Bourbon talk...

[stevepoz]

My local store that I patronize has gone through 4 managers in the last couple of years that I’ve been going there. I have to keep reestablishing that relationship every time. I’m certain that at some point they’ll get someone in there who doesn’t care and just wants to hook up their friends or get bribed in order to sell allocated bottles.

They work horrible hours and it doesn’t pay much. The poor girl who’s in charge now is sweet, but she’s there by herself often because it’s a crappy job that nobody wants. It’s not that “people don’t want to work anymore” like I keep hearing unenlightened people saying. It’s that nobody’s willing to work for poverty wages and have to work every night and weekend. I wouldn’t do it. She wants to move out of state because Texas has no state minimum wage so the $15K a year isn’t attracting anyone who gives a crap to work there. So I may have to do it all over again soon unless the owners wise up and start paying more to attract and retain good employees.

I have had the same thing happen. Developed a really good relationship with several successive managers and finally have gotten to know the newest one (and her me).

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[bondijoe]

Local shop (NJ outside Philly) had one bottle of Henry McKenna single barrel 10 year bottled in bond for $65. I know this was an award winner a few years ago and went from a $30 bottle available everywhere to being hard-to-find and selling on the internet for $100+. I was in a rush and didn’t buy it. Thoughts on whether it’s worth it at that price? Internet opinions seemed to lean toward it being a solid pick under $50 with some inconsistency between bottles due to it being a single barrel bourbon. If no, what would you rather buy in the $50-75 range?

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Local shop (NJ outside Philly) had one bottle of Henry McKenna single barrel 10 year bottled in bond for $65. I know this was an award winner a few years ago and went from a $30 bottle available everywhere to being hard-to-find and selling on the internet for $100+. I was in a rush and didn’t buy it. Thoughts on whether it’s worth it at that price? Internet opinions seemed to lean toward it being a solid pick under $50 with some inconsistency between bottles due to it being a single barrel bourbon. If no, what would you rather buy in the $50-75 range?

Everyone is different in what they can afford to pay and what they’re willing to pay for a given bottle. I wanted to try it for a long time but couldn’t find it anywhere. A store near my patents in San Antonio is one of those that has every high demand/low availability bottle you can imagine - because they price them unreasonably high. It was a special occasion so I bought it for $105. I normally wouldn’t have paid that much and I wouldn’t again. It’s good. But not so amazing that I’d pay that premium. At $65 it’s right at my limit for what I’m willing to pay. I say go for it. If you love it the price isn’t too bad. If you don’t, well you only paid $65 which is on the expensive side but isn’t extravagant (to me).

For me Col. EH Taylor is a good bottle if you can find it in that price range or maybe a little higher. Woodford Reserve is also solid in that price range. Don’t skip Knob Creek 12 year in that price range either.

 

[MRH512]

Local shop (NJ outside Philly) had one bottle of Henry McKenna single barrel 10 year bottled in bond for $65. I know this was an award winner a few years ago and went from a $30 bottle available everywhere to being hard-to-find and selling on the internet for $100+. If no, what would you rather buy in the $50-75 range?

It’s good. But not so amazing that I’d pay that premium.

I absolutely love McKenna 10yr, but I can't bring myself to pay the premium either. There's a reason it's MSRP was $30; it's not a premium bourbon. I found it at $48 last year and still couldn't do it.

In my opinion, there is no way on earth it was deserving of the "Best Whiskey in the World" award it got a few years ago. It's tasty, but it doesn't have nearly the intricacies or depth of flavor that other bottles do.

For $50-75 I'd pick up a Horse Soldier Small Batch, Woodford Reserve, any offering from Old Forester (try the Statesman!), Kings County (I'd go Bonded over Straight Bourbon), Heaven Hill Bottled In Bond, or even Maker's Mark Cask Strength, 46, or 101. All of them offer well-developed flavors.

 

[bondijoe]

I say go for it.

Went for it. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Visiting my brother in law in Louisiana. Picked up this bottle. It’s not bad.

 

[MRH512]

Visiting my brother in law in Louisiana. Picked up this bottle. It’s not bad.

I've always enjoyed the 1792's. Their Full Proof is a hidden gem that, thankfully, seems to have come down in price since its initial release.

 

[Goin2drt]

Getting gifted one of these. I think I am going to like it.

 

[bondijoe]

Picked up my Father’s Day gift the other day. Looking forward to trying it for the first time. Local store owner sold me a bottle at MSRP and has a customer for life.

Have been reading a lot of good things about Michter’s lately, I think that’s going to be my next purchase.

 

[MRH512]

Picked up my Father’s Day gift the other day. Looking forward to trying it for the first time. Local store owner sold me a bottle at MSRP and has a customer for life.

Have been reading a lot of good things about Michter’s lately, I think that’s going to be my next purchase.

Happy Father's Day, indeed! Especially at MSRP. I think you're going to love it.

 

[Shak14]

Went for it. Thanks for the replies.

I just grabbed that same bottle here locally for $65. It’s been well over $100 if you could find it, so figured I’d pull the trigger since I’ve never tried it, and haven’t bought a bottle of bourbon in
Months.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Has anyone had this?

It’s a store pick single barrel. The guy who selected it told me it’s good, but he’s not a particularly knowledgeable bourbon guy. He couldn’t really describe what it’s like or what he’d compare it to.

 

[Shak14]

Has anyone had this?

It’s a store pick single barrel. The guy who selected it told me it’s good, but he’s not a particularly knowledgeable bourbon guy. He couldn’t really describe what it’s like or what he’d compare it to.

Weird stuff…Just got back from a golf trip where two buddies were drinking it. Never heard of it, but they killed the bottle in one day. They said it was good stuff.

 

[KJKWillys]

Doing a mad dash road trip from CT to Frisco Texas get my sons car out to him at his Physical Therapy clinical semester. Going through Tennessee on Routes 81 then 40. Short on time but is their one place I should really stop to get a great bottle of Bourbon (or should I say Tennessee whiskey) ?? I’m still new to the pleasure of the brown liquid.

 

[KJKWillys]

Has anyone had this?

It’s a store pick single barrel. The guy who selected it told me it’s good, but he’s not a particularly knowledgeable bourbon guy. He couldn’t really describe what it’s like or what he’d compare it to.

Did you try this yet? Blue Note is along the route we are currently driving in Tennessee. Worth a stop?

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