Update: Here are a few things I want to clear up with this post.

• I don’t have any Pappy Van Winkle for sale. Bourbonr is just a blog.
• I don’t know where you can buy it. I didn’t find any myself last year so I’m hunting just like everyone else.
• The Pappy Van Winkle release map will launch next week. That’s the best I can do to help you find a bottle.
• My thoughts on Fake Pappy. My thoughts on retail pricing
• P.s. don’t you love this time of year! 🙂

 FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Oct. 26, 2017) – This is the favorite time of the year for bourbon fans, the annual release of the Van Winkle Bourbons is near.  Yields are a bit higher for the 10, 15 and 23 year old whiskies, but the 13-Year-Old Van Winkle Reserve Rye will not be released this year. read more

Correction – In the video I state that the Michter 10 #2345 is the 2010 release. It’s actually the 2012 release. The same holds true on the Stitzel-Weller and older age rumor but it is a 2012.

This is the reveal for the first Bourbonr Blind Tasting. For the first tasting, our blind tasters were Wade Woodard, Aaron Goldfarb, Josh Peters and Joe Long. I appreciate their willingness to be the guinea pigs in this first episode! This is the full live reveal and discussion video. If you scroll down to the bottom of this post I did a quick wrap-up and reveal video as well. read more

You may remember my post from a few months ago where I interviewed  Whiskey Jewbilee founder, Joshua Hatton. They’re all set for the 2017 Whiskey Jewbilee in Chicago and he’s offering a discount for all Bourbonr readers! The promo code is “BRBR217” and gives you 15% off your ticket price. And more importantly, a chance to buy a bottle of their new release. This year’s Whisky Jewbilee bottle is a 9yo Wild Turkey from Rickhouse G, 6th floor, and bottled at 61.0% ABV. read more

There are a few common themes on Bourbonr. Things like limited editions and release maps have become synonymous with Bourbon. I don’t love what limited edition bourbons have become. But, I still want to keep Bourbonr as a resource for those that use the maps. I’d much rather focus on things like blind tastings and available bourbon options. Because of that, I’m starting a new blind tasting series. This will be a live video series with the results posted on the blog. The first live reveal and review is this Wednesday, October 11th, at 9 EST. This should be an entertaining format so would love for you to join us! read more

The 2017 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition (SmBLE) was a bonus. Four Roses already released the Al Young 50th Anniversary Limited Edition in the summer of 2017. I thought that was going to replace the 2017 SmBLE. But, to the excitement of most Bourbonr, Four Roses decided to release the SmBLE anyways. This year’s release is a blend of a 15-year-old OESK, a 13-year-old OESK and a 12-year-old OESV. If you’re unfamiliar with what the letters stand for, here is a cheat sheet. read more

I know what you’re thinking. This is the third BTAC post in less than 10 days! It’s easy to get burned out by the fall bourbon craziness. I promise, aside from the map updates, this is the last BTAC post for a while. In this post I reviewed all five 2017 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Whiskeys. These samples were provided by Buffalo Trace. read more

Please Read: Each state is highlighted when one bottle is reported in that state. There’s a good chance that means that store, and a lot of times that city, is already sold out. This map isn’t an official release tracker from Buffalo Trace. This is a network of bourbon drinkers looking to help each other. Stores are dealing with smaller allocations and greatly increased demand. Please be understanding of this fact. Happy Hunting! read more

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Sept. 19, 2017) Whiskey lovers rejoice, Buffalo Trace Distillery is releasing its 2017 Antique Collection. The highly anticipated collection will once again feature five limited-release whiskeys of various ages, recipes and proofs. Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley notes, “The team had another great year with the Antique Collection.  From distillation, to barrel selection, to bottling, this year’s collection showed very well.  I was particularly excited about the William Larue Weller with its extra richness, and the Eagle Rare 17 seemed more rounded and full of flavor.  None of these disappointed.” read more

It’s always good to see bourbon going to a good cause! This is a scenario where I hope that bottles are sold at secondary prices. So far, no word on when and where the bottles will be sold. I’ll keep you posted.

Here is the response I received about how the bottles will be sold:

The last remaining bottles of Booker’s Rye will be released to the field in a manner consistent with any limited product release. Bottles have been allocated among our distribution partners, who will manage their placement in a limited number of markets over the coming weeks. Consumers interested in finding a bottle should contact their local specialty whiskey retailer. 100% of Beam’s proceeds from the sale of the bottles to our distribution partners will be donated. read more

It seems like a question we’ve already answered on Bourbonr. But, after a couple of conversations on several social media outlets this weekend a refresher is important. Remember, the federal government regulates the term “bourbon”. It’s the responsibility of the TTB to enforce these regulations. Here we go: read more