OneCubeOnly Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 From purusing the SB.com archives I've come up with a good list of recommended liquor stores...but I'd like some advice on which bourbons to search for on my upcoming Kentucky trip.I know I'll definitely be looking for Ridgewood Reserve 1792, OFBB F'03, along with the obvious lucky rarities (like Stagg).Do you guys have any other recommendations for bourbons unique to Kentucky or that have limited distribution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 You may want to give a look around for Jefferson's. (I am not sure if it has made its way out of KY though) It sells for about $30 and is not too bad. Also, Kentucky Pride 10yo is not that bad for a decent price. (It is the bottle to the left of the JB White) W/o grabbing the bottle, I think even though it is labeled as 10 years old, most bottles are more like 12 yo. Sorry I couldn't be of more help right now Gary but I hope that's something else to consider... Whatever you grab I'm sure you will enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSS Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 You might have some trouble finding Stagg at any stores. Its been a while since I've seen any around.My best advice is to just look around and if you see something you can't get where you live buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 When in Kentucky, I never pass up the opportunity to buy some Very Old Barton, usually the bottled-in-bond. Ridgewood is from the same distillery.You might also want to pick up a couple of Heaven Hill branded products, especially the ten-year-old.Otherwise the advice "buy anything you can't find at home" is sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelshare Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 More vicarious joy and envy here! Our 2 cents would be that we don't recall ever coming back from KY without a Van Winkle product of some kind. If it's not available in DC or MD, ORVW 10 year is one of our favorites. Unfortunately, our most recent trip was three years ago, so we're relying on hazy memories regarding what's out there. Also, FYI, in case you've missed it, I have seen Jefferson's in our local VA state store for about $30. I know you prefer to shop in MD and didn't know if it was available there or not. Have fun!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike1 Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 I'd go for buffalo trace,four roses,and dowling bib, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneCubeOnly Posted April 15, 2004 Author Share Posted April 15, 2004 Thanks for all the responses! That's pretty much my gameplan--I'm planning on picking up ones I'm sure I can't get at home. I just didn't want to pass up a gem I hadn't thought of. You guys have given me some more to look for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 Jefferson's has been in Tennessee (at around $23-$25) since last fall. I bought four bottles all with "Batch # 1, Bottle # --", numbered under 100 (the lowest was Bottle #44). I've also purchased one with a non-collectible number, currently on shelves, but haven't opened it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 So it has made its way out of KY, that's good! Give it a try Tim, considering you have that many bottles now, it's a decent bourbon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelshare Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 Out of curiosity, are there numbers under which all bottlings are considered collectible, or are you referring specifically to this Jefferson bottling? I note that ours is Batch #2, bottle 1694. Sounds pretty "high number." It is also about 150ml short, which reduces collectibility, or so we hear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhooch Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 You might have some trouble finding Stagg at any stores. Its been a while since I've seen any around. Yeh, I know! I talked to the manager (or one of the managers) at the Party Source in Bellvue, KY, across the Ohio River from Cincinnati and he said that he is expecting Stagg in the Fall. He also said that he would limit Stagg purchases to one or two per customer because someone bought 18 bottles last time they had it. You know who you are! He thinks some of them went on eBay. How about leaving a little for some of us! That's one of the reasons Stagg has been difficult to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 It's subjective, and somewhat speculative at this early date with a new item (Jefferson's), but the ideally collectible bottle would be "Batch #1, Bottle #1" -- which would be, of course, the first bottle to be labeled and cased (impossible, though, to say that it was the first actually bottled). So, the low number at this point is just a bragging right, but could someday be valued above its contents' value. If not, since I paid retail (actually, I got the storeowner's courtesy discount, too, of 10%), I've still got a bottle of bourbon.A parallel is the automobile license plates in Rhode Island, which are numbered consecutively and indicative of a sort of social pecking order -- e.g., I think the governer is entitled to plate #1. Low license plate