We stayed in Frankfort, home of Buffalo Trace Distillery, with a good friend of my wife, whose great-
grandfather was one of the former owners of what eventually became Buffalo Trace -I won't say which name, but it was mentioned in the tour.
My hostess' father explained the shortage of spirits much different that the "angels' share" described by tour guides. While evaporation certainly occurs, it was neat to hear from him how employees become "angels" themselves, and are the culprits when it comes to missing inventory.
In fact, this weekend I drank uncut Russell bourbon from a mason jar, complete with charcoal remnants at the bottom of the jar. I feel certain the Russell I drank was quantified as "angels' share" during inventory practices.
The old KY folks are proud to explain (and be part of) Bourbon's black market. For instance, one group used to provide a special someone with a new five gallon metal gasoline container and they eventually received 5 gallons of uncut bourbon in said container. $35 / gallon was the price quoted to me. Was told this person acquired his bourbon that way for decades until that supply "dried up." The stories told to me usually included the phrases, "I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, I'm just telling you like it is."
Why was a metal gas container used?
Interestingly, was also told by multiple sources that the uncut bourbon was once stored in a plastic milk jug, but bourbon ate the plastic away and most of one gallon ended up wasted on the kitchen counter when the owners were out of town. Another similar story was told to me: uncut bourbon eating through a paper cup as the person holding the cup was trying to sip it!
Evidently, employees at several distilleries are known to keep shoddy accounting practices so that they can make off with uncut bourbon.
Now, the Pappy shortage a year or so ago was due to employees blatantly stealing barrels at a time...telling security that the barrels were empty, etc. I believe that case is about to play out in court. But it made for some nervous folks who routinely store this black market stuff in mason jars around their house.
grandfather was one of the former owners of what eventually became Buffalo Trace -I won't say which name, but it was mentioned in the tour.
My hostess' father explained the shortage of spirits much different that the "angels' share" described by tour guides. While evaporation certainly occurs, it was neat to hear from him how employees become "angels" themselves, and are the culprits when it comes to missing inventory.
In fact, this weekend I drank uncut Russell bourbon from a mason jar, complete with charcoal remnants at the bottom of the jar. I feel certain the Russell I drank was quantified as "angels' share" during inventory practices.
The old KY folks are proud to explain (and be part of) Bourbon's black market. For instance, one group used to provide a special someone with a new five gallon metal gasoline container and they eventually received 5 gallons of uncut bourbon in said container. $35 / gallon was the price quoted to me. Was told this person acquired his bourbon that way for decades until that supply "dried up." The stories told to me usually included the phrases, "I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, I'm just telling you like it is."
Why was a metal gas container used?
Interestingly, was also told by multiple sources that the uncut bourbon was once stored in a plastic milk jug, but bourbon ate the plastic away and most of one gallon ended up wasted on the kitchen counter when the owners were out of town. Another similar story was told to me: uncut bourbon eating through a paper cup as the person holding the cup was trying to sip it!
Evidently, employees at several distilleries are known to keep shoddy accounting practices so that they can make off with uncut bourbon.
Now, the Pappy shortage a year or so ago was due to employees blatantly stealing barrels at a time...telling security that the barrels were empty, etc. I believe that case is about to play out in court. But it made for some nervous folks who routinely store this black market stuff in mason jars around their house.
