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“O Pappy, Pappy, wherefore art thou Pappy?”

~ Bill Thornley ~ 2 Comments
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My Pappy Van Winkle collection.

That elusive bottle of 12, 15, 20, or 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle. Everyone wants to know where to find a bottle. When we toured the Buffalo Trace Distillery in 2013 everyone on our tour wanted to know which barrel warehouse had the Pappy in it. Our tour guide, who had been a 40-year employee, said he didn’t even know. By now, everyone has heard about the theft of Pappy from Buffalo Trace and the subsequent capture of the thieves. It was an inside job by one of the few people in the world who knew, “Where in the world is Pappy Van Winkle” for Carmen Sandiego fans, or, “Where’s Pappy” for Waldo fans.

How I got my first bottle

I got my first bottle because my friend John called and said they had some Pappy at Total Wine for sale. That was about 5 years ago, maybe 7. At that time they would get in all the years and sell one bottle per customer until it was gone. Those days are gone.

Collecting more Pappy

My second bottle was given to me by one of my best friends and college roommate, Jeff. Jeff buys a lot of wine from several stores.   If you are a very good customer, well, rank (and relationship) has its privilege.

My latest acquisition, a 20-year bottle, my wife Lynn gave to me for Christmas this year. She got it in a state lottery she entered on a whim while we in Idaho this fall! NOW THAT’S A GREAT GIFT.

Finding Pappy

So how do YOU find a bottle?   Pappy is released in late fall. It is never too early to start. Start early, find a friend, make a friend, get creative.

Make a friend means get close to your local liquor store manager/owner that gets Pappy. I got to know the manager of my local BevMo in Brea, California. He put me on the list early in the year in the year and they called me to say I was high enough on the list I had my pick of years. Of course, I took the 23 (more on preferred years in another post). This is key to acquiring any rare spirit, whether it’s bourbon, scotch, wine, etc. Identifying a good store and building a strong relationship will get you far.

My Christmas bottle came from a lottery. Some states with state run liquor stores have a lottery for the Pappy they receive – so, try to win the lottery. Other states with state run liquor stores have long waiting lists for Pappy. It’s worth putting your name on it, but you’ll probably have to wait years.

And, having friends scouting for you helps too.  One of my bottles came from Indiana (from Jeff).  I bought a bottle from BevMo for a family friend in LA who was interested.  Having friends on the team, especially out of the area friends, can pay off.

Years ago I saw a guy on Johnny Carson who got a White Baby Grand Piano for free. His philosophy was if you let enough people know, you can find almost anything you want, at the price you want to pay. He was looking for a White Baby Grand piano and he didn’t want to pay much for it.

Happy hunting and remember start early and be creative!

New Year’s Resolutions and Bourbon

~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

As I started this blog with the encouragement of our friends Ray & Jeannine, the support of my wife and best friend Lynn, and the writing and internet expertise of our daughter Taylor, I debated what would I write as my first post. Then it hit me while we were on a family vacation over Christmas and New Years: resolutions and bourbon.

What is your New Years Bourbon Resolution? It could be as simple as starting a collection of some of good bourbons, or finally getting that long sought after bottle of Pappy.

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With my latest Pappy acquisition.  Fun story coming later this week on how I got it.

Maybe it’s time to start planning a trip to the Kentucky Derby this spring and see the “Most exciting two minutes in sports” while drinking a Mint Julep. Or spend the spring on the Bourbon Trail (if you want the full fall in Kentucky experience attend a day of fall racing at Keeneland Racetrack, or a college football game, then do a few days on the Bourbon Trail).  Or, to find a new favorite local restaurant/bar with a great bourbon selection.

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Outside Buffalo Trace during our visit to the Bourbon Trail in 2013.

Loving bourbon creates endless possibilities for special occasions, a celebration, or a regular weekend enjoying your favorite distilled spirit. Whether you are just sipping bourbon or enjoying it as part of a special sports or arts event. The possibilities are endless.

Now is the time to make your “Bourbon Resolution.” Plan your year and combine your love of good bourbon with good friends. The possibilities are endless. Over the next few weeks I will be giving you more ideas on how to make that resolution a reality.

Coming in 2016!

~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

We’ll be launching the blog in early 2016.  Stay tuned!  In the meantime, follow us on Facebook and Twitter for posts about bourbon (and more).

Jeffersons Ocean Aged

Here’s a bottle of Jefferson’s Ocean that I got my hands on earlier this year.  From their website:

Inspired by the original Jefferson’s Ocean, which was new-filled bourbon barrels, the Jefferson’s Ocean: Aged at Sea takes older bourbon barrels and brings it around the world. Stopping in 5 different continents and crossing the equator 4 times, this bourbon truly is a world beater.