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Van Winkle Distillery Haul.. And tips to getting your hands on some!

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So we have all heard about the Pappy Van Winkles and the rest of the Van winkle line. Last year was when I learned about it. But I was a day late to the party. So off and on I would randomly ask liquor stores about it. They would all say good luck or we have a 3yr waiting list. This put me off.
So this year about a month ago I started asking around. Drove to 13 liquor stores in one night asking about it, and seeking to see who had what in stock that was rare or i wanted.. Obsessed I know. lol

Well what I found out was
1. Some liquor stores are first come first serve
2. At other stores frequent shoppers get first dibs.
3. Some liquor stores have a wait list you can get on. 2-3 year wait though
4. Some stores do a email list for when stuff comes in. First respond, first dibs.
5. And finally some stores do it lottery style.

So I said to myself. I Might as well get on as many list as I can. Since the majority of stores have waiting list. If you think about it you have nothing to lose. Heck you could be getting those magical call's for years saying "We have your Pappy if you want it"

So I got on about 10 list a month ago.
Well Tuesday, an email list sent out an email saying. We have 16 bottles total of everything in the winkle line. (1-23yr, 3-20yr, 6-15yr.. ect. ect..) But instead of first to respond they were doing it lottery style. So make a list of you top 5 choices and we will randomly draw names.. and head down your list fulfilling 1 bottle off your list. If your choice #1 is gone, then you get your #2 pick and so on... This particular store only had 40+ People on their email list.

Another vendor, didn't really have a list per say but they took names, and surprisingly enough I got a call saying they had 12yr if i wanted.. I wasn't really expecting a call..

So my advice for everyone who would want a bottle is get on as many lists as you can. Most list keep running until you finally get YOUR bottle. But a word of advice. If YOU do get a bottle. Ask to stay on the list for next go around. It will only pay off in the future!

Good Luck.. Happy hunting!


 

Jfire

BoM 9/9' 9/11' 8/12'
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Use to be a couple years back a place by me would have it on the shelf for a week. Damn have times changed... Went in a week ago. Not in yet. 3 days later "we took a list and sold out." Thanks for making me think there was no list!!!!!! Such a shame as I won't chase anything now days. If I find it I'll pick it up. Other then that there is other bourbons to drink.
Regards,
Jfire
 
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Lot b is good but a bit over rated IMO. The winkle family stated that the lot b is based off of weller 12 year and some stock from bernheim; do a taste test blind with some lot b van winkle and some weller 12 year and you will be real hard pressed to find a difference.
 
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It has been a long time since I have had one of these, with all the hype I might have to buy a glass at a nice place here to see what the fuss is about
 
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Use to be a couple years back a place by me would have it on the shelf for a week. Damn have times changed... Went in a week ago. Not in yet. 3 days later "we took a list and sold out." Thanks for making me think there was no list!!!!!! Such a shame as I won't chase anything now days. If I find it I'll pick it up. Other then that there is other bourbons to drink.
Regards,
Jfire
I agree there are a lot of good ones and that whole process is a major turn off for me .....but I haven't tried it so who knows haha!
 
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I got me a 12, 13 and a 20 this year, but not sure I am going to be doing the hunting again. There are a lot of other great whiskeys that are not that tough to get.

Best regards, Tony
 
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Thanks for the info! I keep an eye out whenever I go into a liquor store but haven't ever seen the stuff in person so I guess your method is probably the way to get one of these bottles. I love me some good bourbon and would love a chance to try pappy but will probably not go through too much trouble to get it since there are so many other great bourbons readily available, maybe ask a couple local shops.
 
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I got me a 12, 13 and a 20 this year, but not sure I am going to be doing the hunting again. There are a lot of other great whiskeys that are not that tough to get.

Best regards, Tony
Dang you for getting the 13 year rye! I have been on the lookout for that stuff for over 2 years and have never found any!
 
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For anyone that wants pappy van winkle a local liquor store has the jeffersons reserve 18yr. This particular jeffersons is from the famed stitzel-weller distillery, which has long been closed. Stitzel-weller is the distillery that produced pappy van winkle before buffalo trace took over. If anyone wants me to get it for them I would gladly do it. They are $89.99 and I have tried both the 17 and 18 year jeffersons and they are great.
 

rduke10

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I got all excited when the owner of the liquor store I keep in business asked if I was interested in some pappy. He said a friend of his who owns a store in New Orleans had a bottle and he was heading down there and he would pick it up for me if I did. Well I picked it up today and didn't look at it till after I got home. It turned out to be 10 yr rip van winkle 107 proof. Oh well. Maybe next time. I guess I will have to suffer thru this bottle waiting on some pappy lol.
 

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The shop I was supposed to get mine from got one bottle and sold it before putting it up online. I give up on ever tasting the 15 year.
 

Tobacco Giant

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I got all excited when the owner of the liquor store I keep in business asked if I was interested in some pappy. He said a friend of his who owns a store in New Orleans had a bottle and he was heading down there and he would pick it up for me if I did. Well I picked it up today and didn't look at it till after I got home. It turned out to be 10 yr rip van winkle 107 proof. Oh well. Maybe next time. I guess I will have to suffer thru this bottle waiting on some pappy lol.
It's the same distillery and this is supposed to be pretty good as well, although not the 15 year pappy. This is actually pretty HTF as well.
 
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I got all excited when the owner of the liquor store I keep in business asked if I was interested in some pappy. He said a friend of his who owns a store in New Orleans had a bottle and he was heading down there and he would pick it up for me if I did. Well I picked it up today and didn't look at it till after I got home. It turned out to be 10 yr rip van winkle 107 proof. Oh well. Maybe next time. I guess I will have to suffer thru this bottle waiting on some pappy lol.
It's the same distillery and this is supposed to be pretty good as well, although not the 15 year pappy. This is actually pretty HTF as well.
I actually like the Old Rip Vwinkle 10 year better than the lot b 12 year (for what its worth).
 

javajunkie

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For anyone that wants pappy van winkle a local liquor store has the jeffersons reserve 18yr. This particular jeffersons is from the famed stitzel-weller distillery, which has long been closed. Stitzel-weller is the distillery that produced pappy van winkle before buffalo trace took over. If anyone wants me to get it for them I would gladly do it. They are $89.99 and I have tried both the 17 and 18 year jeffersons and they are great.
+1 to this! jefferson's has not been distilling that long, but rather had an agreement to go in and buy barrels when they got freed up. the jeff and reserve are based on a pappy mash bill, and distilled and aged very similar. the pres is OUT OF a pappy barrel. and $90 is a decent price on that bottle, FWIW. good eye, man!
 
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