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Hi all,
Total newb here. I've entered a local Whiskey raffle, and need some advice on which bottles are the better/more limited offerings. Hoping to land a bottle of Pappy, but if not I don't know much or anything about the other bottles.
If you guys could please take a look at the list and let me know what you'd grab first given the opportunity I would really appreciate it.
Thanks!!
1x Pappy Van Winkle 23yr
1x Thomas Handy Rye (BTAC)
1x Sazerac Rye 6yr (BTAC)
1x Pappy Van Winkle 20yr
1x Eagle Rare 17yr (BTAC)
1x Parker 24yr
1x Pappy Van Winkle 15yr
1x Rock Hill Farms
1x Michters Toasted Barrel
4x Pappy Van Winkle 12yr
1x Barter House 20yr
1x Elijah Craig 18yr
3x RIP Van Winkle 10yr
1x Gifted Horse
1x Weller 107
3x William Larue Weller (BTAC)
1x Rhetoric 22yr
1x Weller Special Reserve
2x George Stagg Jr
2x Old Forester B-day
2x Jack Daniels 150th Anniversary
1x George T Stagg (BTAC)
2x Weller 12yr
1x Colonel Taylor Single Barrel
1x Colonel Taylor Seasoned Wood
2x Colonel Taylor Straight Rye 1x Elmer T Lee
@davidtarnow
It appears that store whose raffle you have entered is including some of the more common allocated bourbons in this drawing, even the ones that usually appear on the shelves a few times a year. That being said, are you looking to get a good bottle of bourbon to drink, or are you purchasing as an investment for eventual resale? Also, would you be paying at or close to suggested retail price, or is the retailer including a big markup over suggested retail price?
I had a feeling everything on that list wouldn't be super rare/limited.
I'm purchasing first as a gift for my father's 70th birthday, so i'm looking to drink. Sale prices will be at state minimum, so they should be spot on at suggested retail.
Also looking for something that is not on the peaty side.
thanks!
@davidtarnow
I dropped in some comments below that might provide some guidance. These are just my opinions.
1x Pappy Van Winkle 23yr -I would avoid this one unless you know that your Dad enjoys very woody bourbons.
1x Thomas Handy Rye (BTAC)-A definite buy. This is essentially a barrel-strength version of the 6 year-old Sazerac Rye.
1x Sazerac Rye 6yr (BTAC)-The Sazerac Rye in the BTAC is the 18 year-old, and it is a definite buy. The 6 year-old is a great whiskey, but it is something that appears on the shelves with some regularity, so it might not have the wow factor you are looking for in a 70th birthday present.
1x Pappy Van Winkle 20yr -A definite buy. Much better balance than the 23 year old.
1x Eagle Rare 17yr (BTAC)-A definite buy.
1x Parker 24yr-Reviews have been mixed on this one. The general consensus is that it was left too long in the barrel, so I would avoid it.
1x Pappy Van Winkle 15yr -A definite buy.
1x Rock Hill Farms - A good whiskey, but, again, it is something that appears on the shelves with some regularity, so it might not have the wow factor you are looking for in a 70th birthday present.
1x Michters Toasted Barrel-This is a limited release, but it is overhyped in my opinion. There are much better options on this list.
4x Pappy Van Winkle 12yr-A buy only if you have your heart set on a Pappy and the 15- and 20-year-old are already gone. It is good but not really anything special.
1x Barter House 20yr -I would avoid this one. There are much better options on this list.
1x Elijah Craig 18yr-A definite buy.
3x RIP Van Winkle 10yr-See 12-year-old above.
1x Gifted Horse -Avoid. This is a blend of bourbon and corn whiskey. It is decent as a curiosity, but it is not worthy of being included in a raffle.
1x Weller 107-I would avoid this one. A decent whiskey but barely a mid-shelf expression until the bourbon craze kicked in.
3x William Larue Weller (BTAC)-A definite buy.
1x Rhetoric 22yr -I would avoid this one. There are much better options on this list.
1x Weller Special Reserve -I would avoid this one. A decent whiskey but barely a mid-shelf expression until the bourbon craze kicked in.
2x George Stagg Jr -I would avoid this one. There are much better options on this list.
2x Old Forester B-day -An annual, limited release and a solid choice if all of the "definite buys" on the list are gone.
2x Jack Daniels 150th Anniversary-I would avoid unless you Dad is a big JD fan.
1x George T Stagg (BTAC)-This one has gotten the worst reviews of the 2016 BTAC. Still a solid choice if the other "definite buys" are all gone.
2x Weller 12yr -Not a bad choice if all of the limited releases are already gone, but it might not have the wow factor you are looking for in a 70th birthday present. Just a few years ago, this was a $30 bourbon that was always on the shelves.
1x Colonel Taylor Single Barrel-I would avoid this one. There are much better options on this list.
1x Colonel Taylor Seasoned Wood -A solid choice if the other "definite buys" are all gone.
2x Colonel Taylor Straight Rye -A solid choice if the other "definite buys" are all gone. This is different from most ryes because it has no corn in the mashbill (only rye with a little bit of malted barley).
1x Elmer T Lee-Not a bad choice if all of the limited releases are already gone, but it might not have the wow factor you are looking for in a 70th birthday present. Just a few years ago, this was a $35 bourbon that was always on the shelves.
@Carlton
Above and Beyond!!
Thank you for all the info!
@davidtarnow
You're welcome. Let me know whether you are able to score one of these bottles.