The Whiskey and Spirits Thread

[Ironhandjohn]

Has anyone here tried Wheeler’s Raid from Nolensville? They are a small outfit but have been producing the canned cocktails for awhile now. I picked up the entire state of Georgia’s initial shipment of whiskey a few weeks ago, and they seem like a very nice bunch of people. They have tastings from time to time with live music, too. 
 

Disclaimer: I don’t drink alcohol anymore, so my reason for asking is because I’m curious about their product, and need a ‘stunt liver’ to give it a shot. 

[KahrMan]

My daughter got me this for Christmas.  Kinda cool gimmick they are using to sell their bourbon.  I do like the bottle.

[Verne]

So now my question is what is the value of a bottle of Van Winkle these days?

It is a bottle from 2016.

 

[Magiccarpetrides]

15 hours ago, Erich said:

Over the year plus of challenging events driving home more of a live now perspective, The holiday celebrations had us dip into a stash of our final few remaining bottles purchased prior to the whiskey market explosion which have driven these to become nearly unobtainable.  The last time I had opened one was probably 5 or 6 years ago.

George T Stagg barrel proof bourbon.

I am happy we did, it was great to get reacquainted with George  

Opened up nicely with a little water to bring out flavors and put the heat onto the back burner. Slightly scorched caramel and cinnamon dominate on entry really made it a great follow to pumpkin pie. The oak is there but in relative moderation compared to the other flavors. One of my favorites as the citrus  and cherry profiles are tamed to subtle proportion in the complex mix of flavors that carry on thru the middle. I am reminded why we always had a few of these around.

I doubt it will ever be like the good ole days when grabbing a couple bottles wasn't a problem with at least a case of it on the shelf at the Total Wine at a mere $79 each.  But hopefully improves quite a bit before our last one is gone.

 

I understand the enjoying it...but just left West Virginia....they had one bottle..$1,000  I'd say the good ol days are gone....a bottle of OFC was $10,000

[Magiccarpetrides]

1 hour ago, Verne said:

So now my question is what is the value of a bottle of Van Winkle these days?

It is a bottle from 2016.

 

Quick Google-Fu shows minimum of $800 max of $1800  (most likely a sale at $1000)

[Verne]

That is what I was seeing but was wanting to make sure. Hoping someone might have seen one of these sale.

 

Thank you,

[Magiccarpetrides]

I have been on a funky bourbon run lately...it comes and goes like my gun hobby...(as far as how passionate I am at the moment)...When it comes to ultra collectible bourbons/whiskies all I have to do is take a drink from my bottle of Willet Family Reserve 11 year (purple top) and be reminded that my palette is not nearly refined enough to spend $700+ on a bottle (I bought this thing almost a decade ago on black friday for $100).  I prefer to dabble in the wow thats only $20-$30 range (im looking at you Very Old Barton) to the $45-$70 range (Knob Creek 12 year, etc).  All that is to say if I had an unopened bottle of anything worth several hundred to several thousand I would either store it and hope it continues to go up or sell it and invest that money elsewhere...I definitely wouldn't open and drink it....you may not have paid $1,000 for the bottle but much like ammo last year you still realize what each shot is worth to someone else...and once shes opened there goes your profits.  In case anyone's wondering I don't feel like purple top is amazing...its good...$100 good...but thats it (again maybe I just dont have the palette).

[KahrMan]

Willet Family Reserve in one of my favorites.  I used to drink it all the time when I was buying it for 59.  Now not so much.  I have one bottle and can't bring myself to open it because of the worth.  There are a lot of other bourbons that I like in the 30-60 dollar range.

I still think 4 Roses small batch is one the best buys for the money.  It is still only 35-40 dollars. 

[FUJIMO]

12 minutes ago, KahrMan said:

Willet Family Reserve in one of my favorites.  I used to drink it all the time when I was buying it for 59.  Now not so much.  I have one bottle and can't bring myself to open it because of the worth.  There are a lot of other bourbons that I like in the 30-60 dollar range.

I still think 4 Roses small batch is one the best buys for the money.  It is still only 35-40 dollars. 

 

[Magiccarpetrides]

2 hours ago, KahrMan said:

Willet Family Reserve in one of my favorites.  I used to drink it all the time when I was buying it for 59.  Now not so much.  I have one bottle and can't bring myself to open it because of the worth.  There are a lot of other bourbons that I like in the 30-60 dollar range.

