Friday, April 19, 2024

How To Get Rare Whiskey

Want To Sell Your Bottles Of Whisky And Fine Spirits Direct To Experts

HOW TO FIND RARE WHISKEY!!!

Simply send us your photographs and well reply with a free valuation.

We are known for our incredibly wide range of exceptionally rare bottlings, particularly those from and of sought-after Scotch single malts such as Bowmore, Laphroaig and Springbank.

The Whisky Exchange is the best buyer for your old and rare spirits, no matter whether you have a single bottle or a full collection.

We are experts in our field and provide free valuations on bottles that reflect their market value. Our prices often beat those achieved at auction, even before the commission you would have paid at auction is factored in. We pride ourselves on our transparency and there are no hidden fees or commission charges to factor in the price we quote is the price we pay.

Unlike many sites, we are the direct buyer of your bottles and not a middle man. There is no chain, so well never keep you waiting while we search for someone to purchase your whisky and spirits. This also means that we can guarantee 100% confidentiality, as all your details and those of the transaction are kept securely with us.

Our team of experts is based at our head office in Park Royal, London, however we can collect your bottles from anywhere in the world.

Read Also: Ratio For Rum And Coke

Orphan Barrel Archive Collection

Diageo introduced Orphan Barrel whiskey in 2013, and has since released one expression per year. The story goes that long forgotten barrels of whiskey were discovered in the dark corners of warehouses, misplaced and doomed to a life of dusty repose until one day, lo and behold, someone discovered them.

Surely there are some holes to be poked in that story, but the whiskey is usually of pretty decent quality. This set, initially only available in Kentucky, gathers them all togetherBarterhouse, Old Blowhard, Lost Prophet, Forged Oak, Rhetoric 21-Year-Old, and Whoop & Hollerinto a custom-made wood crate for $1,500 .

Whats Your Bottle Worth

For a free, no-obligation valuation of your bottles of whisky simply get in touch.

Send us images of your bottles on Whats App and we will get back with a valuation. Click the button above or send the images to 07852 247421

If you want to email over your images please send them to or click the button above.

Would you rather speak in person? Call the office on weekdays 9am to 5pm and we will be happy to help.

Don’t Miss: Is Malibu Coconut Rum Gluten Free

We Talked To Insiders From Four Roses Wild Turkey Ardbeg And Other Distillers To Figure Out How To Stock Up

Once upon a very magical time, you could find a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle with staggering ease, The Macallan 18 was merely a modest splurge and only the deeply initiated had even heard of Yamazaki. It was simpler then, easy to build a nice whiskey collection for your drinking enjoyment or sit on it for the future. No, my friends, this isnt a fairytale, it was the era of vodka and most drinkers were too busy slaying Martinis to notice the bewitching brown spirits on the other side of the bar. Today, however, we are en media res ofthe gilded age of whiskey, where even a mediocre bottling might set you back a tidy sum.

For those of us without unlimited resources, creating a deep and mature whiskey library or investment cache can be a tad tricky. There are more bottlings and expressions than one person can sample without being sent for a long stay at at 12-step program, while the truly special ones are few and far between. Whats a middle-income whiskey fan to do? To answer this question, we went to five of the biggest names in whiskey, from creators and master distillers to brand executives.

Here is their advice on how to build a collection without breaking the bank.

Take The Hunt On The Road

Eagle Rare 10 Years Old

Youve baked cookies for every liquor store owner within three zip codes, yet still no Pappy. It might be time for a change of scenery. Bottle shops in heavily trafficked metro areas tend to be picked over by the end of release season, but what about the million mom-and-pop stores off the beaten path? Are they worth panning for Pappy?

You can sometimes get lucky, says Moskal. Especially in stores for which bourbon isnt a big focus. Ask the owner if they have any old inventory lying around. You never know what could turn up. You might just find something special.

