Cheers! (What are you drinking today? Thread)

 Whoa. Single Barrel WFP? You must REALLY like it. If you were closer to Cincy I could probably get you a standard WFP for the cash equivalent of a Blantons.

EDIT: Nevermind, I misread your trade. That seems like a decent deal, assuming the cash wasn't insane. Weller Full Proof seems to go for about 250 

Yes sir. There is a secondary market for booze just like 'vintage' recording gear. I have bottles I paid 60 for worth around 1000.
Its goofy. Bourbon has kinda become another version of vintage guitars for rich hedge fund managers and doctors. Trophies on the wall. 
So then dudes like John and me who actually like to drink em and don't see them as a trophy or money making opportunity have to hunt and play the game. 

 Exactly. I used to just leave Elmer T Lee and Weller 12 on the shelves because I wasn't in the mood to spend $30 on whiskey. 
Now people flip EH Taylor Single Barrel for $200. It was like $60 a year or so ago. Thankfully theres plenty of solid whiskey and rye thats not as hyped (for now). And rum. 

 Not on the shelves, but Im in groups that have it up for sale basically anytime (for the 'right' price).
You are right, bourbon has become incredibly popular the last 15 years, after decades of being ignored. Certainly contributes to certain things being harder to find. 
 That said based on said groups/clubs I'm in, sure there are the passionate folks in them who want the hard to find stuff to drink- but the secondary market is a way for people to make a quick buck. For example- There is a liquor store near me that will email 30 minutes before they release stuff like a Weller Antique or Eagle Rare Store Pick... No joke, within 20 minutes there will be a line 50 deep or more and it sells out in 15 minutes. Then on the group pages, its getting flipped for a profit with hours. 
Just last week I got an email for a 1792 Full Proof store pick, raced down and got in line. This is a bottle that was sitting on shelves 4 months ago. People don't even know why they are in line, or what they are getting they just assume they should get it because they got an email about it. Sold out in 15 minutes. Last two people were a couple girls who were like 'what is this?' and just bought it because people were swarming. Same evening, I see people selling em for like 20 bucks profit. Come on. 
If the gov't could actually enforce the illegal resale of alcohol, I guarantee you'd have no problem finding most of the stuff you want.

 Like... ETL, W12, OKI 12, Old Scouts, OFBB etc just sitting on shelves and then we saw it being limit 1 per person as bourbon got more and more popular. Then someone is like- 'throw me an extra $30 and I'll sell you one, I have an extra'... The floodgate opened to flippers, dudes chasing liquor delivery trucks to get stuff when doors opened. Its become expensive baseball cards for adults with plenty of expendable income.
Last time I got a Van Winkle at a store, I camped out overnight- with about 800-1000 others. A lot of them were mules literally being paid by people to get them a bottle, because they were going to flip it for triple profit or more. 

Another example is Boone County... MGP juice, limited, well aged, very good. It sat on shelves for months at $60 a bottle, meanwhile people are flipping OKI (also MGP juice) for $350 a piece. The bourbon barrels for both brands were literally both purchased at the same time from the same distellery, but somehow OKI got all the hype... Fast forward another year, now people are flipping Boone County releases for the same price. 

I get supply and demand and all that. It just feels ridiculous. Anyways, theres still plenty of good stuff to go around, and new brands launching quality products. I should exercise better self control. 

(TL,DR - Im grumpy about bourbon getting popular and some people exploiting it)
 

 OKI was a brand created by New Riff when they first opened so they has some bourbon to sell while their distillate was aging. 
It was sourced from MGP and really freakin good. Use to be $40-70 at retail. Now they sell for $450-1000+. 
A lot of critically acclaimed, and/or hyped whiskeys are sourced from MGP. Bulleit Rye, Belle Meade, High West, Jos A Magnus, Old Bones, Smooth Ambler, Pinhook, Whistlepig and on and on.

Some Calumet is decent. But for the money there's other stuff Id get. 

Knob Creek single barrel small batch 100 proof this week.

Just found on me of these. Benchmark Full Proof. Same mashbill as Stagg Jr. very, very similar flavor profile. It tastes like a younger Stagg jr. The nose is more ethanol, finish isn’t as long and it’s not the same burst of intensity of flavor. But the flavor is dead on. i.postimg.cc/wMHzLR3B/8-F9-CB19-D-F0-B5-4-A68-9-AE4-592-DF57-AD611.jpg

 You need a field trip to Kentucky... When these are released, the Benchmark Full Proof, Top Floor, Small Batch, Single Barrel and Bonded sit on the shelf for a few weeks for $17-25.
 Not helpful information when its hours away perhaps - but I can try to let you know when I make it down to Nashville to mule you whats available at the time. 

 Yeah, FP, BiB and Single Barrel were my favorite. The whole lineup is a fun education in how different variables can affect the same distillate. Also fun to blend- for example 70% Small Batch and 30% Top Floor is delish. 

Just saw a shelf full for $18.99 this weekend. Single Barrel was $26.

Enjoyed a small taste of the Knob Creek rye last night.

Chilled, straight.

Beautiful.

In general, my favorite is Glenmorangie Grand Vintage, but after I was diagnosed with diabetes, I can't drink at all. Recently I wanted to buy trulicity online and couldn't find it at any local pharmacies. It's sad because it's the auxiliary medicine for me and now I have to wait a few days for delivery. Well, it's better than buying something ineffective. Because soon my parents and some friends will come and luckily I have one bottle of my favorite whiskey left for them. It's sad that I can't drink it..