Weller is considered the poor mans Pappy since the mashbill is believed to be the same but I would prioritize Weller 107 over the Weller 12. Weller 12 might be more expensive and rare but the better tasting is the Weller 107. Weller 12 at 90 proof leaves much to be had but if you want to get both for the sake of having a rare bottle then I wouldn't blame you. I still have a unopened Weller 12 I am gonna use to trade for a better bottle in the future. If you really can get your hand on the rare whiskeys then definitely go for all those Buffalo Trace Antique Collections also known as BTAC. Use the above sugguested retail prices as reference to not overpay. https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/our-brands/antique-collection.html
I don't really understand the prices for rare or xyz bottles for bourbon, or any whiskey at that. I've tried rare and expensive stuff and I still prefer a $40 bottle of Eagle Rare.
If ever in Kentucky, take the Buffalo Trace tour. I did this workman's tour and spent over an hour seeing the whole distillery, even saw a barrel of Pappy, to bad its too big to sneak out in a pocket.
There is diminishing returns on the more expensive bottles vs regular mass produced bottles but this is a matter of supply and demand. The more years bourbon takes in a barrel then the more expensive it will be because bourbon actually leaks out of the barrel since alcohol in gas form can go through the small cracks of the wood. This means a full barrel of bourbon can be less than 50% full after 10 years (more accurate info available online on "Angel Share"). The distiller has to pass the price of time, loss of product due to time, and supply and demand to the consumer. To sum up, maybe you don't get it but there are enough bourbon fans and supply and demand that it makes sense to pay premium prices for many fans and collectors.
I did a tour of Evan Williams last time in Kentucky! I am talking to my brother who lives in Nashville about doing more tours next time I go. Hopefully the situation will be better by then and we'll go to Bardstown to do some tours. So cool you saw some pappy there lol if only they gave you a sample.
I understand the angel share and such, and the demand. Its just some of the higher price stuff to me doesn't taste better than a $40 bottle so is it just rarity and wanting something only a small percent of people can have? Also, Eagle Rare is REALLY hard to find, even in Louisville, yet their price is still $40.
Yes with the rarity there is an understanding that diminishing returns is acceptable for some hardcore bourbon fans. It is hard to explain why but it just is lol my brother buys these rare bottles for $100-$200 and sometimes flips them but also likes to keep some to drink. I like yourself can't justify the price but see his point of view. The allocation of bourbon is really weird! I can find buffalo trace and eagle rare here in SoCal all day for around suggested retail but hear that it is hard to find in other states. Something about distribution when it comes to bourbon that doesn't make sense to me which can create an illusion of a certain bourbon being more rare than it actually is when in other places it is in abundance. In SoCal we can't find any Weller (Even Weller Special Reserve is rare here) or Blanton's for suggested retail but my brother finds it all day and ships it to me from Tennessee.
Hmm, I live in rural nc where my grocery shopping options suck, but my ABC pretty much always has Eagle Rare. Go figure. $35 for 750ml. That's why it's our fave daily mixer. I want to try Weller - need to see if it's on the state list. ABC didn't have when I went but they were too busy for me to check if the state stocks it anywhere....
Just came out today - Don't pay for old bourbon, it's not worth it! https://www.thedailybeast.com/stop-wasting-your-money-on-bourbon-thats-too-old?ref=home
I was just notified that my entry was selected in the Pennsylvania LCB lottery for one bottle of Van Winkle Special Reserve Straight Bourbon 12 Year Old 90.4 Proof 2020 Release, $99.99 each. I will be saving this for a special occasion later this year. Yea!
I have a group of friends that go back to high school. Lately we have been doing a whiskey tasting for our get togethers. A few of the guys really know there stuff and have a similar price point. They will pay over retail price for eagle rare and buffalo trace if I find it. My wife got a bottle of eagle rare from her boss a couple years ago and since she is not a whiskey drinker I thought it was an excellent gift and really enjoyed it.
Big fan of anything Whistle Pig makes. Knob Creek straight rye, Catoctin Creek makes a real nice rye too.
Just picked up the bottle tonight. I am going to save it for my Daughter’s impending nuptials. There were 305,103 entries and 1931 bottles available.
