What Bourbon Did You Purchase Winter 2023?

[MM818]

11 minutes ago, Anwalt said:

 

I was notified on the 3rd as well.  My pick was #10 on my list, pretty happy about that.

I think that means we were in the second 500. 1000 bottles were claimed. 1500 invitations sent. Madness! 

[Obree]

10 hours ago, Anwalt said:

Well, the nice people at KL Wines have a lottery. If you buy "enough" from them at MSRP, you are guaranteed a bottle (granted, it could be a WSR).  I had a bit of luck and got a Stagg Jr #17 for $50.  

 

I'm pretty darned pleased with that bit of luck.

 

It'll be a minute in the getting - shipping & all, else I'd have posted a pic.

Nice win!

[Obree]

On 3/3/2023 at 7:20 AM, Anwalt said:

Got lucky and found a W12 for 55E.  Those things disappear off the shelves and immediately go for 100 to 200 Euros online.  Taking this one to Paris for Obree, whom we shall have the pleasure of meeting Saturday evening.  

 

Told the Wifey "I met him online".  She did not seem to find that reassuring.  I mentioned I met others online and will see them in Kentucky in April.  That did not appear to help matters at all.  

 

Stranger Danger!

Good thing I did not turn out to be an axe murderer then! We will share the story on the bottle exchange later on SB!

[mbroo5880i]

On 3/4/2023 at 6:26 AM, Anwalt said:

Well, made it to Andorra (duty-free paradise for French & Spaniards, plus beautiful & excellent skiing).  Not a major bourbon place.  They have a lot of JD, "normal" 4R (but not Select), BT, ER, etc. at very good prices.  Not enough of a price differential to be worth taking to the US (at least in my view, better things to fill luggage with), but certainly worth a pick-up if you are in the area and want something.

 

They have periodic one-off finds.  There were Booker 2015-2's for 60 Euros recently (taxes included in all prices).  A friend found 6 high-demand (I forget what they were, exactly) Scotches that were serious dusties...20 years in a back room with 20-year old prices on a whiskey that was evidently desireable back then, much less now.  If there, I would walk into every single store that sells booze. Some of the one-off deals/dusties were in normal groceries.  You can hit most of the stores pretty easily, it's a small place.  

 

I picked up 2 ECBP B519's 700 ml's for 90 Euro each.  Probably not a great price, but I wanted them.  They had A120's as well, same price.  I picked up an EHT SmB for 60E (saw it for 57E elsewhere later on) for a friend, as that's a very, very good price in Europe.

 

I know the Irish whiskey prices were very good, even by French standards (my experience in France is that the Spots are much cheaper than in the US).  My friend is a Scotch guy and said the prices were very good, I wouldn't know.  Ditto Japanese, lots of that.

 

Women's fashion "stuff" is evidently insanely very well priced.  My daughter went nuts with money she had saved for the trip and was very, very pleased.

 

I posted some random pics.

 

Would I drive there for a bourbon trip?  No, not unless I got a tip-off that was very good and very recent (tatering is a thing there now).  Would I take a trip if the wimmin were inclined to spend a bunch and were going to do it no matter what?  Oh yeah.

 

So, the FR SiB is approximately $27.50 USD?

[mbroo5880i]

I find the bourbon craze increasingly interesting.  In the old days, a few bourbon nerds would be on the bourbon aisle.  I was at a store yesterday where the bourbon aisle was packed.  The wives or significant others were consulting with their man about "their" preferences.  The wife or significant other (in more than one instance) was either supporting the purchaser's choice or directly them to another option.  I walked away with a WT101, WTR101, OF100, FRSiB at approximately 20% less than my normal store.  

 

C'mon, taters and significant others.  Bourbon is for old guys.  We deserve to have something that is ours only.

[Anwalt]

5 hours ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

So, the FR SiB is approximately $27.50 USD?

 

Yes.  It costs considerably more in Europe outside of Andorra, more than 2x if I recall correctly.  Assuming one even sees it.  In Paris today before heading back home tomorrow, I'll see what MdW charges for it.  I rarely see 4R in French liquor shops, the quantities in Andorra were striking.  But no Select, not in any of the shops.

 

I learned something new: MdW is the distributor for most bourbons in France, including Blanton's.  That's interesting.  They are a retailer ("The" retailer) AND the distributor.  Conflict of interest, anyone?  Profitable as hell, anyone?

 

The smaller stores I frequent (they are all small compared with MdW) complain that they "get what they get if & when the distributor feels like it, period".  They never mention who the distributor is, probably afraid of irritating them and loses what they do get.  I learned this from a new acquaintance who took me to Andorra.

 

Nice gig if you can get it.

Edited March 6, 2023 by Anwalt

[Anwalt]

Well, I didn't think I'd buy any more bourbon/American Whiskey in France.

 

Stopped at a wine place on the way back to the Airbnb to look at the Sauternes.  

 

The only American Whiskey in the whole store was one old dusty, JD Silver.  Don't know much about it other than they don't make them anymore.  Seemed like a good risk at 43 Euros.

[Obree]

2 hours ago, Anwalt said:

Well, I didn't think I'd buy any more bourbon/American Whiskey in France.

 

Stopped at a wine place on the way back to the Airbnb to look at the Sauternes.  

 

The only American Whiskey in the whole store was one old dusty, JD Silver.  Don't know much about it other than they don't make them anymore.  Seemed like a good risk at 43 Euros.

Really good find! That price is MSRP in Europe (do not know about USA) and they are hard to find now. See them go for 150-200 or even more in auctions!

