Drink bourbon long enough and you will start to hear about highly allocated bottles. These are usually once a year type releases, or limited bottlings of a certain brand. The best examples that come to mind are the yearly releases of Pappy Van Winkle or Old Forrester Birthday Bourbon, or Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (often referred to as BTAC). Lines will form at retailers. People will camp out. It’s crazy. And that’s for the chance to purchase a bottle and hope that you can get it at MSRP. Usually that’s not the case. I don’t mind paying a little more for a highly allocated bottle if I happen across it. An extra $20 or $30 bucks and I will likely buy it. But you start getting more than that, and I know I can get a store pick with that extra money. So, most likely I will pass on the over-priced stuff.
There’s a slew of other limited releases that come out throughout the year from all sorts of brands, and in general, I don’t bother to go out of my way for the “hunt”. Now, if I happen to see something that I know is allocated or hard to find, and it’s priced right, I will pick it up. But I’m not out there hunting and hitting every single liquor store I see. If that's your jam, and you enjoy it, great. Keep at it. Enjoy the hunt. However, It’s just not worth my time. Especially, when there are so many private barrels or store/club single barrels that are out there. Or even better, a craft whiskey/bourbon store pick. Sign me up!
There are a couple of stores and a few clubs in my area that do frequent “store picks” or single barrels. After tasting what they have picked (they often will have samples in the stores you can try) I’ve come to trust what they pick. So, I focus my hunt on keeping abreast of what they have coming in for store picks. And, as is often the case, I will pick up a bottle from one of these places, and find that I love it, and go back for a few more bottles.
I get it, I do. Finding one of these bottles can be exciting. Getting to drink something that is highly limited or sought after can be thrilling. Sharing something like that with friends, even better. After all, sharing whiskey with friends and the stories that come with them is part of what makes it so much fun. Having a special bottle or three for special occasions, whether that be family, a job promotion, etc. is always a nice way to celebrate.
That’s where I think these store picks / single barrels are just as unique and special. And to take it one level further, you can’t get it in Kentucky, or Texas, or anywhere else. All of the bottles come to one location, to the store that is selling them. I have used these as gifts to friends who are new to bourbon, and to friends who drink a lot of bourbon. Matter of fact, for the experienced bourbon drinker, they make great gifts.
Once these store picks are gone, they are gone. They may not be a coveted Pappy Van Winkle, or a Weller Full Proof, or Eagle Rare 17, however, they can be just as limited, easier to find and a lot softer on the wallet.
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