Yall are hearing from one HAPPY Ag!

The Elmer T Lee must have released the latest batch... I was in Austin on business and on a whim I looked in a store and lo and behold! It was there.

I walked out with 5 bottles of my absolute favorite bourbon after searching fruitlessly for the past 6 months or so.

Yes, ETL is somewhat available widespread now. Always a solid buy for $30.

At the distillery, Bourbon cream is tasted with root beer and it is really good. Then they have you try it with their bourbon balls... I like it much better than Bailey's.

Any idea how long they will continue to release small quantities of the BTAC / Pappy's? Is it released over a few weeks, a month, etc.? Just curious as to when I should stop actively looking. Surprisingly was able to snag a bottle of GTS last week. Store only got one bottle and didn't know what it was... Got it for $75!

Total Wine north Dallas told me that they had already gotten theirs in a sold it all.

Everyone else told me that they hadn't gotten it yet, which seemed like lies from how it was said by the employees.

I suspect its time to go all Moneyball on bourbon and look for value in places no one else is. Fortunately there are tons of things to choose from.

Pappy lottery at a store in Louisville: Crazy for PVW

So I walked into an independent liquor store in town this weekend in search of some "unicorns". After being first advised that "everything [was] on the shelf", I specifically asked for PVW, ORVW, GTS, WLW, and ER. That motivated a back-room check, which turned up a professed bottle of "Van Winkle" bourbon. I caught a glimpse of the label, and not only did it lack the color/design of a PVW or ORVW, I'm fairly certain it didn't even state "Rip". She quoted me a sales price of $139 but said that she could not sell it to me and if I wanted it, I needed to come back at 10:00am Monday morning.

So I dropped back in this morning and encountered who I believe was the owner. After yanking me around a bit (I think he realized I was somewhat knowledgeable and serious), he retrieved a bottle of ORVW10 from the back. He also quoted $139, this time for the real stuff. I asked if that was the retail price, and he said "That's your price." At this point, I was miffed at the phantom bottle, put-off with his antics, and not willing to spend $139. If anyone's interested, as of earlier this morning there's (at least) 1 bottle of ORVW10 at Don's Liquor in Cedar Park. They (allegedly) also have an ER17, but I didn't ask the price.

Same store in cp did that to me at this morning. I said not happening. Guy was kind of an a $$.

Are either of you regular customers at Don's? The one thing I am noticing more this year (than in previous years) is that unless you are a regular customer, you are going to get jerked around. It has happened to me repeatedly. I have only two stores that I get straight answers from. The others are jerking me around this year... and big time. These are stores I have gotten seasonal bourbon from in the past.

I wasn't a regular customer, but now I'm not even an occasional customer. I have no problem if the good stuff is gone or already spoken for, or even if you're charging more than retail for higher demand bottles - both are the seller's prerogative. But regardless of who walks in your door, you shouldn't be passing off phony bottles for a premium price - that's wrong and others should be warned. Personally, I didn't care for the service, price, or deception, so I walked, and I wanted to give others a heads up just in case they're interested.

I think I am giving up this year for BTAC. I am on pretty good terms with the guys at the local Twin Liquors. I am near the top of the list for them to call when it comes in, and they have always honored it in the past when they have called me for BTAC and other special releases. They told me point blank today that it does not look like the store will get any BTAC this time. I am by no means the biggest of spenders, but they do know my face and stop to chat when I go in the store. So, I think that will be it for me this year.

I was at a Twin Liquors this morning while a Republic truck was unloading that had some Bottles from Buffalo Trace on it per the driver bringing in the boxes. The manager told the other worker in the store he was taking it "straight to the back". Someone came in later and asked if anything arrived today from Buffalo Trace, the manager said "No".

After several successful years of easily acquiring bottles with not much time or $ commitment, I'm completely done chasing this stuff. It's way too hard now and getting way too expensive. If I somehow manage to luck into a bottle I'll gladly buy it, but it's just getting too ridiculouls now. There's way too many people out there doing whatever it takes to get this stuff most of them don't even know what they're buying. People who'll mix it with Diet Coke.

I wouldn't read too much into that. My guess is that he got bottled from buffalo trace, but they were just regular stuff.

When a customer walks into a liquor store in early November and asks if anything came in from buffalo trace, the owner knows that they aren't asking about the latest batches of Ancient Age and Old Charter. I would guess that the owner said no because he knew that the customer was asking specifically about the antique collection, of which he likely did not receive any.

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After several successful years of easily acquiring bottles with not much time or $ commitment, I'm completely done chasing this stuff. It's way too hard now and getting way too expensive. If I somehow manage to luck into a bottle I'll gladly buy it, but it's just getting too ridiculouls now. There's way too many people out there doing whatever it takes to get this stuff most of them don't even know what they're buying. People who'll mix it with Diet Coke.

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This.

I also get tired of the games that stores play over allocation.

If you plan on allocating it by a list - say so. If you have it set aside for the guys that spend $10k a year on wine and what not, say so. If it's first come, first served, say that as well. But be honest about it and just tell me the truth.