numbers are bequeathed (or, at least, the attempt has been made) in wills.The bottle I bought for drinking is somewhere in the 100s of the first batch, so I probably wouldn't 'collect' a Batch #2 bottle unless I was attempting to keep a full series (one from each batch -- hey, that's a thought!). As I said earlier, it's purely speculative -- just for the fun of it, so to speak -- at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSS Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 To me, the only significant bottle numbers to have would be either the 1st or the last. In my opinion anything inbetween has no significance # wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbyvirus Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 I don't really like the "Kentucky Pride" myself, but I do like "Kentucky Vintage", which I've only seen in Kentucky. Also "Pure Kentucky" is pretty tasty too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted April 17, 2004 Share Posted April 17, 2004 Gary, The "Welcome Mat" is out and ready for your arrival Ya never know...I might have that "special rare find" bottling Looking forward to your visit See ya soon Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneCubeOnly Posted April 17, 2004 Author Share Posted April 17, 2004 Thanks Bettye Jo!! I'm really looking forward to your custom tour of Heaven Hill! I'll post a trip report for SB.com upon my return! -Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted April 18, 2004 Share Posted April 18, 2004 Having just returned last week from one of Bettye Jo's personal tours, I can assure you you will be informed and entertained. Bettye Jo is a great asset both for Heaven Hill and SB.com. But, y'all knew that already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbyvirus Posted April 18, 2004 Share Posted April 18, 2004 My wife and I too have been the fortunate recipient of one of Bettye Jo's personal tours of Heaven Hill, and I can say it's been one of the most fun and memorable experiences we've had! Bettye Jo is a remarkable person and a wonderful host, and definitely deserves her award as "Bourbonian of the Year"!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneCubeOnly Posted April 25, 2004 Author Share Posted April 25, 2004 1 bottle Four Roses Yellow Label (see my comments in "Tasting")1 bottle Very Old Barton BIB (thanks for the suggestion on this one!)4 bottles Ridgewood Reserve 1792 (tasted this in KY then decided to load up the bunker with it)2 bottles OFBB F'03 (it took several exploratory missions to find this one!)1 bottle OFBB '02 (I was surprised to find so much of this still on the shelves!--basically adding to my bunker supply on this one)No Stagg to be found anywhere--but I pretty much expected that. The only real rarity I stumbled on was a bottle of Weller 19, but I passed on it because it was $99.00. Even though I have a fondness for old wheaters, I didn't feel like trading three bottles of 1792 on a gamble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 4 bottles Ridgewood Reserve 1792 (tasted this in KY then decided to load up the bunker with it) Good move there. After the judgement on Friday , I slipped out and picked up a couple. The ruling said they had 60 days in Ky to sell all that was shipped before the lawsuit was filed . The report last nite to us at the Sampler, was that all of it had been snapped up and some folks are willing to part with a $100 Dollars to get one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgonano Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Well I hope my good SB.com comrades have a bottle saved for me. I had hoped to pick up one in september. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Just got back from Fla and they had Ridgewood Reserve there (The lady said they just got it in about a month ago) but it was selling for $39.99 a bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Unless I'm misreading reports of the federal judge's order regarding Ridgewood Reserve, it is only Kentucky which has 60 days to remove pre-suit bottles. Elsewhere, it is to be removed from shelves immediately. Now, how efficient or practical 'immediately' is in reality I don't know -- but if I were Barton and under a federal court order, I'd do what I needed to do soonest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneCubeOnly Posted April 25, 2004 Author Share Posted April 25, 2004 Mark--I forgot to mention...I looked for your suggestion of Kentucky Pride 10yo and came up empty! However, my liquor shopping was limited to the Bowling Green area, as the times of day when I hit Lexington (I wanted to check out the Liquor Barn) they were closed.Another one I had wanted to get was Weller 12yo...that was also completely missing from the stores I checked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Hey, at least you gave a look for it. It's a toss up bourbon, you may have liked it or you may have not liked it as you saw from what people said about it... But the the one I wish they did have for your sake, and wallet!, was Weller 12 yo. It is a great bourbon at a great price, flat out. No wonder it was gone, right?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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