Read Also: What Tequila Is Best For Shots

Cons Of Selling Your Whisky With Mark Littler Ltd:

  • As the price is set in advance there is no chance the price will exceed the agreed price.
  • We often cannot help with brokering the sale of individual bottles worth less than £150. However, we can help consign your bottle to Whisky Auctioneer.
  • As many of our clients are overseas offers can take 3-5 working days to be finalised.

Michters: The Art Of American Whiskey Tasting Set

While Pappy Van Winkle gets the publicity , if youre looking for the best drinking bourbon to start whiskey collecting, try Michters.

Its some of the best American whiskeys you can sip! This sampler features the brands retail collection, which includes:

  • Michters Number 1 Bourbon
  • Michters US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon
  • Michters Number 1 Straight Rye Whiskey
  • Michters US*1 Barrel Strength Toasted Rye Whiskey
  • Michters 10-Year-Old Bourbon

Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Gin To Drink

Look For Dusty Bottles

A photo posted by Cam Knighton on Aug 15, 2015 at 1:01pm PDT

Simply enter a store and, like a drill sergeant doing a bunk inspection or a white-gloved mother stalking her bratty childrens bedrooms, look for dust. If we assume dust accumulates at a standard rate, then a dustier bottle could very well be a much older bottle, one that for some reason never sold, and a lazy store owner never marked down or returned to a distributor. As I said, not all dusty bottles are good, so dont think that dust-caked bottle of 1990s Early Times is anything special. Likewise, a dusty need not necessarily be dusty. Any bottle of whiskey currently out of production fits the bill.

Allocated Bourbon And Other Rare Whiskies

How to find Rare Bourbon!

Highly Allocated Bourbon Being a member of JJs VIP Rewards Program is the ONLY way to get your hands on special bottles of bourbon. Bottles like Pappy Van Winkle, George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, etc. are readily available, but only to those who have earned their way up our allocation list. How do you do that? Its easy. Shop.

We are an open book with regard to how this allocation list works. Just ask, and we will be sure to give you whatever information you are seeking!

Allocated Bottle Raffles

Every Wednesday is Whisky Wednesday at JJs! Not only do you get our best retail discount on ALL spirits , you may also get your hands on something special!

Most Wednesdays, in JJs Bar, we have a featured whiskey flight . Along with that featured flight, we hold a bottle raffle! Whats up for grabs? A lot of really good stuff. Vintage single barrels, limited release, but not impossible to get items, and other special things that you might be seeking.

Getting into the raffle is easy. Here is what you need to do

  • Stay engaged! Get our emails. Watch our social media channels. Stop into JJs frequently!
  • Be in JJs Bar each Wednesday when we have a raffle by 5:45pm. You get ONE entry for just showing up!
  • Purchase a feature flight! You will get an ADDITIONAL three entries for a total of FOUR!
  • Purchase a food item! You will get an ADDITIONAL two entries for a total of SIX!

Also Check: What Cocktails Can I Make With Gin

Join Local Bourbon Groups On Facebook

Searching for some local bourbon aficionado groups on Facebook is also an incredible strategy.

The people in the community often share locations where they found rare bottles and offer advice you wont hear anywhere else .

Im personally in two groups in my area, and the members frequently give everyone a heads up on new arrivals at the local liquor stores.

Selling Via Our Online Shop

In addition to our traditional private brokerage service discussed above, 2020 has also seen the launch of our exclusive shop.

This option is for sellers with a bit more time on their hands who are looking to get an above auction premium for their extra-ordinary bottles of whisky. We are able to sell whisky online as we have all the relevant licenses in place. This means we can help you sell whisky in a way that competes with retailers and as a result means we can achieve a higher price for your bottles.

If you have a bottle of whisky that you would like to sell through our shop then please send an email to and someone will get back to you to discuss the options.

Read Also: What Goes Good With Apple Vodka

Woodford Reserve Masters Collection

There are many entries in this excellent bourbon collection that dates back to 2005. It was created as a tribute to owner Oscar Pepper and master distiller James Crow, who ran the distillery and led innovation there in the early 1800s.

