| Ya Know Free Rangers, I may have spoken too soon. So, this little jackass walks into the shop, wants to know about our exclusive single barrels (or “store picks” as the whiskey collecting world often calls them). “I’m just going to put these down here,” he says, dropping his bags and a bike helmet in the middle of the sales floor. He’s all compliments about our selections, looking over the wall of whiskey saying how impressed he is and how he wants to buy them all. He mentions the store picks again and asks if we have any open for tasting. I get him a sample of our Kings Co FR9 Bourbon, and a water back in a slightly larger cup. He has more nice things to say about that exclusive barrel proof Bourbon, and then starts going through our collection, vacillating between asking questions and telling stories. Says he’s going to visit High Wire in South Carolina and wants to know where else he should go in that state. After discussing the limited editions we have from them, he asks me if this is the kind of thing he should buy from them when he’s in SC. And this is the moment I know I’ve been had, and that he never had any intention of buying anything that day. “You should buy it from us,” I tell him in a newly darker tone, “People buying things here is how we pay our rent and keep the business open.” He ignores that notion and begins collecting his things, compliments the shop again, and heads for the door without any further false pretense about his intention to actually pay for something. I watch him suit up outside, back his scooter into traffic, and then pull out his cell phone and start texting, seemingly oblivious to the proximity of the cars whose path he is obstructing, even as they start to honk at him (see pic at the bottom). Sadly, natural selection didn’t do its job on the spot, and he putted off, likely to go waste someone else’s time and resources, at the next “free” whiskey stop. It’s as if he read a blog on how to get free drinks without supporting any businesses. I get that life is expensive (especially in this town) and that getting something for free is nice, but if you really have to do this kind of crap to hardworking small businesses (whose time and resources you are consuming), maybe at least do us the courtesy of not vocally feigning that you’re actually going to buy things. |
| In honor of the whiskey bro above, and his imminent SC trip, how ‘bout we offer you big discounts on all of our in-stock High Wire bottles? Do you know about High Wire Distilling Co from Charleston, SC? You really should. It’s a small mom & pop operation, making an honest and unique Bourbon (amongst other spirits) in a modern landscape populated largely by sadly sourced branding play labels who distill nothing at all. High Wire is the real deal, and we’re particularly fond of their Jimmy Red Corn Bourbon and the occasional limited release cask finishes from that same unique juice, distilled from its namesake heirloom corn varietal, which produces a much deeper, spicier Bourbon than any other corn species of which we are aware.I really dig their spirits, but I don’t understand the sub-branding of so many of these smaller independent distilleries. How many names does a sincerely rendered product really need? Unless, the eventual goal is to spin off (or sell off) specific sub-labels, why can’t their spirits all be called High Wire Distilling Co? But alas, the gin is called Hat Trick, the Vodka is named Hometown(neither of which we carry), though the Amaro is just called Southern Amaro, which makes sense as descriptor of what’s inside more than a sub-brand… a DBA (Doing Booze As)? That Amaro is a less sweet/viscous take on classic Italian Amaro, showcasing regionally grown and foraged Charleston black tea, yaupon holly, Dancy tangerine, and mint. And since all the High Wire whiskeys are under the New Southern Revival title, we’ll just leave out the latter for brevity. And as great as the bottles look, you folks have to admit that’s a lot of fonts, sizes, and colors for a single item, no? More importantly, this is a small group of sincere folks, producing wonderful American spirits. No serious Bourbon aficionado should overlook Jimmy Red Corn as its own tiny category, as well as a delightful sipper. Check out the extremely favorable sale pricing below on five High Wire Whiskeys and aforementioned delicious Southern Amaro, available online only, this week only! (!) Click here for the hidden sale page (!) sale: retail: High Wire Amaro (750ml) $28 $36 High Wire Bourbon Madeira Cask Finish $69 $85 High Wire Jimmy Red Corn Bourbon $79 $95 High Wire Jimmy Red Olorosa Cask Finish $89 $119 High Wire Jimmy Red Peach Brandy Cask $89 $119 High Wire Rye Port Cask Finish $89 $119 *** Online exclusive! *** *** This week only! *** Cheers, Jack Proprietor Free Range Wine & Spirits P.S. Free Range E-mail Archive |
