Dem,

How many people were in line? Did people know that prob something like only the first two or three would get a bottle of 20/23, or were there a bunch of really disappointed people?

That's pretty crazy. Congrats on the score and hopefully you can get the bottles you want for the trade!

Looks like that. Both as an experience and monetarily/as trade potential.

Personally I'm traumatized. Had read somewhere the experts dilute their whisky even to half its strength. They can keep on doing it, I won't. Half a teaspoon of water to a double dram looks to be about the maximum.

We got there at 2:45. The third guy showed up at 4 o'clock. By 6 o'clock there were five of us. By 9 o'clock there were 25. I think the total by time of open was 50-60. No one in the top 15 people was there last year, which was odd to me. Last year they announced it the Saturday before Thanksgiving at noon for release the next day at 12:30 PM. I had to work that night and got in line at 4:30 AM and was 11th in line. So I'm not sure if it was just a matter of having three days to prepare, more hype, or a combination of both, but people lined up way earlier this year.

What was kind of annoying was that most of the people in line were just there for "pappy" and really didn't know much about whiskey in general. This older guy who brought his wife was legit going to get a 10 year Van Winkle over a William Laurie Weller and it took some real convincing to make him understand that was an idiotic choice. He ended up with a Van Winkle Rye and WLW.

There was a lot of disappointment because the allocation was much, much smaller than last year. Last year there were 3 of each Family Reserve and a ton of 10 and 12 year. A lot of people towards the end of the line where walking out with Weller Special Reserve this year.

Definitely a matter of personal preference. I dilute all my cask strength whiskies, sometimes one spoonful of water, sometimes two, it all depends of how high the ABV% is and how much that particular whisky mellows with water. Even at 46% or 43% I usually add a few drops of water. I have friends that never add water, no matter how strong the ABV is.

Also, I rarely have more than 1oz at time. It helps me keep my alcohol consumption in check since I have whisky probably every day of the week.

good haul.

That's some legit commitment, but kinda crazy for the people who were like 30th in line to not just turn around and go home for the night.

I definitely fall into the "don't know that much about whiskey" group, but managed to luck into a 20 yr from Tower. I think they said yields were lower than normal this year which is what resulted in the tight allocations all around.

I have no idea what occasion is going to be suitable for me to open my bottle so just have it hiding out in the back corner of a cabinet right now.

Yeah. I also taste practically every day, but have only one, as I stated earlier. Yesterday I took probably "1.5 drams" in one glass. During weekends I have my dosage quite late, so that there will not be a feeling of having another one. Seems to work well, nice waiting for the reward! Keeping in check the amount of pure alcohol in your veins (and liver) is crucial for this hobby.

Checked the space reserved for whisky. 24 bottles is a notch too much if wanting to comfortably reach any of them. So the number will be 21. Have 15 now, in a couple of weeks I will present the kick-off collection, maybe even provide a pic

Play,

I'm curious, what's your story? Like, how old are you, where do you live, what do you do? I have a mental image of you, I'm just curious how close it is to reality!

Devil,

Ima go out on a limb and say your mental image isn't close

Thanks for asking! I'm a bit old, live in the EU, and do this and that, all depends.

Think I'm a bit difficult to get a grip on, apart from that I'm reasonably nice.

Artist or nerd, make your pick!

play,

I had you as like a 50yo Euro accountant or librarian.

Hit the bonanza on Old Weller Antique found 2 bottles at 2different stores.

kondo, looked at the Knob Creek today...

My post is really about "The Quest for the Bulleit". Yesterday I saw they had only three left of the Bulleit 95 Rye small batch. But I ignored it, got The Classic Laddie. It haunted me, so I went back today and got the Bulleit. Not as suited for my taste as I had hoped for, but at least I'm the proud owner of one now...

That's your problem

Just when I thought the rare beer world was crazy, I get neck deep in the lunacy of the rare whiskey world. I haven't put much effort into trading the Pappy 23 yet, but I know a guy in Atlanta that's from NYC who knows a guy that is in a huge whiskey facebook group in NYC. He reached out to this group, and one of the admins who is "very well connected" was interested in my offer of a Pappy 15, GTS and WLW for the 23. He wanted $200 in cash on top of that, and $50 of that was because I didn't get the tag that normally comes with the bottle, since obviously he'll have to buy one separately since the tag is so important to him. Absurd!

I talked to another guy I know who is huge into bourbon, and he knows a guy that got two 2014 GTS, two 2015 GTS and $200 for his 23. The search continues.

The most crazy about it must be your 23 may never be drunk. People caring for tags is a bad sign

thats laughable

Dem,

Your 23 is worth around $1550 on the secondary market right now. If you want to bounce trade ideas off of somebody to make sure you're getting fair market value, feel free to post here and shoot me a PM, I can prolly give you a pretty good idea on valuation.

And yes, the secondary American whiskey market is outrageously stupid.

Just did a few quick searches. 1550 maybe a bit low. Prolly more like 1600, maybe 1650 w.out tag.

I might be getting two GTS, one WLW and $100-200 on top now, hopefully. At first I thought the three bottles was fair, then a buddy of mine asked around and the consensus was that it needed some cash on top. He is speaking for me through this Atlanta Facebook bourbon group and trying to set it up. I actually just met the guy at the Pappy release. He tipped me off to a store today with the new Stagg Junior batch 5 that is supposed to be phenomenal compared to the previous batches. I think my issue is that I'm looking for quantity and it's hard for people to give up multiple bottles.

I'm at a random bar and ordered a double Rittenhouse neat

the bartender literally poured a third of a bottle into a brandy glass and charged me $20



I'm not complaining

That's weird looking beer you got there.

No foam...

I'd be making that my local from now on.