Yesterday, I won a bottle of 2024 George T. Stagg from a VABC lottery for 159.54 after tax. Gotta wait a week or so to get it, and hopefully, it's worth the wait and money. 🥃
It’s a really great whiskey is a pretty bottle, but Rebel 10 year is as good or better and some bottles are up to 13 years old. And no bull, I bought it for $100 shipped from Remedy Liquor. I blinded Calumet 16, Maker’s Heart Release, PVW 10, and the Rebel 10 year.
Thinking back on my Van Winkle tastes, I had 3 before making the high bid on 1 of 4 ten year Van Winkle in December making that bottle my very 1st personally owned Van Winkle. I enjoyed a Pappy (23 or 25, not sure)a close friend brought to a whiskey tasting I hosted around 2014. I found the Pappy too oaked and fruit forward for my palate at that time. It may have also been a result of the influence of the bourbons I selected (my favorite that tasting was an Orphan Barrel bourbon) that included Wathans and Hancock's President's reserve. Of the 3 Van Winkles I have enjoyed I prefer the 10 year. Thank you for the history of your results. I have shared with you both before that my go to favorite for a number of years was Eagle Rare before the proof change not knowing how rare that experience would become in 3-4 years. EH Taylor is great and I am able to stock (have a spare), tonight closes with High Wire Jimmy Red 7 year. Long comment, Whiskey Riot was in my town today (I did not attend) so I went to the 1st Ave bourbon bar for some allocated stuff. Peace
CCI back in the day was great. When I was at the old Radisson, I took Pink Floyd there the day before the show because they wanted a beer. Nobody knew who they were. I won an Old Rip in the Kroger Raffle a few years ago. It was alright.
I won't wait in a tater line, I won't eat up a lot of time hunting for booze, and I won't spend a fortune buying hyped up bottles at museums. I'll try booze like this at a bar if the price isn't totally absurd or if I'm in the mood to splurge on a pour (which doesn't happen often). If I happen to stumble upon an allocated bottle at a reasonable price, and it is something that I'm highly likely to enjoy, I'm not one to argue with good fortune. There is plenty of other great booze that isn't hyped up, is readily available, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I suppose I'm not the sort of person who likes to get caught up in hype. Total Wine has lotteries with online sign-up for people who buy enough there to get grand reserve status. I love single malts and I will sometimes buy something that is on the expensive side, and there are many other categories of spirits that I like, so I get to this level through purchases that I would make regardless of the existence of this program. I have entered the lottery before but have not won anything. Winners of the next one will be announced in March, and I will be surprised if I win. There are also sometimes events that cause tater lines to form. I won't wait in the lines, but I'll go there afterwards to see what is left over if the event is at a conveniently located store. I got a couple good bottles that way. On a few occasions, they have sent out e-mails offering allocated bottles at a good price, and I just have to bring in a copy of the e-mail to get it. There is no BTAC or Van Winkle available this way, but I have acquired a couple decent mid-level allocated bottles. In general, I don't think Total Wine grand reserve status is worth trying to maintain for the slim chance of getting some hyped up bottles, but if grand reserve status happens due to normal booze-purchasing habits, then it can't hurt to enter the lottery and take advantage of the few other opportunities that it provides.
I believe in my 51 years on this earth and the 25 years I’ve been drinking whiskey, that there’s maybe a 20% difference between the best whiskey I’ve had (EC B520) and an amazing under $100 store pick. A lot of people will keep chasing that next great sip though.
I’ve had a 2020 GTS and a handful of PVW 15 year. All excellent whiskey and right place, right time purchases. None worth the retail price I paid. I’ve had dozens of Knob Creek 15-16 year store picks back in the mid 2010’s, EC pirate 66.6%, EC B520, 4R 2021, and RR 13 batch 1 that I’d say were better than any of them. I remember buying VW 10 for $40 in 2004 and my friends laughed at me for buying bougie bourbon because it was over double Maker’s Mark. Blanton’s was under $30 and rare breed was $25. I’m way over unicorn tear whiskey. When the third batch of RR13 hit $150 I was done. Cheers y’all 🥃
I was on a online auction site yesterday and you can get Pappy and the BTAC line Cheaper than you can find one in michigan, Without all the B.S. too 🤔 , All I want is a GTS though 👍💯😉
I won a Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 year 2024 this year. Someday I’ll open it. But, you know what’s better than having all the Pappy’s in the world? Starting a family. Having babies. Nothing beats it
Thank you for the nice video personally I've only had the 10, 15 & 20 also I still have whiskey in my bottles. Now I will say all were very good however I prefer the 10 & 15 🥃 maybe I'll do a better assessment when I try the rest of them.
