Thread: Bourbon hunting

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  1. #1
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    Bourbon hunting

    My buddy needed a hobby to get him thru COVID times so he got into bourbon pretty serious. He's in several social media groups and one of the Instagram guys gave him a tip. Sent me a text late last night asking me to go along on a bourbon hunt so as to double his buying limit. He heard a local liquor store chain was getting a special delivery of Weller's beyond the standard allotments with the furthest away being 75 minutes. It turned out to be kinda fun racing to the various locations (like a scavenger hunt).

    1st store we arrived just before the delivery truck so we had to wait for them to unload and scan them into the system, etc. It wasn't a super secret since others were waiting too. He's pacing around pretty bad. Rumor has it the other store will sell out within an hour. They also had a shipment of Eagle Rare single barrel select so we each got one of those too. Total cost for the two is $88. He's so excited to get to the next place he starts driving with my door still open and I'm not even in the seat.

    This is what we're chasing:
    PXL_20210331_205333771.jpg

    2nd store hasn't received theirs and it could be 3-4 hours. Head for store #3. He gets an idea and calls a lady he knows in the area. She goes and picks up her boyfriend and they get to the 1st store in time to buy their limits. Meet them in a parking to pick up the bottles and reimburse. Rush to store #3 with little hope. But they haven't seen the truck yet and expect it any minute. Go grab a sammich and return 45 minutes later. We both get limits and mine is the last Weller's in the store. Drive back to Bangor where that location is holding them for us because we're on the call list. End result for the day is 8 of each and a couple of daily drinkers on sale.

    So why would two grown guys race all over the place for a $50 bottle of bourbon? Well, here's why: https://flaviar.com/wl-weller/weller...xoC5UMQAvD_BwE

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    #2
    Bootleggin! Well done



  3. Member RipNLips's Avatar
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    #3
    Nice score.
    I would love to get a WFP store pick. Can’t even find a bottle on the shelf. Eagle Rare is getting harder to find but I have plenty. The WFP is very good but not secondary price good.

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    #4
    Quote Originally Posted by RipNLips View Post
    Nice score.
    I would love to get a WFP store pick. Can’t even find a bottle on the shelf. Eagle Rare is getting harder to find but I have plenty. The WFP is very good but not secondary price good.
    My buddy cracked the seal on a bottle tonight and wasn't impressed. Said he wouldn't pay $50 for it if he couldn't trade for stuff he likes better. He's hoping he can work up to a trade for a Pappy "just because" but we'll see how that goes.

  5. Member RipNLips's Avatar
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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by BP in ME View Post
    My buddy cracked the seal on a bottle tonight and wasn't impressed. Said he wouldn't pay $50 for it if he couldn't trade for stuff he likes better. He's hoping he can work up to a trade for a Pappy "just because" but we'll see how that goes.
    Tell him to wait a couple of weeks and let it open up. I had a Russels pick that I poured out. Tried it again a few weeks later and it was outstanding.

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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by RipNLips View Post
    Tell him to wait a couple of weeks and let it open up. I had a Russels pick that I poured out. Tried it again a few weeks later and it was outstanding.
    Is it wrong to take it off his hands and then try it in 2 weeks? J/K he knows what he's doing. He been taking an online classes towards some sort of bourbon certification. He actually mentioned the 2-week breathing thing today

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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by BP in ME View Post
    Is it wrong to take it off his hands and then try it in 2 weeks? J/K he knows what he's doing. He been taking an online classes towards some sort of bourbon certification. He actually mentioned the 2-week breathing thing today
    Well, since you helped him double his buying, I don't see why you shouldn't get a little cut of the action.

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    #8
    Your buddy who plans to sell these actually fuels secondary market prices and in turn stores now tries to charge people these outrageous prices. Nothing wrong with the hunt if you’ll only be drinking it but he is a direct reason why most people cannot get many labels for reasonable prices. I got a WFPSP for $100 but it’s more in line with the suggested MSRP at $50. Luckily I know of many readily available bottles for $60 and under and sometimes get lucky hunting my local stores for a gem here and there.

  9. Member juice780's Avatar
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    #9
    I’ve never heard of eagle rare single barrel select.

  10. Member RipNLips's Avatar
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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by BP in ME View Post
    Is it wrong to take it off his hands and then try it in 2 weeks? J/K he knows what he's doing. He been taking an online classes towards some sort of bourbon certification. He actually mentioned the 2-week breathing thing today
    I like the way you think.

