The 3 Biggest Lies in Whiskey | What We WISH We Knew Before Getting Into Bourbon
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For me, the biggest lie has been that price is an indicator of quality. I've learned that price indicates scarcity more than anything else.
I wouldn't say #1 is a lie. I'd just say it takes a lot longer than you think. 15+ years with my favorite store has got me to a point where they ask ME if I want Pappy, not the other way around. And I'm genuinely grateful and don't take that for granted.
I'd also add that establishing a relationship doesn't necessarily mean automatically spending $2000 a month either. I talk to my store. I know their names and they mine. But I don't always spend a lot, and I don't buy unneeded bottles.
@@sugarkitty4777 also, I think it's important to note that relationships like that happen organically. If you go into it with expectations, it's fake and people can sense that.
I agree. Have a great relationship with my honey hole store owner and it has paid off tremendously. Luckily it only took me 6 or so months as he had just bought the place, itâs right next to work. Its also not just about a single bottle Iâm looking for thats in stock somewhere. I can ask him to bring ANYTHING and he will (or at least try)
If that store closes or the owner youâre friends with quits or retires, then youâre back at square one with everyone else. #1 is undoubtedly a lie, Iâll buy the fast pass every time and skip the line gleefully
@@Lawnshrooms Relationships can end, this is true. But that doesn't mean they never existed. Just because it happens for one and not another doesn't mean it isn't true.
#1 isn't a lie, just a difference of opinion. I don't hunt for unicorns, and my budget usually doesn't go above $40, but my relationship with one store got me their last bottle of Eagle Rare for $25.
#2 I definitely endorse. I've had samples of various allocated bourbons, and not one was better than available stuff I can get for $40-50. Only one was as good.
#3 Palates differ. What y'all *must* buy I might hate. I learned that lesson early on when one guy angrily insisted that my favorite bourbon is one note junk. đ I've also learned that even reviewers whose palates closely match mine might dislike something I like, or like something I don't care for.
I will mention that giving heed to reviewers can be beneficial. I love Knob Creek 9 year, and the store pick I'm working on the third bottle of. But by seeing what a multiplicity of reviewers have said about the different KC expressions, I've learned that I'll probably love the 12 year and probably not like the 18 year, and so sometime soon I'll be getting a bottle of the 12. (I'm busting the budget. Tonight I got a totally unexpected infusion of what is for me substantial fundage, and a small portion of it's going for whisky. đ)
I think this was a GREAT conversation. I see a lot of hype on specific whiskeys and I have had those highly sought after whiskeys, and some of the bottles on the shelf were a lot better and at times cheaper. I agree that enjoying a good pour with friends is the best.
Great conversation guys, looking forward for more.
I agree 100%. Relationships donât pay the store owners bills. The guy paying $250 for the Blantons does.
In my experience, the stable customer pays for the owners bills. The one paying 250 for the Blantons keeps that owners wife happy that they made a profit.
This is why I love watching you guys! I listen! I listen! I lean towards Josh's palette profile, but If I want to be adventuresome, I pick in the middle. I try not to bite on the lies! Thanks for your insight! Thanks, because I hate to spend money on unnecessary bourbon!
Great topic and discussion. I can agree on all points and have had similar experiences with relationship building vs. $âs spent and have picked up bottle where I should have known better. Cheers!
Great video and good topics. I actually enjoy the hunt and building relationships with the owners or sales people in the stores I shop. I built my relationships by asking a ton of questions in person or by email about the products they carry and then just buying a few bottles here and there. There have been several times where I donât buy anything and we just talk about whiskey or life in general. The owners or sales people that drink, in return asked me a lot of questions trying to figure out what I like and by doing this have helped me pick out some really great whiskey. Now I even do sample trades with a few of them which has benefited both of us.
As far as hunting goes due to the job I have it allows me to hunt a little and still have time with my wife. I work at a remote site for a certain amount of time then I have same amount of time off. When Iâm home my wife works during the day so that gives me time to hunt if Iâm not busy with home projects. I always make sure Iâm home before my wife gets off work and we very rarely hunt on her days off as we try and make the most of what little time we have together.
Most of the stores where I live either put out the allocated bottles on the shelf, hold raffles or release them on what one calls the Weekends of Whiskey which is for their store pick barrel drops or other special occasions.
You guys have a good chill vibe.
