Where Has All The Pappy Gone?
Missing: America’s favorite bourbon
Before the Holidays there was an apparent inside heist that took one of Kentucky’s prized possessions out of commission, which left many Christmas stockings empty. There was no Pappy Van Winkle to be found anywhere and it still seems to be the case. With over 195 bottles missing of both the 20 year Pappy and 27 bottles of the 13 year Pappy and no leads, the case seems to be puzzling the detectives. Even with a hefty reward for any information regarding their whereabouts, there are still no answers to be found.
How did one of the most unassuming bourbons because one of the most sought after? Well, the 20 year Family Reserve has been given a 99 out of 100 rating from The Beverage Tasting Institute and it’s even showing up illegally on Craigslist for the outlandish asking price of over $2,000. When planning for a product that takes anywhere from 10 to 25 years to age to perfection, it’s hard to judge and project the demand especially when your product has become increasingly trendy and popular. Add in the bourbon bandit and you’ve got a shortage that left many tumblers dry over the holidays.
Now that you can’t seem to find Pappy, it’s even more popular because as the saying goes absence makes the heart grow fonder. Fans have lined up for blocks to try to enter a drawing for a single bottle and there’s even an app to track any type of Pappy sighting. The black market is booming for any type of Pappy bourbon and one only can guess where those 222 bottles may be hiding.
Some assume it’s a celebrity or multimillionaires and some believe that it’s an employee who made out with over $25,000 worth of product but either way, it’s left shelves and Pappy enthusiasts dry. Hopefully soon there will be answers in the case but as for now, we love this list from Bon Appetit with 10 Affordable Bourbons to buy when you can’t find Pappy Van Winkle. To be honest… no one can, so enjoy one of these while we all wait for next year’s “Pappy Day”.
