Thanks... I have a key.

Well it looks like I just missed the Pappy shipment in San Antonio by a few hours. Sucks! Specs received a few bottles but they are gone now!

Had a single bottle of 10 year and Sazerac Rye so I got those.

[This message has been edited by Aggiejue (edited 11/8/2013 1:40p).]

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Thanks... I have a key.

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just doing my duty to make sure you dont get too excited on a Friday.

I'm still skeptical of the Spec's I go to here in Austin. Sazerac shipment came in today... everything all gone.

I believe they have a preferred customer list. I'm fine with that, but I wish they would admit it so folks don't waste their time.

Grabbed some John J Bowman whiskey single barrel at Costco today.

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I'm still skeptical of the Spec's I go to here in Austin. Sazerac shipment came in today... everything all gone.

I believe they have a preferred customer list. I'm fine with that, but I wish they would admit it so folks don't waste their time.

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check any locked displays they have. the Specs in Jersey Village told me they didnt have the Thomas Handy, but I found 3 bottles in the glass display.

Actually, I think the $69 for the BTAC is the "cash price" rather than using your Specs Key for a discount. Just sayin'

As you can probably tell from my recent posts, I'm not a big fan of Specs...at all. You either need to be a preferred customer (whatever the hell that is) or you need to know someone there to experience regular scores. I did find two bottles of Geroge T. Stagg at one a couple of weeks ago, but it was total luck. I've always done much better for myself finding an "out of the way" independent store with a nice and honest owner.

Any leads on the Four Roses Single Barrel LE? I'm located in San Antonio and it looks like it never hit the market here. Anyone open to sending a bottle this way?

I've got a small independent store over by me in Fort Worth. He said he didn't receive any PVW this year for his store, and swiped 3 bottles from his dad's store in East Texas. He had one bottle of each and was priced $499, $699, and $899. Ridiculous. I don't want it that bad.

That's absolute highway robbery. Hopefully no one is dumb enough to pay that.

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Any leads on the Four Roses Single Barrel LE? I'm located in San Antonio and it looks like it never hit the market here. Anyone open to sending a bottle this way?

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I found a 2012 and a 2013 (neither the 125 anniversary). I bought the 2012 because I liked the mashbill better. I'm quite positive the 2013 is still there if you want it. Don't recall the price. PM me with your number and I'll call you from the store. Will be sometime next week before I get back there. If you want the 125 anniversary, I have not seen it.

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That's absolute highway robbery. Hopefully no one is dumb enough to pay that.

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As I have posted earlier in this thread, there is a lot of that going on. With Specs or Twins, you get a fair price. Outside of that... you likely will pay unless you have a relationship with a retailer. I haven't found that yet, unfortunately.

I asked the owner of one of my regular stores and she told me she sold the 15 for $86 and the 20 for $149 last year. She said she expected the prices to go up this year, but not substantially. I have a few stores that I go to that sells it for the standard retail price. I did find a bottle of 20 over the summer and the guy was asking $420. Just gotta find the right places I guess.

He also had a few bottles of Sazerac and Thomas Handy. He wanted $99 and $199 respectively. I passed and just grabbed a bottle of Woodford. He's got good prices on his regular stuff, but is gouging on the special stuff. Have to figure it's because of the theft and perceived shortage. He said he usually gets 6 of each PVW, and only has those 3 total this year. He said his store didn't get any like he has in previous years. Not sure if he has a preferred customer in mind that he's saving for or just trying to run me off thinking I'm a reseller. Who knows. His prices were ridiculous though.

I saw Handy innHoiston for $72 at Specs.

For those of you fortunate enough to find a Thomas H Handy in your bourbon version of an Easter Egg hunt,
I encourage you to try a sazerac with it. The 64.2% ABV is not overpowering to the drink at all. The simple syrup sweetens it nicely and the bitters and Herbsaint gives it a nice bit of spicy overtones.

I have made this with regular Eagle Rare, FR Single Barrel and even Blantons and had many good ones in NOLA made with bar ryes (usually Old Overholt) but the THH makes this really an amazing drink. Not to mention that at this AVB, 2 of them puts you in a very happy place.

I sent my wife on a whim to Specs in Austin today because I knew she would be in the area around mid-morning and I heard Pappy may be coming in to Austin. She got there around 11AM, asked about PVW and the Specs guy said it was on its way to the store. She hung out for an hour and was first in line for these.

Wow, no wait list or anything? I feel like people can get lucky like this but I'm not sure how to pull it off in the midst of PVW's popularity.

I'm not sure I understand the use of Herbsaint in a Sazerac now that absinthe is legal again. I kinda figured Herbsaint would become a novelty.

That was a good bit of luck. Normally you'd show up a Specs and they'd completely blow you off and try to tell you they had no idea when it was coming in because its already been allocated to their buddies.

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I'm not sure I understand the use of Herbsaint in a Sazerac now that absinthe is legal again. I kinda figured Herbsaint would become a novelty.

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They are both anisettes. I agree Absinthe is more original and readily available now, but I have both. If you have a Sazerac in NOLA at a good bar, it will always be made with Herbsaint. I just made it that way tonight. Regardless if which you use the drink is a classic.

AustinAg I just noticed your message from earlier. I cannot DM but shoot me an email at jscott06 at gmail. Thanks.

Dry fly. Any chance you could pm me some of your spots that have better premium selections. I normally hit specs but I want to build a better rare bottle selection.

Aggiejue,

I'll contact you via email tomorrow/Monday... traveling today.

Question for the bourbon hunters. On a scale of 1-10 with Pappy being a 10,what number would you put on the level of difficulty of finding BTAC bottles?

I have been looking for any bottle for a special occasion and I am struggling to locate any bottles. FYI, I'm not in TX

^^^

Thomas Handy - 5
Eagle Rare 17 - 7
George T Stagg - 7
William Larue Weller - 9
Sazerac 18 - 10

Just stopped by a Specs out in Cypress and talked to a guy who worked there. He told me they got a couple of cases of Parker's Heritage 7th Edition in not long ago. He said he bought one, his son bought one, and the store manager bought one. Ever wonder why you can't find sh*t at Specs? There another reason. Half of what they got I was bought from the inside before anyone else had a chance.

Looks like they've changed the bottles on the 10 year. That was a great find. Hopefully it will hit Houston next week. My problem is that I'm leaving for a cruise tomorrow so I won't be here to get any. Oh well, I'll get it when I get back.

Wow, if Sazerac 18 is that hard to come by... I got lucky!

A republic national rep told me me that besides specs, only one case (3 bottles) of the saz is coming to Houston. You got really lucky.

In terms of difficulty of finding (assuming Pappy is 10), my guess is:

Baby Sazerac - 3 (I could have bought 15-20 bottles last year)
George T Stagg - 7 (I see 5+ bottles/year on shelf)
Sazerac 18 - 7 (I see 5+ bottles/year on shelf)


Eagle Rare 17 & William Larue Weller: don't know because I don't look for them.

Who has tried Black Maple Hill? Still hard to find? Worth the investment in time/price?

Retails for only $40-50, so yeah.