Bourbon

[Bozo_Casanova 26,874]

20 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

How much do you fuckers spend at liquor stores to have them hold WLW and GTS for you?  I've never heard of that happening out here.

I'm reestablishing myself right now because my two main guys moved on and I was sick for most of the year, but in general I spend about $300-$500/mo, mostly on wine and gin. 

I'll repeat something I've observed elsewhere - most liquor store managers are tired of talking bourbon with bourbon chasers, particularly BT honks. They are sick to death of talking about chase bottles and having their inventory cherry picked. It's good to spend money and come in the store a lot, but that's ante, because anybody with money can spend it. If the goal is to buy WLW and GTS and W12 handles for MSRP,  a good place to start is by thinking about how you establish yourself as a truly valuable customer and realize that you will always get outspent by dumb money. 

So whereas i do stop by a number of places just to see if I can get lucky I focus my spending on a couple of smallish non-flagship outlets of midsize chains. They are big enough companies to get the good stuff, but the stores are small enough that I can get on a first name basis with everyone at the store.

1) I might talk about what I think about bourbon, but I ask for recommendations on scotch, gin and wine. That makes me more interesting and gives the people at the store an opportunity to show off their acquired knowledge.

2) I buy what's recommended and I give a lot of feedback, and eventually the people at the store come to value my perspective and eventually start asking me about what I think.

3) When a good recommendation comes from a regular employee, I talk up their recommendations to the manager. 

4) When I talk bourbon, I talk about bourbons I haven't tried and then mention the ones that I haven't been able to get, but I really want. 

5) I make sure they know that I drink what I buy.

Edited December 21, 2019 by Bozo_Casanova

[billfromlaketravis 11,835]

11 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

I'm reestablishing myself right now because my two main guys moved on and I was sick for most of the year, but in general I spend about $300-$500/mo, mostly on wine and gin. 

I'll repeat something I've observed elsewhere - most liquor store managers are tired of talking bourbon with bourbon chasers, particularly BT honks. They are sick to death of talking about chase bottles and having their inventory cherry picked. It's good to spend money and come in the store a lot, but that's ante, because anybody with money can spend it. If the goal is to buy WLW and GTS and W12 handles for MSRP,  a good place to start is by thinking about how you establish yourself as a truly valuable customer and realize that you will always get outspent by dumb money. 

So whereas i do stop by a number of places just to see if I can get lucky I focus my spending on a couple of smallish non-flagship outlets of midsize chains. They are big enough companies to get the good stuff, but the stores are small enough that I can get on a first name basis with everyone at the store.

1) I might talk about what I think about bourbon, but I ask for recommendations on scotch, gin and wine. That makes me more interesting and gives the people at the store an opportunity to show off their acquired knowledge.

2) I buy what's recommended and I give a lot of feedback, and eventually the people at the store come to value my perspective and eventually start asking me about what I think.

3) When a good recommendation comes from a regular employee, I talk up their recommendations to the manager. 

4) When I talk bourbon, I talk about bourbons I haven't tried and then mention the ones that I haven't been able to get, but I really want. 

5) I make sure they know that I drink what I buy.

Relationships...

[deft 7,061]

That’s too much work. I’m going back to drinkin rotgut.

[Dogfishhead 100]

My buddy said he knew a good bourbon place so we met for drinks after a long work week. He brought the cigars. We started with weller full proof and were lucky enough to finish that last two pours of the bottle. The mouthfeel was great and just danced off the tongue always making you want more.



From there we moved on to weller CYPB. Pretty interesting story about the consumer having the ability to have input and play around with mashbill number 2 until it was “perfected”. At this point I was pretty fucked up but do remember it was indeed tasty. The finishing bourbon with cigars outside was the EHT barrel proof. Again my memory is a little hazy but I remember it being bold and complex, a little heavier and long lasting than the weller full proof. Hell of a night.


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[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

9 minutes ago, Dogfishhead said:

 The mouthfeel was great and just danced off the tongue always making you want more.




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You talk prettier than a $20 whore.....

