Looking for some wisdom on how to find Pappy Van Winkle, the world's best bourbon?

Here's a smattering of advice from a good article written a few years ago by Kevin Gibson in Insider Louisville:

Looking for a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon? Good Luck.

Here are a few highlights and some alternative bourbons for Pappy lovers.

• My advice (on finding Pappy Van Winkle) is to go to a little pa-and-ma store that’s out of the way,' Brown said. 'You might find it on the shelf.
• The Silver Dollar’s Larry Rice recommends Weller 12 Year Old or Weller 107 Wheated as a replacement for Pappy. "That’s your closest flavor profile,” he said.

• Louisville-based bourbon author Fred Minnick said some of the most sought-after bourbons on the market include not just Pappy and Antique Collection, but Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch (2012 and 2013), Michter’s 20 Year Old, and Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Old Rye. Heck, Minnick noted that bourbon is so popular now that even the widely distributed Maker’s Mark has been known to run out, which prompted the distillery to dilute the product, creating a consumer backlash on social media earlier this year.

• So, what does one do for good bourbon if your local store can’t get it for you? If you can’t have your Pappy, should you just drink water? Not at all. Salsbury said there are plenty of good bourbons with the same flavor profile as the hard-to-find brands. For instance, he prefers a brand called Wathen’s, a single-barrel bourbon made in Owensboro. It’s plentiful and affordable — which is probably why there isn’t a frenzy over it.
• Salsbury said he also sells a lot of Elmer T. Lee and Johnny Drum bourbon, along with Four Roses brand bourbons. In fact, Four Roses is getting creative with how it promotes its bourbon. Highland Liquors has a Four Roses in stock that is exclusive to the store. Essentially, the liquor store’s owner went to Four Roses, picked a barrel, and Four Roses bottled that bourbon exclusively for him as “Bryan’s Pick.

Read the whole article:

Looking for a Bottle of Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon this Christmas? Good Luck

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