What Bourbon Did You Pass On 2022

[PaulO]

49 minutes ago, JCwhammie said:

I was out of town, picking up a bottle that I can't get at home, so I passed on this. I'm wishing I wouldve bought it for that outstanding price. 

I would've been all over that.

It's become one of the favorite daily drinker type of pours.

Don't tell the taters.

[mbroo5880i]

23 hours ago, PaulO said:

I would've been all over that.

It's become one of the favorite daily drinker type of pours.

Don't tell the taters.

 

I have never seen it in a 1.75 L bottle.  What a great idea.  

[Skinsfan1311]

15 hours ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

I have never seen it in a 1.75 L bottle.  What a great idea.  

VA ABC stores has lots of them in 1.75L bottles.   I bought one, tried it, and gave it to my sister to make bourbon slushes.   I just don't care for it.   I want to, but I just don't.   I prefer the BiB

[mal00768]

5 hours ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

VA ABC stores has lots of them in 1.75L bottles.   I bought one, tried it, and gave it to my sister to make bourbon slushes.   I just don't care for it.   I want to, but I just don't.   I prefer the BiB

Ditto for me.

[mbroo5880i]

7 hours ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

VA ABC stores has lots of them in 1.75L bottles.   I bought one, tried it, and gave it to my sister to make bourbon slushes.   I just don't care for it.   I want to, but I just don't.   I prefer the BiB

 

I get it.  I do like it.  It is not a first choice bottle but....it is a great bottle for cookies and other baking and when in the house, it begs to be sampled to ensure freshness.  My wife seems to notice her baking bourbon disappears quickly.  

 

I usually pick up a bottle for baking and then it disappears.  Must be the cork.  

 

I prefer EW BIB but...drum roll please...I prefer EW1783 over EWSiB.

[markandrex]

I saw a WR Baccarat gift set for $1899.99 today.  

[CaptTim]

26 minutes ago, markandrex said:

I saw a WR Baccarat gift set for $1899.99 today.  

And you didn't pick it up......lol

[0895]

5 hours ago, markandrex said:

I saw a WR Baccarat gift set for $1899.99 today.  

 

$100 off?

suchadeal!

[markandrex]

30 minutes ago, 0895 said:

 

$100 off?

suchadeal!

I know, it was soooo tempting!🫣

[Kepler]

On 11/13/2022 at 1:59 PM, fosmith said:

I can see why some people may not be a fan of this but I think it's pretty tasty.  Butterscotch on the nose and palate brings to mind biting into a Butterfinger candy bar but without the chocolate.  It's sweet but I like sweet bourbons.  It is youthful but not in a bad way, IMO.  And it is a bit hot but so are most 125 proofers.  I initially bought a bottle just to satisfy my curiosity and liked it enough to buy a couple more.  If you do break down and try it, let us know what you think. 

I do love me some Butterfinger candy bars. Sounds tasty!

[kcgumbohead]

Local had a pre Thanksgiving/Black Friday allocated release week, actually Wednesday-Friday. Blantons, ETL, EH TAYLOR, 4R sbbs, Willet 8 yr Wheated Weller FP and a few others. There was no schedule just placed out at random throughout the days. The store is within walking distance so I stopped in mostly for entertainment purposes. The taters lurking/loitering gave the otherwise nice shop a very creepy vibe, cell phones at the ready as they slowly shuffle up and down aisles in anticipation of a store clerk rolling out the next batch of must haves. The only item I saw out during my visits was a lone bottle of the Willett. I knew nothing of it and laughed out loud when I saw the 250.00 price. Someone else snatched it up moments later. Every single bottle they put out including the 4R at 100.00 per bottle sold out!! I’ve said it before but damn am I glad to have a bunker. I feel this hobby has in large part passed me by. Happy hunting to those of you that partake in the feeding frenzy. That old dude at the checkout with the WT101 and or OGDbib may be me!! You sure as hell won’t get any competition from me in the allocated section.

