Fall92 said:

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Are y'all talking about the McKenna 10 year BIB w the green label?

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Yes. Just opened my 1st bottle, rather surprised to find a plastic screwtop. Then again W12 is a screwtop.

100P, little heat, not much depth. Disappointed, really kind of basic.

Carl, so you'd be okay if your go-to store where:
+you know everyone from mgmt down by first name,
*your spend is large enough to reach their highest customer loyalty level
*you hunt 3-4 times a week based on delivery days
tells you with lament that new store policy dictates they can't set aside a single bottle of favorite stuff for regulars? And the experienced staff is about to quit over it because the big-spend whiskey drinkers are getting better service from mom-and-pop stores who beg for that kind of business?

This can be an interesting discussion, because I remember being in 100% agreement with your perspective in previous years, sitting in a lawn chair outside a store at 5 a.m. on delivery day.

Ringo88 said:

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Carl, so you'd be okay if your go-to store where:
+you know everyone from mgmt down by first name,
*your spend is large enough to reach their highest customer loyalty level
*you hunt 3-4 times a week based on delivery days
tells you with lament that new store policy dictates they can't set aside a single bottle of favorite stuff for regulars? And the experienced staff is about to quit over it because the big-spend whiskey drinkers are getting better service from mom-and-pop stores who beg for that kind of business?

This can be an interesting discussion, because I remember being in 100% agreement with your perspective in previous years, sitting in a lawn chair outside a store at 5 a.m. on delivery day.

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Yes that's correct, because I don't spend all my money at one place. The reason is, because stores like that will never have an allocation bourbon for me. They won't, because they are all spoken for, all the time. I do tons of work calling all over town and stopping in everywhere, spending at least 1k a month on bourbon, but from all over where they have what I want. I'm not gonna choke down Makers every day so I can get one of the three OFBBs Spec got. Those systems create the secondary pricing at Mom and Pop shops that screw everything up IMO

Fair perspective, which are used to share. However, I found some flaws in it. My hunting strategy was forever changed by a forthright spirits manager about four years ago. He told me the following (RULES IN CAPS):
"Look, all stores no matter the size want to take care of their best, most loyal customers. If it's a mom-and-pop, they want to see your face frequently all throughout the year, spending some money to help keep them in business. Those small shops get very bitter in the fall, because their small allocation is caused by their own small spend with the distributors. They have to lie to customers, because the distributor reps have to lie to them. TO BECOME A GOOD CUSTOMER, YOU HAVE TO LEARN THE DISTRIBUTION GAME IN YOUR TOWN. Then set your expectations by the volume of business a store generates. If you show up for the first time during bourbon season, store owners are convinced you are a bottle flipper, stealing their profits. They have no choice but to lie to you and give those bottles to their very best customers, or mark the price up ridiculously high and risk alienating their best clientele."

"With larger stores, it's all about the spend first. They may know your name, but if you don't spend a lot of money, they can't justify to mgmt giving you a bunch of great stuff. While this is a hobby to you, this is their job and their livelihood. Also keep in mind that in larger stores, you are competing with other big spenders. Hence, NEVER SPEND MONEY IN BIG STORES WITHOUT A LOYALTY PROGRAM THAT TRACKS YOUR SPEND. We try to give a heads up to loyal customers when their preferred bottles come out, because NO STORE OWNER, LARGE OR SMALL, WANTS THEIR PREMIUM STUFF GOING TO KNUCKLEHEAD HUNTERS who show up at 6 a.m. in a lawn chair during bourbon season demanding the good stuff."

Sorry for the sermon, but I've found his perspective to be 100% accurate. Bottom line, no store owner cares about our "hard work" at hunting bottles, and they certainly don't think it's our God-given right to walk in and find it on the shelf. That's why when it happens in the wild, we call them Easter eggs, like a winning scratch-off ticket.The only thing causing the secondary market is the fact that quality bourbon was underappreciated for decades. Give it a few years, and the pricing will more closely resemble scotch. Then you'll be able to walk into any store of moderate means and pick up a bottle of Stagg straight from Buffalo Trace......for $800.

This is just like rare beer. Same reason I stopped hunting it, it's not worth the effort. Except I can't make bourbon, so always in the hunt a little bit. Not for the super rare stuff, but the $50 bottles.

I have 1 Mom and Pop I goto. If the owner is in I always shoot the **** with him and I always buy a bottle of something regardless. Helps that his son is an Aggie.

AlaskanAg99 said:

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This is just like rare beer. Same reason I stopped hunting it, it's not worth the effort. Except I can't make bourbon, so always in the hunt a little bit. Not for the super rare stuff, but the $50 bottles.

I have 1 Mom and Pop I goto. If the owner is in I always shoot the **** with him and I always buy a bottle of something regardless. Helps that his son is an Aggie.