PSA: it’s cheaper to just buy on secondary than spend thousands of dollars on random liquor at a single store with the hopes that you’ll get a call or win a raffle
The issue I’m having is I live in Houston and the only raffle lottery or allocation drop I know of is specs they do it once a year and I would have to camp out for 3 days in order to get close enough to get a pappys.
Guys, love your content and been watching for quite a few years but this video reminded me how Americans cannot conceive there is such a thing as not America. If you feel like the cost of Pappy and BTAC is hard in USA have a look at export markets. Europe, Australia, etc.
@@RockDoctor Yeah, we’ve seen it for a quite a pretty penny in London but actually found Pappy at a bar in Scotland for the equivalent of about $105 for a good sized pour. It’s usually more than that at the Bourbon bars in Kentucky, so that was a nice find. We didn’t buy a pour but some of our friends did.
Hay guy's last year I went to a Buffalo Trace 2024 BTAC tasting release with the Master Blender of Buffalo Trace here in Melbourne Australia, it was freaking amazing then someone put his Pappy 20yr on the bar for everyone to try dram that will be a afternoon I never forget also had a bottle from 1973 Seagrems.. you have NO idea how expensive this S#*! Is down under
I personally haven't found Pappy to be worth chasing. I've tried both the Van Winkle 10 and Pappy 15 at different bars, and i thought the 10 was pretty good but not worth secondary. I just flat out didn't like the 15; it tasted like bubblegum and bitter oak. The 10 was nice with very rich flavors of vanilla and brown sugar with a little oak or maybe leather on the finish. It had a very silky texture to it too. The flavors were very rich and satisfying, but it's definitely not the most complex bourbon in the world, far from it. Overall, I'd skip the 15, and buy the 10 at msrp. I'm curious about the 12 because I wonder if the extra 2 years will add some complexity that the 10 is lacking without being over-oaked. I don't really have an interest in the 20 or 23 because the 15 was over-oaked, and I can't imagine that more time in the barrel would fix that. The caveat though? I can't imagine buying any Pappy over BTAC or even limited editions from other distilleries. If GTS is available for a similar price, then I'm getting the GTS. I lined up GTS, Pappy 15, and Wild Turkey Master's Keep 17 BIB at a bar, and I preferred the Wild Turkey to all of them. Pappy 15 came in last though, and it wasn't close to the 2nd place GTS.
In Maryland you can spend about $2000 at a local liquor store and you MIGHT get blessed with a bottle of pappy 12 OR try a lottery and submit all your proxies like I did. I won a Rip 10 for $94
Picked up a bottle of Pappy 20 year at of all places a CVS in Indiana, the store manager called all of their bourbon patrons to let them know that they have 4 bottles of the 20 year, and 6 bottles of the 12 year, and it was first come first serve. 2nd in Line and was able to get the 20 year for $300.00, still haven't opened it, been offered $1,200.00 not sure if I want to sell it or drink it.
When you say you won it , was it free or how much did you still have to pay for any of those? Because here in Tennessee I went to a liquor store that had a raffle ticket but there prices were still Second prices. Van Winkle 10yr was $1,000.
I've had 2 each of lot 12 and old Rip. I actually prefer Old Rip, would not buy another Lot B. I also got 3 BTAC over the years and would buy any of them at MSRP. Still have one lottery that I might get drawn for Pappy/BTAC in March. Most of the lotteries around here do not involve standing in line, you just get an email. I got a RR15, RR Camp Nelson B, Michter's 10 yr, etc. at MSRP in the last few months.
Seems almost all allocated BT has gone up. Blantons is around $80, Eagle Rare is $50, and Elemer T is also $80. I managed to get Elmer a week before it went up.