I still think 4 Roses small batch is one the best buys for the money.  It is still only 35-40 dollars. 

If mine wasn't opened already I would definitely have sold it....I miss the days when you could actually get Old Forester Birthday Bourbon....now Weller 12yr commands stupid money lol.

[Magiccarpetrides]

Im a pretty big Rye fan so one of my favorite obtainable Ryes is the Willet 4yr Family Estate cask strength...still a solid deal and a beautiful bottle for $55

[Lumber_Jack]

On 12/27/2021 at 2:46 PM, Verne said:

That is what I was seeing but was wanting to make sure. Hoping someone might have seen one of these sale.

 

Thank you,

90% of secondary bourbon is sold through facebook now.  Those groups really set the market.  I'll see if I can find a comparable price.  2021 Lot B is selling for about $1100 so Id say its more than that for the older year.

With that said, I'll give you $500

 

Edited December 28, 2021 by Lumber_Jack

[Erich]

1 hour ago, Lumber_Jack said:

90% of secondary bourbon is sold through facebook now...

 

Definitely added to my sentiment about facebook and its most of its user base. Lots of interesting things out there about how FB's effect. Them shutting down the largest group and the 46 states filing suit to bring that about are things I was glad to see. While its bled out to other groups, they are smaller, and their time could be limited, Imagine its not different than any other scalped commodity, the profiteers will find a way with the lacking enforcement.

There is a reason the states had issue with the secondary black market. Mention that as those concerned about legality, like anything on the interwebs, forum based legal advise is as good as it's cost  

https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/a30298851/bourbon-boom-facebook-black-market/

[Erich]

On 12/27/2021 at 2:35 PM, Magiccarpetrides said:

I understand the enjoying it...but just left West Virginia....they had one bottle..$1,000  I'd say the good ol days are gone....a bottle of OFC was $10,000

Well that bottle was $79, so all good by me

I hear ya though. Honestly this entire artificial value thing was what had me start holding on to them from 2015 or so when I stopped being able to get them. I knew that a slightly older one like this was probably worth close to double that for someone who was desperate.

Then a few days before Xmas,  I got a text from a buddy back in CA saying what a bitch things have been and thanking me for providing an avenue for relief to bring it back. This pic:

I had given him a bottle of Handy Sazerac in 2018 before I left. I'd forgotten about it, frankly wasn't a huge fan of Ryes but knew he was. It got me thinking.

Two things made it more valuable to me on xmas thank some maybe price. I got to share it with folks who really appreciated it and the shared experience and discussion was cool. Some satisfaction of knowing it wasn't going to someone who would pay that kind of price creating the problem around the stuff. Maybe trying to help the feeble hope that one day I can get them again.

In all this, I do have one holdback I have gone back and forth on. Not exactly a holy grail, but a heavily blessed one. A good friend back in CA has offered me some crazy prices for it. But he plans to resell overseas, and was upfront about that. apparently worth double insane prices in China and India. Cant bring myself to consider it. In my mind, its for hat day I get a fatal diagnosis. But then again, hit by a bus tomorrow could be how it goes. Maybe next Xmas!

BTW, this has undertones of selling ammo and guns during the peak of pandemic pricing. Funny how that didn't quite translate to sell sell sell. Maybe some surplus here and there to get some of the insane dollars. Assigning value can be fickle perhaps.

[Lumber_Jack]

21 minutes ago, Erich said:

Well that bottle was $79, so all good by me

I hear ya though. Honestly this entire artificial value thing was what had me start holding on to them from 2015 or so when I stopped being able to get them. I knew that a slightly older one like this was probably worth close to double that for someone who was desperate.

Then a few days before Xmas,  I got a text from a buddy back in CA saying what a bitch things have been and thanking me for providing an avenue for relief to bring it back. This pic:

I had given him a bottle of Handy Sazerac in 2018 before I left. I'd forgotten about it, frankly wasn't a huge fan of Ryes but knew he was. It got me thinking.

Two things made it more valuable to me on xmas thank some maybe price. I got to share it with folks who really appreciated it and the shared experience and discussion was cool. Some satisfaction of knowing it wasn't going to someone who would pay that kind of price creating the problem around the stuff. Maybe trying to help the feeble hope that one day I can get them again.

In all this, I do have one holdback I have gone back and forth on. Not exactly a holy grail, but a heavily blessed one. A good friend back in CA has offered me some crazy prices for it. But he plans to resell overseas, and was upfront about that. apparently worth double insane prices in China and India. Cant bring myself to consider it. In my mind, its for hat day I get a fatal diagnosis. But then again, hit by a bus tomorrow could be how it goes. Maybe next Xmas!

BTW, this has undertones of selling ammo and guns during the peak of pandemic pricing. Funny how that didn't quite translate to sell sell sell. Maybe some surplus here and there to get some of the insane dollars. Assigning value can be fickle perhaps.

What’s the (almost) holy grail bottle you mention, don’t hold back now we want to know

[Verne]

I know what you are talking about Magic.

I have had Van Winkle and it is good but not $1,000 plus a bottle good.  If some of the bottles in my cabinet had not been opened i would be sitting good.   A first run bottle of Yamazaki, first run bottle of Crystal Skull Vodka and a few others. None of which I thought were that good. 

No refined pallet here just know what I like and lately it has been one suggested by the local liquor store.  Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

 

Thanks Lumbar_Jack for the heads up on marketplace.  Down side is I don't do any social media other than a few forums.

 

Verne D.

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Verne

[Lumber_Jack]

1 hour ago, Verne said:

I know what you are talking about Magic.

I have had Van Winkle and it is good but not $1,000 plus a bottle good.  If some of the bottles in my cabinet had not been opened i would be sitting good.   A first run bottle of Yamazaki, first run bottle of Crystal Skull Vodka and a few others. None of which I thought were that good. 

No refined pallet here just know what I like and lately it has been one suggested by the local liquor store.  Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

 

Thanks Lumbar_Jack for the heads up on marketplace.  Down side is I don't do any social media other than a few forums.

 

Verne D.

 

I’m seeing that older Lot B aren’t driving too much of a premium. Saw a 2008 listed tonight for $1400. So probably could expect $1100-1300 realistically 

if you really want to cash in, send me a message I’d be glad to help you out. 

[Erich]

2 hours ago, Lumber_Jack said:

What’s the (almost) holy grail bottle you mention...

I Like subtle. Trust that fans would recognize it with just this. 

[Erich]

2 hours ago, Verne said:

it is good but not $1,000 plus a bottle good

 

Absolutely. Will go as far as to say you can pretty much say that about anything coming out of a US distillery. Those that are actually buying $1000+ a bottle are pretty much doing it for posing and show. Hey, dont get me wrong, I appreciate that they have so much success that money is no object. Can't fault they made better financial choices / bets.

I have been fortunate having spent a bit of time at Napa valley wineries over the years and connecting with some folks in the industry. Its afforded me some opportunities to attend industry events and some exclusive tastings.  There are differences and it takes time to train a palate.  Wines lend themselves better to nuance at price variation in my opinion.

But at some point, you either hit the limit of your palate or realize when its your money the delta doesn't justify it. Having kissed dual CA tech salaries goodbye also had a huuuuuuge effect

For our current TN trailer trash saleries, I really like Angels Envy. At $50 something its great. But 9 out of 10 times, I still prefer a good Scotch over Bourbon.

[Magiccarpetrides]

13 hours ago, Erich said:

I Like subtle. Trust that fans would recognize it with just this. 

 

Pappy 23?  

[Lumber_Jack]

35 minutes ago, Magiccarpetrides said:

 

Pappy 23?  

Gotta be. Question is what year 

[Erich]

2 hours ago, Magiccarpetrides said:

 

Pappy 23?  

 

1 hour ago, Lumber_Jack said:

Gotta be. Question is what year 

Yeah, not too many things come in the black velvet bag I guess. If ya used Google, that’s cheating!! 

Its 2014, like the Stagg. Last year I was able to get the entire range. 

[Lumber_Jack]

3 hours ago, Erich said:

 

Yeah, not too many things come in the black velvet bag I guess. If ya used Google, that’s cheating!! 

Its 2014, like the Stagg. Last year I was able to get the entire range. 

I have 2oz left from my PVW15 from that year. Things went ballistic after that. But of course what makes yours so special is it’s th e last year of Stitzel-Weller 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Lumber_Jack

[Erik88]

I keep trying bourbon here and there but have yet to acquire a taste for it. Someday I hope to be man enough...

 

Anyone like Mezcal?

[Spots]

17 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

I keep trying bourbon here and there but have yet to acquire a taste for it. Someday I hope to be man enough...

 

Anyone like Mezcal?

I do, but it dont like me. My preference right now is either home brewed corn whiskey or Blantons Bourbon