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Does the current value of a bottle prevent you from opening it?


theranman
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Like some have already said, price & what it could go for on secondary doesn’t affect my cracking open of a HTF bottle, not being able to replace it does. 

 

I will say this though.  Give me an “occasion” & just about anything is fair game.  

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On 4/17/2019 at 5:13 PM, lcpfratn said:

The potential value of a bottle that I have in my stash doesn’t usually keep me from opening a bottle, but scarcity, and the inability to easily replace a bottle, especially if it’s my last or only one, does sometimes keep me from opening certain bottles. I’ll eventually open everything I have, but some bottles might be saved for a special occasion. 

Ditto this.  Once I have a replacement waiting in the wings (at no more than avg MSRP), I'm more likely to pop a htf one open or finish off a currently open one.   All the bourbon I've ever bought - or will ever buy (knocking furiously on wood) - has been with the intention of enjoying its eventual consumption.  Some may get stretched out for years.   Shoot, I could go for a good many years now without buying another bottle and not run out of enjoyable pours.

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Like others, not really the value but the scarcity.  A couple have some sentimental value as well. I bought an EC18 and a PHC11 on the day my dad died. Haven't opened the EC and I'm saving the last few pours of PHC. Everything else is fair game although I make take a LONG time to go thru it.  My only 2 BTAC bottles I got in 2016 and they are still half full. I have this hard time with "if I drink it, its gone" mentality sometimes.

I made sure to let my family know to get my spreadsheet from work that shows value though. I have a few bottles that go to certain people but I'm ok with my family being flippers after I'm gone.  Pay for my funeral at least. She will keep all the Stagg Jr. though I'm sure!

Edited by Clueby
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The temptation for me at this point is more along the lines of what someone might be willing to give me in terms of other bottles more that in terms of money.

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On 4/20/2019 at 5:17 PM, CardsandBourbon said:

The only thing that keeps me from opening a bottle is if it is hard to find and I only have one bottle.  My wife won't let me open that bottle of Old Ezra 15 y.o. that was distilled in 1966 and bottled in 1981.  It was her's when we met and doesn't get opened until she retires.

Wait?!? You married a woman who had at least one bottle of bourbon in the bunker.  That is a whole different level of awesomeness.

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14 hours ago, CardsandBourbon said:

Just a shade under 3 years, unless I can talk her into retiring a little bit earlier.  Funny story about her and bourbon.  She didn't really drink it at all when I started a couple of years back.  Then she started sampling a sip of mine.  The other night she had a bit of a cold and thought maybe a little nip might help.  She grabbed a bottle of Fireball (hers not mine) and took a wee bit and thought "Wow I like the bourbon better than this".  So she is coming around and I might get her to weaken and open it early.

My wife is not a big bourbon fan.  It is just too strong for her.  But, man, I wish I had her nose and palate for discerning fragrances and flavors.  I always have her following the sampling of a new pour to see how my perception matches up to hers.

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On 4/20/2019 at 12:55 PM, Charlutz said:

I’ve never bought or sold on secondary, but I lurk on a group. It mostly (read below) doesn’t stop me from opening anything but watching the prices gives me an idea what is trending. RHF is my favorite BT2 bourbon and possibly my favorite commonly available bourbon, at least when it was available. It’s not on shelves anymore. Reason? The current secondary price is $150 plus shipping.  That KILLS me. I have a few bottles in the bunker, but now have to ask at some stores to get some from the back if I want another bottle. I’d have much rather used those store favors for something more limited but I’ll do it. 

 

Secondary has had caused me to not open some SAOS. I don’t really love it and have maybe a half dozen bottles of single barrel, some SAOS7 and one rye. The secondary prices on those bottles are stupid high. It tastes ok but not great to me. I don’t want to sell it so I’m stuck in a quandary. Maybe someday secondary will be legal instead of just weakly enforced and my mind will change. Or maybe my palate will and I’ll drink it. Or maybe I’ll get curious and open it. Until one of those things happens I shake my head at the secondary prices and the bottles gather dust in my basement. 

