The Bourbon Fever Virus

Have you been bitten by the bug yet and developed Bourbon Fever? 

The symptoms may not may not include dropping the word bourbon in and out of sentences during most conversations, changing your driving route and quickly running into stores hoping to find your next hunting trophy, and then texting pictures of that bottle to your friends who also have the fever. Symptoms also include following discussion groups full of the infected, as well as watching YouTube videos of reviews and other bourbon related adventures.  How did we get here?
 As the world is catching onto bourbon fever, the hunt for that next big find grows a little tougher.  This only makes the need and want for the next elusive bottle that has been from one’s whiskey shelves grow.  Names like Pappy Van Winkle, Blanton’s, Col. E.H. Taylor, Weller, Eagle Rare are the current must haves on anyone’s those shelves.  Because of allocations and an increased demands, those brands do not last long on a shelf and even increasingly harder to finds in locations outside of Kentucky.  How do we cope?
Here are some coping tips for those new to Bourbon Fever.

Don’t be afraid to look below the top shelf.  The first thing to remember is that there are lots of good bourbons at comfortable pricing to be found that aren’t hard to get, and all taste buds are different.  Do not be afraid of bottles on the bottom shelf.  There are some true gems down there.  Try bourbons like Old Grand Dad 114 and Evan Williams Single Barrel and you will be surprised.

Visit the same stores regularly and chat the staff up.  You’ll find out things like how to get on their lists and which day they get their truck.  If their truck is always on Thursday there isn’t much of a reason to visit multiple times a week.  If they like you, they will help you out.  Listen to the conversations happening in the store.  I’ve overheard discussions of lackluster employees who failed to hold back allocated product and put it on the shelf.   This is how great finds can happen.  The good stuff may not be visible so ask what they have and you might be surprised.

Always check store picks out.  You may find that one of your stores picks tend to match your taste preferences.  Generally, it’s the same people picking, therefore you might have some consistency.  If your stores have clubs, sign up and you might have first dibs on bottles.  I just picked up a bottle of 1792 Full Proof Single Barrel from Crown Liquors through their VIP program.

Be spontaneous.  My best finds Blanton’s, Col. E. H. Taylor, Old Ezra 7 occurred at stores that I had stuck out before and spontaneously went in at odd times.  If you have 5 minutes in your schedule, stop at a store on your drive to your destination.

Check with your friends in other places. What you might see all the time might be a choice they never see.  Help a brother out.

The Bourbon Fever is upon us and the struggle is real.  Good luck finding ways to vaccinate yourselves.  The adrenaline rush of finding one of your personal unicorns will turn your day around.

Cheers, Y’all!