Get It While You Can

I don't know what Van Winkle's release schedule is, but evidently late October is a big time for them. I wrote last week that I had found some Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye at Spec's (only the third time in about eight years that I have ever seen it for sale) and that Spec's also had a small supply of Van Winkle Family Reserve Bourbon. Well, the Richard's on Richmond just west of Chimney Rock got a few bottles of the Van Winkle Family Reserve Bourbon and around 6 bottles of Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year old. In addition to Richard's, I saw the Pappy 20 year at the U P Liquor Store on 43rd at Oak Forest. The Pappy 20 is extremely expensive, and I had not intended to buy any. However, I could not resist. I rationalize my purchase by thinking that it's unlikely that I'll be able to find it again any time soon (the guy at the Richard's told me that he had sold all but one of his bottles in two or three days) and that I deserved a reward for my efforts on the Fall Festival at E&B's school. Yes, those excuses are weak, I know. But that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

In other rare American whisk(e)y news, Buffalo Trace apparently released the 2007 edition of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (George Stagg, Sazerac 18, WL Weller 19, and some others) this week. I have not seen any in Houston, but they are almost surely guaranteed to sell quickly when they do show up.