[Jazzhead]

2 hours ago, kcgumbohead said:

Local had a pre Thanksgiving/Black Friday allocated release week, actually Wednesday-Friday. Blantons, ETL, EH TAYLOR, 4R sbbs, Willet 8 yr Wheated Weller FP and a few others. There was no schedule just placed out at random throughout the days. The store is within walking distance so I stopped in mostly for entertainment purposes. The taters lurking/loitering gave the otherwise nice shop a very creepy vibe, cell phones at the ready as they slowly shuffle up and down aisles in anticipation of a store clerk rolling out the next batch of must haves. The only item I saw out during my visits was a lone bottle of the Willett. I knew nothing of it and laughed out loud when I saw the 250.00 price. Someone else snatched it up moments later. Every single bottle they put out including the 4R at 100.00 per bottle sold out!! I’ve said it before but damn am I glad to have a bunker. I feel this hobby has in large part passed me by. Happy hunting to those of you that partake in the feeding frenzy. That old dude at the checkout with the WT101 and or OGDbib may be me!! You sure as hell won’t get any competition from me in the allocated section.

I don't shop in the allocated section either.   But the legacy distillers still let me enjoy the hobby (and always fine bourbon) by offering as  permanent line extensions  batched, cask strength,  double soaked and single barrel variants of the same mashbill (Old Forester),  curated barrel blending of the highest order (Bookers and Little Book  from Beam),  delicious bourbon geekery focused on differences in yeast strains (Four Roses),  the world''s most  classic bourbon you can blend yourself to proof perfection (Rare Breed crossed with RR10),  and wheated bourbon finished in all manner of barrel staves (Makers Mark).

 

I say the tater problem is mainly a Buffalo Trace problem.   They alone don't seem to want to cater to folks like us other than on the basis of allocation and scarcity.  Right now the only BT product I care about is Saz Rye.  

 

I have two primary complaints about the current bourbon situation.   Why is WTKS so hard to find?    And where is my Pikesville?

[Skinsfan1311]

1 hour ago, Jazzhead said:

I don't shop in the allocated section either.   But the legacy distillers still let me enjoy the hobby (and always fine bourbon) by offering as  permanent line extensions  batched, cask strength,  double soaked and single barrel variants of the same mashbill (Old Forester),  curated barrel blending of the highest order (Bookers and Little Book  from Beam),  delicious bourbon geekery focused on differences in yeast strains (Four Roses),  the world''s most  classic bourbon you can blend yourself to proof perfection (Rare Breed crossed with RR10),  and wheated bourbon finished in all manner of barrel staves (Makers Mark).

 

I say the tater problem is mainly a Buffalo Trace problem.   They alone don't seem to want to cater to folks like us other than on the basis of allocation and scarcity.  Right now the only BT product I care about is Saz Rye.  

 

I have two primary complaints about the current bourbon situation.   Why is WTKS so hard to find?    And where is my Pikesville?

I agree with everything in your post.

Where the heck is the Pikesville??

[Mattk]

25 minutes ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

I agree with everything in your post.

Where the heck is the Pikesville??

My understanding is that all the pikesville barrels got dumped into the EC rye National release. So they haven't been available for quite some time actually. Some slower moving stores still have a few on the shelves but then that is it. A HH sales rep I was talking with did say they were planning on reintroducing pikesville to the market once enough barrels aged again. So it is still going to be a while before it makes it back to the shelves.

[Skinsfan1311]

22 minutes ago, Mattk said:

My understanding is that all the pikesville barrels got dumped into the EC rye National release. So they haven't been available for quite some time actually. Some slower moving stores still have a few on the shelves but then that is it. A HH sales rep I was talking with did say they were planning on reintroducing pikesville to the market once enough barrels aged again. So it is still going to be a while before it makes it back to the shelves.

Well......that sucks.

I want to like EC rye, but I don't. It drinks too thin.

Thanks for sharing!

[PhantomLamb]

Just scrolling thru the thread, if anyone is looking and relatively close to western PA, let me know, we have been swimming in Pikesville lately.

[bayouredd]

On 11/17/2022 at 1:49 PM, markandrex said:

I saw a WR Baccarat gift set for $1899.99 today.  

Even with the OBVIOUSLY included Happy Ending, that may be a pass!!!

