Goose Island Bourbon County - 2024 (Chicagoland)

$210 + OZNR Fees + Tax = Swag + 118 oz (7 x 16.9 oz).

$185 + OZNR Fees + Tax = Swag + 101 oz (6 x 16.9 oz).

Deep Woods Season Ticket
$400 + $0 Fees + Tax = Swag + 499 oz (10 X 48 oz + 19.2 oz) + $24 Bar Credit (Revolution Rewards)

When you do the math, you choose…..

 

Not sure what to make of this. Since single barrel is GI only (like Rare), wondering if single bottles are available. Or would be nice if it pops up as an available add-on at Rare Day. Since I'm set on my allotment allocation from Rare Day, I don't necessarily want more "full sets". I'd rather just grab a couple singles, like I'm planning for the cask finish.

Also I'm noticing that there are pictures out there of 3 single barrels....Blantons, Old Fitz, & Weller. It sounds like the larger pack just has 1 of them. So will probably just hold off until they start selling the box set.

 

Yeah, there are at least 6 teased on their Instagram:

Weller 7yr aged 18mo
Blantons 8yr aged 25mo
4 Roses 6yr aged 20mo
Old Fitz 5yr aged 19mo
Elijah Craig Toasted 10yr aged 30mo
Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 7yr aged 28mo

You get one with the full package + single barrel package at Fulton (sold out on Oznr) One of the posts suggests that you will be getting the Old Fitz 5yr bottle with this package.

You also get one with the Brewer Led tasting sessions at the Salt Shed on Black Friday. They have a post suggesting the Weller 7 year will be served here, so that may also be the bottle you take home.

That leaves 4 more.

I too hope they offer some at Rare day.

 

Did they send sign up info for that event out yet? Don’t know if I missed it or they just didn’t send info yet.

 

It's on Oznr right now. 2 sessions.

 

Up on OZNR

 

Weird. I don’t see an email. Did they not do early release for MBA members this year?

 

Thanks for that info. I'm not an instagrammer so didn't see all of that. Only 2 varieties (Weller and Old Fitz) are showing on the BCBS page of the GI site. I passed on the package because I don't plan to be in Chicago ON Black Friday and the OZNR sale specified pickup that day only. Is there any reason to believe that these will be any different than what used to be called easter eggs, but now labeled as single barrel with more rarity/exclusivity/hype attached to the extra $25 per bottle vs $12 easter egg?

 

As near as I can tell from reading between the lines, these are closer to the “single distillery” boxed variants series like the Weller 2 year, OF Birthday bourbon, EC 12, Blantons, EC Toasted, eagle rare and so on than the Easter eggs. Those variants are all blended, but an exclusive type of whiskey (brand) barrel was used. The Easter eggs are also blended, but they are all the “well product barrels”, like 5-year Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace (which is 5-7 year?) and so on. So these new ones aren’t either, but somewhere in between.

The wild card is the “single barrel” idea. These are unblended if I read/understood correctly. For that reason, they probably chose nicer barrels, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be a little more brash (like the Easter eggs) than the blended product (like base BCBS).

 

These are true single barrel releases as in one single barrel and not a blend from the same distillery. So each one only has as many bottles as can be filled from one barrel. Also extended aging. The old Easter egg releases were ~12 month aged these range from 18-30 months in the barrel.

 

Nice added note.

Yea, although I don’t want to pay $20 for these, I’d rather pay $20 for these than 30-40$ for the boxed variants. At least conceptually.

 

You mean the fancy box they're going to surprise us with on Saturday morning and make us lug around? Can't wait.

 

Yeah that's it. The one that's just a little too tall to tuck under your arm and just barely too deep to hold safely with one hand. Also long enough to get caught on doorways and swings into other attendees when turning. That's the one!

 

I'm coming from the burbs and will need to park somewhere near the taproom, any suggestions where to park? I'm going to session 2 and prob won't be there until 4 or 4:30.

 

I used Spot Hero last time I went 2 years ago and it worked great.

 

Cigars, bourbon and rare. What a nice way to spend the day.

 

While confessing your craft beer mortal sins at the BCS confessional.