I'm at a point I don't buy $150 plus bottles wo tasting them first. I do consider Whiskey Tubers opinions after generally determining if their tasting notes they prefer align with mine.
You could've made the whole video on lie #3. I think a lot of what people are looking to do is impress others with what is on their bar. The market is overloaded with great bottles that are on the shelf.
Excellent conversation. It took me a couple of years of being a whiskey lover to realize all of this. Ended up with a lot of bottles I paid too much for and that I donât necessarily love. Iâve decided I rather have 20 bottles in my collection that I really love than 50 bottles of things I bought because I thought I had to have them!!
Fantastic video! This all needed to be said đ„ Definitely the most honest people on WhiskeyTube! Cheers y'all!
Lie #2 is the BIG LIE that is starting to die a bit thankfully. Sooo much awesome whiskey sitting on the shelf. If we are being honest you can make connections over bottom shelf whiskey with the right people. That is the reason that I make relationships, getting recommendations that are tailored to my tastes, not what is rare or trending. The best way to save money on whiskey is to not spend a bunch on one bottle.
Lie #4 When bourbon/whiskey reviewers rattle off 8 or more flavor characteristics for the bottle theyâre reviewing after 3 sips. Keep it simple. This video was great in giving a different perspective on bourbon buying based on experience! As the great Andy Bernard once said⊠âNailed It!â đđœ
Great video, I loved it, especially Lie #2. I've tasted bottles that didn't fit my taste and said to myself what's the big deal, I don't even like it.
What is the purpose of buying bourbon? To drink.
fyi your video was unusually low volume this time..i had to turn my tv up but when yt had a commercial break it was super load....nice video
I thought that, myself, about this particular video. They had another low one two or three videos back and I said something then but I didn't today because I didn't want to seem to be harping on it.
So strange. Not sure whatâs going on with CZcams and this particular video but Iâll look into it. I normalize in editing to CZcamsâs -14 LUFS loudness standard, check volume with studio reference headphones, and all our videos are edited the exact same way, so itâs weird that the volume would ever be low on any of our videos.
In some areas Buff Trace and Saz Rye are allocated and they are 25 to 35 dollar bottles respectively lol. I chase only when I feel like spending an afternoon hunting and it's fun and I want to do it but I don't worry at all about what I can't find or afford. There are thousands of bottles out there and always something very good to great that you can find on the shelf and at a reasonable cost.
#1 is only a lie if you don't enjoy the experience of "hunting." For some of us, all that wander, are not lost; and the journey is more important than the destination.
Itâs not an either or for me - I do enjoy hunting, but at some point - I want what I want. Why go without when you donât have to!
As for #3, i noticed that there are SO many bottles that have won awards. Like... it feels like any niche award is being slapped on bottles to give off the impression that the bottle is top of the line for its price.
I think building a relationship with your local store is good. You don't necessarily have to spend money every time u go in there. For me my relationship with my local store is great, get discounts, get to help pick store picks, updates on bottles I'm looking for, free bottles. So if I do spend extra money I feel it's well worth it for what I get in return.
I felt the same way about my KC18 when I first opened it. Revisited 2 weeks later then a month later and now itâs 1 of my favorites.
I definitely wish I could say the same. Thatâs awesome though!
You are spot on with the relationship perspective.
I agree with all you said here. I took a different path, but have seen all the behaviors mentioned. I'm just in it for the sipping and the friendships. Have you ever had a highly touted bottle turn on you? A double oaked much praised for sweetness, turned bitter after the whiskey dropped below the shoulder. Did my palate change or was it fallen angels? All I know is there is so much readily available, decently price great stuff out there, and also a lot of over hyped, pricey amber distillate. Just follow your palate and treat people decent.
I agree with the building relationships sentiment, from my personal experience. I spent THOUSANDS at a local shop early in my bourbon journey, only later to find out that they had a rewards program that NO ONE BOTHERED TO TELL ME ABOUT. I was in there once or twice a week buying new bottles over a 3-year period and always with the same staff members. Seriously, WTF?!?! Now they are just a museum that sometimes gets good store picks, but I don't go there for anything else.
Thatâs crazy! Canât believe they didnât tell you!
