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Who pick's your shop's Barrel Pick?

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I was under the apparently mistaken impression that someone associated with the shop offering the barrel pick actually selected the barrel. Come to find out very few of those selections are actual "store picks". I guess it makes sense that with the current popularity and availability of "exclusive" whiskies more shops are depending on the old distribution chain to select their barrels.

There are more regional labels - "selected for the tastes of Louisiana" or rums from Panama and Central America with barrel pick labels.

I recently received an e-mail blast selling a barrel pick rum for $50 a bottle. The exact same rum and bottling was available at another shop for $30. After asking around a bit I was surprised to learn just how few premium priced shop offerings are shop exclusive.

For those of us that spend a lot of time looking for whiskies and developing relationships with store owners and managers it may not be a bad idea to actually ask them how the bottle got to their shop.
 
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I learned this recently as well. There are PLENTY of store picks out there picked by either the distributor or the actual distillery itself. No one in the store had anything to do with it. It's disappointing IMO. I'm lucky to have a couple shops near me that do a wonderful job in actually picking them themselves. Wish the others weren't able to call them store picks if they weren't actually picked by the store but that's me.
 
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Some of the shops I hit that have store picks actually do either get samples to taste and pick from or go down to the distillery and pick.

The county I live in runs all the liquor stores and get picks fairly frequently, however I think the more often than not they just have the option to get a a barrel and are not actually tasting several and picking.


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icehog3

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Some of the shops I hit that have store picks actually do either get samples to taste and pick from or go down to the distillery and pick.
The same for a few independent stores around me. A couple have a small group sample for the picks, I know for a couple Whistlepig picks WP sent samples from 24 different barrels. One from that group went to the distillery as well.

Now I'm learning which of these stores have "pickers" whose palates are similar to mine. I have gotten some gems from Whistlepig, Tumbling Dice, Heaven Hill etc. And I've gotten a few dogs.

The chains that let the distillery or distributors pick can be very hit and miss. I've had good luck with Binny's here, and less with Woodman's and others.
 
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Around here it’s the distributors, we only have a few real Liquor stores in my county and it’s a family owned chain of 12 or so stores around the upper portion of the state. I will find a gem at different stores from time to time. Majority of people around here buy liquor at the CVS and Walgreens. Decent selection of standard stuff but hardly any whiskey/bourbon or scotch at any of them except for your Jack,Jim and crown.
 

Glassman

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There’s been an uptick of that this year with less travel, and the restrictions that have been in place. I will say, the selections Sazerac/Buffalo Trace has been doing themselves for the stores, have been excellent. But I have the best luck with stores who’s pickers palates align with mine. The bigger stores that have more people that take turns with the picks are frustratingly hit or miss.
 

Hendy

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Typically (unless the store owner has a good pallet) there are groups that get "options" by owners to do their picks. I've done a few. Otherwise it's a sticker put on a normal barrel that was just bottled (my understanding).
 
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I have yet to see any sort of store picks at my local spots. But honestly, never took that into consideration how they were actually "picked." So this definitely had the little bit of brain cells left go into gear haha! Even around here I don't know of any bourbon clubs or get togethers either. Especially during this pandemic.

For me, the excitement was finding not one but 2 bottles of the willet 4 year rye AND at MSRP at 2 separate local stores. I even went back to the 2nd store that I purchased a bottle from and they had a decent supply on the shelf. As soon as funds allow I'll stop in for a few more to keep on hand.
 
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It really varies with stores, but equally with brands.

For distilleries some are in person only, some are samples only, some offer both. An example is 4R. The barrel strength picks are generally in person picks only. The 100 pf picks are done by the distillery, and are essentially standard SiB with the store sticker added. Same thing if the master distiller's name is on the pick. Done in the distillery.

As for store variability, meet the owners and it will quickly become obvious. If their focus is the best selling stuff, vodka, fireball, screwball, etc, they wont be involved in picks. If they can talk whiskey, know the brands, they may pick from samples. They will let you know if they travel for picks.
 
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