How can you afford to try so many whiskeys?

There are a few questions I frequently get when someone finds out how many bottles of whiskey I keep in my bar inventory. I don’t own near as many bottles as what I see pictured in the collections showing up everyday in my Instagram feed, but over the past several years I have acquired quite a few more than most in my circle of friends and coworkers. Now, before I get to answering the question of the day, let me give a quick explanation of how I classify the three types of bottles that are in my possession at any given time.

My bar is constantly evolving and though some bottles end up being a one and done, others have taken up permanent residency getting replaced as soon as a bottle is killed. Now, the first rule I hold myself to when buying a new bottle is that nothing in my collection is immune to having the cork popped or screw cap cracked. However, there is one more tier in the classifications I assign in my head when I open a new bottle: the extended stay guest. This will come into play as a major factor when answering the question at hand in the title of this post.

My Primary Bottle Classifications:

One and Done
Permanent Resident
Extended Stay Guest

When you love trying all the new things, one thing is for sure, FOMO (fear of missing out) is very real. It would be easy to go way overboard with the spending when, in today’s booming whiskey market, there is constantly something new being released. We have more whiskey options to choose from now, both limited and new regular releases, than I could ever hope to be able to try in any given year. So, what can I do to give myself more opportunities to taste the stuff I can’t possibly afford the time nor money to constantly hunt and buy all year long? Cue the extended stay guests in my collection.

I take Buffalo Trace’s beloved Freddie Johnson’s words to heart that good whiskey is meant to be shared with family and friends. His words have had a lasting impact on how I manage my desire to chase bottles and deal with the FOMO. When I talk to friends and coworkers about whiskey, which is quite frequently now that most of them know about my love of tasting and reviewing every whiskey (especially bourbon) I can get my hands on, I frequently end up offering to give them a pour of something special they haven’t tried yet from my bottles of “extended stay guests.”

I started keeping a box of capped 2 ounce glass bottles on the shelf with my bar glassware. They only cost me $11.99 for a box of 12 glass bottles with caps from Amazon. These glass bottles are perfect for sampling out whiskey that can’t be shared in person. I never expect to get these bottles back, and at $1.00 per bottle the cost is insignificant. I’ll spend that any day to experience the bonds of friendship that sharing whiskey has afforded me over the years. However, more times than not, the gift of a shared pour has resulted in a reciprocal gesture. This, in turn means that I’m not replacing sample bottles as often and reveals the answer to the original question: How can you afford to try so many whiskeys?

The more people that learn this lesson from Freddie, rather than clinging to their allocated bottle flipping mindset, the better off our whiskey community will be. Outrageous secondary prices will begin to fade and more enthusiasts will have had the opportunity to try their unicorn whiskey. Open your bottles and quit being greedy with your “investment” purchases of allocated and hard to find bottles. You will be happier in the long run when you begin to realize the lasting bonds and memories that can be gained from sharing good whiskey with family and friends. Cheers!