Went for a hike yesterday, stopped by a liquor store before heading back to Denver. Got excited when I saw the handles of Weller SR and Eagle Rare, but quickly realized the situation when I saw the bottles of Blantons, Taylor Small Batch and Rye, Weller 12 and OWA and... Bookers 30th, all with no price tag. I had already had a regular bottle of ER in my hand when I asked about the price of the Wellers. She laughed and said OWA $199 and 12 was $299 because "they are allocated." I put the ER down and walked out, no need to ask about other prices
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Doesn't it just break your heart sometimes? Seeing a semi-unicorn and then finding out it's 5 times MSRP?

I still would have had to ask about the Booker 30th though. If nothing else, because I'm a bourbon masochist. :-)
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Honestly I don't see it too often, most of the "pricier" places I shop add $10-$20 for hard to get bottles but they're small shops and I'll usually pay it to help them out if I want that. Otherwise I just go to bigger stores that only charge MSRP. Of course none of these places regularly have allocated stuff on the shelves, but it's nice when they do
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I'll give you $100 to shoplift a Booker's 30th.

I keed, I keed! :-)
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I also wouldn't mind paying a few dollars to a mom and pop store for a highly rated bottle I would like to try. it's keeps them afloat and I get to try something new or on the rarer side. But like Icehog says, jacking the price up 3 or more times retail is just crazy. Around here that seems to be the case, especially in the bigger stores and chains. And, if it rates in the mid 90's r higher, good luck in finding some to try.

But I guess supply and demand drives what we see at the stores. Maybe I'll just be drinking JW Black the majority of the time:-)
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Found a Mom & Pop store yesterday with a bunch of Booker's Little Book. Unfortunately, they're all Volume 2, which is kinda mediocre. If it had been Chapter 3, I would have bought them all.

Last night, some Country Ham, and some OWA thanks to Black Carl. :-)

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So last night I had a pour of Elmer T Lee. I was thinking about the Hancock Reserve I bought a couple weeks ago, and how it was one of only three BT products to be made with Mashbill #2, along with ETL and Blanton's SiB. So I decided to have a pour of all 3 back to back.

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The similarities between the flavor profiles is obvious, but there are also significant differences. The big question, how would I rank them without considering cost. I understand that different things can affect the palate and I might rate them differently on a different day, but I'm pretty confident with the result.

1) Blanton's
2) Hancock's
3) ETL

Crazy because ETL is by far the more expensive on the secondary market. So good for my wallet going. Frankly, I'm unlikely to buy the ETL or Hancock's again as my palate definitely prefers the higher proof and heat now. Blanton's, I'd buy that under $60 or so.
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Found a new honey hole...well. sorta, prices are high, just appreciated seeing stuff I haven't seen in the wild around here. Larceny Barrel Proof, McKenna 10 Year, Barrel store picks, Old Fitz, Heaven Hill, older Booker's (but nothing new to me), bunch of other things I forgot. Most of it was within $10-15 of MSRP (McKenna's an exception at $69, hard pass), so I will definitely drop in once a month or so and see what's new. Only thing I bought was the newest ECBP batch, first time seeing it in the wild.

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That'll kill just about any virus!
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So I tried the OF 1920 and was blown away. Hands down the best bourbon I’ve had yet. As for the heat of the 115 proof there almost no burn. Now I wanna try some more more Barrel Proofs!
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:-):-)
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Did you say Old Fitz? How much was the Old Fitz? Never seen it in the wild, a store posted it once but I got there an hour later and was laughed out of the store when I asked if they still had any

Nice to see the B520, we still haven't seen A120 for ECPB but there's still plenty of C919 around, just saw some on the shelf earlier this week so I think as soon as they flip over I shouldn't have any issues getting the new bottles
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Old Forrester* Ben
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Sorry I was referring to Tom's post. I friggin love Old Forester 1920 :-)
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X2
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After all the 130+ stuff I've drank this quarantine, I should be immune. :-)

OF 1920 is a solid pour. And Barrel Proof are the way to go, Gabe. :-)

If I remember the Old Fitz was $199? Wasn't over 120 proof so I didn't look that closely. :-) :-)

That C919 is the sh!t. I have a spare, and will probably pick up another. It blows away the other ECBPs I have had so far, and since they've all been great, that's saying something.
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Ready for that next northwoods visit, say when Icehog. :-)


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Very nice, Kyle! :-) :-)

3 pour night last night, including killing the Willett FR 4 year.

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Cut it down to two pours last night, weaning down the weekend. :-) :-)

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Holding steady with Front Porch batch and Batch 13.

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