Edited December 21, 2019 by Onboard 2.0

[4th&Five 42,011]

5 hours ago, deft said:

That’s too much work. I’m going back to drinkin rotgut.

No kidding. I’m fine with Larceny and a occasional pour from my W12 stash if there’s something to celebrate. 

[Buzzrock 15,137]

If I can keep finding Larceny, OF1910, and Bulleit 12 Year Rye I’m not sure I really need much else. The hunt is frustrating and expensive. I’ll eventually run out of Blanton’s and Weller 12/107 and Eagle Rare, but oh well.

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

A nice little Festivus miracle.  Found a bottle, the last bottle of Eagle Rare on the shelf, and on sale for $29.00.  

It's a gift, but I'll get some Christmas night.

 

Merry Christmas 

[SaucyJack 3,520]

22 hours ago, heso said:

When I got home today my wife says “I want you to open one of your Christmas presents early so you can enjoy it over the holiday”

 

She came down the block and told me the same thing!

 

!

 

i keed, i keed!!

22 hours ago, heso said:

 

 

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

Just got clued in to a store with 11 bottles sitting on the shelf.  May have to make a run tomorrow.  Anyone interested in a bottle or 2 ??

[deft 7,061]

Just got clued in to a store with 11 bottles sitting on the shelf.  May have to make a run tomorrow.  Anyone interested in a bottle or 2 ??

Sure. Maybe hit Chick-fil-A when you’re done.

[billfromlaketravis 11,835]

26 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Just got clued in to a store with 11 bottles sitting on the shelf.  May have to make a run tomorrow.  Anyone interested in a bottle or 2 ??

Obviously not in Texas. 

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,779]

Just got clued in to a store with 11 bottles sitting on the shelf.  May have to make a run tomorrow.  Anyone interested in a bottle or 2 ??

Sure if you drop it off to my peeps in Bull Island.

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

11 minutes ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

Sure if you drop it off to my peeps in Bull Island.

Yeah, not heading that way this holiday season, besides, those watermen bastards would drink it, and you'd never see it.  I know those Bull Islander poke-yer-cousinsers.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,779]

You’re talking about Ginny folk like@G650. Haha.

 

My sister doesn’t drink. It’s a safe space.

 

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

4 minutes ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

You’re talking about Ginny folk like@G650. Haha.

 

My sister doesn’t drink. It’s a safe space.

 

Yeah, always liked the Bull Islanders.  Those Guiney folk are worse for damn sure.  The wife's got a lot of that guiney blood in her. If G650 is one that answers some questions about him.

 I didn't know for a long time why they were so hated other than being called thieving scum by everyone on the Peninsula. The whole loyalty to the crown during the rev war apparently sealed their fate with the upstart colonists.

[heso 2,863]

3 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

A nice little Festivus miracle.  Found a bottle, the last bottle of Eagle Rare on the shelf, and on sale for $29.00.  

It's a gift, but I'll get some Christmas night.

 

Merry Christmas 

It’s always been crazy to me how scarce eagle rare is in some places. I’ve never walked into a liquor store in PA and it not been on the shelf. More often than not it’s an end cap with 6+ cases waiting to be bought. 

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

1 minute ago, heso said:

It’s always been crazy to me how scarce eagle rare is in some places. I’ve never walked into a liquor store in PA and it not been on the shelf. More often than not it’s an end cap with 6+ cases waiting to be bought. 

Yeah used to be common around here in Va. as well. You could walk in just about any ABC store and find Blantons, Eagle Rare, and Buffalo Trace all day long 3 years ago.  Not any more.  It's actually made me expand my palette, which isn't a bad thing.

[G650 14,447]

35 minutes ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

You’re talking about Ginny folk like@G650. Haha.

 

My sister doesn’t drink. It’s a safe space.

 

 

26 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Yeah, always liked the Bull Islanders.  Those Guiney folk are worse for damn sure.  The wife's got a lot of that guiney blood in her. If G650 is one that answers some questions about him.

 I didn't know for a long time why they were so hated other than being called thieving scum by everyone on the Peninsula. The whole loyalty to the crown during the rev war apparently sealed their fate with the upstart colonists.