  11. Member Ryan's Avatar
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    #11
    I’ve done the same thing it is a pia. But you gonna do? I’m ER fan but find my self getting it when I see it.

  12. Member Ryan's Avatar
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    #12
    I have also heard that with the bourbon craze a lot of new top shelf bourbon is coming out soon.

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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by sofakingbigbass View Post
    Your buddy who plans to sell these actually fuels secondary market prices and in turn stores now tries to charge people these outrageous prices. Nothing wrong with the hunt if you’ll only be drinking it but he is a direct reason why most people cannot get many labels for reasonable prices. I got a WFPSP for $100 but it’s more in line with the suggested MSRP at $50. Luckily I know of many readily available bottles for $60 and under and sometimes get lucky hunting my local stores for a gem here and there.
    Yah, it's a silly little game of supply and demand but I don't feel too bad for people since it's a lot of hype without substance . One, most of these rare bottles aren't so great that they blow away the competition, it's mainly that trendy folks gotta have it. Two, it's not like bourbon is an essential item--you can live without them (it's a struggle, I know). Three, the distilleries that find themselves on the "must have" list du jour fuel the fire by limited releases and maintaining scarcity.
    He prefers to use his rare bottles to trade for other rare bottles we can't get or isn't sold in Maine (like Smoke Wagon).

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    #14
    tators going tate...

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    #15
    I used to do that but after a while (200+ bottles later) I've found what I like and I really don't chase anymore. ER is good, but I have enough spares to last for a while. The Weller is the biggest marketing thing going. It's not bad bourbon but there are many other bottles out there that are better, and readily available. Plus, anything I buy is to consume, not flip. I know people do it and that's their prerogative, but I won't do it. And it's not like it's a painting or a rare car, it's a consumable. Glad your buddy got his stuff but for me it's not worth spending a whole day chasing it anymore.

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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by KYRANGERMAN View Post
    I used to do that but after a while (200+ bottles later) I've found what I like and I really don't chase anymore. ER is good, but I have enough spares to last for a while. The Weller is the biggest marketing thing going. It's not bad bourbon but there are many other bottles out there that are better, and readily available. Plus, anything I buy is to consume, not flip. I know people do it and that's their prerogative, but I won't do it. And it's not like it's a painting or a rare car, it's a consumable. Glad your buddy got his stuff but for me it's not worth spending a whole day chasing it anymore.
    You and my buddy are kinda on the same page, esp. about the Weller thing. He's got close to 250 which is about capacity for him. I buy what I need, when I need it. I have one shelf and all of our booze sits on it. We spent about 4 hours in total which was good for getting caught up on gossip and jokes.

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    #17
    I'm still on the learning curve to determine what I truly like. In the process I've managed to fill up my bar shelves (and more), so now I'm in the phase of going through it all. Trying some of the better one's neat or on a cube, while others do make a great cocktail. This kind of became a hobby during this crazy time we've been in. Have learned a whole lot about bourbon and had some fun hunting for the allocated stuff that our state makes so difficult to find. I wouldn't stand in a long-azz line at 5:00 AM like I've seen some people doing, so I stick with the stores that just put their allocation out at random times.

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    #18
    LOL, yeah I have been bit by the bourbon bug in the past. I just recently sold of the majority of my collection Weller Special, Antique, Blanton's etc. I started collecting because I actually like bourbon, but with all of this hunting craze, it just kind of sucked the fun out of it for me so I sold it all off and made a profit but not the outrageous prices that the secondary market is getting. Still sitting on a bottle of Pappy 12 . The trick is, buy at least 2 bottles of whatever you are hunting when buying at retail prices. One to drink and 1 to sell if you want to ....or just continue on drinking the 2nd bottle. BTW, if you can find 1792 Sweet Wheat, buy as much as you can.....That and Weller Special are my 2 favorites to drink and they are not going to release Sweet Wheat this year from what I understand so that will be a sound investment to flip at a retail of on $40/ bottle.
    5 Short of a limit

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    #19
    BT is increasing volume at an alarming rate. No reason to pay over retail, just try other brands until you find it. 2nd hand seller market will eventually dry up IMO.
    Greg
    Edgewater 245CC

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    #20
    I found a bottle of E. H. Taylor small batch in a gift basket in a Chevron last week. Yay!

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