Stagg goes for up to $300 so if you built the relationship and they still spanked you for an extra $40 you still saved $200 of the $2000 on just the one bottle. I myself hunt and save thousands, but I still try to spend a bit of money in stores I frequent just so I'm not in there not contributing to the stores ability to get allocated bottles from distributors, they obviously only get them because they sold a bunch of less desired bottles. I wouldn't advocate for anyone to spend crazy second hand prices, not only are you spending thousands more than you need too, but more than likely it could turn your opinion sour against a very good whiskey because you overpaid for it. BT antique collection are amazing bottles at $125......not so much at $800+, same could be said with just about any allocated bottle. Completely agree not all allocated bottles are better than what's on shelves, it also depends what's allocated in your area. But when you're just starting your collecting FOMO is a monster to deal with đ€Ł. Please keep doing the blinds đđŸđđŸđđŸ, funny you mention Bourbon Junkies I can only watch them when they do blinds or they lie/spin their opinions based on the bottle in front of them. ECBP A124 and how they reviewed it when they knew what they were drinking was COMPLETELY different from what they said when they had it in a blind. Everyone's taste buds are different and you can be more sensative to certain notes, but when there's an overwhelming agreed upon note or specific type of whiskey that is 100% in the bottle you pick up and someone else dosent get it (like A124 being earthy) and they pull the typical CZcamsr 15 notes (like peach) that you can't pull, clearly somethings off. Love the vids keep em coming đđŸđđŸđđŸ
I basically can't go hunting due to my eyesight. I hunt online and do some curbside hauls locally and in Dallas. I also look at free shipping offers. I've also built a relationship at my 3 local stores. 1/ my closest by sharing samples and just buying my regular daily stuff. The other 2 stores I've built a relationship by asking for bottles to be ordered in. They say everything I've asked for sells very well. I asked for the James E Pepper decanter bottles and they sold 3 cases in 2 days. I told them I watch whiskey tube and my palate lines up with your channel and a few others. I hear about the latest releases and try several of them.
So liquor stores will get in bottles? Iâve tried that with local wine shops.
#1 is so true. đ
How much time, gas, money, etc⊠I used to spend to avoid just buying the bottle for a reasonable markup.
I have learned that the hunt is the thrill of when you find that one or two special picks you have been looking for. But I have gotten some really good stuff just sitting on shelves in stores. There is a lot of good whiskey out there. Even decent budget stuff. Get out there with your friends and try it!
Agree with 1. I just pay secondary and call it a day
I don't buy bottles that I don't want period. I have no guilt about walking out of a store empty handed.
I have a hard time leaving without buying something but thatâs just my general anxiety
If I go into a store and they don't have the product I'm looking for, I walk back out again emptyhanded; also when they are asking way to much in my opinion and they won't knock something of from the price I'm not buying it ( a price difference between two stores of 30 euro for a Springbank 10 is worth some haggling). As for lie #3. I use those insights for inspiration, I made the mistake once of buying a whisky just on basis of a few reviews on different channels, so I bought the bottle without tasting it; as it turned out I didn't like it much, lesson learned. Watching reviews is entertaining though and one can even get different insights, buying a whisky solely on basis of a review has made me now thinking "nah I buy a sample first".
I'm totally on board with the lack of love for J Beam products. I got the KC 12 and was pretty upset about my investment.
Sometimes time does equal money
You can make more money. You canât make more time!
Exactly the same conclusion I came to on the building relationships. I have about 3 that I have naturally built up...but they haven't turned out anything because there will always be others that have built up a better relationship or longer one than I have. So I go to those still for any bottle I want...but I have "those" stores where I go in and get the allocated I want at a slightly marked up price.
Iâve been saying 1 for the longest. Iâm not spending $5K per year for a decade for a Pappy at MSRP when I can get it online for significantly less and have it TODAY.
A similar trap I fell into was purchasing a hyped up and expensive cologne the ladies love without smelling it first. Came in the mail, it was OKâŠto kinda odd smelling, but figured I can deal with it. Weeks went by and my wife finally asked me not to wear it anymore. She hates it! đ
đđ been there too!
Everyone should come up with their own approach to allocated bottles. Hunting takes a lot of time with no guarantee of success, so only do this if you enjoy the hunt for its own sake. Otherwise, it is a waste of time. Similarly, waiting in tater lines takes a lot of time, especially if you want to be close to the front so that you can get the best possible selection. If you enjoy talking to other people in the line and can tolerate spending many hours in an ugly parking lot, then maybe it is worth it. Otherwise, it is a hassle and a waste of time. If you desperately want a highly allocated bottle and don't have the time or patience to hunt for it or wait in lines, then I'm sure there is a museum store that will happily sell it to you at an absurdly inflated price. I guess it is a convenience fee, and some people are willing to pay it.