I keep hoping the craze dies back down to more reasonable levels one of these days and something else takes it's place.

there's nothing wrong with bourbon and coke!

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As long as you're using the right bourbon.

Simple as this - Allocate a few PTO days to hunting. Do your research, build relationships, know when it's being delivered. You to may end up with 13 bottles at retail prices in the first Just saying. And I do give away some bottles (doubles) at cost.

I was told by one of the Specs stores that that particular location does not do a waiting list for Pappy and that they only get 1cs of each vintage. Said they get their trucks every Tues and Fri around 2pm. So I've been taking my lunch late for the last two weeks going in on Tues and Fri asking for it. Today they tell me that corporate has told them they will not be getting any as they are sending all of it to the Smith St location. I could very well have been fed a line of bs but I wasn't getting my hopes up in the first place. Outside of this or paying the ridiculous prices the mom and pop shops are charging I'm not sure how one gets lucky enough to score Pappy.

I am hoping that I can still get a bottle of GTS for a decent price.

Yes, that is correct. All the bottles are at Smith Street. They will call you if you make the cut on the list. I don't think they have started calling yet. They are trying to do it more organized this year, let's see how it works out. Only bottles that might have slipped through the cracks and made it to other Specs are for on premise accounts.

The Buffalo Trace release seems a little late this year. It appears you won't be able to walk into a store cold, and expect to be sold BTAC or Pappy. The stores are rewarding their regular customers. You can build relationships, but I suspect that starts long before October/November. We'll see if that changes as stores receive more allocations through November.

I have received a PVW23 so far. It came from a store that I frequent throughout the year, and they flat out told me they held a bottle because of that. So, yes, you have to build a relationship. I know when a couple of stores are receiving allocations. Other are vague just like Specs... and say they have no clue. That's BS. I know for a fact the distributors know EXACTLY when it will be coming. Been at two stores and the distributors flat out told me when it was coming to those particular stores.

I concur that there are too many people out there looking for this stuff. Depending how the hunt goes this season, I may be out next year. Interestingly enough, you can get great Scotch and Irish Whiskey year round. May be time to switch whiskeys until the bourbon craze eases.

Traveling in Sioux Falls SD and found a bourbon bar that has all of the BTAC (might be 14 or 13) plus PVW 20 & 23

So if you were going to have a pour or two, which ones would you get? Thinking more about the BTAC than PVW

Personally, I like handy and Larue Weller the best.

Any reason why? Trying to see if we have similar tastes

Really depends on the year for BTAC.

When I picked up my GTS this year, they told me a guy was en route from Lexington to buy all they had. I laid my money on the table and talked them out of a bottle. Wish I'd bought the Handy, too.

Agree with Joshwayne... depends on the year. Judging from last year, THH and WLW. No clue about the 2014 release.

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After several successful years of easily acquiring bottles with not much time or $ commitment, I'm completely done chasing this stuff. It's way
too hard now and getting way too expensive. If I somehow manage to
luck into a bottle I'll gladly buy it, but it's just getting too
ridiculouls now. There's way too many people out there doing whatever
it takes to get this stuff most of them don't even know what they're
buying. People who'll mix it with Diet Coke.

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So much this. Used to be able to walk up and buy most of the BTAC without any problem. Last year was such a pain in the bunghole with all the misinformation/lack of information from the retailers that I just gave up. Not even trying this year.

I have had no luck yet this year with BTAC, but I don't know how much has been distributed at this point. My sense is most of it has yet to be distributed.

I got quite a bit last year. Still have two bottles of pappy and two of the BTAC left so not even really looking this year. I do have one contact that will let me know if he gets it. If not, I'm not too worried about it.

Specs started making the calls today. No reason to call and bug them. You are either getting a phone call or you are not at this point. Actually well organized. They have all the forms printed with bottle and name if you are a chosen one.

Just curious, I got on the list with my local Spec's, but not the Smith St location. Are they consolidating the lists or did I have to be on the list at the Smith St store to even be in the running?

I'm on a couple lists at local Spec's locations in Fort Worth and Dallas. One store in particular is better than the others (Eastchase) because I've bought nice bourbons from them in the past. The others weren't as convenient but at least I'm on their lists. Dallas' main store laughs every time I ask even though most of my business was through that location. I will end up with a bottle of Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 procured through a friend in Maine who owns a bar. He also got me two bottles of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon. So basically I'm looking for rare bourbons in Maine and I live in Fort Worth.

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Just curious, I got on the list with my local Spec's, but not the Smith St location. Are they consolidating the lists or did I have to be on the list at the Smith St store to even be in the running?

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Yes, all of the lists were supposed to be consolidated at Smith Street for all Specs locations and priority was given to people with the most points, and recent points played a factor. Smith Street was essentially going to nifty stores which customer got which bottle. Of note, I would say in previous years if a store used to get 15 bottles, that allocation got cut by 75% this year. It is what it is. I didn't get a PVW but was fortunate to get a call for a GTS.