The newest and 12th release is the Cherry Wood Smoked Barley, made with smoked malted barley that counterbalances the sweet brown sugar and cherry flavors. Other releases in the collection include the Brandy Cask Finish, 1838 Style White Corn, and Double Malt Selection.

Each differs from the next in ways that can be either big or subtle, so the avid collector might want to hunt them all down to try.

Collaboration Bourbon American Brandy Finish And Mistelle Finish

Eagle Rare 10 Years Old

This pair of bourbons is an interesting mash-up between The Bardstown Bourbon Company and Louisvilles Copper & Kings. The two distilleries got together to select 10-year-old bourbon from MGP in Indiana, brought it back to Louisville and finished it in American brandy and Mistelle wine barrels.

The results are interesting and a little polarizing. The brandy finish is soft and sweet and definitely recognizable, while the Mistelle finish is slightly funky and may not be for everyone. Regardless, its an interesting take on the whiskey business from some newer players in the distilling world.

You can find this at the Copper & Kings gift shop or select retailers around the country.

You May Like: Is Vodka Good For Diabetics

How To Find Rare Bourbon

October 17, 2017 | Fred Minnick

In order to bag a rare bourbon, Ricky Nash endured ridicule. The Georgia native walked into liquor stores and asked for Elmer T. Lee. The store associates laughed. He asked for Pappy, and they teased the whiskey enthusiast like he was stalking a unicorn.

Nash tracked Internet rumors and the online secondary market, drove across several states, and looked inside more than two dozen liquor stores in search of any limited edition or hard-to-find bourbon. Then, one day in late November, it happened. He stepped inside one of the stores hed been eyeing and there was the entire Van Winkle line, ranging from the 23 year old for $2,900 to the 10 year old for $400. After negotiating it down to $350, Nash finally owned 10 year old Old Rip Van Winkle and gleefully commented on a bourbon Facebook group, Today was a good day!! My first bottle of ORVW10!!!.

He shopped, he scored.

Like many whiskey lovers, Nash realized its much more difficult to buy limited edition bourbon now than it was in the good old days, when one could just walk into the store and buy a bottle. For the casual shopper, the odds of running into a coveted bottle of Pappy Van Winkle, Buffalo Trace Antique Collection , Four Roses Limited Edition, Bookers Rye, Parkers Heritage Collection, or Angels Envy Cask Strength is about the same as that of a white rhino. Even if you put in the work, you usually come up empty-handed.

Of course, it wasnt always this way.

You Cannot Sell Whisky On Ebay Or Facebook

eBay was once a good place to sell whisky online. This changed in 2014 when eBay introduced a blanket ban on the sale of alcohol. The reasons for this were simple by allowing people without the relevant licenses to sell their whisky on eBay they were facilitating the illegal sale of alcohol and were open to litigation. In 2018 eBay allowed certain retailers to list whisky for sale once more but each retailer had to go through a rigorous screening process.

Summary: you cannot sell whisky on eBay and are liable to prosecution if caught.

Facebook then took over as the place to sell whisky online. Dozens of specialist groups soon sprung up and until July 2019 thousands of bottles were sold each month. You could list your bottle for sale with an asking price and people would contact you to complete the sale.

Summary: you cannot sell whisky on Facebook and are liable to prosecution if caught.

We hope you have found our guide to selling your single malt whisky useful. Mark Littler Ltd. offer free valuations and can source offers for you bottle from our network of national and international buyers. Please fill in the form and attach a picture of your bottle to receive your free valuation.

You May Like: How Much Vodka For 1 Gallon Lemonade

Blood Oath Bourbon Pacts 1 3

Blood Oath Bourbon is the creation of John E. Rempe, a certified food scientist who has been blending spirits for two decades, most recently for Luxco. He wont reveal where the whiskey comes from, but he sources from a variety of Kentucky distilleries, and perhaps from other states as well.