I already know I'd be disappointed if I tasted any of the Van Winkle line, because it couldn't possibly live up to the hype in my mind. I could have gotten a standard pour from a Pappy 12 or 23 for $400 at The Stanley Hotel bar in CO, a couple years ago - but if they charge that much, I have zero confidence that they aren't cutting it with other whiskey (Of course, I would never be able to tell).
Chad, were you like 16 in that video? I get your enthusiasm. I paid $70 for a Pappy 12 pour and it was the best pour I've ever had. Which one is your favorite?
@@Bourbonandbrews $3,187.50 would actually be a good deal on secondary for a M20, isn’t that crazy! But also retail for the bottle is around $1,000, so just over a 3x multiplier for a 1oz pour isn’t all that crazy.
@@ItsBourbonNight there must be people that have a lot more disposable income than me if a $3000 bottle of bourbon isn’t all that crazy when you can get an 18 year knob Creek two years less in age for $159.99 so basically you’re paying $2800 plus for FOMO nobody is gonna convince me that two years in a bottle is going to take something from $160 to three grand sorry That’s taking the old formula of $10 per year of aging and throwing that clean out the window and I don’t mean a little bit out the window. I mean a long ways out the window and the only difference is knob Creek 18 is readily available on the other hand they make sure that they’re two year product in age benefit is not available at all for FOMO What a racket 😃🥃👍🔥
people are sheep. i see crowds of people waiting for "release" of products, bourbon, graphics cards etc and its just stupid. i'm into all of that stuff like a lot of people but i wouldn't lower myself to stand around like bovine in a blizzard to have the "privilege" of spending a bunch of money. seems really dumb to me. i would stand in a line if we were all starving...
@Kenobi487 I said what I said. opinion is based on experience, preference and MSRP. Taste is subjective but lets say I did like them still for the most part overpriced and overhyped.
No offense, but I would not stay in the cold for any whiskey at all and certainly not anything buffalo trace makes! I boycott them with a vengeance because they care nothing about their customer base , now somebody may say they don’t have to because of the long lines of people, but I would never go to their place and I would never give them a nickel of my money because of the way they manipulate the market on their products . It’s going to bite them one day ! people say you’re crazy. But it will happen.
Ive had the 10 (blind) and the 23 (not blind) from pappy. Hated both. Ive had several btacs and bought a few. The btacs are great but i wouldnt put any of them in my top 5 ever. Thought the 2022 gts wasnt very good but loved the 2020. Great whiskey, but id never go more than $20 over msrp for one. I just dont think they compete past the $160 range. Personally id rather keep seeing how the new craft guys are coming along than chase a btac, especially these days.
Thanks for sharing your encouraging story!
Yesterday, I won a bottle of 2024 George T. Stagg from a VABC lottery for 159.54 after tax. Gotta wait a week or so to get it, and hopefully, it's worth the wait and money. 🥃
I won one also. First GTS ever. Congratulations
Blessed Be the Fruit
Congrats, I was a loser again. 😢
Got the WLW myself. First win.
I would be so happy just to have an Old Rip 10!!
It’s a really great whiskey is a pretty bottle, but Rebel 10 year is as good or better and some bottles are up to 13 years old. And no bull, I bought it for $100 shipped from Remedy Liquor. I blinded Calumet 16, Maker’s Heart Release, PVW 10, and the Rebel 10 year.
Thinking back on my Van Winkle tastes, I had 3 before making the high bid on 1 of 4 ten year Van Winkle in December making that bottle my very 1st personally owned Van Winkle. I enjoyed a Pappy (23 or 25, not sure)a close friend brought to a whiskey tasting I hosted around 2014. I found the Pappy too oaked and fruit forward for my palate at that time. It may have also been a result of the influence of the bourbons I selected (my favorite that tasting was an Orphan Barrel bourbon) that included Wathans and Hancock's President's reserve. Of the 3 Van Winkles I have enjoyed I prefer the 10 year. Thank you for the history of your results. I have shared with you both before that my go to favorite for a number of years was Eagle Rare before the proof change not knowing how rare that experience would become in 3-4 years. EH Taylor is great and I am able to stock (have a spare), tonight closes with High Wire Jimmy Red 7 year. Long comment, Whiskey Riot was in my town today (I did not attend) so I went to the 1st Ave bourbon bar for some allocated stuff. Peace
CCI back in the day was great. When I was at the old Radisson, I took Pink Floyd there the day before the show because they wanted a beer. Nobody knew who they were.
I won an Old Rip in the Kroger Raffle a few years ago. It was alright.
@@robertlee6781 Wow, you took Pink Floyd for a beer?! That’s crazy!
I won't wait in a tater line, I won't eat up a lot of time hunting for booze, and I won't spend a fortune buying hyped up bottles at museums. I'll try booze like this at a bar if the price isn't totally absurd or if I'm in the mood to splurge on a pour (which doesn't happen often). If I happen to stumble upon an allocated bottle at a reasonable price, and it is something that I'm highly likely to enjoy, I'm not one to argue with good fortune. There is plenty of other great booze that isn't hyped up, is readily available, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I suppose I'm not the sort of person who likes to get caught up in hype.
Total Wine has lotteries with online sign-up for people who buy enough there to get grand reserve status. I love single malts and I will sometimes buy something that is on the expensive side, and there are many other categories of spirits that I like, so I get to this level through purchases that I would make regardless of the existence of this program. I have entered the lottery before but have not won anything. Winners of the next one will be announced in March, and I will be surprised if I win. There are also sometimes events that cause tater lines to form. I won't wait in the lines, but I'll go there afterwards to see what is left over if the event is at a conveniently located store. I got a couple good bottles that way. On a few occasions, they have sent out e-mails offering allocated bottles at a good price, and I just have to bring in a copy of the e-mail to get it. There is no BTAC or Van Winkle available this way, but I have acquired a couple decent mid-level allocated bottles. In general, I don't think Total Wine grand reserve status is worth trying to maintain for the slim chance of getting some hyped up bottles, but if grand reserve status happens due to normal booze-purchasing habits, then it can't hurt to enter the lottery and take advantage of the few other opportunities that it provides.
I believe in my 51 years on this earth and the 25 years I’ve been drinking whiskey, that there’s maybe a 20% difference between the best whiskey I’ve had (EC B520) and an amazing under $100 store pick. A lot of people will keep chasing that next great sip though.
Getting lucky, I have had all of the BTAC including 2019 WLW, Stagg and 20 yo Pappy. The 2018 20 yo Pappy has been my favorite of everything.
I've had 10, 12 and 15 year Pappy and I always preferred the Weller equivalent
Great videos guys. I'd love to try a pour but here in Miami a pour is crazy. But great info.
I’ve had a 2020 GTS and a handful of PVW 15 year. All excellent whiskey and right place, right time purchases. None worth the retail price I paid. I’ve had dozens of Knob Creek 15-16 year store picks back in the mid 2010’s, EC pirate 66.6%, EC B520, 4R 2021, and RR 13 batch 1 that I’d say were better than any of them.
I remember buying VW 10 for $40 in 2004 and my friends laughed at me for buying bougie bourbon because it was over double Maker’s Mark. Blanton’s was under $30 and rare breed was $25.
I’m way over unicorn tear whiskey. When the third batch of RR13 hit $150 I was done. Cheers y’all 🥃
I was on a online auction site yesterday and you can get Pappy and the BTAC line Cheaper than you can find one in michigan, Without all the B.S. too 🤔 , All I want is a GTS though 👍💯😉
I won a Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 year 2024 this year. Someday I’ll open it. But, you know what’s better than having all the Pappy’s in the world? Starting a family. Having babies. Nothing beats it
Thank you for the nice video personally I've only had the 10, 15 & 20 also I still have whiskey in my bottles. Now I will say all were very good however I prefer the 10 & 15 🥃 maybe I'll do a better assessment when I try the rest of them.
PSA: it’s cheaper to just buy on secondary than spend thousands of dollars on random liquor at a single store with the hopes that you’ll get a call or win a raffle
No special treatment?! That’s bullshit! Y’all earned it, get it while the gettin is good
The issue I’m having is I live in Houston and the only raffle lottery or allocation drop I know of is specs they do it once a year and I would have to camp out for 3 days in order to get close enough to get a pappys.
