Bourbonr Blog Turns 5

Another year in the Bourbonr history books! It’s hard to believe that it has been five years since I started writing the Bourbonr blog. That means this fall will mark the 6th year of the Pappy and BTAC release maps. Over the years I’ve written over 300+ posts on Bourbonr. While a lot has changed, the bottom shelf still remains the same. I would still recommend all five of these bourbons from one of my first posts.

Last year, I added some observations to this post. I think this is going to be a running list. The new additions are in bold.

Here are a few things I’ve observed over the last four  five years:

• Private barrels are still the best value. But, make sure you trust the person/palate that is selecting the barrel.
• It’s sad, but prices aren’t going down anytime soon. We have seen the release of several great bottles in the $35-$50 range. But, ultra-premium bottles continue to become more ultra(r). Secondary prices continue to skyrocket. If my 401(k) returns were the same as Pappy I think I could retire at the age of 35.
• This is self-promotion. Give craft a try! There are some incredible whiskey’s released from craft distilleries. They all may not taste like the bourbon you’re used to. And that’s the point!
• Don’t trust marketing. This has been true forever. There are new brands and new stories popping up every week. Buy the bourbon. Don’t buy the marketing.
• Bourbons popularity isn’t going to die. Looking back on old posts I still see the same comments “I can’t wait for the hipsters to get out of bourbon so I can buy Pappy again at retail.” Not much has changed. In fact, it has gotten worse (or better if you’re in the bourbon business). It’s not the popular thing to say but the reality is bourbon will continue to grow and expand. Hundreds of thousands of consumers aren’t going to wake up one morning and forget what Pappy or George T Stagg is. Which is still a good thing! More people and releases keep things exciting.
• Brands listen to consumers (sometimes).
• Price doesn’t equal quality. Age doesn’t equal quality. We’ve known this all along but it doesn’t hurt to reiterate. Visit whiskey bars. Go to tastings. Find other Bourbonr’s in your area and share samples. Find what you like without having to pay ridiculous amounts of money.
• Don’t get caught in the Limited Edition trap! It sounds disingenuous since I talk a lot about LE’s on Bourbonr. You don’t have to buy every new release. I’m proud to say that I’ve left quite a few “LE’s” on the shelf over the past year. There’s no need to try every $100 bottle in a wooden box.
• Taste blind. Taste blind. Taste blind. Taste blind. Taste blind. Taste blind. Taste blind. Taste blind.
• Finally, bourbon has a great community and culture around it. Get involved! Five years ago meeting up with random guys from the internet to get drinks sounded weird. Now, it seems like a weekly occurrence. I’ve had the privilege to meet a ton of great people through Bourbonr.  It’s been (aside from maybe the free booze 😉 ) the best part of Bourbonr.

To celebrate the Bourbonr 5th Anniversary I’ve selected a special barrel. It’s a 5-year old wheated bourbon. That’s all of the details I’m going to release for now. If you’re interested in a bottle enter your email below: