I normally drink most things neat but working on my ice game.

https://i.imgur.com/VkJUhxn.jpg

What's everyone having for NYE?

Your mom.

All night.

WL Weller and probably some Black Bottle scotch, Not together.

Sorry I'm late to the game. I like Buffalo Trace for the money. Nice and smooth, a good 'general purpose' whuskey. I like a few others for my daily pour but bet you'll enjoy the BT if you get some.

Was able to score a bottle of Blanton's and Eagle Rare yesterday. Just missed out on a bottle of Weller 12.

My friend won a raffle and got a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15 for $100. He’s already been offered $1200 for it.

Weller 12 is tough to get ahold of unless you know someone at the store and they maintain a reservations list.

They have an Ocean, too. Aged at sea. Not sure WTF that accomplishes other than sloshing it around in the barrel, but it's selling well.

The idea is that it ages quicker and more evenly since it sloshes around and more alcohol has more direct contact with the barrel.

I haven't paid any attention whether it's barrel strength or not.

The store I frequent sent out a tweet saying they had bottles of Blantons, Weller 12, EH Taylor and Eagle Rare, limit 1 bottle and first come first serve.

Guy in front of me got the last bottle of Weller. I "settled" for Blanton's, wife came in and grabbed an Eagle Rare.

It isn’t.

Didn't think so.

The new reserve has a spiffy seersucker bag, though.

I never had Oceans so I can’t make any judgment on it. I have had a rum called 7 Fathoms which is using the same sort of idea. It is aged at 7 fathoms under the surface so the ocean currents rock it around as well. It was super smooth and flavorful.

Haven't seen that one.

cant buy retail in US.

Jefferson’s Ocean has a reeruned price point for what it is.

That would explain that. We did get in some Pusser's last week that I might grab.

I picked up a second bottle of Smooth Ambler Old Scout. I liked the 1st bottle so much that I went back to Costco to get another but of course gone. Was getting last minute stuff for New Years At a Grocery and went into their Harry's Liquors and low and behold they had. Also had Old Scout Contradiction so I am gonna try it to.

Yeah, just like a lot of these special releases. Seems gimmicky to a certain extent.

ok here's my haul from December

The Stagg is better than the RVW.

My ****ing God.

I'd kill for a Stagg.

How many BJs or OTPHJs did you give for those?

Totally agree. I'm all about that barrel proof bourbon. I was able to get the Rip for $60 so I couldn't turn it down. Ha

You'd think I'd have to give up my mouth for this haul. LMAO The liquor store ****ed up and sold my Pappy 15 year I had won in a lottery. Not only will I get a 15 year next year but they sold me the ORVW at cost and then paid retail on the Staggs which was something like $100 each.

I’ll be attending a not-for-profit fundraiser in Springfield where they will live auction a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 20 year. If you are interested, PM me. I can tell you the where and when or I’d be happy to proxy bid for you.

Sweet!!! How long is that going to last?

Typically a couple years. It helps when I have about 15 bottles already open so they last much longer. I had opened a BTAC Weller over the death of a great friend a couple years ago and only go to it on his death anniversary and birthday for some odd reason. I also have a 22 year old bourbon I opened when the Chiefs won their playoff game after a 22 year one and done streak. I’ll be busting that out Saturday for some good mojo.

Enjoy brother!!!

You guys that live in Springfield/Branson have a MUCH better selection than we do in STL. Wife was down there for work this week and picked up the following at Macadoodles:

Blood Oath Pact Four
EH Taylor Small Batch (x2)
Black Maple Hill
Willet Pot Still Reserve
Eagle Rare

The Branson location had a bottle of Heaven Hill 25 Year but it was spoken for.

EH, Eagle and Blood Oath are decent.

Sorry, but Pot Still is just awful. Sourced young whiskey that is in a cool looking bottle.

And Black Maple Hill, oh, Black Maple Hill, how you have fallen. That label has all of its rep because the whiskey used to come from Julian Van Winkle 8-10 years ago. Now it's from a craft distillery in Oregon and it's young, green and terrible (not to mention terribly overpriced).

Oh well, at least with those last two you will have good bourbon for cocktails.

Couldn't agree more on the black maple Hill. I've siphoned gasoline that tasted better

I guess I have a higher opinion of EH, ER and Blood Oath. I think the first two are solid for the price. Bought the Blood Oath for BIL who is a bourbon snob.

Re: BMH...I haven't had a bottle in over a decade, so I guess I'm going to be disappointed. It was amazing when I had it last.

I've never had the Willett. Glad it was the cheapest of the bunch.

Willett Pot Still is just terrible.

NEVER BUY IT.

EH is the best of those you listed.

Those old Black Maple Hill bottles....oh man, I had a bunch of them back in the day when nobody really cared; so damn good. I didn't know until later that I was drinking bourbon that the Van Winkles sold to Black Maple Hill. The Oregon versions are super young, just awful.

For the money that it takes to buy the Pot Still, you could buy two bottles of Old Bardstown or Kentucky Vintage and the quality of the bourbon will be the same, not to mention they come from the same label, KBD.

I quit drinking for the month of January. It ****ing sucks going to the game for free on a party bus with free booze and if they make it to the super bowl idk how I'll celebrate

SB is in February, boss. Drink up.

I mean if they win the AFCCG that night its on like Donkey Kong

Slightly surprised by the hate for Willett Pot Still. It’s on the mild side and doesn’t have any particularly remarkable character notes but I do think it’s overall enjoyable.

Alright **** it I'm going to have a few drinks on Sunday. Is Whistle Pig worth the money?

I don't personally think so. It's good but for that coin, nah.