Building relationships with liquor stores also comes with no guarantee of success at obtaining allocated bottles, and it can get very expensive if finding allocated bottles is your primary reason for building a relationship. I think it is best to allow this to happen organically as you buy things that you want anyway. If a hard-to-get bottle comes your way as a result, then it is an added bonus. I have built relationships with a few local stores over the years. The people at the stores have an idea of what I like, and when I come in and ask for recommendations, they point out some good stuff. I don't even think to ask them for allocated bottles, and few have come my way, but access to allocated bottles isn't my reason for building relationships.
Some big stores like Total Wine have points systems that reward people with access to allocated bottles if they have enough points. I do not recommend building up enough points for Total Wine's grand reserve membership solely for the purpose of obtaining allocated bottles. The only reason I got to this level was that I have rather expensive taste in single malts, tequila, mezcal, rum, and baijiu, so it happened naturally. I wasn't trying for it and I didn't even know how much I had to buy to get to that level. It just happened. My experience with this is that, if you maintain this membership in order to get allocated bottles, you won't get very many and you will likely be disappointed. So far, I have obtained a Knob Creek 18 (which is compatible with my taste preferences), a Blanton's SFTB, and a Rock Hill Farms - that is all. Just buy things that you want anyway, and if you happen to get enough points to get the occasional allocated bottle that you think you might enjoy, then it is an added bonus, but don't go into it expecting to be rewarded with a bottle of BTAC or Pappy, because it probably won't happen.
My approach to allocated bottles is that I don't actively seek them out. Just like anything else, I'll only buy those that I think I might like, and I'll only pay what I think they are worth for the quality that they offer. Sometimes, this might be more than MSRP since MSRP is rather low for some of them, but museum prices are almost always too high. I won't hunt for them, and I won't wait in lines for them, so I only buy them if I stumble onto them at a fair price. Needless to say, I don't have very many in my collection, but this doesn't bother me since there is a lot of other great stuff out there that is far easier to obtain. Overall, I don't think allocated bottles are worth the trouble.
I wish I wouldâve seen this video a few years ago, as Iâve learned the hard way!! Yâall are correct!! BTW, if youâre in Nashville, go get coffee at CREMA, best coffee in townđđđ
Crema is legendary for sure!
Amen to #1 - life is too short to buy and drink a bunch of marginal whiskey on the chance you can get something really good. I jumped into the secondary market and could not be happier. So many great bottles available if you are willing to pay for them!
Lie one is very true in my experience. You could build that relationship and buy all you want, but ultimately that small liquor store has rent to pay and the owner has a wife to answer to. Why sell to you the good customer that allocated rare bottle they had to pay extra for when thereâs gonna be someone else thatâs gonna pay that marked up price. that way the owner gets the best of both worlds stable customer that buys constantly and then someone willing to pay a premium for that rare bottle.
they get to cover their rent and keep their wife happy.
The Batman shirt!!đ„
Iâll take the KC18 off your hands đđ»ââïžđđ»ââïžđđ»ââïž
Itâs mostly gone now as Iâve been having fun putting it in blinds for folks.
In total agreement, especially with lie #1.
Iâm getting close to the point of life that Iâm going to buy a bottle of WLW secondary, (Iâve bought a few pours and was phenomenal) which is completely different from how I felt before.
GTS and WLW are the two bottles Iâd personally splurge on annually just because I know theyâre consistently amazing. I know it would be a big expense but it wouldnât be a gamble. Then just available bottles and barrel picks. Thats exactly how Iâd shop if we didnât have a channel.
Now I'm even more eager than ever to hear what you subjectively think of those samples... (when it's convenient, of course).
I don't have these issues with Scotch Whisky!
LIE #4: Rum finished bourbon can be tasty. Absolute lie. Rum ruins everything đ€ąđ€Ł
I might like sweet bourbon, but I just donât like that burnt sugar taste of rum and it ruins scotch for me.
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Rum tastes better than non flavored bourbon lol
"relationship"
doesn't mean Spending money.
I stop into stores and chat, When I am driving by.
they know I am looking for special stuff and will spend money on that stuff.