Edited November 19, 2022 by bayouredd

[mbroo5880i]

5 hours ago, Mattk said:

My understanding is that all the pikesville barrels got dumped into the EC rye National release. So they haven't been available for quite some time actually. Some slower moving stores still have a few on the shelves but then that is it. A HH sales rep I was talking with did say they were planning on reintroducing pikesville to the market once enough barrels aged again. So it is still going to be a while before it makes it back to the shelves.

 

While I do like EC Rye, I love Pikesville.  In my area, when found the current price of Pikesville is around $40 while EC Rye is $30.  Based on what you are saying, it sounds like when Pikesville returns to the shelves it might be more expensive. 

[Skinsfan1311]

3 minutes ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

While I do like EC Rye, I love Pikesville.  In my area, when found the current price of Pikesville is around $40 while EC Rye is $30.  Based on what you are saying, it sounds like when Pikesville returns to the shelves it might be more expensive. 

I'd buy a case of it $40.00.  I've never seen it, anywhere, for less than $50.00.

 

[mbroo5880i]

3 minutes ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

I'd buy a case of it $40.00.  I've never seen it, anywhere, for less than $50.00.

 

 

To be honest, I really don't recall having seen it recently.  The $40 price was the last time I remember seeing.  I am planning on doing a little shopping tomorrow so now I will be on the look out.

[Skinsfan1311]

21 minutes ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

To be honest, I really don't recall having seen it recently.  The $40 price was the last time I remember seeing.  I am planning on doing a little shopping tomorrow so now I will be on the look out.

I'm guessing that it's been a few years, at that price.

[mbroo5880i]

14 minutes ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

I'm guessing that it's been a few years, at that price.

 

I am struggling to remember.  Between the whiskey and Hallmark movie, my memory is on short circuit.  However, I would guess I have seen it for that price this year.  I plan to scout around tomorrow at a few stores that I don't get to very often.  As mentioned above, it may still be available at stores where it is slow moving.  I don't recall having seen it recently at high volume retailers. 

[TBoner]

I bought Pikesville as recently as January for $44 here, but I haven't seen it since that time. I've only ever seen it at bigger retailers here, but I always hold out hope I'll stumble on a bottle.

[flahute]

On 11/19/2022 at 10:03 AM, Jazzhead said:

I say the tater problem is mainly a Buffalo Trace problem.   They alone don't seem to want to cater to folks like us other than on the basis of allocation and scarcity.  Right now the only BT product I care about is Saz Rye.  

 

I have two primary complaints about the current bourbon situation.   Why is WTKS so hard to find?    And where is my Pikesville?

Well, the taters are now after WT products so it's not just a Buffalo Trace problem.

 

Had a very interesting conversation yesterday with a bar owner who is doing barrel picks for the local community. I picked up my Blanton's and Stagg (Jr) bottles and he was discussing the recent decision by Sazerac to switch distributors here in WA State. The previous distributor was using the Saz products as bribes to get stores to carry other things. They switched because they want the products in the hands of enthusiasts. To that end they are letting this bar do picks of desirable Saz products under the condition that they don't end up on the secondary market. To prevent the latter, the bar owner is hand numbering the bottles on the sticker and keeping track of who has what number. I hope it works.

[Jazzhead]

1 hour ago, flahute said:

Well, the taters are now after WT products so it's not just a Buffalo Trace problem.

 

Had a very interesting conversation yesterday with a bar owner who is doing barrel picks for the local community. I picked up my Blanton's and Stagg (Jr) bottles and he was discussing the recent decision by Sazerac to switch distributors here in WA State. The previous distributor was using the Saz products as bribes to get stores to carry other things. They switched because they want the products in the hands of enthusiasts. To that end they are letting this bar do picks of desirable Saz products under the condition that they don't end up on the secondary market. To prevent the latter, the bar owner is hand numbering the bottles on the sticker and keeping track of who has what number. I hope it works.

It's good to hear they are trying to do something.   Ultimately, this is a market distortion that doesn't affect anyone who doesn't choose to be affected by it.  I'm not immune -  I may not miss seeing a Blantons in five years or even a CEHT small batch in the past year.   But this absence of Pikesville is bugging me.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Jazzhead