Definitely a tasty rye and I’d pay the $70 for sure

Bookers 30th anniversary Bourbon. Anyone heard of it? Have a chance to get a bottle.

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Oat Grain Kentucky Bourbon as well. I love the Masters collection so I'll probably pick up a bottle. May bring it to the tailgate

Which bottle?

They are all good.

I'm not a fan.

Then again, someone earlier said the Black Maple Hill bottle I just picked up for $80 was trash, and I opened it last night and it was better than expected. Definitely not as good as past bottles, but not awful either.

Point being - everyone's tastes are different. There are some $15 wines I like better than a $200 bottle. Same goes for Bourbon.

This is why I'm a little reluctant to spend more than 40 bucks on a bourbon. Theres so many between 20-40 that are excellent and it's hard to imagine something that's $200 being that much better.

With all of this said...

My BIL invited me over for the opening of his bottle of Whistlepig Boss Hog V.

While I wouldn't spend $500 on a bottle, it was DAMN good.

If it was more in the $150-$200 range I'd definitely snag a bottle.

The boss hog is damn good but it’s just so pricey.

I picked up a bottle of this years woodford reserve masters collection. Pretty good stuff

Oak grain Kentucky Bourbon

Actually saw Taylor rye and Blanton’s on the same shelf this week. New Year resolutions seems to be keeping things around longer than usual.

I swear, STL is a goddamn black hole for good bourbon.

I bought the only two bottles of Taylor Straight Rye I've seen in 5 years a few weeks back. Haven't seen a bottle of Blanton's in over a year.

Meanwhile, the wife spends a lot of time working in SWMO, and pretty regularly comes home with a bottle of Taylor, Eagle Rare and Blanton's.

Seems somewhat easy to get everywhere else.

I can get eagle rare or Taylor’s everyday all day here in Springfield .

Blantons is tougher to come by but can usually be found

Makes no goddamn sense.

Let me know if you want anything I’ll ship it to you

She's down there 2-3 times a month, so we're covered. But I appreciate the offer.

Right now I'm ****ing kicking myself for passing up a bottle of A Midwinter's Night Dram on her last trip.

Anything worth secondary value that hits here and you better be on your social media game or know someone, but I've noticed January is a good time as people are reeling from the holidays and/or committing to diets. I'll occasionally see Blanton's and maybe a Taylor Single Barrel, but this was a first for Rye. My strategy here is boutique beer stores that sell whiskey and spots that may get a small drop but who's demographic doesn't really care and they fly under the radar. The hood.

I was wondering how they recently had 4 bottles of Blantons available at a place down the road from where I work. Kind of makes sense now.

Holiday money spent on top of NY resolutions make demand lower I guess.

I got some before Christmas. Holy shit is it delicious.

I was in NWAR yesterday and found a bottle of High West Rendevous Rye for $35. I picked it up and was pleasantly surprised. I usually prefer bourbon and scotch to rye, but it was very good.

Buffalo trace tonight

That's super cheap for Rendezvous Rye. That bottle is usually over $50, even when on sale. High West's Double Rye is closer to that price point $32-35.

Both are delicious.

So I got dad a bottle of Buffalo Trace for Christmas, he drank it in about 2 months. Which is actually really quick for him, a battle of Single Barrel Jack would last him a year. So I would say it was a hit with him. I also bought myself a bottle

Barton 1792 is having a Malaysian Air level last 12 months.

120,000 gallons of fermented mash spills at Barton 1792 distillery in Bardstown

https://www.courier-journal.com/stor...ry/3071517002/

If you haven't been to Bourbon Country, you're missing out.

Made a spur of the moment decision to spend a few days visiting distilleries and drinking, and it was a blast. Can't wait to go back.

Brought 10 bottles home. Now have around 25 on the bar.

Was exited as hell to land a bottle of Weller Antique earlier this week. Got to have a pretty good pour of George T Stagg after work at a bar today an it ruined everything I own. I’ve had nothing close to how much I enjoyed it.

You are one lucky MF'er...for buffalo trace products in VA, it's like the fricking hunger games to get a bottle. I havent seen a bottle of BT, Eagle Rare or Blantons in over a year.

I have stopped asking about it because the effing state employees that work at the local state owned liquor stores dont even know of it's existence.

I hate state owned liquor stores!

I've basically given up and switched to scotch...drinking Macallans 12yr this evening.

You can get eagle rare and trace here anytime all day.

Blantons is a little tougher but not terribly hard.

I do enjoy some macallans. I got a bottle of 18 year that I’ve slipped on for a while

Send me your address and I’ll ship you anything you want

we could try it...ive had other family members try the same and multiple bottles have been confiscated during transit.

What the hell realiy? Why?

liquor and even wine are state controlled...I can only buy via internet from sites that have been state approved for shipping into VA.

That’s ****ed up. Is virgina communists?

O if you can get blantons I would pay you

Heh..pretty much...

Are they packaging it like reeruns?

There’s very little reason for the postal service to confiscate packages unless there’s a very easy way to tell what’s in the box. I’ve sent booze many times with no problem.

You can't ship in or out of Indiana according to the law but Rouge and other breweries do so all the time. If it's not labeled or shipped as Alcohol, in any way other than ground, it should get delivered just fine.

I've had a bottle break, then leak while in transit, and got a phone call from a Postmaster about it. He actually allowed a certain CPer to come in and pick up the remaining bottles, lol.

Sipped some Willett 4 year rye last night. Big fan.

Buffalo trace on deck tonight

Picked up a bottle of Willett. Pretty good but it’s got some heat

Willett what?

Rye? Pot Still? 6 year?