Total Wine ALWAYS recommends this! Chestnut Farms Bourbon Review.

If you've been to a total wine recently you will hear a lot about Chestnut Farms! We were told from a different store that wasn't even total wine that they didn't have Blantons but they had an alternative for us. We love 1792 products so we knew we eventually had to try this one. How does it fair?
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[@DaWindowLicker]

Super glad you guys are digging into the Total Wine rep pushes. I have heard their sales people push total garbage saying it is just as good as "pick allocated brand". I won't buy any of their store recommendations because of this... unless I can actually sample it. FYI, the Chestnut farms BIB is by far the best of the ones that I sampled but still not worth the $125 price tag. Maybe at half the price. Keep doing these reviews!

[@rhino2861]

100% agree. Check my comment and it explains it.

[@jacobperez4064]

We always have samples…. We don’t make commission either. We don’t push trash.

[@Pandemos]

It's because they miiiiiight have very high profit margins. Just a guess.

[@OlySandvich]

So a couple things, as a former Total Wine Sales team employee: 1. First and most importantly, don't blame the sales reps. They're under constant pressure from the management teams, because if they don't hit their numbers, management doesn't get their bonuses. When I was there, mgmt wanted 25% or more of all the spirits bottles sold to be their "Spirits Direct" brands. Those brands are where Total makes all its margins, considering how little they markup any of the big name brands. If you see them with one of the earpiece mics in, they're probably hearing "Keep pushing SD" or something to that effect at least 5 times an hour 2. If it's SD, ask for samples before making a decision. Not all the stores do it, but in general, a lot of the Spirits Direct items are open for tasting (depending on the state) 3. Talk to the reps. A lot of them are actually quite passionate about whiskey and like to talk about it. A lot of them are also quite frustrated with having to push subpar stuff too. 4. On the subject of the Chestnut BiB specifically, damn if that wasn't the best smelling bottle we ever had break in the whiskey aisle. Not once but twice, on the day we were planning to open one for tastings, somebody dropped one & broke it

[@tyleramooney]

" considering how little they markup any of the big name brands" - Have you seen the prices at TotalWine as of late?

[@megaauburnfan21]

@@tyleramooney The one in my area has little to none. Even on allocated stuff, granted they almost never have it. They're cheaper than any other store in my area by at least $3-5 on cheaper bottles and $10-15 on $75-150 bottles.

[@cibearse4]

Had never been to a total wine until yesterday. Was in Lexington, KY and they pushed it on me and I bought it. Here i am after the fact seeing if you guys liked what I bought…

[@beginningbourbon7385]

Literally, haven’t seen a 1792 BIB in 1 1/2 years in NC…and I hunt bourbon like crazy.

[@rhino2861]

Former Total Wine employee here. The reason why they push Chestnut Farms is because it is a "Spirits Direct" bottle. Any time you see "Spirits Direct" or "Winery Direct" at Total Wine, it means that they act as the distributor so it is a higher profit margin. Because of this, Total Wine trains its sales reps to push Spirits Direct and Winery Direct stuff hard.

[@xSintex]

That said, some of the stuff is actually good, and YMMV with Total Wine sales people. Usually,especially in wine, you can get a really good bottle from a known distillery just with another label (harvester for example). Also their Wolcott bottles sourced from 1792 are great for the price.

[@Thizzin]

This is true they even get upset if you go to the back and give a customer what they actually ask for 😂 they just want to sell their direct crap.

[@keithpetersen560]

@@xSintex I agree...

[@keithpetersen560]

As a former employee also, they do have a lot of great Winery Direct products for sale that the employees get to try. The Spirits Direct products use to be better IMO and you have to be careful of the markup when compared to a standard release.

[@TRIKushbeachside]

9/10 people at TW have zero clue what they’re talking about. They are also forced to push their high margin products by management. They “average” employee makes zero commission but is forced to hawk their product. If they recommended outside of TW brands they are most likely going to lost their job. This is an inside the ropes TW report

[@Thizzin]

This is true. They will have less national brands on the shelves and lie to customers that its "out of stock" when its really just in the back. Very shady towards the customers.

[@AM2PMReviews]

im a sucker for that Kirkland Sib which is Bartons at like 120 proof. its not always the best thing but at like 28 bucks a liter, I love it.

[@StillLivinginthewoods]

"Looking for a $60 bottle? Here, try this $120 bottle instead!" Talk about "piss pour" customer service!

[@PartyRockProfessional]

I’m with Sean on this one. $125 for a bottle that’s comparable to $40 is ridiculous. This is why whiskey companies (cough Turkey) keep marking up bottlings and getting away with it.

[@tommyrq180]

WT101 and Rare Breed absolves Turkey of all sins. And I’m serious about that. Add in Russell’s and they are #1 in my book for overall value and availability. OGD is right in there, but Basil Hayden’s sort of ruins that line.