Can I add in another lie? These sweet notes people keep finding in non flavored bourbon or whiskey, I donât notice any of these kind of notes, just leather or a wood taste
That's not a lie, just differences in palates. I've never gotten leather or tobacco from anything, but I frequently get honey, brown sugar, buttercream icing, or fruit of one sort or another.
@@WhiskyForBeginners Bulliet Rye, the original Bulliet, and Jim Beam are the only exceptions for me. I usually just prefer the flavored whiskeys, but thatâs just me I guess.
Nice watch Josh.
Good eye. Love me some Seiko!
The key to reviews is to learn what the reviewer likes and see if it aligns with what you like. If they align, then the risk of getting something new that the reviewer liked and not liking it is lower.
Relationship does not mean spending money. this channel and your patron's are one way you have a relationship. and its how you get samples you pour. I have made friends with store owners and not bought a lot. I have made friends in bourbon groups and were able to have them get me things that were not available in my state. again relationships are still important.
Good point. We definitely hide to focus on relationships with peers rather than stores, and most of the best things weâve ever tried have been through friends. That was always the case before the channel started. The channel is just an extension of our lives and approaches to whiskey. Great comment!
Looking forward to Josh's new channel "BTAC & Rare Breed".
đđ Hey, throw in Early Times BiB for a lower proof sipper and inexpensive mixer, and maybe some single barrels to keep things interesting, and what more does one need?
@@stuffandwhiskey No arguments here, sounds great! Just don't let Erin see that that's all you need. ha ha The rest is for the channel!
You guys got me the other day, single malt scotch whisky! Went right out got one and hoe hum for me nothing special about it đ wasnât bad or great, lesson learned?
The Glenfiddich 12?
@@stuffandwhiskey yep, itâs good but I was expecting a little more after your review
@@davefabian2942itâs a super pleasant low proof easy sipper, which I think we spoke to. We always try to speak to why we like something rather than just say âthis is good.â Glad it was an inexpensive scotch for you and not a $200 mistake like me and the Knob Creek 18. And who knows, that bottle may open up a lot for you with some air time too (although 40% ABV still only goes so far).
I think you may have just missed the nuance of the review. I think it was clear that they took the value of it into consideration. If you were expecting an 80 proof flavor bomb, then that's just a misinterpretation.
Glenfiddich 12 is a great easy summer sipper. To expect it to be anything else is setting yourself up for disappointment.
@@stuffandwhiskey Iâm a 100 proof or below kind a guy, never liked scotch but your description gave me hope, donât get me wrong if I compare this to peated scotch this is the new adventure I was looking for, just for me it wasnât very dynamic đ„
WHISKEY CHEERS I think đ
I'll agree that building relationships with employees is useless for the most part. At most of the stores around me are grocery stores and the employees are either really young or older and most don't even drink. I'm my state it's controlled and employees are not to give out information on drops and most don't because they have no idea what they are selling. Two private shops that are close to me have some knowledgable people but still wont give out drop information regardless of how much you spend in their store. Just saying.
NICE SEIKO SRPE93
Good eye. đ
@@stuffandwhiskey
Beautiful Watch!
Great Channel!
If I am out of line please forgive me in advance. I am not being fresh. Ok here goes. Erin, your hair is perfect in length, and color. Please do not cut your hair. I am a bald man since high school. Remember, I am just an old man,and wish I had my hair back. You were served an extra serving from the gene pool. I was at the back of the line and They were closing, down for the Labor Day, and way back then I was born on a Labor Day. What luck is that?
Thanks for the kind words Tommy!
I disagree about hunting. I find hunting fun, we do a lot of weekend trips hunting and get to go to fun and new places. yes it may be cheaper to just buy a bottle on secondary but then you would lose out of the enjoyment of the trip and experience.
Wait a minute........ I rush out to buy what you guys cream over.......and now you tell me its a LIE?!?!?!? Buy the way, Bourbon Junkies trashed all over some of my favorite bourbons...low budget yes, but they trashed Jim Beam 7 year and even the newer Early Times BiB.
And then they picked our new Early Times BiB over our old Early Times BiB in a blind flight that we sent them!
@@stuffandwhiskey,
It's rare that I watch 'em but someone said in their Comments that they have a habit of forgetting which bottles do well in blinds. So a bottle does well in a blind but they keep speaking bad of it.
And that's just THEIR opinion. Nobody awarded them the Silver Palate medal.
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I hope a certain tot of the tater kind is watching and learning from this
Your math is mathing
If you like Stinky feet you might like what Erin likes đ