Uber Expensive Gift Shop-Only Releases

‍-William Heavenhill Barrel Proof $250

-Elijah Craig 22 Year $350

-Jim Beam Distiller's Masterpiece $400 $200

-Willett 21 Yr Bourbon $400, 25 Yr Rye $350


‍Very Limited Gift Shop-Only Releases

‍-Evan Williams 1st Anniversary EW Bourbon Experience (only) $100 - 420 Bottles

-Evan Willians Bourbon Heritage Center 10th Anniversary 250 Bottles

-William Heavenhill Barrel Proof $250 - 350 Bottles

-Elijah Craig 22 Year $350

-Maker’s Mark Cask Strength (Started as a gift shop only release)

-Willett Family Estate line


Premium Bourbon Explosion
(new products over $100 MSRP)

‍-Angel Envy Cask Strength #3 $170 ($250)

-Old Blowhard $150

-Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary $125

-Elijah Craig 23 Year $200

-Kentucky Owl $165

-Willett XCF $150

-WhistlePig Boss Hog Spirit of Mortimer $175

-Also see “Uber Expensive Gift Shop Only Releases” above


‍Expansion of $60-$100 Bourbon Market (new products or large price increase)

‍-Barterhouse $75

-Rhetoric $90

-Oceans 2 & Oceans 3 $80

-High West Midwinter’s Night Dram $85

-Black Maple Hill $90

-Booker’s 25th Anniversary $100

-Maker’s Mark Cask Strength $70 for 750 ml

-Jim Beam Signature Soft Red Wheat $80 for 750ml

-Jim Beam Signature Brown Rice $80 for 750ml

-Woodford Masters Collection Pinot Noir $99


‍Price Creep

‍Last year it was disappearing age statements, this year it was the steady creep up of MSRPs.

There are many factors at work here. Supply isn’t meeting demand. How many $50+ bourbons are readily available at your local store? Barrel costs are skyrocketing. Acquisition costs for new and old barrels of aging whiskey have gone up 3x-4x in the past two years. It might only be a few dollars here and there, however a $5 increase on a $25 dollar bottle is a pretty significant percentage increase! Get use to it because many of your favorite go-tos are increasing in price.

A few examples:

-Four Roses (Single, Private Barrels)

-Elijah Craig (12 Year, Barrel Proof)

-BTAC ($10 increase)

-Old Forester Birthday Bourbon (Now $60!)

-Willett Family Estate Bourbon (If you can find it at a store, expect to pay a lot more)


‍Barrel Finished Bourbon Explosion

‍Michter’s Toasted Oak, Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection, High West Midwinter’s Night Dram, High West Double Rye Campfire Finish, High West Double Rye Aged Manhattan Finish, High West Rendezvous Rye Syrah Wine Barrel Finish, Hudson Maple Cask Finish, WhistlePig Boss Hog Spirit of Mortimer, Stranahan’s Snowflake, Jim Bean Quarter Cask.


‍Expensive Doesn’t Mean Better

‍-Black Maple Hill

-Wild Turkey Diamond

-Jefferson’s Oceans 3

-Elijah Craig 23 Year

-Rhetoric

-Kentucky Owl

-Woodford Master's: Pinot Noir Finish


‍...But Sometime it Does

‍-Booker’s 25th Anniversary

-Elijah Craig 22 Year

-Parker’s Heritage Wheat Whiskey

-Maker's Mark Cask Strength

-Jefferson's Ocean 2


‍The hardest to find bourbon of the year was...

‍Pappy 15, 20, 23? William Larue Weller? Four Roses Limited Editions? Nope. It was Weller 12 Year. Besides a few states, the rest of America never saw a shipment of Weller 12 in 2014. Did the Pappy thief strike again and steal all of Buffalo Trace’s supply of it? Just where did an entire year’s supply go to?

‍Can you think of more trends we might have missed? Post below in the comments.