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Agree 100%. I gave up on the rare stuff a few yeaes ago. I get a lead on some Stagg Jr. or ECBP once or twice a year, and i'll make an effort to get a couple bottles when that happens, but that's about it. The unicorn bottles are great, but they aren't better enough than the $50-ish bottles to be worth the money and effort it takes to get them.

Do people really drop $1000/mo. just to get themselves high enough on the preferred customer list to get a chance to buy a high end bourbon? That's just crazy. That kind of money year over year is pay off you house faster, retire sooner, travel around the world in style kind of money.

AlaskanAg99 said:

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Thanks for the info Hancock. I've got a meeting downtown today so I can check out Smith Specs, and then hit Total Wine on my way home. That and McKenna 10 are the 2 I'm looking for now.

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Did you find any Hancock's? They have a few bottles at Specs in Rosenberg next to their Russell's Reserve and Basil Hayden's.

Not yet. I got JD Rye and McKenna. That's the bourbon budget for this paycheck. Both were disappointments and their future lies in being mixed with coke.

John Francis Donaghy said:

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AlaskanAg99 said:

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This is just like rare beer. Same reason I stopped hunting it, it's not worth the effort. Except I can't make bourbon, so always in the hunt a little bit. Not for the super rare stuff, but the $50 bottles.

I have 1 Mom and Pop I goto. If the owner is in I always shoot the **** with him and I always buy a bottle of something regardless. Helps that his son is an Aggie.

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Agree 100%. I gave up on the rare stuff a few yeaes ago. I get a lead on some Stagg Jr. or ECBP once or twice a year, and i'll make an effort to get a couple bottles when that happens, but that's about it. The unicorn bottles are great, but they aren't better enough than the $50-ish bottles to be worth the money and effort it takes to get them.

Do people really drop $1000/mo. just to get themselves high enough on the preferred customer list to get a chance to buy a high end bourbon?

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That's just crazy. That kind of money year over year is pay off you house faster, retire sooner, travel around the world in style kind of money.

I don't think so, where did you read that?

Carl Hungus said:

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Ringo88 said:

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Carl, so you'd be okay if your go-to store where:
+you know everyone from mgmt down by first name,
*your spend is large enough to reach their highest customer loyalty level
*you hunt 3-4 times a week based on delivery days
tells you with lament that new store policy dictates they can't set aside a single bottle of favorite stuff for regulars? And the experienced staff is about to quit over it because the big-spend whiskey drinkers are getting better service from mom-and-pop stores who beg for that kind of business?

This can be an interesting discussion, because I remember being in 100% agreement with your perspective in previous years, sitting in a lawn chair outside a store at 5 a.m. on delivery day.

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Yes that's correct, because I don't spend all my money at one place. The reason is, because stores like that will never have an allocation bourbon for me. They won't, because they are all spoken for, all the time. I do tons of work calling all over town and stopping in everywhere, spending at least 1k a month on bourbon, but from all over where they have what I want. I'm not gonna choke down Makers every day so I can get one of the three OFBBs Spec got. Those systems create the secondary pricing at Mom and Pop shops that screw everything up IMO

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This thread got weirdly judgmental- more power to you Carl!

Carl Hungus said:

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Just send me one of those bottles from your monthly haul

Left two bottles of Weller 12 on the shelf today for 29.99. Feels good no getting wrapped up in the bourbon insanity.

Oh, and a bottle of OF 1920 sitting right next to them.

Not a popular opinion but I don't think too much of OF 1920

It's the best Old Forester product....but that's not saying much.

Just found some Blanton.

We'll this is my first time ever finding it "on the shelf". I don't have the time to hunt like y'all.

Farmer1906 said:

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Not a popular opinion but I don't think too much of OF 1920

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Me either. I bought a bottle recently and gave it away half way through

Carl Hungus said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Not a popular opinion but I don't think too much of OF 1920

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Me either. I bought a bottle recently and gave it away half way through

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Probably won't like those birthday bourbons then.

third coast.. said:

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I've spent more time talking myself out of watches than I have hunting bourbon. You should join hbs on Facebook.

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I'm not good with abbreviations.

Farmer1906 said:

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third coast.. said:

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I've spent more time talking myself out of watches than I have hunting bourbon. You should join hbs on Facebook.

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I'm not good with abbreviations.

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Houston Bourbon Society

It's definitely one of my favorites of all time. Drinking it now. Just didn't care for the 1920.

It's so good when it hits your lips.

third coast.. said:

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Man. A fair amount, but I don't think I'd make the cut.

Are you going to be at a certain guys house for bbq tomorrow?

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Next bid at $15,600

I hadn't realized McKenna 10 year was now hard to find. It's ok I guess. Good value for the price.