Oh, the humanity!!!

[RedVette]

I just got a call from the Seelbach, who just got a call from UPS, my shipment home was "destroyed".

On my trip to Louisville this weekend I went to Old Town Liquors and picked up 10 bottles for the collection. Knowing that Northwest Airlines would not like it very much if I packed 10 bottles of Bourbon in my luggage, I arranged to have them shipped to my home. I did take the three most expensive bottles (Old Pogue, 95 Birthday, and Hancocks Presidential) in my luggage, but I shipped the rest, and it is gone forever. Sazerac Rye, Four Roses Single Barrel, VOB, Old Fitz 1849, Old Heaven Hill BIB, ORVW 10/107, VSOFitzgerald, all gone. I almost took the Four roses in my carry on, but thought " what could happen", and packed it with the rest.

A moment of silence please.

Good Bye fair Bourbon.

[jeff]

Rob,

I raise my glass to your fallen soldiers. Our thoughts and prayers are with you:pope:

[SBOmarc]

I began reading your post, almost not wanting to know what was lost. Once I read that much too long list I gave a moment of respectful silence...

...and then I poured a drink.

[BSS]

Were they destroyed because it was being shipped illegally or did they break it on accident?

[dale3mike]

Well, I've got a Four Roses and a ORVW 10/107 that I'll pour, in memory, but I think that you'd prefer I pour a Pogue to drink with you, in their honor. :slappin:

Mike

[T47]

Truly a sad day, an artists work destroyed without being enjoyed...what a waste...tonight, I drink to your loss my Bourbon drinking brother. Though I don't know you, I know your pain.

:frown:

[gr8erdane]

Take comfort in the fact that they did not fall into the hands of the TSA as did some of Cliff's a couple of years ago. At least they fell with honor.

[RedVette]

Thank you all, for your heartfelt sympathy. Apparantly I did not adequately protect the contents from the gorillas that handled the package. My next trip to Kentucky I plan on driving, and I can be the gorilla.

[MikeK]

"Destroyed?" Yeah, sure! The workers figured out what was inside.

The last time I went to KY I brought some sections of lightweight (but rigid) drainage hose I got at Home Depot. It is just the right diameter to slide bottles into and thus become armor. I was planning to pack bottles in my suitcases inside these tubes. Well, I ended up buying way too many bottles to put in the suitcase, so I packed most of the bottles tightly in a "case box" from the liquor store, and then placed that box inside a bigger box full of packing peanuts. Nice and safe. Took it on the plane, no problems.

I say, It may be illegal to ship alcohol to your state, but it's OK to bring it back with you.

Airline regs: You are allowed up to 5 liters! in your carry-on. No limit stated for your checked baggage. As long as it is <140 proof (ruling out certain 2005 vintages) they don't care.

Mike

[DrinkyBanjo]

That is some of the worst news I've heard. BTW I would not be too surprised if the workers did get into this and help themselves.

[Gillman]

I am curious if our foreign readers understand the use of the term "Oh the humanity" as title of the thread. It is a reference to a disaster in the 1930's in New Jersey: a large balloon carrying paying passengers designed by Zeppelin burned and crashed with the loss of many lives unfortunately. I think it was called Graf Zeppelin. A live radio show was covering the docking of the craft and the announcer when the fire started reported on that and the ultimate demise of the craft. His tone was more than sombre, he was obviously upset and in fact half-crying. He used the expression, "Oh the humanity" in the course of the broadcast and it has entered American lore (and beyond to a degree) as an emblem of extreme emotion and trauma. Of course on the thread it is being used in a different way, humorously and not of course with any disrespect to the tragedy which gave rise to the expression, but that is the origin of it.

Gary

[Vange]

I recently purchased 3 bottles of pappy 23 for $175 a pop. I promised one to a co-worker and put it in my car to give it to him after work. At lunchtime a few of us went out and took my car and someone saw the bottle in placed it where back speakers in a car would be. (not sure that to call that area, but behind the backseats) Lunch went fine and we returned, but the bottle stayed in that spot. I leave work at 4 pm and come back to my car and see the bottle on its side where it was left with the cork popped out?!? 3/4 of the contents spilled on that area of my car and a bourbon smell that reminds me everyday of my loss. I was sick to my stomach when I saw it!

What's bothers me is the following. The bottle was sealed and has a wax dipped top. How the hell did it open up? Could it open just by being in the sun and on it's side? I am still perplexed, but very saddened by this loss.

I feel your pain as well..........

[T47]

Check out Bettye Jo's post in Why don't the sell White Dog that might explain your loss! If not that then one of your buddies had a better lunch than you!

[MikeK]

Most likely the bottle contents heated up in the sun, expanded, and forced the cork out. Physics at work. This thread has made me very sad. I'll toast to you both tonight.

[Hedmans Brorsa]

I am curious if our foreign readers understand the use of the term "Oh the humanity" as title of the thread.

Gary

I didn´t know about that, Gary. Thanks for the historical background

I have heard the phrase before but I would never have guessed its gruesome roots.

[Gillman]

Hedmans, dial into www.nlhs.com/tragedy.htm. You will see a story of the disaster with an audio link of the radio broadcast, the announcer was Herb Morrison. He mentions the "humanity" term at .36 in the broadcast. It was a dirigible, the Hindenburg that burned and crashed due to being hydrogen-filled. Its demise spelled the end (to this day) of dirigibles as a form of commercial transport. The ship was a symbol of growing Nazi power. There were rumours the cause was sabotage but it appears to have been lightning. Its demise hardly humbled the rising Hitler regime but it was a kind of propaganda failure for Hitler, as was the success of Jesse Owens at the Olympic Games around the same time (circa 1937). Unfortunately it took at lot more than that to topple Hitler...

Gary

[pepcycle]

See this older thread

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2180&highlight=car+leaked

[Vange]

Mr. Ed,

Thanks for the link. I am less perplexed now since it happened to someone else with a wax top as well. What do I do? Can I report it and get a replacement bottle? I almost feel that the extreme heat and having the bottle open for 4+ hours probably hurt the remaining 1/4 bottle of contents as well.

[hookfinger]

I can't count how many apprehensive hours are spent on tarmacs and at carousels, visions of old Samosonite commercials running through our heads. Knock on wood, I've been lucky so far. My condolences.

[TNbourbon]

...Can I report it and get a replacement bottle?..

I hate to break this to you, but the care of that bottle became your responsibility once it left the store. They leave a space between the top of the fill and the bottom of the stopper to account for reasonable expansion. Storage at high temps isn't common or recommended.

[Vange]

i figured as much, but it cant hurt to try. I understand it was my own stupidity.

[Sijan]

that is heartbreaking - I worry about this a lot whenever I travel with bourbon or wine in my checked luggage, but sometimes it's just unavoidable

A friend of mine had a bottle of Vodka stolen from a package he shipped via when moving a few years ago, so it happens sometimes.