Bourbon

[Mo Horn 8807]

4 hours ago, Party_Taco said:

How was that Hidden Barn, Mo? I was scammed on the only bottle I was able to track down and then gave up…

I haven't tried any of them yet. Just won it last night, and had already had an evening of tastings. Will do some tastings over the next few weeks. No way I can do it all in one sitting.

I was able to try several things last night that I'd never had. There weren't any allocated ones, or anything like that. Just bottles of what people enjoy, and a few things you don't see on the shelf every day. Someone did bring a Blanton so that was probably the rarest thing there. 

[henrygandorf 29177]

they need to do a better job keeping the stash room organized or shit like this will continue to happen. 

 

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

12 hours ago, Mo Horn said:

Went to a local Facebook bourbon group gathering tonight. There were 50 different bottles that people brought to share. Tried several different things, and had a great time. We won the door prize. 25 different pours to taste and comment on. It was a great night.

Did y’all rank them? I’m curious about the Remus Gatsby. 

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

4 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

they need to do a better job keeping the stash room organized or shit like this will continue to happen. 

 

I just have to laugh at this point. Fing California.

Edited May 28, 2023 by billfromlaketravis

[henrygandorf 29177]

3 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I just have to laugh at this point. Fing California.

this is also a case of my relationship building with a woman at my neighborhood grocery that goes back 5-6 years since well before she became spirits manager. she knows who i am and what i am about. got real lucky she ended up where she did. 

relationships are everything. 

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

2 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

this is also a case of my relationship building with a woman at my neighborhood grocery that goes back 5-6 years since well before she became spirits manager. she knows who i am and what i am about. got real lucky she ended up where she did. 

relationships are everything. 

Not hating the player or the game. I’m just saying that would never happen in Houston. Ever. That’d in some employee’s trunk/Facebook in under an hour. 

[henrygandorf 29177]

4 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Not hating the player or the game. I’m just saying that would never happen in Houston. Ever. That’d in some employee’s trunk/Facebook in under an hour. 

100%.

liquor at groceries, pharmacies, and convenient stores creates a completely different dynamic. i never score from big box like bevmo or total wine. 

[Mo Horn 8807]

23 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Did y’all rank them? I’m curious about the Remus Gatsby. 

I don't think they're ranked. The admins of the group just put them together. As we taste them over the next few weeks, we'll keep notes and do some ranking. 

[BigDHornfan 6541]

Not hating the player or the game. I’m just saying that would never happen in Houston. Ever. That’d in some employee’s trunk/Facebook in under an hour. 

Eh, before my GG hookup left the company, he’d do that for me every Xmas.
There are still some people at stores that just want bottles to end up where they will be opened and enjoyed.
I just don’t know any of them anymore.

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

19 minutes ago, BigDHornfan said:

Eh, before my GG hookup left the company, he’d do that for me every Xmas.
There are still some people at stores that just want bottles to end up where they will be opened and enjoyed.
I just don’t know any of them anymore.

I’d like to think my Spec’s people share that philosophy. They’ve said as much, but they follow orders. I think if they found a bottle of WLW stashed away, one of two things would happen. 1) They’d call their top commercial clients until they find a taker. 2) They put it back in the stash room and pull it out again for the December drop. 

[henrygandorf 29177]

3 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I’d like to think my Spec’s people share that philosophy. They’ve said as much, but they follow orders. I think if they found a bottle of WLW stashed away, one of two things would happen. 1) They’d call their top commercial clients until they find a taker. 2) They put it back in the stash room and pull it out again for the December drop. 

what you’re describing is like my k&l situation. they’ve always got stuff in the back because they have a 300+ bottle lottery at the end of every year. 

grocery stores are a whole different thing. the good spirits managers try to take care of their local shoppers and avoid flippers.

if a stranger wandered in and asked about a stash room they’d be like wtf are you on about?

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

17 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

what you’re describing is like my k&l situation. they’ve always got stuff in the back because they have a 300+ bottle lottery at the end of every year. 

grocery stores are a whole different thing. the good spirits managers try to take care of their local shoppers and avoid flippers.

if a stranger wandered in and asked about a stash room they’d be like wtf are you on about?

