Are you a bourbon lover on the hunt for that elusive bottle of Blanton’s? Look no further, my friend! As a fellow enthusiast, I understand the struggle of trying to track down your favorite limited-release bourbons. But if you’re in Virginia, I’ve got a few tips to help you find that bottle.
1. Know the Virginia ABC System
First things first, it’s important to understand the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) system. Virginia ABC operates as a state-run liquor monopoly, meaning they are the only authorized retailer of distilled spirits in Virginia. This system controls the distribution of all distilled spirits, including allocated bourbons like Blanton’s.
When all is said and done, this will be by-far your best bet for getting rare bottles. You’ll also find bottles for CHEAP. I got my last bottle of Blanton’s from Virginia ABC for around $54.
As of the time of writing this blog post (2023), Virginia releases rare bottles through their Limited Availability Product system. According to Virginia, this bottles released through Limited Availability are distributed at “random” times and to “random” stores. Virginia also keeps tabs on which bottles are “limited availability” through this list.
As someone that’s been following this for a long time, color me skeptical about how “random” this actually is, but here’s what Virginia ABC says:
To provide all customers with the greatest opportunity to purchase these highly sought products, during store hours on any given day of the week, ABC will announce the store locations where these products are available for purchase. The timing and store locations will be random to discourage individuals from lining up outside stores for extended periods or seeking information that gives them an unfair advantage, enabling them to purchase these items ahead of other customers. Additionally, to make these products available to as many customers as possible, Virginia ABC is restricting purchases to one bottle per customer per day from all the limited availability products offered in any location. These products are only available for in-store purchase and are not available for order through ABC’s special order process.
Now actually getting limited bottles from Virginia is a bit of a process, and you need to be very very strategic about it.
Step 1: Follow “Spirited Virginia” on Facebook and Instagram. Virginia ABC posts “drop notifications” on social media when rare bourbon hits the stores. You’ll need to see this notification pretty quickly after it comes through to score a bottle of Blanton’s.
Step 2: Sign up for the “Spirited Virginia” e-newsletter here. Similar to step 1, Virginia ABC will always send an email with bourbon drop notifications when it happens. I signed my work email up for the e-newsletter so I can see messages as soon as they come in.
Step 3: High-tail it to a store as soon as you get a drop notification. This system has been around long enough that you need to be insanely fast at getting to your liquor store when Spirited Virginia posts the drop locations. I have seen allocated bourbon disappear in as quickly as 20 minutes after the drop notification hits.
Step 4: Be persistent. I took me around 2 months in the bourbon chase to start figuring out the timing and tricks to make it to drops on time (I’ll have a new post on this later). Don’t give up. You’ll get that bottle of Blanton’s, but you need to be persistent.
2. Visit Neighboring States
If you don’t want to game the Virginia Limited Availably system, this really is a fine option. You might pay more per bottle than you would in Virginia, but there’s great out-of-state options that don’t involve the heartburn associated with Virginia ABC drops.
If you’re having trouble finding Blanton’s in Virginia, it’s worth checking out neighboring states like North Carolina, West Virginia, and Washington D.C. Each state has its own set of rules when it comes to allocated bourbons, so be sure to do your research before making the trip.
North Carolina, for example, operates under a “first come, first served” policy for allocated bourbons, meaning that stores will typically release bottles as soon as they receive them. In West Virginia, some stores may hold a lottery for allocated bourbons, while others may release them on a first-come, first-served basis. And in D.C., stores operate on a lottery system for highly sought-after bourbons like Blanton’s.
3. Visit Buffalo Trace Distillery
If all else fails, consider taking a trip to Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Blanton’s is produced at this historic distillery, and they offer tours that include a tasting of their bourbons. While there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to purchase a bottle of Blanton’s at the distillery, it’s a fun and informative experience for any bourbon enthusiast. There’s literally a science to figuring out what bourbon bottles Buffalo Trace will release on the specific day you might visit. I highly encourage brushing up on this if you go, especially if you’re going for a rare bottle like Blanton’s.
Leave a Reply