if those are actually there that's great. this is usually what i see at these events...

http://www.beerandbourbon.com/cary/drink-menu

7/30/2014 8:07:28 AM

Evan Williams Black Label
Evan Williams 1783
Evan Williams Single Barrel
Evan Williams Honey Reserve
Evan Williams Cherry Reserve
Evan Williams Cinnamon Reserve
Elijah Craig 12yr
Four Roses Yellow Label
Four Roses Single Barrel
Four Roses Small Batch
Buffalo Trace Small Batch
1792 Ridgemont Reserve Small Batch
Eagle Rare Single Barrel
Blanton's Single Barrel
EH Taylor Small Batch
Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka
Firefly Moonshine : Strawberry
Firefly Moonshine : Apple Pie
Firefly Moonshine : White Lightening
Firefly Moonshine : Caramel
Firefly Moonshine : Cherry
Firefly Moonshine : Peach
Fireball Cinnamon Whisky
Mystic Bourbon Liqueur
Baker's
Basil Hayden's
Booker's
Jim Beam Signature Craft 12yr
Jim Beam Single Barrel
Old Overholt Rye
Canadian Club Dock 57
Classic 12
Maker's 46
Maker's Mark
2 Ginger's
Kilbeggan
Connemara
Tyrconnell
Greenore Irish Whiskey
Hornitos Lime Shots
Hornitos Plata
Hornitos Reposado
Jim Beam 4ry
Jim Beam Black
Jim Beam Devil's Cut
Jim Beam Jacob's Ghost
Jim Beam Rye
Jim Beam Honey
Jim Beam Red Stag
Jim Beam Red Stag Spiced
Jim Beam Maple
Jim Beam Hard Core Cider
Knob Creek
Knob Creek Rye
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Knob Creek Smoked Maple
Pinnacle Citrus
Pinnacle Peach
Pinnacle Cinnabon
Pinnacle Tropical Punch
Pinnacle Rainbow Sherbet
Strawberry Shortcake
Paddy
Paddy Bee Sting
Paddy Devil's Apple
Olmeca Plata
Olmeca Repo
Avion Espresso
JP Wiser's Spiced
JP Wiser's Rye
Malibu Island Spiced
BVS Co Krupnikas
Jack Daniels Black Label
Jack Daniels Single Barrel
Jack Daniels Tennesse Honey
Gentlemen Jack Daniels
Jack Daniels Honey
Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve Double Oak

http://www.beerandbourbon.com/north-carolina/drink-menu

I've gone to every one since 2008, and that's been the basic selection every year. They've added more beer, vodka, and irish whiskey every year to cater to people that may not want bourbon, and they don't have a ton of stuff that's not readily available in a NC ABC store. I still think it's worth the $50 ticket, and doubly so if you do the 2 for 1 VIP deal they do in January every year.

7/31/2014 10:25:36 AM

Was out of town and picked up a bottle of E.H. Taylor. Haven't had a chance to try yet but I'm looking forward to it!


I also ordered this American Whisky book after flipping through it in a store. Very informative
http://www.amazon.com/American-Whiskey-Bourbon-Rye-Nation%C2%92s/dp/1402798407

7/31/2014 10:54:12 AM

I mean...

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Bourbon-Whiskey-by-the-Barrel_152213745.html

9/4/2014 9:58:38 AM

^^ I really enjoyed Clay's book but damn the font is small! I like his focus on good value bottles, especially since we can get many of the 3 star choices easily in NC.

I've seen the Taylor small batch at Orange County ABC #2 and/or Wake County store #1. It has always been on the shelf at Frugal MacDugals or Stateline Beverage when I've cruised through down in Charlotte.

I've heard raves about the rye, but at $70/bottle, I've passed on it when I've found it. Has anyone on here tried it?

9/29/2014 10:51:02 PM

^^

Quote :

" Place of Origin: Indiana United States"

I wonder if it's this same stuff:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/07/28/your-craft-whiskey-is-probably-from-a-factory-distillery-in-indiana.html

I divorced Bulleit after reading that. Never tried their rye, but if they're willing to be disingenuous about their rye, i don't trust any of their other products either.