WHISKEY CHEERS 😎
P23 is like eating splinters 🤣
I too struck out once again at the LB lottery last weekend. Never had a win with LB or TW.
There is a restaurant near me with a bottle of the Old Rip 25 Year. It's not opened. It just sits there :P
An episode that compared the top rated bourbons “ever” that you guys actually have. To what their secondary prices are getting. Worth it or not.
Guys, love your content and been watching for quite a few years but this video reminded me how Americans cannot conceive there is such a thing as not America. If you feel like the cost of Pappy and BTAC is hard in USA have a look at export markets. Europe, Australia, etc.
@@RockDoctor Yeah, we’ve seen it for a quite a pretty penny in London but actually found Pappy at a bar in Scotland for the equivalent of about $105 for a good sized pour. It’s usually more than that at the Bourbon bars in Kentucky, so that was a nice find. We didn’t buy a pour but some of our friends did.
There’s a bar in my area that has the pappy lineup and a friend bought a 1.5 oz pour off the pappy 23 for 185.00 CRAZY
and how do you really know they're not in back with the bottle, a funnel and a bottle of Weller 12?
Hay guy's last year I went to a Buffalo Trace 2024 BTAC tasting release with the Master Blender of Buffalo Trace here in Melbourne Australia, it was freaking amazing then someone put his Pappy 20yr on the bar for everyone to try dram that will be a afternoon I never forget also had a bottle from 1973 Seagrems.. you have NO idea how expensive this S#*! Is down under
GIVE IT TO ME NAOW!!! 🖖😎🥃
I personally haven't found Pappy to be worth chasing. I've tried both the Van Winkle 10 and Pappy 15 at different bars, and i thought the 10 was pretty good but not worth secondary. I just flat out didn't like the 15; it tasted like bubblegum and bitter oak. The 10 was nice with very rich flavors of vanilla and brown sugar with a little oak or maybe leather on the finish. It had a very silky texture to it too. The flavors were very rich and satisfying, but it's definitely not the most complex bourbon in the world, far from it.
Overall, I'd skip the 15, and buy the 10 at msrp. I'm curious about the 12 because I wonder if the extra 2 years will add some complexity that the 10 is lacking without being over-oaked. I don't really have an interest in the 20 or 23 because the 15 was over-oaked, and I can't imagine that more time in the barrel would fix that.
The caveat though? I can't imagine buying any Pappy over BTAC or even limited editions from other distilleries. If GTS is available for a similar price, then I'm getting the GTS. I lined up GTS, Pappy 15, and Wild Turkey Master's Keep 17 BIB at a bar, and I preferred the Wild Turkey to all of them. Pappy 15 came in last though, and it wasn't close to the 2nd place GTS.
In Maryland you can spend about $2000 at a local liquor store and you MIGHT get blessed with a bottle of pappy 12 OR try a lottery and submit all your proxies like I did. I won a Rip 10 for $94
Picked up a bottle of Pappy 20 year at of all places a CVS in Indiana, the store manager called all of their bourbon patrons to let them know that they have 4 bottles of the 20 year, and 6 bottles of the 12 year, and it was first come first serve. 2nd in Line and was able to get the 20 year for $300.00, still haven't opened it, been offered $1,200.00 not sure if I want to sell it or drink it.
When you say you won it , was it free or how much did you still have to pay for any of those? Because here in Tennessee I went to a liquor store that had a raffle ticket but there prices were still Second prices. Van Winkle 10yr was $1,000.
I've had 2 each of lot 12 and old Rip. I actually prefer Old Rip, would not buy another Lot B. I also got 3 BTAC over the years and would buy any of them at MSRP. Still have one lottery that I might get drawn for Pappy/BTAC in March. Most of the lotteries around here do not involve standing in line, you just get an email. I got a RR15, RR Camp Nelson B, Michter's 10 yr, etc. at MSRP in the last few months.
