing up now. 

[HoustonNit]

I do this all the time, and everybody around me -- customers and store employees -- give me sad looks [emoji4] I'm glad you confirm it's their lack of "professionalism" as opposed to my paranoid tendencies in play here.

I stalk a certain Texas school alumni whiskey thread. This happened to one of them where he was going through his CEHT SB stock and found a SmB.

[smokinjoe]

Pro Tip:

Be careful when traveling with bourbon in your trunk on hot days.  Obviously, not a concern now, but bourbon (particularly bottles with corks) doesn't travel well in a car trunk in the middle of Summer.  The constant jostling and expansion of the liquid from the heat can cause the cork to blow off of the bottle.  I learned this lesson several years ago with a Bowman Small Batch.  A day in the trunk driving around on a hot July day caused the cork to blow right off, shrink seal and all.  

[BigPapa]

This is sage advice.
As much as we like to criticize the big box stores on this board, I have to give my local Total Wine credit because they always open up the tubes and boxes at the register to make sure the right bottle is in there. They do this with the expensive ones too where it's more likely that something cheaper could accidentally be in there.

I’m sure that’s partly to cover there ass on people trying to switch bottles also. A more expensive bottle in a cheaper box.
I am glad that they check at the register as well though. Great business practice.


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[smokinjoe]

Pro Tip:

If you have a daily drinker that is available in the Family Sized bottle, buy that size regularly and decant in the more easily handled 750ml bottle for daily pours.  You'll save on price-per-ounce by buying the family sized, save ready bar space, while also easing the effort of daily pourings.  Shove the FS in an out of the way bunker between decanting.  

[HoustonNit]

^Good daily drinker I'm thinking it might be my favorite HH BIB/103FC.

 

I guess I'm not the only that does this.

[flahute]

5 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

Pro Tip:

If you have a daily drinker that is available in the Family Sized bottle, buy that size regularly and decant in the more easily handled 750ml bottle for daily pours.  You'll save on price-per-ounce by buying the family sized, save ready bar space, while also easing the effort of daily pourings.  Shove the FS in an out of the way bunker between decanting.  

Indeed my brother. 

I do this with WT101.

[BigRich]

Pro Tip:
If you have a daily drinker that is available in the Family Sized bottle, buy that size regularly and decant in the more easily handled 750ml bottle for daily pours.  You'll save on price-per-ounce by buying the family sized, save ready bar space, while also easing the effort of daily pourings.  Shove the FS in an out of the way bunker between decanting.  

If you don't have a funnel like the one in Joe's picture you should definitely get a couple with different sizing. The number of things you could use/need them for that are bourbon related is too numerous to list.


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[JCwhammie]

1 hour ago, BigRich said:

If you don't have a funnel like the one in Joe's picture you should definitely get a couple with different sizing. The number of things you could use/need them for that are bourbon related is too numerous to list.


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Agreed. I use the tiny one to refill hot sauce bottles (from huge jugs of hot sauce, not whiskey ), the next size for filling my flasks, and the next size to refill my 750ml bottles. 

[smokinjoe]

Pro Tip:

 

Reposting this from yesterday where Mako lost a cork while opening up a dusty Wild Turkey (Join the club Mako!  The membership roll is lengthy!  ).  

 

See utensils below.  BTW, I've never liked the coffee filter thing, as it drains too slow, and the pieces of cork are big.  Try this:

 

Pour contents of bottle into big ass cup (Old big stadium cups and/or old big Hannah Montana cups work well...)

 

Take long, sharp, thin object (I have old metal skewer) and stick into emptied bottle to break up cork into sizes that will come out of bottle.

 

Fill up bottle with some water, shake, and pour out water along with pieces of broken cork.  This may take a couple of tries in order to get all pieces out.  They tend to want to stick to sides of bottle.

 

Pour contents of filled big ass cup through tight wind metal strainer into second big ass cup.  Then, pour back through strainer into original big ass cup.  Liquid should be clear and without cork now.

 

Pour contents of big ass cup through funnel into cleared bottle.

 

Replace with saved WT corks.  Always save a few of the notoriously fragile WT corks for this very purpose!  

 

FINITO! 

 

[GeeTen]

On 11/21/2017 at 5:24 PM, Bnrhodes3 said:

. . . . .  the money I've dumped in to firearms and whisk(e)y is something I still scratch my head about though . 

My wife (SWMBO) reminds me of this every hour of every day!   

[smokinjoe]

Pro Tip:

 

Dont forget the "mini area" at any liquor store you peruse.  A stores selection of 50ml minis offers several potential buy opportunities.  This tip migrates over to 200ml sizes, as well.

1.  Potential to find any dusty, semi-dusty, or, recently discontinued label.  

2.  Chance to pick up bottles at a cost that allow an aggregate 750ml purchase to be lower than the cost of a 750 on the shelf.

3.  Opportunity to pick up an inexpensive pour of something you want to try.  This is not confined to just bourbon, but any other spirit possibility.  

4.  Airplane booze!  8$ for a Woodford on the way back on Delta from ORD???  Hey, I like Woodford, and will drop the $8 if needed, but would rather pull a couple of $2 (fill in blank with your favorite) bottles  from my toiletry bag in my carry-on instead!   

 

[flahute]

7 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

 

4.  Airplane booze!  8$ for a Woodford on the way back on Delta from ORD???  Hey, I like Woodford, and will drop the $8 if needed, but would rather pull a couple of $2 (fill in blank with your favorite) bottles  from my toiletry bag in my carry-on instead!   

 

If you fly Delta Comfort, those Woodfords are complementary!