Gifting a decent Bourbon to co-workers - Suggestions

[Kliminator]

Originally Posted by Spectre38

I am not sure about where you are, but Oregon has an online liquor search. Since our liquor stores are all state run, the prices are set and are consistent from store to store. OLCC ( Oregon Liquor Control Commission ) has a website. Search "OLCC liquor search" on Google.

What did your buddies think about the gifts?

[austinp]

Originally Posted by moneymike83

Sweet! I picked up a bottle of old man wrinkle for 300 couple weeks ago and popped open last night. It was delightful.


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Wow. That’s great! Still haven’t been able to get my hands on any Pappy. Great lineup you have there.


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[gnuyork]

OK - I know in an earlier post I mentioned my liquor store had plenty of Blanton's...

Well I hit it up yesterday and spent a good few minutes searching the shelves for Blanton's and as mentioned earlier in this thread by others - no Blanton's! So I guess it's actually been a while since I remembered the shelf being stocked with it.

To be fair I usually go straight for the Evan Williams Single Barrel anyway... a decent, if not down right good inexpensive staple in my opinion, though it's gone up a few bucks a bottle. Inevitable.

[tadbart]

Originally Posted by Spectre38

I am not sure about where you are, but Oregon has an online liquor search. Since our liquor stores are all state run, the prices are set and are consistent from store to store. OLCC ( Oregon Liquor Control Commission ) has a website. Search "OLCC liquor search" on Google.

This is spectacular. Nothing similar in Florida.

[Spectre38]

Originally Posted by Kliminator

What did your buddies think about the gifts?

They appeared to be pretty happy with them. I gifted each of the guys a different Bourbon... ended up giving out 5 bottles.
1 - Blanton
2 - Heavens Door
3 - Bookers 2020-02
4 - Buffalo Trace
5 - Larceny
I kept some pretty good stuff for myself as well. I found a bottle of Weller 107, Old Rip Van Winkle, and William Larue Weller.

[Mendota]

Originally Posted by CamSLC

There are so many good options. Woodford, Bookers, and Blanton's all seem to be available everywhere. I also really like Eagle Rare/Buffalo Trace and Elijah Craig single, but they may be a little less common depending on your location.

Here in MN it's near impossible to get Blanton's and any of the Wellers. I was able to get a bottle of Weller Special Reserve as a gift for my dad two years ago but that was a fluke. It's a shame because I was talking to a bartender and he said their liquor rep told him Buffalo Trace is ramping up production for Blanton's due to the shortages and to try to put a stop to the grey market sales going on. Too bad Rolex isn't doing the same!

[Mendota]

Originally Posted by Spectre38

They appeared to be pretty happy with them. I gifted each of the guys a different Bourbon... ended up giving out 5 bottles.
1 - Blanton
2 - Heavens Door
3 - Bookers 2020-02
4 - Buffalo Trace
5 - Larceny
I kept some pretty good stuff for myself as well. I found a bottle of Weller 107, Old Rip Van Winkle, and William Larue Weller.

Nice job!! Every one of those is just fantastic. Larceny and Buffalo Trace are really great every day pours.

I am late to the party but I was going to suggest Bell Meade Special Reserve as an option. I just received that as a gift for Christmas and it is outstanding.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Mendota

Nice job!! Every one of those is just fantastic. Larceny and Buffalo Trace are really great every day pours.

I am late to the party but I was going to suggest Bell Meade Special Reserve as an option. I just received that as a gift for Christmas and it is outstanding.

Love Buffalo Trace when I can find it and agree with you on Larceny. Plus it's easy to find & inexpensive.
dP

[JBZ]

Originally Posted by Mendota

Here in MN it's near impossible to get Blanton's and any of the Wellers. I was able to get a bottle of Weller Special Reserve as a gift for my dad two years ago but that was a fluke. It's a shame because I was talking to a bartender and he said their liquor rep told him Buffalo Trace is ramping up production for Blanton's due to the shortages and to try to put a stop to the grey market sales going on. Too bad Rolex isn't doing the same!

Let's hope on the Blanton's. I've come to accept that access to Pappy or even Weller is going to be few and far between, but I used to be able to get Blanton's whenever I wanted. It's so tough to find now.

[gnuyork]

Originally Posted by JBZ

Let's hope on the Blanton's. I've come to accept that access to Pappy or even Weller is going to be few and far between, but I used to be able to get Blanton's whenever I wanted. It's so tough to find now.

I can't remember if I already mentioned this earlier, but I've been trying to find a bottle of Weller 12 year...and I finally found one in a coastal small town liquor last fall...



I did not buy.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by gnuyork

I can't remember if I already mentioned this earlier, but I've been trying to find a bottle of Weller 12 year...and I finally found one in a coastal small town liquor last fall...



I did not buy.

Just looking at the dark color of the Weller 12yo makes me
dP

[JBZ]

Originally Posted by gnuyork

I can't remember if I already mentioned this earlier, but I've been trying to find a bottle of Weller 12 year...and I finally found one in a coastal small town liquor last fall...



I did not buy.

The last time I found a bottle was through a friend around Xmas 2019. I paid $150, which I thought was high, but it was Xmas, so...