9/30/2014 12:44:23 PM

if it tastes good, it tastes good

9/30/2014 12:57:01 PM

If you click on that Alibaba link, the barrels you can buy come from...Indiana...

9/30/2014 1:24:38 PM

color me intrigued

Quote :

"Alcohol Content (%): 115"

9/30/2014 1:30:56 PM

LDI isn't really a secret. A ton of high rated ryes, and a few bourbons, are sourced from LDI and it hasn't stopped me from enjoying any of them. Smooth Ambler and High West definitely come to mind.

9/30/2014 1:35:06 PM

Just got a 15-year Pappy for $89 here in Denver. Local store had a left over from last year they tucked away (to release later in the year) and forgot about it. So they announced they hid it in the store somewhere, anyhow, found it and they sold it to me for MSRP.

10/5/2014 2:49:20 PM

^ great find! I travel out to Denver about once a month and always hit up a liquor store near my hotel that has a great selection. Would you mind PMing which store you think would be the best place to hunt in the Denver area?

I just got the call today from my local ABC store that I had won the lottery for their meager BTAC allocation. Brought home a 2014 George T Stagg - it's the first time I've found something like that, and it is easily the best bottle in my collection. 68% alcohol took a little getting used to ... but I think I'm up for it

10/9/2014 9:50:02 PM

^ stagg is great! but you're right, definitely takes some adjustment and a few drops of water. small sips!

heading to kentucky next week for work and will do some shopping bowling green. not too optimistic about finding anything though, it's been difficult here in atlanta this fall catching any of the fall releases. a few years ago i could make some rounds and find at least one bottle of limited four roses or the parkers heritage, but not so anymore. oh well

[Edited on October 10, 2014 at 10:02 AM. Reason : .]

10/10/2014 10:01:54 AM

Tried this last night at The Oak (Raleigh):

http://thewhiskeyjug.com/bourbon-whiskey/jeffersons-ocean-aged-sea-review/

Probobly one of the more unique bourbons I have tried. Aged on the ocean and visits five continents. Thought it would be a gimmick just like the reviewer in that article, but still could taste a hint of salt. Really good.

11/6/2014 11:47:08 AM

I'm having my first child in June and want to open a rare and delicious bottle of bourbon to celebrate the occasion after the baby is delivered. Who can help me procure some of the good stuff? Willing to pay up to $250 for this bottle

11/6/2014 3:36:07 PM

I mean, are you making a veiled reference to scoring a bottle of PVW? Or did you just make it as vague as possible on purpose?

There are plenty of good bourbons from a technical standpoint without the market scarcity of PVW.

11/7/2014 9:16:25 AM

Not alluding to PVW, granted it would qualify and meet my criteria. I assume it'll be too hard to get and getting my hands on it wouldn't be worth the trouble.

I'm thinking of other bottles that might come from the westcoast and didn't get distributed this far. Most of the good stuff isn't readily available here in NC. For my last good haul, I ended up going to Georgia. That 21 year Willett from a few pages back seemed interesting. Limited edition single barrel Four Roses, maybe an aged 18-21 year, etc.

11/7/2014 1:31:40 PM

hmmm...not sure there's too much that you can readily find in that range to be honest. but if you run into any of these i think you'd be pretty happy with them:

parker's heritage collection (the current one is a wheat whiskey, but any of them you found would be great)
george stagg (not that stagg jr)
william larue weller
any of the limited four roses, either the single barrel or the small batch
eagle rare 17

problem is, these are extremely hard to find as well. oh well.

i've read mixed reviews of the Wild Turkey Diamond release. some have been quite glowing though. i've seen a number of bottles but haven't bought one or tried it. that's maybe in the range your looking for too.

i'll keep a lookout here in atlanta. if i see anything interesting i'll shoot you a PM

[Edited on November 7, 2014 at 3:05 PM. Reason : .]

11/7/2014 3:04:28 PM

While looking for options, ended up coming across this site https://caskers.com/welcome that acts as a 3rd party and offers selections of spirits from all across the country. I went ahead and registered so I could see what they were offering and it seems pretty promising.