[Obree]

7 hours ago, Anwalt said:

 

Yes.  It costs considerably more in Europe outside of Andorra, more than 2x if I recall correctly.  Assuming one even sees it.  In Paris today before heading back home tomorrow, I'll see what MdW charges for it.  I rarely see 4R in French liquor shops, the quantities in Andorra were striking.  But no Select, not in any of the shops.

 

I learned something new: MdW is the distributor for most bourbons in France, including Blanton's.  That's interesting.  They are a retailer ("The" retailer) AND the distributor.  Conflict of interest, anyone?  Profitable as hell, anyone?

 

The smaller stores I frequent (they are all small compared with MdW) complain that they "get what they get if & when the distributor feels like it, period".  They never mention who the distributor is, probably afraid of irritating them and loses what they do get.  I learned this from a new acquaintance who took me to Andorra.

 

Nice gig if you can get it.

The French way

[Grady330]

My LS has finally gotten on the small OF train. Picked up a 1920. One of my favorites. 

[0895]

18 hours ago, Anwalt said:

 

I learned something new: MdW is the distributor for most bourbons in France, including Blanton's.  That's interesting.  They are a retailer ("The" retailer) AND the distributor.  Conflict of interest, anyone?  Profitable as hell, anyone?

 

Yes indeed.

I used to be able to get their special bottlings in the U.S.

To the best of my knowledge this is the only/one of the few 100p Blanton’s bottlings.

Ahh the good old days of 7 years ago…

 

[PhantomLamb]

1 hour ago, 0895 said:

Yes indeed.

I used to be able to get their special bottlings in the U.S.

To the best of my knowledge this is the only/one of the few 100p Blanton’s bottlings.

Ahh the good old days of 7 years ago…

 

LMDW know how to pick them too, legendary…

[stevegoz]

Found these at a little place in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood last night -- oddly, the tube was found shoved into a champagne rack, but clearly meant to be sold to just any customer who might come upon it.... 

[Sven Heuchert]

Never tried before. Lets see. 

[apt43bear]

On 3/4/2023 at 12:21 PM, Anwalt said:

 

I was notified on the 3rd as well.  My pick was #10 on my list, pretty happy about that.

It’s always nice to hear what people got from

the K&L lottery. I ended up with an EH Taylor Barrel Proof this year. Think it was somewhere in my top 15 or 20 so overall pleased.  Last year I got a Weller Full Proof.  They said that if you’re in the lottery, everyone only has one entry regardless of spend. 

[Davesnothere]

T minus 2 1/2 hours for a store pick Stagg. 

Am I really first in line? Owner says yes. 

I was thinking we got here too late.

Let's hope it's a good one!

[Cibsie]

I really can't help myself these days.  Feel really lucky to keep finding these, but damn the cost adds up.

 

[Davesnothere]

We were able to pick up four Stagg and an EHT, because why not?  He brought out a couple of cases with the Stagg.  It was the most laid back drop I've ever attended. Only about a dozen people showed up for 20 cases of a single barrel  Stagg.  

There was no line and he just kept opening boxes and setting them out in his store pick section.

[steven s]

nice, you got a storage box as well!   You are in a control state, correct?

[Obree]

5 hours ago, Davesnothere said:

We were able to pick up four Stagg and an EHT, because why not?  He brought out a couple of cases with the Stagg.  It was the most laid back drop I've ever attended. Only about a dozen people showed up for 20 cases of a single barrel  Stagg.  

There was no line and he just kept opening boxes and setting them out in his store pick section.

Wow, great catch!

[Anwalt]

9 hours ago, Davesnothere said:

We were able to pick up four Stagg and an EHT, because why not?  He brought out a couple of cases with the Stagg.  It was the most laid back drop I've ever attended. Only about a dozen people showed up for 20 cases of a single barrel  Stagg.  

There was no line and he just kept opening boxes and setting them out in his store pick section.

Wow.

[Cibsie]

13 hours ago, Davesnothere said:

We were able to pick up four Stagg and an EHT, because why not?  He brought out a couple of cases with the Stagg.  It was the most laid back drop I've ever attended. Only about a dozen people showed up for 20 cases of a single barrel  Stagg.  

There was no line and he just kept opening boxes and setting them out in his store pick section.

Wow!  Around here you'd show up 5 hours early and maybe have a chance at 1.  Nice find!  Only time I've ever gotten a Stagg was paying a ridiculous secondary price, but maybe I need to make a cross-country trip soon.

[Grady330]

Scored another ECBP C922 and a Henry McKenna BiB, Good day!! We have a tasting for another SB store pick next week with the EC rep. 3 barrel samples coming in. All 3 are 8 years plus. So by the time we receive the bottles should be 9 year!! we did this this past fall ( I don't work there, just a good customer!!), and they sold it for $39 each !! Damn good juice. for the price. 

[stevegoz]

As a man with a modest budget, yesterday was an expensive day. Saw the KC18 priced at retail on the website of a store on the south side of Chicago that gives points for each purchase. I was just shy of the points needed to buy it, so I bought the WT101 to push me over the top. Then found the WTKS at a different place on the way home -- debated between this bottle and the last KC12 they had, but figured I'd already purchased a KC single barrel store pick a few days earlier and went with the WTKS....

[Bourserker]

Below is my "haul" over the last couple of weeks (2 trips to the store).  The funny thing here is I put myself on a moratorium with a few exceptions, and welp as you can see I ran into 4 exceptions...I'm gonna have to work harder on understanding what a moratorium actually is and keep my arse out of the liquor stores...ha ha.  Anyway, was pretty pumped about the ER as I haven't had one of these in quite a while.  I'm not on the VA ABC drop email for a reason (no self control) so I happened upon it in the aftermath of a recent drop.