Given the secondary prices, it’s really smart for them to increase the SRP. Why should all that $ go to resellers?
i have video of when btac was 6.99 a pour
Seems almost all allocated BT has gone up. Blantons is around $80, Eagle Rare is $50, and Elemer T is also $80. I managed to get Elmer a week before it went up.
liqour barn is a 20% mark up on most of everything
$50/oz downtown 🍻
I already know I'd be disappointed if I tasted any of the Van Winkle line, because it couldn't possibly live up to the hype in my mind. I could have gotten a standard pour from a Pappy 12 or 23 for $400 at The Stanley Hotel bar in CO, a couple years ago - but if they charge that much, I have zero confidence that they aren't cutting it with other whiskey (Of course, I would never be able to tell).
Chad, were you like 16 in that video? I get your enthusiasm. I paid $70 for a Pappy 12 pour and it was the best pour I've ever had. Which one is your favorite?
Never trust a guy w a braided beard and wearing tinted safety glasses lmao. What a character
Why does it seem that it’s bitter cold out every time you’re getting in line for Pappy?
@@stevengrundwerg Because it always is! 😂
Did anyone do the % increase over the 10 years? I did not do the math
We have a local establishment that is charging $125 for a 1 ounce pour of michters 20 making that bottle well over $3000 that’s insanity
My local store sold two different Michters 20 bottles last year for 6,000.00 each. They had to buy 20 cases of the Michters core lineup to get them.
@ that’s insane 😂🤦♂️ nothing on Earth you have zero return equity in is worth that. You can buy 18 year knob creek for 159.99 a bottle
@@Bourbonandbrewsor the 12 which is even better imo for $60
@@Bourbonandbrews $3,187.50 would actually be a good deal on secondary for a M20, isn’t that crazy! But also retail for the bottle is around $1,000, so just over a 3x multiplier for a 1oz pour isn’t all that crazy.
@@ItsBourbonNight there must be people that have a lot more disposable income than me if a $3000 bottle of bourbon isn’t all that crazy when you can get an 18 year knob Creek two years less in age for $159.99 so basically you’re paying $2800 plus for FOMO nobody is gonna convince me that two years in a bottle is going to take something from $160 to three grand sorry
That’s taking the old formula of $10 per year of aging and throwing that clean out the window and I don’t mean a little bit out the window. I mean a long ways out the window and the only difference is knob Creek 18 is readily available on the other hand they make sure that they’re two year product in age benefit is not available at all for FOMO
What a racket 😃🥃👍🔥
🥃❤️🔥🎰🏃👍
My area a 10yr is 1000.00 15 yr 2,500.00 and worse prices thereafter.
why would a 150 price hike deter a 2000 dollar profit? lol
you gotta reeeeaaalllyyy want it. rather save my (more valuable) time and drink an available banger
people are sheep. i see crowds of people waiting for "release" of products, bourbon, graphics cards etc and its just stupid. i'm into all of that stuff like a lot of people but i wouldn't lower myself to stand around like bovine in a blizzard to have the "privilege" of spending a bunch of money. seems really dumb to me. i would stand in a line if we were all starving...
All pappy is overrated over hyped and overpriced.
Secondary prices….yeah sure. But a 23 year old bourbon will be expensive.
@Kenobi487 I said what I said. opinion is based on experience, preference and MSRP. Taste is subjective but lets say I did like them still for the most part overpriced and overhyped.
I know one day ill get lucky with a lottery!
No offense, but I would not stay in the cold for any whiskey at all and certainly not anything buffalo trace makes! I boycott them with a vengeance because they care nothing about their customer base , now somebody may say they don’t have to because of the long lines of people, but I would never go to their place and I would never give them a nickel of my money because of the way they manipulate the market on their products .
It’s going to bite them one day ! people say you’re crazy. But it will happen.
Ive had the 10 (blind) and the 23 (not blind) from pappy. Hated both. Ive had several btacs and bought a few. The btacs are great but i wouldnt put any of them in my top 5 ever. Thought the 2022 gts wasnt very good but loved the 2020. Great whiskey, but id never go more than $20 over msrp for one. I just dont think they compete past the $160 range. Personally id rather keep seeing how the new craft guys are coming along than chase a btac, especially these days.
Nice collection good for you guys,I want to send you a Christmas card whats your address?:)