@wlwiles , that's good advice that flips the script on my previous thoughts about store picks. While I still have to go more by my wallet than by my heart, I'll try to give them more credence when I encounter them.
2023 was my fourth year on my whisk(e)y journey, and an interesting one at that; I tried 25 different scotches (Advent calendar) and 21 different American whiskeys, found my preferred distilleries are Wild Turkey and Heaven Hill, plus honorable mentions to Ezra Brooks 99 for providing an underrated bang for the buck, and Mellow Corn, Very Old Barton and Ancient Age for providing palatable taste for very cheap, and I finally dipped my toe into rye, though only local powerhouse Sagamore Spirit for now. In 2024 my focus is on having my rotation consist of more familiar spirits and a more focused approach to new-to-me bottles.
Sorry not sorry for staying with the lower-end offerings, and my projected collection will consist of:
Wild Turkey 101--my baseline and reset button.
Elijah Craig Small Batch--have to stick to the basic here but if the B24 or C24 get the same kind of reviews the 23's did, I may splurge.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed-my 'the good stuff'
Sagamore Spirit Double Oaked-my favorite rye so far and also one of my favorite whiskies overall
Shieldaig Highland-a Total Wine label blended scotch that's inexpensive and can be enjoyed mindlessly.
I'm currently working on getting through another Total Wine blended scotch that I liked more when I first started, called For Peat's Sake, though I won't replace it and would like to get back to another Total Wine label that they didn't have much during covid, Hamilton's; gotta have a smoky scotch on hand.
There will also be a space for a rotation of ryes. I currently have the Sagamore basic rye that I got as a Christmas present; once that's done, I'll go through the familiar labels, i.e., Wild Turkey, Elijah Craig, etc. I know that Jack Daniels' ryes have gotten rave reviews, but they're also on the pricey side, and even though it's counterproductive, I have to watch my budget.
While exploring rye is going to be my main focus, I still have a few lower-cost bourbons I'm hoping to try this year as well, such as Cooper's Craft. 13th Colony sounds interesting, but I don't know of any stores near me that carry it, and it's MSRP also makes it problematic.