Yes, I failed to mention the EC store picks are usually 5-10 bucks more than the regular. Well worth it, eh Ben? :-)
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1000% yes. I don't see any need to have a regular shelf EC around when I usually have about 3 store picks open, great approachable pour and probably my favorite way to start the evening (other than a really good BT pick)
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Yep, my favorite is a place called Maisano's in the next town over. Every one of his barrel picks that I've had has been great. His Elijah Craig one from about two years ago was around 135 proof and smoother than many 80-90 proof Bourbons I've had. If time travel is ever invented one of the things on my agenda would be to go back and grab about a dozen bottles of it.
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$50 kanuckistanian = $39.36 U.S. = mostly taxes.
In the 80's I visited at the Crown Royal Distilleries and a gallon of it equated to $4 bottled and delivered to our local gov controlled stores. the rest is all tax. A single bottle was around $25 and you got 4 bottles from a gallon...= around $96 tax per gallon. They wonder why people are makin their own?
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Some prices. Stores cannot bring in their own "Specials"
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Makers $42.99 reg
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Woodford $25.99 reg
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Woodford Double Oaked $69.99
Prices are the same where ever you go. All gov run pricing
Sucks to be me n liking bourbon but I still buy when I can.
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I am really liking Johnny Drum lately too. :-)

Picked up another bottle of EH Taylor Single Barrel today. Grabbed a few EHT Small Batch last week. Searching for a Barrel Proof, but that might be a while before I see those at MSRP.
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What Is The Difference Between A Store Pick & Regular Shelf? More Age?
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Was at the store yesterday looking for mid level stuff. Almost grabbed EC or some Buffalo. Was hoping for a local called Tatoosh, it’s water smooth! ;-)
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https://imgur.com/gallery/VKxefp7
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Basically the store sends someone to sample barrels; they pick the one that they like the most and have it bottled specifically for the store. Sometimes it's barrel strength, sometimes brought down to a specific proof.
At my B&M it's the owner that goes. He seems to shoot for a variety of mash bills throughout the year and usually has them bottled at barrel strength.
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Thanks, James!:-)
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The way I like to describe them (using some assumptions and made up numbers) is, using EC as an example, say a batch of blended shelf Elijah Craig requires 100 barrels to make. The blender knows what the target profile is, so they start dumping barrels and taste it. Maybe they think it needs a little more oak to hit the target profile so they add a few barrels that are higher aged (in EC's case up to 12 years). Maybe then they taste it and it needs a little more sweetness so they dump in a couple barrels they have tasted and know have a sweet note. Maybe they taste a barrel to add and it's got a funky peanut note to it, which does not fit into the target blended profile at all so they don't even add it. These barrels all started as the same whiskey recipe in them but the age and location in the warehouse has changed the bourbon so much and in such a variety of ways that you can't just pull one off the shelf and throw it in a shelf EC bottle, it won't taste like Elijah Craig.

Now, imagine somebody gets to come in and try these single barrels that may or may not have been on their way to being blended. If the chooser likes oak in their bourbon they may pick one that is aged longer, so buying that 12 year bottles is going to taste vastly different than a blend that is only usually made up of 10% 12-year bottles (again, made up numbers). The chooser could also be going for something "a little sweeter than normal EC" and pick the barrel that would have been used to sweeten up the batch, or maybe they are going for something that is in an EC bottle but tastes nothing like any EC you'll buy elsewhere, they're gonna pick that funky one-off

Some distilleries let you have input in the final proof but those are usually smaller ones (ex/ my group is doing a pick at Limestone Branch today and they let you choose between three proofs, I want to say 100 107 and 114). As far as I know Elijah Craig only lets you do 94 proof, but if I'm wrong I'd love to try a sample of a barrel proof pick :-):-)
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Thanks, Ben!:-). I Guess The Only Problem Comes When Your Tastes Differ From The "Pickers'".:-)
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This becomes the quest. Finding store(s) where it seems like the "pickers" have similar tastes or palates. I've been lucky enough to find a couple of those and a couple local groups that have been doing barrel picks as well. I'd say I've had about 80% winners with those stores and groups. The one guy who has a connection at Whistlepig just gets some outrageously delicious barrels.
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Last nights pours. Now that the 1792 FP has been open awhile, I like it much better.
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Exactly, taste preference and access. Usually stores have a "pick team" of the same 3-4 managers/employees so figuring out what they like, or what their tasting process is like, is important. Usually you can just ask the liquor manager and they'll talk your ear off about how they pick for 30 minutes :-)

Access is a different animal, it's not really talked about but I definitely believe there's a reason certain stores regularly get better barrels from certain distilleries. Tom definitely has the proof when it comes to Whistle Pig :-)
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And on the subject of store picks, I picked the right day to go to Sal's and grab their 9 year KC pick. They had the first A121 ECBPs I had seen.

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Thanks For Your Info, My Friends!:-). I'll Go To My Local Liquor Store Next Week & Inquire About Their Picker!:-)
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Couple high proofers last night, including a store pick that's NOT from one of my favorite pickers. :-)

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