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The suggestions might be more available, but I personally don't think they directly compare in taste. Sorry, but EHT is simply good stuff. Yes, availability and secondary market pricing is annoying, but that doesn't change the fact that the juice tastes good. For my palate, I found that Redwood Empire Pipe Dream and Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered were closer in profile to EHT Small Batch Bourbon. The Straight Rye is unique, but the closest I had in profile was BTAC Thomas H Handy Rye 2023 and a Rossville Union Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye. In the end, it is very difficult to match the flavor profile of BT products. I won't wait in line for hours or pay 3x SRP for any BT product. But when I can find them close to SRP I will buy them because, in general, I find them to taste good and are unique enough vs. the competition to earn a place on my shelf. I also buy bottles from MANY other distilleries and love trying many different expressions, which I think is better than only hunting allocated bottles.

OK, but since your tastes run counter to most folks, why would you expect anyone to subscribe? I appreciate the honesty and I'd like to hear what you do like just for curiosity and some reference, but I'm going to pass on your channel and follow ones that are more to my taste profile. Time is more valuable than money.

NC is an ABC state who publishs their quarterly prices online. It doesn't show their cost, but it shows retail prices which match your PDF. abc2.nc.gov/Pricing/PriceList/

First time I've ever watched your channel. I'm in my mid 60s and I have enjoyed bourbon for many years ( being from Kentucky) I started watching bourbon reviews cause I wanted to know what was new. Every channel I've seen does the same thing, chase unicorns and spend big bucks. Or, you have to drink this. I go into the store and if a bottle catches my eye weather it's $10 or more I will pick it up just for the fun factor. Some I like better then others. I don't want to feel like if I don't have that $300 or more bottle that I lose. Don't fall for the hype or pressure of what someone tells you. Bourbon is meant to be enjoyed.

I don't know anything about the various Taylor expressions - the only one I've ever had is the small batch, and that was a gift. But that Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye is *superb* and I don't see how anyone could beat it. I'm not a rye guy, but if I found out that the only thing I could drink for the rest of my life was HTSMR it wouldn't hurt my feelings a-tall. I love the JD SBBP. It's gorgeous whiskey. It's another one I could drink exclusively for the rest of my life if I had to.

There is a price point where all this bourbon isn't worth it. All of the alternative bottles on this list are solid picks and taset just as good, if not better than the BT bottles.

Quite frankly Buffalo Trace products have become such a punchline joke. Availability, questionable current quality (not talking about years past, where the hype nonsense all began) and correct pricing when available. That's all a joke with BT products. I wouldn't say Early Times BiB, JD SBBP and New Riff SiB (haven't had any Hard Truth) are alternatives to EH Taylor. I would argue they are demonstrably better bourbons. They are certainly a better value based on availability alone!

Appreciate the alternatives, but while I love ET BIB, I don’t think it comes close to comparing to the quality of EHT small batch.

Honestly haven't even seen an EH for sale in-person. Not even the small batch.

Bruh, keepin it real! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

Thank you!

Early Times and JDBP are some available hitters for sure! Great list Charles

I wish that Early Times bib was easily findable. Here in PHX they're always sold out.

I would love to blind test E. H. Taylor Full Proof against Benchmark Full Proof. They're the same stuff, except that the EHT is aged longer, and the barrels are more selectively chosen. I have no doubt whatsoever that the EHT will be better, hands down... but I also suspect that the difference would not justify how expensive and hard to find that EHTFP has become over the past ten years or so. I think Benchmark Full Proof is the best budget bourbon out there.. by a mile.

I'm heading to KY (staying in Louisville) in 2 weeks; would love to find an Early Times BIB. Any suggestions where best to look?? Thank you!

Great video and really enjoy your content Really like New Riff SiB /Rye Sib and Jack SBBP. Ashamed to admit that the JD SBBP kept me away because of all the Jack and cokes I had in my younger years. Now that I just enjoy good bourbon I always passed the SBBP up because of the past. SMH. They taste amazing, readily available and the proof is banging. Want to pick up the JD Rye SBBP and see how it stacks up to the old forester Rye SBBP.

Thanks for the Great alternatives!!!

Really enjoy videos like this where more experienced folks give me alternatives to stuff that either I can't find or that would bust my budget. Appreciate it, man!

Brother, I couldn't agree with you more! I'd love to chat more,,maybe you're up for discussing this on a livestream? Hit me up, I'd love to chat more! Cheers buddy 🥃

Bourbon is experiencing the 'Dutch Tulip Market' effect. MGP and other distillers were all attempting to cash in on the Bourbon boom. Right now there is excessive product aging in oak barrels. The average spirit drinker is tired on chasing excessive secondary market prices. In the next 5 to 10 years they are going to bottle and sell that product. I don't see them getting Pappy Van prices for it. Another issue rising is: How good is it? Is the juice worth the squeeze? Are your getting several hundred dollars of experience from your $350 to $500 bottle? Contrast that with a $50 to $80 bottle. This reality doesn't bode well for bourbon futures. Personally, I've been a Bourbon drinker over 40 years. I'll never stop drinking it. Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 101, Rare Breed, Elijah Craig, Knob Creek 9 are in my rotation, all under $80.

How close are these numbers for tennessee?

Never pay over Msrp. Allocated bottles are not worth the price. To many good bottles on the shelf for $50.. My first choice is scotch, but I do like drinking bourbon as well.

Gunnar's wheated is pretty bad.

