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In Oregon, a criminal investigation is underway after an internal probe concluded several state liquor officials used their clout to obtain scarce bourbons.
Buttery, smooth, oaky. These are characteristics of the best bourbons, and a growing cult of aficionados is willing to pay an astonishing amount of money for these increasingly scarce premium American spirits — and even bend or break laws.
Buttery, smooth, oaky. These are characteristics of the best bourbons, and a growing cult of aficionados is willing to pay an astonishing amount of money for these increasingly scarce premium American spirits — and even bend or break laws.
Scarcity has changed what some fans are willing to do to obtain the most sought-after bourbon. In Oregon, a criminal investigation is under way after an internal probe concluded several state liquor officials used their clout to obtain scarce bourbons, including the holy grail for bourbon fanatics: Pappy Van Winkle 23-year-old, which can sell for tens of thousands of dollars on resale markets. A limited number of Pappy Van Winkle 23-year, produced by Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery of Frankfort, Kentucky, goes to each state.
In Oregon, that scarcity led to the headline-grabbing scandal that drew attention to the state’s system for distributing rare spirits.