What is a Store Pick Whiskey?
So, you’re in your favorite liquor store and you see special signage on bottles of Eagle Rare, Elijah Craig, Knob Creek, Maker’s Mark or another recognizable brand promoting them as “Store Picks”, “Privately Selected Barrels” or “Director’s Cuts”. You ask yourself, what is a Store Pick Whiskey? Or, what the heck is a Director’s Cut? And then you might think … Are these bottles rare or limited release whiskies?
Store signage and special bottle labels are clues for those of us who scour liquor stores when hunting rare whiskeys and seeking unicorns. Several of the reviews in our library reference bottles which most of our followers simply cannot or will not find in their liquor outlets. So one might ask, “Why post these reviews at all?” It’s a fair question, one I hope to shed light on here.
BACKGROUND
I became aware of store pick whiskey, private barrels and special labeling several years ago when my friend, fly-fisher, and fellow whiskey drinker Bud texted me with “Wow! Elijah Craig Small Batch Private Barrel. Heat, spice and flavor. Warm and smooth! RCWS 2018 man, that’s an outstanding bourbon.” We texted back and forth as we contemplated the name.
As our dialogue continued, an internet search lead to a label picture which Bud verified as the one on his bottle.
“Privately Selected Barrel” labeling was new to me. With more research, I learned RoCo Wine & Spirits and de Vere’s Irish Pub in Sacramento, CA had partnered with Elijah Craig to release a bourbon from a private barrel they selected during a distillery visit in 2017.
Bud had paid $30 for his bottle – the going rate for readily available Elijah Craig Small Batch. Somehow his neighborhood liquor store had received a case of this bottling and as we’re in Idaho, we figured they got it by mistake! Bud quickly secured another bottle and now similar opportunities are on our radar.
So what is a store pick whiskey and how do private barrels come to be? Let’s get to the answer by first highlighting a few common terms we’ve all seen on bottles …
STRAIGHT WHISKEY
By legal definition, Straight Whiskey (or Rye) is a spirit which has been barrel aged a minimum of two years. Mass production of a distillery’s Straight Whiskey is consistent: the aromas, flavors and finishes generally don’t vary from bottle to bottle or even year to year. Most straight whiskeys are easy to find on store shelves, but there are some which are only regionally available.
BOTTLED-IN-BOND WHISKEY
The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, holds a special place in American distilling heritage, predating the Food and Drug Administration. Bottled-in-Bond labeling assures buyers the whiskey juice within is aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse and bottled at precisely 100 proof along with other strict criteria. Whiskeys with Bottled-in-Bond labeling may not necessarily be rare, but bottles in the $40 plus range are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
SMALL BATCH WHISKEY
Small batch whiskey is a mix of a relatively small number of distillery selected barrels for the purposes of maintaining consistency throughout a bottling. Oak barrel aging may differ among the barrels however small batch whiskeys are commonly six to nine years old (the youngest barrel determines the age). A few limited small batch offerings may be aged as many as 12, 18 or 23 years but are rarely seen on store shelves.
No federal regulations define the use of the term “small batch” and batch sizes vary greatly among producers. Some distillers use as few as ten 53 gallon barrels in their small batch bottlings. Other distilleries determine batch size by gallons or bushels of grain used. In January 2016, Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig increased their small batch productions from 100 to 200 barrels. Many small batch whiskeys like, Elijah Craig and Four Roses, are readily available but others, such as Booker’s, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and Stagg Jr. releases vary their batch sizes and can be limited to bi-, tri-annual, or quarterly allocations. These bottles can be and are often tough to find.
THE SINGLE BARREL
The contents of a bottle labeled “Single Barrel” typically comes from, as the name implies, a single barrel. Four Roses Single Barrel and Blanton’s are examples of single barrel offerings. Single barrel bottlings can be regulars on store shelves and single barrel offerings seem to grow every year; however, those priced north of the $50 mark are becoming more and more rare and challenging to find.
BUYER BEWARE! Single Barrel Whiskey WILL vary in aroma, taste and finish from barrel to barrel. Bottles from single barrels can be quite good, yet it is possible to get a bottle from a lesser barrel from time to tme.
PRIVATE LABEL WHISKEY
And keep this in mind as well, the terms Store Pick, Private Barrel and a host of similar monikers are interchangeable. But please note, none of the whiskeys identified with one of these descriptors are “Private Labels”. A Private Label whiskey is a spirit sourced from a distiller then sold under a different name.