Finally got this today. It's very smooth. I was expecting the beam rye kick but it's very easy to drink and good flavor. Lots of caramel and nut. Little hit of tobacco. Its pretty true to nose

They math the overhead cost like property cost insurance and the pallets of junk like fireball they have to buy to even get an allocated bottle around here. Not like they can say order a palate of stagg or blantons to meet the demand at msrp

its not suggested, thats the lowest it can be on a shelf meaning the lowest on sale.

The 3 tier system is the issue. If we could buy directly from the distillery, these secondary prices would drop

Thanks I live in mi. They do over charge or just gouch😢

TW KC pick 🥃

Excellent video. Thank you!

Much appreciate the info brother!!!

Consumers have way more power than we realize. Unfortunately, that power only manifests if we unite and refuse the madness 💯

This man speaks straight facts nothing less. Never let me down yet

Great video brother

Great video but being a Michigander, there are 2 points I want to make. I don't know how any store can survive on the margins in Michigan between cost and MSRP. With that being said, I don't have a problem with a retailer charge a fair mark up on a hard to find bottle. But 300-400% mark up is ridiculous and I won't give those retailers my business. Keep up the good job on this topic - I think it's started to sink in!

This is true and it sucks, but I have never seen a person selling on the secondary market selling it for these price either. I have been in the game for years. I remember when we sold the stuff for msrp, and then someone else without liquor license sell it for an ungodly amount. So what is good for one is good for the other. Now I know this has been said for over a decade now. Just have to say store owners did what other did. I do not like it but facts are facts, I also know that because a distillery said they suggest it sold for a price, dose not mean it will be, and is also not breaking a law. Not standing up for store owners that secondary market the prices of these products, I have been priced out of the market, and I work for a store. And just in closing on this topic the community is to blame for these prices, not just stores. I agree on don't buy it for that price in a store, but as well do not pay that price for a person that has no license to sell it either.

MSRP is the *suggested* retail price. If it costs an arm and a leg just to break even the liquor store is absolutely going to charge more than that. And taking one state out of 50, ignoring conditions in other states - and conditions can vary within a state too - is unfair. There are places in the United States where the only way to make a living is to charge prices that apparently you would consider gouging. Remember that the markup from MSRP to shelf has to cover rent or mortgage, property tax, electric, building maintenance, compliance with multifarious government regulations, and labor - and somewhere the store has to make a little profit too, or it'll go out of business.

You have to add in the hidden cost of how much Wheatley and Fireball distributors force the stores to buy just to get allocations. Obviously some stores price so high no one will buy but a gentleman’s markup is to be expected. 15% gross margin is razor thin to operate a business.

Whoa! Great information. I'm going to compare my area store prices. Both my states are state run liquor stores. Prices are retail, but hard to find bottles are scarce. Some are not rare bottles, we just don't get very many, so they sell extremely quick. For example, I have only seen a Blantons once in 3 years and never see any Weller or Stagg and rarely EH Taylor. Some are limited releases and only available in a few stores out of around 60, plus over 100 bar/ restaurants.

It’s the distributors ,asking stores buy 30 cases of fireball for one Weller full proof lol

We don't ever get much of ANYTHING in michigan, i have to get most of my bourbon from a relative that lives in Kentucky 🤔😖 Cheers 🥃😉👍

Honestly, I'm surprised at how absurdly low the margins are for cost vs suggested retail, even among the fast-moving shelfers. Hard to imagine how that helps liquor stores keep the lights on. I know the video was meant to highlight how bad the markups are, but if anything, it makes me less surprised why they want larger margins for the pain of even stocking them. Some markups are certainly irrational, like on Pappy, but I'm in Southern California and the cost of running a business (rent, property, employment, insurance, liquor license, etc), I can see why MSRP's are mostly ignored. These small shops don't have the buying power, overhead, or sheer purchase volume of a large grocery chain, Total Wine, Costco, etc. Doesn't mean I'm excited to overpay for a bottle, but I get why you can't always expect that.

I am actually surprised the stores are paying that much. I bet larger stores that move more get additional discounts. The margins you illustrated for MSRP are actually pretty slim. Due to scarcity, you are likely to pay more than retail. But an extra $20 on a good bottle might be worth it. An extra $200 is not.

Truth be told! Gotta admire a man who does the right thing even if the pressure from the unscrupulous sellers is going to be hard to bear.

Eye Opening for sure ,, one of my local stores has weller special reserve for $70 I looked at the shelf I looked at the owner and just walked away .... Thanks Charles

The stores arent the problem…they are keeping up with the secondary market. That’s the real problem. I’m in MI and you never see those on the shelves. A lot of the stores know what’s going on so why should they put a GTS on the shelf for 150 so someone can come grab it, put it onto the secondary market and get 800 for it? Margins are extremely small on liquor and you have to buy an ungodly amount of things with a $1 mark up to possibly get a BTAC bottle.

Great Job, everybody and channel from other states need to do this!

You're the 🐐

Thank you for the price list we greatly appreciate, coming from north of the border 🇨🇦 where bourbon seletion is limited, you're the 1st that I know to share this information, again many thanks ❤

Have you ever gotten priced for a barrel proff of a product for just the price of the small batches of the same products and walked out smiling?? That how you know their prices are bs..i got a bernhiem barrels proof for $34 out of the door 😂😂...that was the lax bottle it was mixed-up with the small batches...they go for $90 to $100 here in Atlanta Georgia