Anyone have prior experience with this? I know I've seen some reviews that are hit & miss with deliveries and such, but I think I'd be willing to give it a go.

11/7/2014 8:55:26 PM

While grabbing some Eagle Rare I noticed that the 'Honey' and 'Cinnamon' etc. Flavored garbage is stocked next to the real bourbon in my local ABC store.

Shame.

11/9/2014 10:25:40 PM

anyone ever tried eagle rare 17 year? or maybe how it compares to a pappy or stagg? i have a chance to procure some and just wanted to know if it was worth my while

11/13/2014 7:11:03 PM

i'd love to get my hands on ER17


All three PVW variants are shown on the NC ABC QPL for the first time that i can remember. Has anyone had any luck popping into an ABC store and asking for one? I can't imagine any are left sitting.

11/14/2014 8:43:20 AM

Maybe this can help SuperDude up there...although at a much cheaper price (save some money for your kid):

http://www.eater.com/2014/10/23/7038697/Pappy-van-winkle-price-alternative-overrated

11/14/2014 8:56:46 AM

If any of you see a bottle of High West's a Midwinter Nights Dram, I'd recommend picking up a bottle. It's their Rendezvous Rye finished in port barrels, and is quite tasty.

11/14/2014 9:33:16 AM

that does sound good. how is the price compared to the other HW versions

11/14/2014 10:44:14 AM

i paid $79 for my bottle, which is about $20 more than i see the rendezvous rye, about $40 more than the double rye. it's a little pricey compared to the others, but it really does a have unique taste. maybe worth trying if you see at a bar/restaurant first though.

11/14/2014 1:57:19 PM

Thanks for the link. Through that caskers site I listed, I snagged the Woodford reserve masters selection #9 which was finished in pinot noir barrels. I might buy something else down the road since I know this will be different from the norm and I may want to crack something with more familiarity.

Hopefully all goes well with the site and the shipping. I'll post my experience later

11/15/2014 10:36:21 AM

I've enjoyed everything I've had from High West so far.

I found a new liquor store in Baltimore with excellent selection. Despite having an inordinate amount of hobo clients buying bud tallboys when I go in there, they have the best wine, beer, and bourbon selection I've ever seen. I've gotten to pick up a few different things over the last few weeks.

Angel's Envy Rye - while I'm a big fan of Angel Envy bourbon finished in port barrels, their Rye version is finished in rum barrels that taste like they left some rum in it. I'm not the biggest fan of rum, so the overly sweet taste throws me off. It make a delicious hot toddy and mixes well with coke, but that's not what I look for in a whiskey in this price range.

Stagg Jr - strongest bourbon I think I've ever had, but delicious. It's going to become my special occasions bourbon. I made a manhattan with it using Lillet Rouge instead of vermouth, which may have been the best cocktail I've ever had.

Widow Jane - haven't tried it yet, but a bourbon made with NY limestone water has me intrigued.

they had a couple of bottles of Whistlepig Boss Hog, which I think I'll grab one of the next time I make a liquor run. The original Whistlepig is an incredible rye, and reviews online indicate this one lives up to the reputation of the original. it may be a candidate for a nice bottle like SuperDude alluded to earlier.

I also picked up a couple bottles of Dogfish Head 120minute IPA from this store, which was like heavenly hop liquor. I've always enjoyed the 90minute IPA available in NC, and the 120minute version more than lived up to expectations. It doesn't have the bite that many other high gravity beers have.

11/15/2014 8:37:22 PM

So I've run out of rye, and this just after finally buying a bottle of Carpano Antica for my manhattan-making endeavors. I'm still relatively new to rye, and so far have tried only Bulleit and Rittenhouse. Liked both, and of the two Rittenhouse is about $6 less around here, so that may be my go-to, but I'd like to try others... Any other recommendations of good ryes in the $30ish price range?

