What are store picks?

Have you ever been to a store, find your favorite bottle but then realize it has a weird sticker that says the store's name? That is what is called a "store pick" in the industry.

A store pick means that someone from the store has gone to the distiller and hand-selected a barrel to be bottled for their store.

Overall store picks do have some more risk associated with them, because the person who picked out the barrel may have some very eccentric tastes that may not be suitable to you; however, they also may have a taste that you enjoy, so while the risk is higher the reward could also be very high as well.

Now store picks can do much more for you than give you a surprisingly great bottle. If you find a store that typically has great taste in their picks, I would highly recommend purchasing a few of their picks every year. This can help build your relationship with the store and may even lead to getting some allocated bottles, or some recommendations of bottles that fly under everyone's radar. If you like the store's custom bourbons, that store will very likely be a great place for you to get recommendations for new bourbons as well.

If you try a store pick that you enjoy, let us know by rating it on the app NEAT: Whiskey Finder!.