"Pappy"

Did the price of the 12 year go down? I recall it being in the $60-$75 range in the past, but I bought a bottle last night for $50. No comment on how much the 23 years was ...but I did get the last bottle at the St Matts Liquor Barn.

DD

I picked up the following at Schrecks a few hours ago

10 year Rip Van Winkle 107 proof - $38
12 year Van Winkle Lot B - $54
13 year Van Winkle Rye - $58
15 year Pappy - $58
23 year Pappy - $240

They also had the 10 year Rip 90 proof which I passed on.
The 20 year old Pappy was apparently the rarest of the bunch this year.

15 year Pappy - $58

So I got ripped off being charged $80 I suppose. Is there a limit on how much a retailer can mark up a price?

Evergreen Liquors in Middletown also a limited supply. It's not on the shelf, they're keeping it in the back room and you have to ask. I know they have the 10 year, 12 year and 15 year old (or at least had when I was there).

15 year Pappy - $58

So I got ripped off being charged $80 I suppose. Is there a limit on how much a retailer can mark up a price?

Dunno the answer to the question but one of the ladies at "The Barn" told me that last year they had a "competitor" come in and buy up a couple of cases and that he took the product back to his store, marked it up 20% and resold it...which is illegal. Fact is though, if The Barn put in place some common sense limits on how much they will sell an individual (they don't) they wouldn't have these problems. My own personal "stash" was accumulated via 4 stops at 4 different stores because the places I purchased from limited the sale to one bottle (of each vintage) per person.

There are no laws that say how much a store can mark up product. Average markup in the package liquor biz is 33%. Average on premise markup is 300%.

Checked at three more locations in downtown Louisville, Highlands, Old Towne, and Schreck. Nobody had the 15 year. Crash and burn....OH THE HUMANITY!

The Highlands store is cool as can be. The owner demo'ed an old barn and finished the store with some real character. He was very cool and I hope he is successful at that location.

I love me some Pappy, but I should interject this point...

Whisky's are commodities.

If you were Warren Buffet, would you be buying or selling Pappy right now?

If you want his brilliance, the Old Fitzgerald comes on the cheap- same recipe without the label.

EDIT: The 20 is still my all-time fave. I find the 23 flabby but that's just me, I suppose...

EDIT 2: Baby's up, so I'll toss some alternates at you- the Willet Pot Still or Johnny Drum 101, Elijah Craig 18, Rock Hill Farms and AAAncient Age. If you want the truly exceptional, try the Wild Turkey Traditions or Four Roses Matriage. Bang for the buck winner is Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, though...

I love me some Pappy, but I should interject this point...

Whisky's are commodities.

If you were Warren Buffet, would you be buying or selling Pappy right now?

If you want his brilliance, the Old Fitzgerald comes on the cheap- same recipe without the label.

EDIT: The 20 is still my all-time fave. I find the 23 flabby but that's just me, I suppose...

EDIT 2: Baby's up, so I'll toss some alternates at you- the Willet Pot Still or Johnny Drum 101, Elijah Craig 18, Rock Hill Farms and AAAncient Age. If you want the truly exceptional, try the Wild Turkey Traditions or Four Roses Matriage. Bang for the buck winner is Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, though...

I agree with most of this, but personally, I still love Pappy 15. The 20 doesn't do a lot for me, and the 23 is just too expensive to really even comment on.

I love the Old Forester Birthday. Elijah Craig 18 and Rock Hill are also great bourbons, and I'll throw in Four Roses Single Barrel as an exceptional bourbon for the price ($30, more or less).

Tell me more about the FR Mariage. According to the FR website, there was a 2008 and a 2009 release, but nothing since. Is this stuff still available?
http://www.fourroses.us/products/mariage_collection

I was referring to the collector bourbons. They should be blending another batch in the upcoming months. Jim doesn't halfway do anything. Snatch it up when you can or I'll post back when we hear about the release.

Also, I was thinking about breakout bourbon brands. The next Bulleit, so to speak. Pogue seems to fit the bill. Remember, people outside of Kentucky will generally tend to pick the unfamilliars based on name and percieved image. In other words, they are looking for a slice of Kentucky when making this decision. A sense of history, place and people.

Old Pogue has it. They also have a great patriarch, like Bulleit. Once again, whisky is a commodity and if I was Warren Buffet, this would be where I'd throw my money. They do need to offer 1L's, to make it easier for purchase by global bar managers (long story, just trust me.)

(and it's a beautifull whisky)

PS. Another great bottling to pick up now is the Evan Williams Vintage- before it becomes vogue.

Mixed in diet Coke I thought the 20 was a tad better than the 15.

Mixed in diet Coke I thought the 20 was a tad better than the 15.

Mark-
Is that diet Coke with or without ice?
'Winger

Old Pogue has it. They also have a great patriarch, like Bulleit. Once again, whisky is a commodity and if I was Warren Buffet, this would be where I'd throw my money. They do need to offer 1L's, to make it easier for purchase by global bar managers (long story, just trust me.)

(and it's a beautifull whisky)

Old Pogue is very good, and one I often forget about. If you ever have a chance to talk to the Pogues, they are characters, and hilarious, especially Jack. I spoke to them for awhile in May at the Brush, Bottle, and Barrel event and there are some things in the works to move the operation from Bardstown back to the original site in Maysville, and offer overnight stays where guests get to see the process, have dinner, enjoy bourbon on the porch overlooking the Ohio, stay the night, and have breakfast. Sort of a mingling of a distillery tour with a bed and breakfast experience.

I haven't heard anything about it since, but it's worth keeping an eye on.

Mixed in diet Coke I thought the 20 was a tad better than the 15.

I like the 23 mixed with some grape drank.

Seriously though, if you need a cheap but good bourbon for mixing, go with Benchmark. It is cheaper than Early Times, which is a popular mixer, but while Early Times is 2 years old and reuses their barrels, Benchmark is a real bourbon aged 6 years. All for about 8-9 bucks for a 750.

If someone wants a good 15yr-ish bourbon and can't find Pappy, I recommend Noah's Mill. It's high quality and available pretty much year 'round.

[Robin Garr]

I recommend Noah's Mill. It's high quality and available pretty much year 'round.

Definitely. A bunch of locals, including yours truly, rated it VERY high in a blind tasting of about 20 name brand bourbons for a Louisville Magazine project several years ago. Its stablemate Rowan Creek (?) ranked very high also.

On the other hand, talking about good cheap bourbons that exceed their price point, can we get a little love for W.L. Weller? I've always thought of it as an excellent value. Or am I showing my coarse, plebeian tastes here?