Admittedly, I’m more of a whiskey drinker than a collector. In fact, I sort of despise the idea of buying up rare bourbon with no intention of ever drinking it. That doesn’t mean that, when presented with the idea to get something signed by a well-known bourbon personality, I don’t jump on the opportunity.
Aside from autographs and rare bourbon, there are plenty of different options for bourbon collectors. Shot glasses, Glencairns with logos from distilleries, barrel heads, very old bottles, etc. are all common collectibles in the whiskey world. So what’s your version of the bourbon Beanie Baby? What do you collect?
Share photos with us via twitter, Facebook, the ModernThirst forums, comment on this post, or direct email (bill@modernthirst.com) of what you’re collecting!
Signed bottles:
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- Signed by Makers Mark Master Distiller Greg Davis
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- Harlen Wheatley, Master Distiller of Buffalo Trace
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- Chris Morris, Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve
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- Chris Morris, Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve
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- Signed by Master Distillers Craig Beam and Denny Potter of Heaven Hill and Artisanal Distiller Charlie Downs of the Evan Williams Experience
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- Jim Rutledge, Master Distiller of Four Roses
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- Jim Rutledge, Master Distiller of Four Roses
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- Fred Noe, Master Distiller of Jim Beam
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- Fred Noe, Master Distiller of Jim Beam
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- Fred Noe, Master Distiller of Jim Beam
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- L-R Jim Beam Bonded, Quarter Cask, Bookers Rear: Signed bottle of Jim Beam Stillhouse bourbon
3 Comments
I’m not a collector at all, I’m a consumer!!!! I do have numerous bottles of some hard-to-get bourbon, and it will all be consumed in time. I do not enjoy merely possessing it. I had a bottle autographed by a revered Master Distiller, but I emptied the bottle and recycled it. I collect to consume!!!
I see these ads for traders that state the bottle is not intended of consumption, only collecting. WTF?!??!??! That’s crazy.
I have some George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, Willett Family Estate Bottled Bourbon 21 YO, and a very special bottle of W.L. Weller 19 YO. I’ve got too many other open bottles right now, but soon, these will be cracked open and enjoyed. No coveting or collecting around here. Well, maybe short-term collecting. 😉
Now that I think about this a little more, I am saving some empty bottles of my favorite bourbons. 😉
My wife told me to stop saving empty bottles because I’m “not in college anymore”