You Built A Bourbon Collection—Here’s How To Store, Revisit, And Actually Drink It

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We lay out a practical plan for managing a growing bourbon collection, from storage and oxidation to what to revisit and what to finish. We taste and score Booker's Kentucky Tea 2023-03 to show how proof, time, and a splash of water change the glass.

• why open bottles get forgotten and how to prioritize revisits
• hangovers, mash bills, and why rye can hit harder
• rickhouse aroma as the benchmark bourbon profile
• oxidation’s role in softening heat and boosting flavor
• storage best practice: upright, cool, dark, consistent
• why low-fill bottles need to be finished first
• decanting, splitting, and simple ways to preserve
• rotation, revisit shelves, and kill-a-bottle nights
• trading, gifting, and letting go of hype bottles
• Booker's Kentucky Tea tasting notes and scoring
• proofing with water and how flavor shifts
• shelf space offenders and smarter organization

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Ever stare at a wall of whiskey and think, “I’ve got nothing to pour”? We’ve been there. This episode is a practical guide for collectors who want less overwhelm and more great glasses. We map out how to manage a growing bourbon stash, why certain bottles bloom after months, and the storage choices that keep open pours tasting their best.

We start with the real reasons bottles get forgotten—new release chasing, seasonal pours, special-occasion hoarding—and how oxidation can be your friend. You’ll learn why weeded bourbons often soften into caramel and vanilla, how high-rye mash bills can bring spice and hangover risk, and why the rickhouse aroma is a north star for what bourbon should smell like. Then we get hands-on: upright storage, cool and dark placement, and the “quarter-bottle rule” for finishing low-fills before they fade. We also share easy strategies to reduce inventory without regret: monthly rotations, revisit shelves, bottle shares, trades, and gifting bottles you don’t reach for.

To prove how time matters, we revisit Booker's Kentucky Tea 2023-03 at barrel strength and score it live. The nose opens to vanilla bean and light florals when you nose high in the glass. The body is thick and coating, the palate leans vanilla-cherry cola, and the finish runs long and sweet with oak. A few drops of water shift it toward wood and balance the heat—an object lesson in proofing to taste. Along the way, we swap stories about vintage finds, shelf-space offenders, and the difference between shelf trophies and true drinkers.

If your bar looks like a rickhouse, this is your nudge to make it work for you. Drink what you love, share more, hoard less, and revisit before you replace. If you enjoyed this one, subscribe, leave a five-star review on Apple or iHeart, and share it with a friend who needs a better plan for their bourbon shelf.

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