gopherblue
Straight Flush
So...as evident from my (several) posts above, I had the afternoon free and decided to set out to find myself another bottle of Stagg Jr.
It didn't go well. Don't get me wrong--it was a hell of a way to spend a free afternoon with no obligations to the family...a crystalline, balmy 22 F day.
I went to (at least) 16 (I lost count) liquor stores, and put 160 miles on the odometer. I found, quite possibly, the most amazing small-town liquor store I've ever seen--they had EVERYTHING. And there was a reason for it--the most reasonably priced bourbon was 140% of usual retail in my area. We're talking GTS, Handy and other BTACs at $700 and up, Van Winkles from ORVW at $700 to the 23 at like $3600, and Weller SR at $140. Stagg Jr. at a (relative) bargain price of $165, but alas, no stock.
Another store had ETL at $300, ORVW at $1200(!) and GTS at $450..."we always treat our customers well and price below what wine-searcher.com shows as far as pricing."
Well...to be fair, they were $2 below local retail on OF 1920. Still, a hard pass.
It was very much an Easter egg hunt--half the fun was plotting the itinerary and the other half was the anticipation when walking up to a new store and not knowing what lay within.
One store was promising--fairly reasonable prices, and even a price sheet posted on a case regarding their allocated bourbons, but Stagg Jr. was still $100, and out of stock. In passing, as with everywhere else, I asked the clerk if they had anything that wasn't out on the shelf. I asked about BTACs, including George T Stagg, but the clerk said no. Then she said "but stop back in a couple hours when the owner is here--I know she has a few things that she keeps for herself, but might sell." But I wasn't even halfway into my itinerary, and I wasn't passing back that way. So I took their card and said I'd call later.
Went to a great store that @bentax1978 recommended (that's where that $25,000 bottle of Pappy resides), and while they had a great selection at good prices, they didn't have what I was hunting. Still no Stagg Jr.
With three more stores left to visit, I pulled out the business card from that place I visited earlier, and called the number. The clerk had no idea (or recollection) who I was or why I was calling, but she handed the phone off to the owner. I introduced myself and told her I was in earlier in the day and the clerk had suggested I ask her if she had any allocated bottles available. She put me on hold, then came back and said, yes, she had one of the bottles I mentioned. I asked the price and she said she didn't know--she'd have to check the computer up front. After a few minutes on hold, and playing a game of over/under with myself on the insane price she'd quote, she came back on the line and told me.
I said "I'll take it. I'm about 40 minutes away, but I'll be there."
It didn't go well. Don't get me wrong--it was a hell of a way to spend a free afternoon with no obligations to the family...a crystalline, balmy 22 F day.
I went to (at least) 16 (I lost count) liquor stores, and put 160 miles on the odometer. I found, quite possibly, the most amazing small-town liquor store I've ever seen--they had EVERYTHING. And there was a reason for it--the most reasonably priced bourbon was 140% of usual retail in my area. We're talking GTS, Handy and other BTACs at $700 and up, Van Winkles from ORVW at $700 to the 23 at like $3600, and Weller SR at $140. Stagg Jr. at a (relative) bargain price of $165, but alas, no stock.
Another store had ETL at $300, ORVW at $1200(!) and GTS at $450..."we always treat our customers well and price below what wine-searcher.com shows as far as pricing."
Well...to be fair, they were $2 below local retail on OF 1920. Still, a hard pass.It was very much an Easter egg hunt--half the fun was plotting the itinerary and the other half was the anticipation when walking up to a new store and not knowing what lay within.
One store was promising--fairly reasonable prices, and even a price sheet posted on a case regarding their allocated bourbons, but Stagg Jr. was still $100, and out of stock. In passing, as with everywhere else, I asked the clerk if they had anything that wasn't out on the shelf. I asked about BTACs, including George T Stagg, but the clerk said no. Then she said "but stop back in a couple hours when the owner is here--I know she has a few things that she keeps for herself, but might sell." But I wasn't even halfway into my itinerary, and I wasn't passing back that way. So I took their card and said I'd call later.
Went to a great store that @bentax1978 recommended (that's where that $25,000 bottle of Pappy resides), and while they had a great selection at good prices, they didn't have what I was hunting. Still no Stagg Jr.
With three more stores left to visit, I pulled out the business card from that place I visited earlier, and called the number. The clerk had no idea (or recollection) who I was or why I was calling, but she handed the phone off to the owner. I introduced myself and told her I was in earlier in the day and the clerk had suggested I ask her if she had any allocated bottles available. She put me on hold, then came back and said, yes, she had one of the bottles I mentioned. I asked the price and she said she didn't know--she'd have to check the computer up front. After a few minutes on hold, and playing a game of over/under with myself on the insane price she'd quote, she came back on the line and told me.
I said "I'll take it. I'm about 40 minutes away, but I'll be there."
So, it was a good day after all--I didn't find what I was originally looking for, but so be it. The price? Well, let's just say it was a snap call. And I drove like hell to get there.
. There are a few stores that have/had stagg jr at $80 or less, so I’ll keep checking as the year goes on. ECBPs are still on some shelves and avg. around $70/$75 - $100 being top end. But similar to 
, because even though there are some places that sell the C920/B520 at $60-65 here, they're usually priced a little above that already ($70-$75) with some at $100/bottle