I don't think I'd be a buyer at $200. Too many other really good bourbons out there can be had for less and with greater frequency.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by stratguy

Check out your local Costco - they are carrying some really good Bourbons now.

even the kirkland cask strength batch is really good - $30.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by JBZ

The last time I found a bottle was through a friend around Xmas 2019. I paid $150, which I thought was high, but it was Xmas, so...

I don't think I'd be a buyer at $200. Too many other really good bourbons out there can be had for less and with greater frequency.

isn't weller made in the same distillery as pappy van winkle?

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by dauster

isn't weller made in the same distillery as pappy van winkle?

Yea both buffalo trace.

VW lot b is basically the cherry weller 12 barrels

[gnuyork]

Originally Posted by JBZ

The last time I found a bottle was through a friend around Xmas 2019. I paid $150, which I thought was high, but it was Xmas, so...

I don't think I'd be a buyer at $200. Too many other really good bourbons out there can be had for less and with greater frequency.

Isn't this a $35 bottle of whiskey? Surely even at $150 that's inflated.

I saw a bottle of 23 year Pappy in my home town in NY state a few years ago. They were asking $1200! I probably could have flipped that for a profit, but it would be all too tempting to open up for a sip.

[gnuyork]

Originally Posted by dauster

isn't weller made in the same distillery as pappy van winkle?

Yes, and that's why the humble Weller 12 is now as scarce (or so I've heard).

[JBZ]

Originally Posted by gnuyork

Yes, and that's why the humble Weller 12 is now as scarce (or so I've heard).

Yes, that's what I've heard, too. When Pappy started to really get scarce, people went looking for alternatives, and Weller 12 is about as close as it gets. Weller was always an affordable, if tasty, brand. But the shortage of Pappy led to a run on Weller, which led to the Weller scarcity. On top of that there's a general Buffalo Trace shortage.

If you're looking for a good wheated bourbon that you can actually find, I think the Maker's cask strength is an excellent choice, and I can find it around here for under $50.

[gnuyork]

Originally Posted by JBZ

Yes, that's what I've heard, too. When Pappy started to really get scarce, people went looking for alternatives, and Weller 12 is about as close as it gets. Weller was always an affordable, if tasty, brand. But the shortage of Pappy led to a run on Weller, which led to the Weller scarcity. On top of that there's a general Buffalo Trace shortage.

If you're looking for a good wheated bourbon that you can actually find, I think the Maker's cask strength is an excellent choice, and I can find it around here for under $50.

Yeah and I think Larceny is wheated too, right? And quite affordable. I still like my EW SB for the price.

[Mendota]

I know I'll never be able to try Pappy, but it's the Weller Special Reserve that really irks me. This is a basic $17.99 bottle (tastes awesome) that has exploded in popularity in just the last few years as the "poor man's Pappy" but those of us who just enjoy it for what it is can't get it anymore. I paid $27.99 for my bottle three years ago when I scored it and at the time, other people in different states were saying there were bottles just sitting on the shelves untouched, collecting dust, at 17-19 bucks and you could readily buy the 1.75 liter bottles, too. When I log into my Total Wine account they still list Weller at $17.99 but of course it's always out of stock so price is irrelevant.

Personally, I think Larceny is a really good wheater and I'm perfectly happy to enjoy that as a readily available alternative to Weller. In fact, I love Buffalo Trace (not a wheater but really tasty) and I'm totally fine drinking that, as well, instead of Weller. I've got 3 bottles of Buffalo Trace in my cabinet that I picked up at Sam's Club for $20 a bottle as a limited promotion. Old Fitzgerald is another wheater that is supposed to be good but I can't ever find it now that everyone is hunting for Pappy alternatives.

For those who asked, the old Stitzel Weller distillery produced all of these Weller and Pappy Winkle, Old Van Winkle varieties, and the mash bills were rumored to be very, very similar, hence the recent run on Weller. When Buffalo Trace bought the distillery in 1999 they kept most things the same but there are some differences in the actual distilling process either due to staff changes, supplier changes, or just superstition and nothing changed. Supposedly, the last bottles of juice from the original Stitzel Weller barrels were sold within the last couple of years in the 20 and now only the 23 is still from those barrels. That means the rest are all the result of Buffalo Trace controlling the distilling and aging from start to finish.

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[GB-man]

The cutoffs for SW juice in the PVW line are 2014 for 23 year, 2012 for the 20 year and 2009 for the 15 year. The rye was a tanked and much older variety until 2016 I believe but don’t quote me.

Weller SR goes about 50 a bottle on secondary and is readily available. I do understand it’s annoying it is not on your local shelf that’s the times unfortunately and seems to vary by region.

[AdamW]

Angel's Envy has been my go to for some time now. Such a solid dram.

[Dan Pierce]

Had a brother in law drive by.
dP

[JasoninDenver]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Had a brother in law drive by.
dP

Three bottles of Blanton’s !!!

A sight I have not seen in my own house for nearly three years.

[JasoninDenver]

Originally Posted by dauster

even the kirkland cask strength batch is really good - $30.

I sure have been enjoying this as my regular sipper lately. Since you like this, try and find a Noah’s Mill for a step up, but double the prce.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by JasoninDenver

Three bottles of Blanton’s !!!

A sight I have not seen in my own house for nearly three years.

Uh no, the unboxed bottle of Blanton's is sitting against a mirror.

But my bro in law was nice enough to drop off another Blanton's [can't open a bottle unless I have a backup on hand] as well as a large bottle of Weller.
dP