11/17/2014 11:28:56 PM

^ i'd suggest dickel rye if you haven't yet...similar to bulleit in terms of mouthfeel, but drier and with more oak

i'm not claiming it's "better" than bulleit, because it's not...but it's different enough to be worth the taste and at low $20s for a bottle, it's a cheap try

personally, i like keeping a bottle around for when i want something different...it just has one of those flavors that while i don't think i'd claim it was the best of anything, i keep wanting more of it

11/18/2014 8:09:47 AM

^ agree, george dickel is some pretty good rye.

my favorites for making manhattans these days are the russell's reserve rye and the highwest double rye. but as mentioned, rittenhouse is probably the best bang for your buck!

11/18/2014 9:13:33 AM

Anybody know of decent Wheaters? The only thing I can find around here are Makers, Larceny, and Rebel Yell. I think theres a high proof Weller too in wake co. abc stores that I havent tried.

11/18/2014 10:27:13 AM

richthofen i feel like there was a pretty good rye discussion a page or two back.

11/18/2014 10:32:36 AM

^^ yeah, get some of that high proof weller (the 107 i assume?). i've tried old fitzgerald as well, but didn't like it as much as larceny or weller.

11/18/2014 10:58:28 AM

I've been looking for old fitzgerald but can't find it. I actually really like Rebel Yell for the price(~$10).

11/18/2014 11:49:18 AM

Pretty sure that MM, Larceny, Rebel Yell, and Old Weller 107 are the only wheated bourbons that you can find on the shelf in NC. Larceny is most likely the same recipe as Old Fitz. Weller's my favorite of those, and the highest proof.

[Edited on November 18, 2014 at 1:56 PM. Reason : .]

11/18/2014 1:54:45 PM

^ Weller is definitely the best wheated you can get around here, with Larceny a strong second.

I've decided I probably need to slow down on expanding my collection:

11/18/2014 5:01:43 PM

isn't bernheim a wheatie? that's available almost everywhere in guilford county, at least

11/19/2014 8:15:35 PM

for those who are interested in such things, the evan williams bottled-in-bond (white label) is on sale this month at wake abc stores for $11 for a 750mL bottle (it's usually $15)

is it top-shelf, blow-your-mind awesome? no...but it's downright tasty for the price and something i think most folks who appreciate bourbon should have in their cabinet...same base as the heaven hill old style (another one that's totally worth having), i believe, but less oak and more caramel/vanilla/pepper

11/20/2014 11:03:01 AM

actually, while i'm at it...the henry mckenna 10-year single barrel (BIB) is only $23, which is a damn good price...100 proof with lots of oak, tannin, and pepper spice (i always taste rye, too, though i don't know if i'm supposed to )

11/21/2014 8:28:02 AM

^^ more of a mixer correct?

11/21/2014 11:32:26 AM

yeah, though you can sip it (and i have) and it's certainly not bad

it's kind of like drinking a PBR over a good craft brew...sometimes it's just what you want

the mckenna 10-year BIB, though, is definitely worth drinking neat

11/21/2014 4:18:15 PM

i just wanted to throw out there that i'm polishing off a bottle of old scout right now and it's fucking delicious

11/21/2014 6:00:56 PM

I've meant to try that for some time. Don't know how I feel about it being made in Indiana rather than Kentucky though.

11/23/2014 12:42:34 PM

Don't let that bother you. It's definitely worth your time IMO. My go-to as far as bourbons go

11/23/2014 1:20:10 PM

has anyone had Johnny Drum?

12/5/2014 12:47:19 PM

Ended up going with Dickel for the rye this time since I hadn't tried it yet. Haven't had much of it yet, but so far I think that on its own, I like it better than Rittenhouse or Bulleit, but I think I like Rittenhouse more for Manhattans.

Also picked up a bottle of that McKenna single barrel (on sale for $25, normally $29 up here). Haven't cracked it open yet though.

12/7/2014 11:45:16 AM

So my mom really likes Jack Daniels Single Barrel, Makers Mark and Rebel Yell (for mixing).

Any ideas on other whiskies for her to try?

12/21/2014 7:32:50 PM

Got a bottle of Angel's Envy. It's good but ultra smooth. That's a positive and a negative. Sometimes I like my bourbon to kick my ass a little.

12/21/2014 7:46:10 PM

Sounds like your mom might like Knob Creek Single Barrel or Bookers.

12/21/2014 10:01:19 PM