Rare Bourbon Released In Twin Cities' Liquor Store

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – What would you do for the chance to get a taste of a rare bourbon that's considered a real treasure?

For some Twin Cities bourbon lovers, it was camping out in front a liquor store.

A line formed outside of Sudyks's Liquor & Cheese Shop in Minneapolis Thursday morning.

They were waiting for the chance to buy a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle.

"It's our number one call all year. People call and ask 'When's the release date of the Pappy Van Winkle?" Melissa Surdyk said.

The release was Thursday, and fans of this rare bourbon weren't about to miss out.

"It was a long haul. I got here yesterday at 3:30 in the afternoon. And I drove from Cottage Grove, Wisconsin to get it," Steve Riddle, a bourbon fan, said.

Steve Riddle was the first in line and got first pick at his bottle.

"That is what the wait is for. It's a 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle and it's just a rarity," Riddle said.

This ain't your type of frat boy drink where you down it in one night. This is a sipping drink, you know what I mean. Then the rarity of it adds to the value," bourbon fan Jon Adan said.

And that value is pretty high. Pappy Van Winkle is about $400 for the most expensive bottle.

Only 7,500 cases of the aged bourbon were released

Surdyk's had only 36 bottles for sale

"It's kind of more of a oaky flavor. So, it's more of a distinguished taste," Adan said.

A taste that has turned this bourbon into a top pick for bartenders.

"Craft cocktails are becoming more popular use of mixing with it. So, it's opening up a lot of doors for people to try it, and a lot of people are really liking it," Melissa Surdyk said.

Surdyks told WCCO they had about 60 people waiting in line to get a bottle of that bourbon.

Since they only had 36 to sell, they gave gift certificates to those who didn't get one.