I'd just like to state for the record hell the fuck no I'm not a goddamn Guinea man.

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

1 minute ago, G650 said:

 

I'd just like to state for the record hell the fuck no I'm not a goddamn Guinea man.

Me thinks he doth protest too much.....you do like hangin' in England.

[Jimbaround 987]

Nightcap after my firm’s Christmas party last night.

Take note folks; this is how you do the bourbon thread.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,779]

Haha. I knew I could drag him in with that.

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

3 minutes ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

Haha. I knew I could drag him in with that.

They're fightin' words.

[G650 14,447]

Got damn right.

 

Plus I couldn't fake that accent if I tried.

[ERhine 1,938]

Take note folks; this is how you do the bourbon thread.

I expected you to try and identify all the bottles in the photo.

[Bert Orange 1,173]

10 hours ago, ERhine said:

 

I expected you to try and identify all the bottles in the photo.

 

Looks like 2x BMH NAS, a PVWFRR and a lurking AHH behind the BTEC

[Buzzrock 15,137]

Soon...

[ERhine 1,938]

Last night was an old fashioned kind of night.

[Buzzrock 15,137]

Any suggestions on a pricey-but-available bottle for a buddy in the hood whose wife just had their third boy? I’m thinking maybe Booker’s, the box looks nice. Thinking $200 max.

[Bigpoppapump 535]

I like bookers, does come off pretty strong though.

[billfromlaketravis 11,835]

2 hours ago, Buzzrock said:

Any suggestions on a pricey-but-available bottle for a buddy in the hood whose wife just had their third boy? I’m thinking maybe Booker’s, the box looks nice. Thinking $200 max.

I’d call Booker’s an acquired taste. I didn’t like it very much when I first got into bourbon. It’s very hot for a newb. 

[Neonmoon 38,130]

You can probably find a Kentucky Owl 11 year rye for $200 at Total Wine. 

[billfromlaketravis 11,835]

2 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

You can probably find a Kentucky Owl 11 year rye for $200 at Total Wine. 

This. Or if he’s a bourbon guy, Confiscated is $130 and readily available. 

[Buzzrock 15,137]

Yeah his wife said bourbon not rye, and I find rye is not quite as popular (I like it more in cocktails myself). Thanks for the recs and the warning on Booker’s, I’ve never actually tried it.

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

Just now, Buzzrock said:

Yeah his wife said bourbon not rye, and I find rye is not quite as popular (I like it more in cocktails myself). Thanks for the recs and the warning on Booker’s, I’ve never actually tried it.

Rye is the vermouth of the whisky world  IMO.

[TxTower 686]

It’s always been crazy to me how scarce eagle rare is in some places. I’ve never walked into a liquor store in PA and it not been on the shelf. More often than not it’s an end cap with 6+ cases waiting to be bought. 

State run liquor stores are a whole different animal than normal retail.

[heso 2,863]

On 12/20/2019 at 8:38 PM, heso said:

When I got home today my wife says “I want you to open one of your Christmas presents early so you can enjoy it over the holiday”

It’s a Christmas miracle. The store fucked up and  my wife just got home with 3 more bottles. 6 bottles in total. Ended up at $30 per. 

['stache 22,145]

On 12/21/2019 at 3:32 PM, Buzzrock said:

If I can keep finding Larceny, OF1910, and Bulleit 12 Year Rye I’m not sure I really need much else. The hunt is frustrating and expensive. I’ll eventually run out of Blanton’s and Weller 12/107 and Eagle Rare, but oh well.

Same here (though I only found Bulleit 12 Rye once in Dallas). I don't drink or spend nearly enough to "form relationships" with liquor store guys, and I tend to spread my money around a handful of places nearby. Old Forester Rye is available, cheap, and my go-to sipper. I can find other good stuff randomly, Blantons and Eagle Rare still shows up every now and then, though I suspect that will stop soon. A place in OKC has some of the best store picks I can choose from whenever I'm in town. Two of my current favorites are a Knob Creek Single Barrel Rye store pick and a Makers Private Select store pick. If I want to splurge, WP Old World is a favorite and on the shelf. I'm currently on the lookout for Midwinter's Night Dram. I've seen it on the shelf, but I just look whenever I'm in, no luck yet.

