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With the windup to the seasonal releases of insanely priced liquor I thought I'd give my perspective..

I've been first amused then annoyed with the bourbon craze.  I've been a bourbon drinker since I first threw the top out of the window of the truck when I was 16 or 17.  (Old joke down south, where do you put the top when you open a fifth on Saturday night?, you throw it out the window)

Anyway, I've been over here in my own little corner of the whiskey world while everyone else was going apeshit over Scotch, then martini's, later it was vodka's and high end tequila (I like the good tequilas), really good rums never quite hooked up and took off (and I was dissapointed with that) but through it all I mostly just quietly drank my bourbon on a rock or in a Manhattan.  (I call Manhattan's redneck martinis, they let me drink my bourbon from a fancy glass).  Then a couple of yrs ago my quite little corner of the spirits world got hit with a flashmob, and they are still here.  I really wish they would move on to something else.  There is enough bourbon aging today to last me the rest of my lifetime.  :cal:

Right there with you ..  The upside is distillers have increased production. So in ten years when everyone is on another spirit it will be the best time to be a bourbon drinker.  Well that is what I tell myself.    :cheers:

My brother lived in Lexington KY from 1998 to 2010. Pappy was an after thought. He always had Pappy 15 and 20 when I went to visit.

I remember walking into this little store in Frankfort KY about 2008 and they had every Pappy and 3 BTAC on the shelf. That was just the beginning of the craze. I visited that same store last month and they told me they haven't even seen Pappy or BTAC in 4 years. LOL How times have changed.

Can anyone list the FMV of the PVW? I remember buying the PVWs in college for $50-100 and then finding out next morning that the sorority girls had drank them all, thinking they were Jim Beam.

I'm a latecomer to the bourbon scene - got hooked in 2008/9 during a tasting that had, among other great pours, PVW 23, 2 of the Blantons, Booker's and a couple of others my buddy went apeshit over, but I knew nothing about.  That day/night was like my first Cuban - it changed my palate forever.

The hipster bourbon craze (for the last 4-5 years here in middle TN) has reduced the local selection to a sporadic feeding frenzy punctuated with a couple good finds, but mostly the undesirables.  But I still can find my 4 Roses yellow label, Bulleit and Blanton's without trouble.  I'd love to try Pappy's lower-priced selections but I'm not going to pay what secondary commands and for some reason, there's never a mad dash of plaid when I'm entering the liquor store, so I know they're not available while I'm there.

Bullet  :horse:

There is always good stuff out there, just not the same stuff that people are wetting all over the floor like an excited puppy over, and most of them couldn't tell the difference in Jim Beam and Jack Daniels.

Four Roses small batch is usually about the same price as Makers, not paying for billboards will do that. 

Blantons is fantastic but on the high end of what I'm usually willing to go. 

I've never had any problem getting Bookers, but it's high proof stuff.  To me it definitely needs ice or water to get it to enjoyable (makes a round of Manhattans with it, it's like carpet bombing the room)

I've had some really good Russell's reserve that I've picked up for short $$.

Weller Old Antique 107 is almost always on the shelves (around Knoxville anyway).  It's not expensive and has been my go-to for the last few yrs.

Knob Creek 100 is my main choice lately.  I love the stuff, and again, not expensive at all, I buy it by the 1.75s. 

Weller 12 is hard to find, don't pass it up if you do, it's nectar.

107 with a splash of 12 is my go to drink.  We call it 102

[quote author=XTR link=topic=35899.msg152507#msg152507 date=1447958171]
Blantons is fantastic but on the high end of what I'm usually willing to go. 

Weller Old Antique 107 is almost always on the shelves (around Knoxville anyway).  It's not expensive and has been my go-to for the last few yrs.

Weller 12 is hard to find, don't pass it up if you do, it's nectar.
[/quote]

I'm always amazed at how easy it is to find Blanton's.  Weller, well, er, I wish it was easier to find in Nashville.  Goldamned hipsters...

That kills me too.  Now the store up the road from me in Knoxville always has 107, but stop in the Liquor Barn in Lexington, not a drop of WLW on the shelves.  Personally I think Blantons is one of the best out there, just a little spendy for every day.

I've really gotten to like the flavors in Knob Creek 100, it has become my regular.  You can get 1.75s for about $65 give or take.