White Lightning wrote:What about guys who actually are enthusiasts ~but buy 10+ bottles of Stagg when it's in such limited supply. While I grant they plan to enjoy it, being in such limited supply that sort of irks me too, especially when equally deserving enthusiasts have been trying for 2 years unsuccessfully to get one bottle.
For a moment, you almost made me feel guilty there. However, the reason those who want it can't find it is not because some have been able to buy 10+ bottles. One of my suppliers that runs multiple stores in a certain county said they don't get enough to justify shelf space but will take case orders only. She told me I was one of only
two people who asked them for it!
Although this may not be what people want to hear, Stagg is available to anyone who wants it, except if all of the following apply (1) you live in a state into which it is illegal to ship spirits, (2) you are unable to convince out-of-state stores to ship into your state, (3) you don't know anyone in states in which it is available who can send it to you, and (4) you are unable or unwilling to travel to where it's available. The foregoing has nothing to do with how many bottles people buy. Now, is it easy to find? For many, absolutely not! It takes a lot of time and effort. You can't just wait 'till you hear it's been released and call your local store; in most instances, they'll say they've never heard of it. When they check with the distributors, they'll say the distributors can't get it or the allotement is already gone. Unless you already have a rock-solid source, you need to start your efforts early. After missing out in '02 and only being able to find one bottle of '03 last year (and from Randall's at that
), I spent hours online and on the phone early this summer bugging the sh**t out of my usual and other suppliers trying to track the stuff down. Amazingly,
everyone I contacted came through. So after bugging them so hard for four months, I felt obliged to come through and purchase what they got for me, and that is not keeping others from getting it.
It's truly a shame they can't bottle more of it so it can be distributed more widely - but apparantly there just aren't enough barrels.
By the way, I'll trade some '04 for some '02. PM me.