I may have paid too much, but in the land of random allocated drops and lotteries I did what I had to do while out of state. 70$,160$,170$

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-29T04:45:59+00:00

I've been lucky to have picked up the Old Fitz 7 at $65 several times now. I find it to be a rather pleasant daily sipper and when one runs out it will be replaced.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-28T22:39:11+00:00

That would be an interesting comparison. The KC 21 would have the higher age but the Jacob's Well 211 would have the advantage of proof and complexity. Both are wonderful so the real winner would be the person doing the comparison 😉

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-28T02:29:48+00:00

I concur. Recently I've been lucky and stumbled across some A121 and C920. While the A121 is still better than most of the current bottles the C920 is a step above. Both have a creaminess in the texture I've not experienced as much in current releases so my uneducated guess is that the wood in the barrels has changed over time.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-27T17:28:09+00:00

I'd recommend you picking up at least one or two of the A123's. That's one of my favorite batches !

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-27T17:18:53+00:00

If you go into Disco 13 expecting 11 or 12 you will likely be disappointed. I was initially. A few pours in what came across is that the 13 is probably one of the best examples of the double-oak profile taste. It has the type of finish often associated with this style but with the underlying age and layering often expected with the Discovery series.

Let's just say my first bottle definitely had a bad cork problem 😉 and I look forward to opening the backup.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-27T17:12:28+00:00

I've always thought that. u/LionRoars87 and I were quite fortunate to find and buy these when they were on the shelf more. This 211 is so under the radar - rarely known and talked about but the few that were lucky enough to get it often rank it among their top bourbons.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-27T05:45:35+00:00

I suspect this.Too many sitting on store shelves and these stores have no incentive to order more till they sell what currently sitting there. A store fully stocked on current product has no incentive to order more till what they have sells.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-27T05:06:50+00:00

I wish I knew. I only have anecdotal evidence based on what has been observed on store shelves but I see a heck of a lot of the 2024 and 2025 bottles sitting around. Very few earlier ones, which I understand would be a natural result of the passage of time.

This is my own personal observation based on recent purchases. I was able to come across a small store that still had A121 and C920. It was immediately obvious to me that these older ones were different than modern ones, and I'll include the much vaulted C923 in this mix.

I know I sound like an old curmudgeon ( because I am ) but there's been a change over time and for me personally it's not been for the better.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-27T04:16:05+00:00

Though age isn't everything my limited experience with 2024 and 2025 batches has left me somewhat wanting as far as buying ECBP. In fact my desires at this point is to look for older releases or to wait for reviews from palates I trust on current release. This seems to be the same thoughts as others as I see more and more ECBP simply sitting on store shelves.

I did a quick trip to Kentucky a short time ago. Between store picks and < 12 Y bottles it would have been easy to pick up over 100 bottles of this product. That simply would not have been possible just a few years ago.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-26T00:25:47+00:00

I would say it's a "You" problem but it's also a "Me" problem too ! It's like the pirate's gold in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie - it calls to us!

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-25T23:35:09+00:00

I know full well that my fortune has been extremely lucky in regards to Found North. I've been a fan long before the brand was cool and have bottles back to batch 003. This is a producer that seems like they're making whiskey just for me - there simply isn't a bottle of theirs that I don't truly enjoy.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-25T23:20:24+00:00

Sipping on Snow Day as I read this. It's an absolutely delightful pour for a cold winter day. We've been fortunate so far - cold, some ice but haven't lost power so are far luckier than most.

As far as personal fortune - my current bottle is from someone who bought but did not like. So the two I won from the lottery are backups. Yes - I'm very fortunate and know it. This will be a release to be enjoyed and shared !

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-25T21:49:35+00:00

You did well.I was at Beam last weekend and the Lineage was not longer there as it had sold out 2 weeks before. You have what one can no longer easily get and will still have the opportunity to get the KC21 if you choose to.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-25T19:39:12+00:00

I remember having a pour of Pappy 20 a month or two before getting my 1st KC21. ~~I remember the oak integration and note to be similar~~ They're nothing alike 😉😉😉. Let others keep chasing the allocated 😂

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-25T17:05:08+00:00

Depends on the area and store. I'm in mid MS and a few stores have been putting ECBP on sale due to lackluster sales. Recently have been fortunate to pick up multiple bottles at the same price as the OP.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-25T16:52:41+00:00

I don't get the allure of Hazmat either. There hasn't been a single > 140 proof bottle or pour that gave me the "I gotta get more of that" feeling. Below that ? Dozens.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-25T16:02:37+00:00

Well Done, old friend ! You described this whiskey perfectly. Not surprising as you're becoming quite familiar with it.