I'm with you that I've never bought or sold on secondary.  (disclaimer:  I have traded bottles).  

I think some day that those of us that don't partake in secondary selling will eventually kick ourselves for not selling. At some point, the bottom will fall out of this bourbon boom, and 8-12 year age stated whiskey will be available again in some quantities.  The crazy secondary prices we see today will be dust.  And those of us with large bunkers that just enjoy drinking this stuff, will ask "why didn't we sell it at the peak price when we had the opportunity?  We could buy it back now at a bargain."   I could be wrong, but this is my current opinion.

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I'm in the same camp of many above, in that the secondary prices don't deter me from opening bottles, but the scarcity does.  For example, I'm sitting on a bottle of Booker's Rye not because of the secondary prices, but rather because I only have one bottle. If I had 2 or 3, I would open that sucker in a heartbeat.  Similarly, I have an open bottle of PVW15 that I'm very slowly rationing, because I don't believe I can replace it.  I have finally acquired a backup 2nd bottle of WLW, so I'm looking forward to cracking open one of mine soon.  I have multiple GTS and 4R Al Young, so I didn't hesitate opening those when I got them.  And so it goes...

Edited by Kepler
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On 4/20/2019 at 5:14 PM, Vosgar said:

Bottles I have that go for 2-5x what I paid for them, no problem opening those. It's some of the others that have gone completely nuts that make me pause. 

 

An example: When the CEHT Warehouse C Tornado Surviving bourbon came out, I got to try it (thanks Dawn & Jon!), loved it, and bought a bunch of them. I've drank a few, but now that they're going for 15-20x what I paid for them, it makes it tough to open another one.

 

Someday I'll get over it, maybe.......

 

This describes the boat I'm in (although I think I'm down to just one of those bottles I hesitate to open!)  I'll open an ETL to share with folks who appreciate it without thinking twice.  I've only got one GTS unopened, and expect I'm unlikely to have a chance to buy one (won't pay secondary) for another 11 years (2030 is when I'm hoping the massive increases in production will have matured stocks surpassing the demand, which starts to chase gin or rum).  But it is less about the value as it is that I just won't be able to get another.  The one bottle for me is a ND OGD BIB 8yr from 1990; 375 mL that was $10.  I stumbled across a few, and enjoyed them all but this last one.  At one point it was going for 25x what I paid.  I've opened bottles worth more than that (paid more than that!) and this one will be opened at some point.  I'm thinking retirement ;) 

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11 hours ago, mbroo5880i said:

Wait?!? You married a woman who had at least one bottle of bourbon in the bunker.  That is a whole different level of awesomeness.

She actually had a good number of bottles.  She is an insurance claims adjuster and years ago the body shops, contractors, etc. would all give her bottles for Christmas.  Most of them were MM and we kept a few and actually (before I started drinking bourbon) gave some away (GASP!).  In today's MADD, SADD climate, no one gives them bourbon anymore. :(

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8 hours ago, Kepler said:

I'm with you that I've never bought or sold on secondary.  (disclaimer:  I have traded bottles).  

I think some day that those of us that don't partake in secondary selling will eventually kick ourselves for not selling. At some point, the bottom will fall out of this bourbon boom, and 8-12 year age stated whiskey will be available again in some quantities.  The crazy secondary prices we see today will be dust.  And those of us with large bunkers that just enjoy drinking this stuff, will ask "why didn't we sell it at the peak price when we had the opportunity?  We could buy it back now at a bargain."   I could be wrong, but this is my current opinion.

I hate to admit it but that thought has crossed my mind once or twice over the last couple of years.  Not so much with dusties or single barrel type stuff like old wax top WFE as I don't see that market crashing, but with things like current BTAC, PVW, and Michter's age stated releases.  Then again just as they are still making whiskey today, I'm still making money and quite frankly money has been easier to come by than good whiskey lately.

Edited by ThirstyinOhio
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