A store down the road hung a sign recently stating they’ll only sell allocated bottles to regulars, and flippers would be wise to keep moving. 

I agree with their philosophy, but money talks and bullshit walks. They’re asking $115 for Kosher Rye and $326 for Remus Gatsby. Pretty hefty mark ups. 

[Party_Taco 3674]

Tonight’s selections from the vault:

[Buzzrock 14871]

Farmstead restaurant in Napa Valley has a good list and some good prices. $22 for a 2 oz pour of Weller 107 barrel pick is pretty solid.

Best deviled eggs and ham sliders too.

[Armybrat 40744]

WTF….. $109,999.99 for this?

https://www.idrinkkosher.com/spirits/Bowmore-Arc-52-w98996087s?utm_source=Google+Shopping&utm_medium=cpc&gad=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_-uFnpab_wIVkiKtBh2BzgMiEAkYAiABEgJHUvD_BwE

 

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

4 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

WTF….. $109,999.99 for this?

https://www.idrinkkosher.com/spirits/Bowmore-Arc-52-w98996087s?utm_source=Google+Shopping&utm_medium=cpc&gad=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_-uFnpab_wIVkiKtBh2BzgMiEAkYAiABEgJHUvD_BwE

 

Nuts.

The cast of Billions usually passed around a bottle of Michter’s Celebration at season wrap parties. That’s a $6k bottle, and I’m imagine Michter’s hooked them up in exchange for prominently displaying their bottles in episodes.

Some of those Red Hook Ryes got insane returns at auction. In the $20-30k range. $100k for brown water is sinful. 

[Txslnghrns 1351]

WTF….. $109,999.99 for this?
https://www.idrinkkosher.com/spirits/Bowmore-Arc-52-w98996087s?utm_source=Google+Shopping&utm_medium=cpc&gad=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_-uFnpab_wIVkiKtBh2BzgMiEAkYAiABEgJHUvD_BwE
 

[Armybrat 40744]

No fancy dixie paper cup for you? Lol

[Yev Kassem 1027]

Just your regular Monday afternoon pour…

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

Speaking of ridiculous pricing, I recommended Kentucky Owl Bourbon to a coworker recently. He said he needed something good, didn’t care what it cost, and didn’t want to use secondary sites. 
 

I’m gobsmacked they increased the price an additional $100 dollars to $400. I think I bought Batch 2 for about $289 and it was a stretch then. But yeah, pretty good.

I wish these liquor stores would just give in and put Confiscated on sale. Spec’s and Total haven’t budged from $140. Also good, but priced about $80 too high. 

[Yev Kassem 1027]

Initial impression. ER17> DEVR thanks to proof. ER17 is 101 while the DEVR we had is from 2019 and is 90 proof. We sampled DEVR, ER17 and regular ER and regular ER took a big step up in my book. You can definitely differentiate between DEVR and regular ER, but not by as much as you’d expect.  

[KeysPhoneWallet 807]

What’s devr?

[henrygandorf 29177]

double eagle very rare 20. 

[Hank Kingsley 20705]

Anyone had Rebecca Creek bottles that are their own distillate (not MGP)? If so, any of them good? 

 

 

[BigDHornfan 6541]

1 hour ago, Hank Kingsley said:

Anyone had Rebecca Creek bottles that are their own distillate (not MGP)? If so, any of them good? 

 

 

Yes.  and No.

[Bert Orange 1115]

And the pick is in….

 

 

[USCATX 1067]

2 hours ago, BigDHornfan said:

Yes.  and No.

Co-sign. 

[Yev Kassem 1027]

13 hours ago, Hank Kingsley said:

Anyone had Rebecca Creek bottles that are their own distillate (not MGP)? If so, any of them good? 

 

 

The BiB is their own and pretty good for $50. I’m a fan. 