JUST WHAT IS A STORE PICK WHISKEY?
So with the vocab out of the way, we come to the crux of the matter …
The Store Pick concept is really quite simple. An entity, other than the distiller or bottler, wanting to offer an exclusive whiskey to their customers, approaches a distillery or distributor and works out a deal to purchase the contents of an entire barrel they’ve selected. The distillery permits the sale then bottles and labels the whiskey in a manner which lets the final consumer know the spirit inside is something other than a standard or regular distiller release. The barrel purchaser can be an individual or group of individuals, a whiskey club, a restaurant or bar, a liquor retailer or even a liquor control state’s liquor division representative.
THE STORE PICK PROCESS
Individual distillers have their own barrel acquisition processes, however three of the most common selection and purchase methods are …
… the buyer or buying group is invited to the distillery and several barrels are made available for evaluation, tasting and purchase;
… samples from a selection of barrels are sent to the buyer by a distributor for individual purchase; and/or
… the buyer is informed of a barrel for sale by the distillery or distributor and the buyer purchases the unevaluated barrel.
By taking a few simple steps one can be an informed consumer and minimize risks when considering the purchase of a Store Pick. There is a difference between “Selected By” and “Selected For”. When you can, build relationships and with the people making the selections and learn how the barrels were selected. And if whenever possible, try the whiskey before you buy.
MAKERS MARK PRIVATE SELECT
Then there is the Maker’s Mark 46 “Private Select” experience. Chosen buyers are invited to Maker’s Mark, Loretto, KY distillery and coached in the creation of their own unique barreling. By selecting and adding finishing staves to a barrel rather than purchasing a specific barrel offered by the distillery, buyers ‘create’ their own bourbon which can match a distinct flavor profile. With the ability to select from five different staves and placing them in a ten stave array, there are 1,001 possible stave combinations.
Notes from the Maker’s Mark website:
“Maker’s Mark Private Select offers a new take on the Maker’s Mark 46 process … cask-strength Maker’s Mark is aged for nine additional weeks in barrels specially fitted with 10 oak finishing staves … Private Select separates itself from Maker’s Mark 46 … using five different stave types.”
When barrel choices are offered, the buyer agrees to order and picks the barrel they believe is best. With a Store Pick whiskey, the buyer may also get limited control of the proof, depending on the what the individual distiller is willing to offer. Labeling is created, the barrel is dumped and bottled as specified by the buyer. The barrel’s contents (and often the empty barrel) are shipped to the purchaser for distribution.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
While I know some may shutter when they read this, we are fortunate to live in a forward thinking liquor control state. In early 2019, patrons on the “Rare Whiskey Lottery List” were sent emails from the Idaho State Liquor Division (ISLD). We received announcement of the release of the first Maker’s Mark Private Select Idaho Director’s Cut Batches.
The ISLD (people I have taken the time to know) and local bar owners went to Maker’s Mark in 2018. There they created three unique batches of bourbon. To promote the Spring 2019 release, tasting events were held at the co-creator’s establishments. The bottlings were released to the public in select state run liquor stores over the following days and weeks.
Click the following links to access my reviews of MMPS ID-DCB3, MMPS ID-DCB5 and MMPS ID-DCB7.
Since the state’s successful release of these fine bourbons, we’ve been able to enjoy more selected barrels. The ISLD has purchased barrels from Buffalo Trace, Elijah Craig, Four Roses, Knob Creek, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve and more. While not all have been award winners, we have enjoyed some really fine barrel selections of both bourbon and rye. Watch for our reviews on some of these products.
ONE STEP FURTHER
I am a member of a local whiskey enthusiast group. In January 2021, members of our group worked with Smooth Ambler Spirits, makers of Old Scout bourbon, an MGPI company. As we are in Idaho, the team also coordinated the purchase and distribution of the finished product with the ISLD. While this was happening, members made purchase commitments from our own private barrel to get the ball rolling.
The result was rewarding. It was so well received, we purchased another barrel this past January, this time a rye from James E Pepper Distillery. Commitments to purchase the contents filled in just a few weeks. While I was not involved with either acquisition, there was A LOT of behind the scenes work to make the purchases happen.
It is my hope you now know what to do when thinking, “What is a Store Pick Whiskey?” – Don’t shy away. Ask your store expert about the offering and if all the signs are good, take a bottle home.
Written by Brian Dawson
WhiskeyfortheAges.com editor
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