There have been three Blood Oath Pacts released thus far, the latest just this past year. Pact 3 a blend of bourbons, one finished in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, giving it some spicy notes along with sweet fruit and vanilla. Hunt down all three to complete your set here.

Know What Youre Looking For

BOURBON SECONDARY MARKET: How Much is Rare Whiskey Worth?-Bourbon Real Talk Episode 120

The sheer amount of bourbon brands out there is completely overwhelming. When I first got started, I had absolutely no idea what I was looking at when I walked down the bourbon aisle.

I had to get acclimated with which brands were rare and which werent.

If you want to start hunting bourbon, you have to familiarize yourself with the rare bottles. Because if you dont, you could end up passing on a once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity.

Read Also: How Much Is Pink Whitney Vodka

Become A Social Media Stalker

Though nothing beats in-store face time with bourbon gatekeepers, many retailers communicate with their customers through social media. Its not unusual for stores to send out info on allocation and how they plan to deal with limited-release bottles, on their Facebook or Instagram feeds. So be sure to follow them, especially as release dates grow near and Pappy panic sets in.

Hunt For Sustenancenot Sport

Since many retailers are bourbon lovers themselves, they prefer to see whiskey go to people who will enjoy it, rather than flip it for a profit. Shorewood Liquors Shackleton says, I have a regular lady who buys beer and wine twice a week, and Balvenie and Bombay Sapphire once in a while. For years, I have been giving her a crack at an allocated bottle. I do the same for a couple other bigger customers. Basically, I take care of the ones who take care of me.

Shackleton goes as far as requiring purchasers to break the seal of rare bottles. This ensures it cannot be resold. Rare bottles often sell on the secondary market for ten times the suggested retail prices, because theyre so hard to find. The only people who have complained about this are the one-stop shoppers and flippers that I refuse to sell to. Way too many of these allocated bourbons never get to bourbon drinkers at the retail price, he says.

Its unlikely well see a return to easy-to-find Pappy, BTAC, and Four Roses Limited Edition anytime soon. These whiskeys will remain hard to find, but not impossible. Finding bourbon gold might be achieved with this tip from successful Cincinnati hunter Todd Carnes: stop looking. Focus on rum and tequila for the next ten years, let the rare allocations build up again with less demand, Carnes says, somewhat jokingly. Ah, yes, the classic diversion technique. Nothing to see here bourbon is so 2009.

Isnt it vodka season?

Don’t Miss: Is There Sugar In Gin

What We Do At Hard To Find Whisky

Whatever your whisky or spirit preferences, here at Hard to Find Whisky we will have the right blend for you. Unlike many drinks and whisky retailers worldwide, Hard to Find Whisky set out to be unique, offering connoisseurs the very best in rare and vintage whisky. We also provide the very best competitive prices and perfect gifts for drinks lovers all over the world. The Hard to Find Group is the place to look when searching for that perfect gift or treat that can truly not be found anywhere else.

Join Email Lists And Enter Lotteries

Eagle Rare 10 Years Old

Finally, some liquor stores have email lists you can join to tell you when they get their allocation of rare bottles.

One of my local ones does this, and whenever you get a text or email, you have to drop what youre doing and run to have a shot at a bottle.

Some places like Total Wine & Spirits also do lotteries that they announce on via email.

I prefer this because I dont have to run like a crazy man to get the bourbon if I win .

Don’t Miss: What Mixes Well With Gin

But Be Prepared To Be Mocked

The penultimate step of dusty hunting is keeping your pride in check. Because when you lug your dusty haul to the register, the counter guy wont believe youll actually want such crap. Youre gonna drink this?! he might say with disgust. Thats okay, let him mock you. Just dont let your ego get scarred in such a way you start taunting him about pulling a major heist right under his nose. Ignore him or simply mumble, I collect old bottles. Then get the hell out of there.

Popular Articles
Related news