[BigDHornfan 6541]

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

7 minutes ago, BigDHornfan said:

Not exactly my white whale, but I’ve only found one in the wild since 2017.

Is it hitting Texas soon?

[BigDHornfan 6541]

hopefully.  just got an email from Woodford saying it was being released.
It's been pretty easy to find every year for me.  

[huge 3788]

Just noticed that my unopened RC16 is 93.4 proof.

looks like I need to find another

[Bert Orange 1115]

28 minutes ago, huge said:

Just noticed that my unopened RC16 is 93.4 proof.

looks like I need to find another

Don’t be too quick there. The lower proofs I have opened are better than the two high proofs SBS. 

[Bert Orange 1115]

Just now, Bert Orange said:

Don’t be too quick there. The lower proofs I have opened are better than the two high proofs SBS. 

Though I haven’t tried barrel 5 in full disclosure. 

Handy RC16 proof list for those hunting…

 

Barrel     Proof
1    
2    
3    
4    101.6
5    93.4
6    103.7
7    103.6
8    104.1
9    
10    100.2
11    100.4
12    104
13    98.2
14    103.1
15    98
16    104.5
17    105.1
18    104.3
19    104.5
20    102.7
21    127.4
22    
23    128
24    130.7
25    132.1
26    124.4
27    131.5
28    124.9
29    125.4
30    
31    128.5
32    126.5
33    128
34    131.9

[BigDHornfan 6541]

Hearing chatter that the JD Sib BP Rye has hit Houston.

figures.

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

Oh my. 

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

8 hours ago, BigDHornfan said:

Hearing chatter that the JD Sib BP Rye has hit Houston.

figures.

Just ordered a case. We’ll see if they can fulfill it. 

[Bert Orange 1115]

31 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Just ordered a case. We’ll see if they can fulfill it. 

It’s a regular item now. Shouldn’t be an issue. 

[Party_Taco 3674]

Some days are better than others…

[huge 3788]

11 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Just ordered a case. We’ll see if they can fulfill it. 

Not showing up yet on Total Wine website

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

11 minutes ago, huge said:

Not showing up yet on Total Wine website

Try the Spec’s app. They weren’t able to get me a case of 6, but that got me 5. That’ll work. 

[Party_Taco 3674]

Delivery day… this should be a fun one!

[huge 3788]

22 hours ago, Bert Orange said:

Don’t be too quick there. The lower proofs I have opened are better than the two high proofs SBS. 

As far as 93.4 proof goes, the RC16 is great.  Had my first pour last night.  At $220 I would want to find one at a higher ABV and compare.

[BigDHornfan 6541]

47 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Try the Spec’s app. They weren’t able to get me a case of 6, but that got me 5. That’ll work. 

looks like you can do a case on their website.

appears every store in Houston got it.

 

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

When it rains, it pours: 

[huge 3788]

So the new 131 is very good.

But OG is truly Special in my estimation.

The new one is a reasonable $62 expression of the SR. But the SR is one of my all time pours. I feel like ZZTop wrote Legs about that Rye.

If this ends up being always available, Huzzah!

[BigDHornfan 6541]

Scored a back up today

Revisiting this one after awhile. So good.

[billfromlaketravis 11362]

Green River Bourbon ain’t bad for $35. Good nose and palette, thin finish. It’s a high rye 5 year old bourbon from a new distillery that was acquired by Bardstown in 2022. It’s better and cheaper than the high rye Origin Series. I can see why they bought out the competition. 
 

I’d compare to a high rye MGP of a similar age/proof. 

[Herbie Hancock 7307]

Maker's BEP is quite pleasant. Oak forward and a delayed cherry bomb on the back end. My intake has been minimal for the last 13 weeks so I feel confident in saying this is entirely too smooth for 110 proof

[Party_Taco 3674]

Ok, this Nulu DO is fascinating… it has very little in common with any other Double Oaked product I’ve had to date.

It’s more like a Double Toasted, which obviously doesn’t exist, but damned if that doesn’t shine through. Gonna give this some run, but the nose is full of hickory smoke and I’m compelled to return to this glass.