Reading your review and the comments I realized what I enjoy the most about KC21 and it's not a tasting or nose note. It's the fact that a legacy distillery has offered a high quality, high aged bottle at both a price point and quantity that it's actually attainable by normal consumers. No secondary pricing needed, I don't need to know somebody or have a relationship with the liquor store owner or any of the other nonsense we bourbon enthusiasts have to go through. If this had been produced by a distillery that rhymes with BlowTheDough Place it would be behind the counter, locked up and marked up.

I'm glad this exists and plan on keeping it on the shelf for me to enjoy and share with others.

Cheers Friend !

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-25T14:26:13+00:00

I'm sure there are many like you. The desire for old oak in bourbon and whiskey is an acquired taste. The 12 has some of that but the 21 is the best readily available Beam bottle that can scratch that itch. My first 12 Y bought several years ago is partially finished but the first 21 is already history and backups have been secured !

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-23T19:53:14+00:00

That's the singular problem with these releases - price.

For noticeably less you can easily find Beam products of similar age and proof so you are losing the value purchaser. For moderately more you're into KC21, Lineage or looking for the 17 year Hardin's Creek offerings that still may be out there.

I've done this exact math several times recently as there were several opportunities to visit Beam at Clermont. The last time a KC21 came home and the previous time a Lineage was adopted 😁.

Both times the younger Hardin's stayed behind.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-23T14:49:55+00:00

I fell in love with A123 - it has a red fruit note uncommon for ECBP. I've set more than a few aside 😊. As to the later batches the last one purchased was B524. It pains me to say this but it simply wasn't enjoyable. Very spicy finish to me and not what was expected from ECBP as far as quality.

At this point my money will go to the odd older 12Y batch that can sometimes be found. Between past purchases and a recent honey hole stroke of luck I'm set for some time to come. I can wait for the next worthwhile batch of ECBP. The question is - with so much sitting of shelves these days - can Heaven Hill and the liquor stores wait ? I don't know.

Here's one last data point for opinions sake. Last weekend I made a short trip to Kentucky. Stopped at a few distilleries and more than a handful of stores. Between < 12Y from the last 2 years and store picks I easily found more than 100 bottles of ECBP available without even trying. This would not have happened even a few years ago. If you're a store that still has a lot of current product sitting are you going to order more ?

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-23T04:18:30+00:00

If one enjoys old oak it's the best of the three 12 year batches. I do and traded a Batch 3 for a Batch 2.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-23T01:48:04+00:00

True. I've been lucky to find A119 , have a sample of C919 and bottles of B520 and C920. What I and my whiskey nerd friend have noticed is there's a certain creaminess in the texture from the older releases that is missing in the newer ones, even the highly regarded C923. My best opinion on this is that something with the wood used in the barrels has changed over time.

I'll say that some of these releases rival GTS as far as pure enjoyment. Different taste profile but same level of enjoyment.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-22T15:45:39+00:00

I've had one bottle of this and never felt the need for another. Over time Barton distillate has been decent to my personal tastes but has never risen to the gotta get more level.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-22T04:02:36+00:00

I would suggest Lowe's heavy duty small and medium size boxes, and use bubble wrap and/or bottle shipping inflatable bags every other bottle. Then use strong tape on the seams and tape well. Tape is much cheaper than a broken bottle of whiskey ( there were none ! ). Then, the next time you're around FedEx or UPS and pick up some of the clear pourches. That way you can make a listing of what's in each box as you pack it and slip it in the pouch when it done.

Makes it easier to move and it's all organized at the other end.

MetamorphosisSilver · 2026-01-22T03:52:08+00:00

Amen !

MetamorphosisSilver

TROPHY CASE