Allman Brothers Guitarist Derek Trucks Teases Bourbon Collectors With Launch of ‘Ass Pocket Whiskey’
Iconic guitarist Derek Trucks unveiled Ass Pocket Whiskey that’s set to launch at Bourbon and Beyond. (Photo: Jeff Daly/Invision/AP)
Multi-grammy-award winner Derek Trucks is a whiskey lover who has a bone to pick with bourbon collecting culture. So much so, that the iconic guitarist unveiled a new bourbon line called “Ass Pocket Whiskey,” on Tuesday. Talk about one heck of a name.
The limited line of bourbons will be released in 200 ml flasks, meant to be stored in, well — you can figure it out.
Trucks came up with the idea for Ass Pocket Whiskey after being frustrated with the “current culture of collection over consumption,” according to a news release. The guitarist grew tired of witnessing bourbon bros hoarding rare bottles instead of simply enjoying them, and he came up with the irreverently-named bourbon brand as a response to that.
“Ain’t it a shame that so many people are buying great bottles of bourbon but are too afraid to open them because they are ‘collectible?'” a statement read on the brand’s website. “Bourbon used to be about enjoying and experiencing the liquid. How did this ‘fear of opening’ start and how can we make it stop?”
By offering limited-release bourbons in small flasks, consumers can enjoy their whiskey in an unfussy way, and “have their whiskey and drink it too.” The inaugural Ass Pocket Whiskey release is a heritage bourbon set to launch at the Bourbon and Beyond Festival.
According to a post on Derek Truck’s Instagram page, the bourbon is 10 years old and clocks in at 100 proof. Little else is known about where the juice is sourced from.
Trucks’ brand, Ass Pocket Whiskey, is launching at Bourbon and Beyond. (Photo: Ass Pocket Whiskey/Instagram)
Fans were very excited about the release in the comments section.
“I vouch for this stuff! It’s delicious,” another musician named Jeremy Ivey exclaimed.
The parent company behind Ass Pocket Whiskey is Spirits of the Night. Spirits of the Night collaborated with the band Kings of Leon and Willet in the launch of Kiamichi Whiskey. The brand additionally launched Four Walls Whiskey, the project that’s a partnership between the stars of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
Trucks himself is an accomplished guitarist, and nabbed the #16 spot on Rolling Stone’s “Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” in 2011 and is regularly on that list. Trucks has jammed with Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana and of course, The Allman Brothers.
Gotta Catch ‘Em All: When Bourbon Collecting Culture Goes Too Far
Perhaps Trucks’ gripes about bourbon-collecting culture are not entirely unfounded. Bourbon enthusiasts will go to great lengths to collect premium whiskeys like Blanton’s, Weller, and of course Pappy. As demand for such whiskeys increases, the price naturally goes up. Yet there’s a dark side to the world of bourbon collecting.
Due to exorbitant demand, the current market has given way to bourbon flippers. Bourbon flippers are individuals who manage to purchase allocated expressions of rare whiskeys and then re-sell them for usually an exorbitant price. Selling alcohol without a license is illegal in the majority of the United States, making bourbon flipping a crime.
Whisky Advocate interviewed a proclaimed “bourbon flipper,” who chose to operate under the pseudonym, Paul H. Yet he did not like to be referred to as a “flipper.”
“The term ‘flipper’ sounds so bad. I sell high-end whiskey as a middleman,” he expressed.
H shared with the outlet that he is the first person a lot of retailers call when they get rare allocated whiskeys, and he purchases them from liquor shops in multiple states. Then, he sells them to collectors. As far as markup usually goes in the realm of bourbon flipping? The outlet cited bottles of Weller Antique as an example that were picked up for $30 and resold for $299 on a bourbon flipping page.
Yet Paul H. insists he isn’t doing anything wrong, he’s just trying to make a living.
“I’m not ruining whiskey. I’m not the reason people can’t get Van Winkle. I’m one f*****g person. I don’t have that much power,” he expressed.
A lot of bourbon-flipping groups typically appear on social media, according to the outlet and Facebook apparently shut several down due to issues of counterfeiting and scams.
So what exactly is the answer here? Whisky Advocate reported that the Van Winkles suggested those interested in trying their wares should seek them out at bars, yet even bars struggle to stock their shelves with these rare bourbons from their distributors and often end up acquiring them illegally as well due to allocations.
One cannot help but acknowledge the positive aspect of the world of bourbon collecting — the community it creates. People meet on the internet, bond over their love of America’s native spirit, swap bottles and form friendships.
You can’t put a price on that.
Follow The Daily Pour:
