Bourbon Question
- Thread starter cfbfan23
- Start date
I don't know if you're local to Iowa City area but John's Grocery does them all the time, as do Hy-Vee liquor stores. John's had an Elijah Craig store pick not too long ago that was absolutely phenomenal, I think it was like $80 per bottle and limit one per customer.
The bottles will all have a special tag or label calling out the barrel number and bottle number (i.e. Barrel# 154, Bottle 12/110). This also ensures that the bottle is from a single-barrel, which tends to tickle the taint of many a burly-bourbon bonifacio.
In my part of Florida, the liquor stores often have store picks. I picked up a couple of bottles of Knob Creek Rye that was a Beach Liquors store pick. 115 proof instead of the usual 100. I think it was around $80. The bigger chains like Total Wine almost always have some available.
Oddly I’m not much of a fan of most Jim Beam products but Old Crow is a good mixer (Old Crow is just a one year younger JB White). Old Crow, Mellow Corn and Ancient Age are my three favorite bottom shelvers.
It’s ABC where I’m at. I’m assuming they do something similar and I haven’t noticed?
Just can’t get into drinking straight liquor. It’s like drinking some sort of household cleaner. Harsh… burns and just bleh. Even the so called good stuff to me is less harsh but still has that taste or vibe. I don’t get it.
- Sep 13, 2002
- 94,971
- 193,359
- 113
Cedar Ridge is mediocre at best.If you can find a store pick of Maker's Mark, those are almost always worth the price. Usually fall in the $80-90 range. I'm also a fan of Four Roses Single Barrel, good pour for the price. Blanton's and Buffalo Trace are good if you can get them for the market price but they're usually highly sought after and a lot of places will jack up the prices on them.
My personally favorite, Cedar Ridge Quintessential and any of their different selections.
Had some Calumet 15 year last night - superb.
For the price, big fan of Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style.
Gils Package Store in Milledgeville Georgia. I know that doesn't help you.
I also got a couple of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A123 for $80 and a bottle of Stagg Jr for $229.
Damn man. You hit the lottery. Most stores don't get that much. Wonder what they were doing?
Dang, may have to alter my route to Tally and check out Gils. Was that your first stop there?
They always have a better selection than any place I shop in Florida.
Thanks for the heads up. My last time in Atlanta I picked up some of my favorite Scotch, Taliskers, and a bottle of Angels Envy at https://www.towerwinespirits.com/buckhead They have a pretty solid selection.
Several months ago we were in West Hartford, CT for work and I spied a horse on the shelf behind the cash register of a local place. $76 for Blantons made me a bit giddy.
Several months ago we were in West Hartford, CT for work and I spied a horse on the shelf behind the cash register of a local place. $76 for Blantons made me a bit giddy.
So was up in Atlanta this weekend and saw this run down out of the way liquor store. I walked in and saw some nice bottles of Weller, Blanton's, among others. I asked for the Weller and then asked if they had any Eagle Rare. My brown brother said oh yea have several on the shelf. Not anymore. Got 4 and a nice Oceans Voyages.
Our son lives in Alpharetta. I found a store up there last year where I picked up a bottle of Little Book. I've never seen that on the shelves in Florida.
If I was getting a bottle of bourbon for a friend, I’d pick up a rye like Sazerac from BT or Templeton Rye 10 or 12 year. Great for making old fashions and not spending too much on a bottle that you are using to mix. The higher end bourbons such as Weller 12 year or Blantons, you don’t want to mix, drink neat or over a cube.
What Weller? 10 year rye? 12 year bourbon? OWA? If you find a 17 year Weller you’ve hit the jackpot. Or Thomas Handy Rye.
Congrats! That’s a $700 to $1,000 bottle for $150 to $200.00, depending on what you paid.
You way overpaid for Stagg. It's decent whiskey, but not worth secondary IMO. And if it's the latest batch, around here they're around 200 secondary right now.
I know OP already bought his bottle, but I also would have recommended a store pick if available. Especially Elijah Craig. Knob Creeks are decent typically but you have to appreciate the Beam nuttiness. Russels reserve picks are a must grab for me. But I like the Wild Turkey profile. Old Forester 1920 and 4 Roses single barrel are fabulous bottles as well. Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye and the Bourbon are quite good.
My Fareway store (Bettendorf) has a surprising selection of higher end whiskeys, weighted toward bourbon. They are on an end-cap, not with the other liquor. Not sure if all Fareways have this.
We own some properties in Milledgeville right near campus. A couple of them are in partnerships with my S-I-L and her husband. They live in Indiana but come down to Milledgeville once a year in July to work on the properties before they get rented to new students. I texted him the Gil's info this morning. He told me that he's no stranger to the store.......scored 5 cases of Eagle Rare last year.
That gives me the sads. The secondary market has cooled a bit here but even at its peak it was about 325. It's a solid bottle. I have the last batch under the Stagg jr name and got it for $80.
OF 1920 is hands down my favorite for readily available bourbons. Rare Breed, Russell's Single, Makers Cask, and Knob 12 are up there as well. (Although I haven't seen Knob 12 in awhile).
I was never a fan of the papa but Stagg Jr was great. I’m disappointed it got discontinued.
Honestly for me (and I assume you disagree), I never thought paying a fortune for certain Kentucky Bourbons was a wise investment mainly because I never detect much of a difference in quality or even really taste if it’s a decent Kentucky or Tennessee bourbon and not one of those “celebrity” or “luxury” brands using %*%* Indiana mash. So I’m happy with a lot of the Kentucky and Tennessee Bourbons in the $20 to $70 range and don’t really enjoy it more once it sails into the three digits.
Now my Scotch preferences are completely different. It’s nearly impossible to find a single malt under $40 that’s drinkable and even blends at that price require some knowledge to get decent one. And I’ve got several Scotches in the triple digits that I love and repurchase when necessary. There’s such a huge range of flavor profiles that a Scotch can have depending on location, open vs closed pot, peated or unpeated, seaside or mountain, etc… it’s worth it to track down what you want.
Save your money.
Very Old Barton 100 for under $20 a bottle.
You are welcome.
Very Old Barton 100 for under $20 a bottle.
You are welcome.
The first time I bought that, the guy at the register told me it's a great "ice fishing whiskey," and as soon as I tried it, I knew exactly what he meant. Haven't been able to think of it any other way since then. It's not bad for the price at all.
My favorite budget bourbon is either of these, both also for under $20 a bottle.