[RaylanGivens 29]

19 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I’d call Booker’s an acquired taste. I didn’t like it very much when I first got into bourbon. It’s very hot for a newb. 

That's what ice is for...

[RaylanGivens 29]

2 hours ago, heso said:

It’s a Christmas miracle. The store fucked up and  my wife just got home with 3 more bottles. 6 bottles in total. Ended up at $30 per. 

Must be the 375s...still a Christmas miracle by any Surly standard 

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

3 hours ago, TxTower said:

State run liquor stores are a whole different animal than normal retail.

I prefer state run stores.  No price gouging 

5 minutes ago, RaylanGivens said:

That's what ice is for...

Can I get an amen !!

Edited December 23, 2019 by Onboard 2.0

[heso 2,863]

18 minutes ago, RaylanGivens said:

Must be the 375s...still a Christmas miracle by any Surly standard 

No, full size. she bought 3 @ $60 per. They shipped her order to the store twice, only charged her once. 

[RaylanGivens 29]

I do love me some Bookers

[RaylanGivens 29]

9 minutes ago, heso said:

No, full size. she bought 3 @ $60 per. They shipped her order to the store twice, only charged her once. 

For a moment  I thought you were telling this Surly bunch, that some Liqour store sold your wife 6 bottles of Blantons for $30 each...pretty amazing that she was able to get 3 full sized bottles 

Edited December 23, 2019 by RaylanGivens

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

16 minutes ago, RaylanGivens said:

For a moment  I thought you were telling this Surly bunch, that some Liqour store sold your wife 6 bottles of Blantons for $30 each...pretty amazing that she was able to get 3 full sized bottles 

He neglected to tell us what she gave them to get that great discount.

[brown water 3,789]

Last night I got the text that I was one of the high bidders for GTS at a local shop. I’d offered $305.  

When I get there today some confusion ensued as they thought they’d already delivered my bottle because someone with the same first name came to claim it today.  Anyway, after a brief but somewhat tense conversation they figure out the issue. 

Fortunately they had an extra bottle that they let go for about retail ($140) since I took the Kentucky Owl off their hands too (also for about retail $280). 

Both are for consumption but feels like quite a deal considering the secondary prices for each. 
 

Merry Christmas...

[Okie State 3,889]

Picked up some Sazerac Rye for my Old Fashioneds over the next few days. Good stuff. Thanks for the recommendations on this thread.

[USCATX 1,087]

2 hours ago, brown water said:

Last night I got the text that I was one of the high bidders for GTS at a local shop. I’d offered $305.  

When I get there today some confusion ensued as they thought they’d already delivered my bottle because someone with the same first name came to claim it today.  Anyway, after a brief but somewhat tense conversation they figure out the issue. 

Fortunately they had an extra bottle that they let go for about retail ($140) since I took the Kentucky Owl off their hands too (also for about retail $280). 

Both are for consumption but feels like quite a deal considering the secondary prices for each. 
 

Merry Christmas...

Pretty sure there is no secondary on Owl, but I still want to know how it is.  

[billfromlaketravis 11,835]

2 hours ago, brown water said:

Last night I got the text that I was one of the high bidders for GTS at a local shop. I’d offered $305.  

When I get there today some confusion ensued as they thought they’d already delivered my bottle because someone with the same first name came to claim it today.  Anyway, after a brief but somewhat tense conversation they figure out the issue. 

Fortunately they had an extra bottle that they let go for about retail ($140) since I took the Kentucky Owl off their hands too (also for about retail $280). 

Both are for consumption but feels like quite a deal considering the secondary prices for each. 
 

Merry Christmas...

I bought a bottle of the Owl last year as a Pappy/BTAC insurance policy. It turns out I didn’t need it, but I’m content with having another good bottle in the collection. I’m also curious to hear how it is. 

[Buzzrock 15,137]

Here’s what I ended up grabbing for the neighbor. Just under $93 out the door. The shop (and a customer) were raving.