[@PartyRockProfessional]

@@tommyrq180 I’m not saying WT101 and Rare Breed aren’t incredible, but when they start bottling $150ish bourbon for $250-300 it really makes it hard to like the company.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@PartyRockProfessional id argue thats less turkey and more campari

[@gingergeezer3685]

@@PartyRockProfessional 100%

[@BigBadJerryRogers]

​@@PartyRockProfessionalI think it's fine if a brand lineup runs the gamut from low to high in price and availability, as opposed to the entire Weller lineup for example. Wild Turkey and Old Forester are probably the best two examples of the right model. If Jack Daniel's can get their 10 and 12 year into the same affordable and available category as OF1920 and Rare Breed, they would also be alongside the other two brands

[@Rob80132]

I've been whiskey hunting in Colorado for 4 years and have seen TWO bottles of 1792 BiB both for $99 (bought them both)...I go to Total Wine 3 times a week and see it every time. Over last Christmas I was talked into it by the store rep and LOVE this bottle. #TeamDan

[@whiskeybonded]

That was a really long way to go to end up back where we thought you'd end up. Great video guys! (Better you than me.)😂

[@robertlee6781]

Maybe Kroger will come out with Stonehammer BiB for $30. I'd buy it.

[@nateduncan7089]

I bought one bottle of the standard Chestnut Farms and got the spirits direct discount on it years ago and still hated myself for buying it after trying the bottle.

[@Chundoh]

I feel like I don't see much 1792 here in Texas outside of the small batch. Then again, I mostly show Total Wine & Spec's and none of the non-chains.

[@Eagleknight815]

Great review. I got one of those farm bottles before and totally regret it after. Never again.

[@dhmig88]

They were pushing it hard around Christmas, had the tasting booth setup. Didn’t try it, moved on and bought two bottles of Rare Breed.🥃

[@brendanwoerner3352]

As a person who works for total wine I only recommend stuff based on budget, pallet taste and occasion

[@RatsKingdom]

Total Wine workers are probably commission or something equivalent, but the workers sell you their trained lines, every time I go in there, the exact same person goes to the same bottles to show me, like Oregon Spirits and then he went to Chestnut last time, another worker is telling everyone that McFarlane is better than Eagle Rare, they have their sales pitches

[@LeatherDaddy97]

They dont work on commission

[@danf321]

I received a bottle of their regular Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey as a gift, and I gotta say I like it a lot. Very smooth with a definite hazelnut background flavor with a very long finish.

[@adambonsall6253]

Can’t believe how accurate this was. I’m an Australian and was in Dallas on holidays a few weeks ago. I went into Total wines and was blown away by choice of bourbons. Ten times more than what I can get at home. I wanted to get something to bring home I couldn’t get here easily. Lo and behold I was talked into a chestnut farms (albeit the cheaper version). Maybe I should have picked something different

[@rawdawg69tothe69th]

I just bought a bottle of this for $70 at total wine as a Christmas present for my dad. The sales rep recommended that and Still Austin Cask Strength as two great whiskeys to get, so we got both. Excited to try them.

[@red5standingby419]

Isn't Lucky Seven sourced Barton? I thought it was. If so we already have alternative more expensive Barton that's really good. I've never had a bad experience with Lucky Seven. Especially the more aged stuff (14/15yr).

[@DarrylD-Bourbon]

Thanks Junkies. 5 years ago TW pushed CF on me saying they heard it was a BT sourced product. At that time it was $60 and I was still getting BT products at retail. I bought a couple and enjoyed, but once I saw CF price going up, I just ignored it and chased others. Glad to know I made the right choice. Unfortunately now where I am finding a BT product for less than 2x MSRP isn’t possible.

[@ISPhotographic]

I mean, Calumet Farms 15 year old is the same price, and it’s 15 years old from Barton…

[@sheepdog5]

Can we get a tour of the rest of the walls of whiskey?!

[@lukstephens1]

Barton Boys are back!!!

[@davevogelsang6791]

I enjoy some of the Barton juice. 1792 Twelve Year, BIB and Full Proof are good. Nancy Fraley said there was Barton distillate in the first 97 batches of Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend. 🥃

[@milehighwhiskeybruhs5818]

I hear Total Wine EE’s say this to customers including myself that this is a Blantons replacement all the time. They also don’t discount this bottle which used to be $100 and has since went up to $125. Other stores do carry this bottle(BIB box) for $70 though! Which I can recommend. They also have a less expensive one for around $50-60 which is meh…

[@RollTide137]

Wish I could find any non-small batch 1792, one time got the full proof and wow it was delicious. the 12 year sounds great

[@jasonczfan8658]

My go to liquor store had a full proof store pick this year. Blew away the standard stuff which is saying something.

[@YoPaulieMusic]

AGREE. That 1792 Full Proof is a Top Five for me.

[@jasonczfan8658]

@@YoPaulieMusic yep. I’ve seen a couple of posts here that people don’t like it. I’m thankful for them leaving it on the shelf then😂😂

[@terrencemcdermott5840]

I haven’t seen 1792 BiB in WI in two years. However that being said I feel like I could probably get my hands on one for less than 125 if I really wanted to. They would have been smarter to bottle it at a different proof. In this price range it would have to be barrel proof though. I mean maybe you could get away with 110-115, but then we would all just compare it to 1792 full proof. Which I guess we would at barrel proof too, but at least we can reason it at BP. Now I’m rambling, damnit. Cheers boys!

[@dane5896]

Where was the glass of Blanton's?

[@normlang1994]

The 1792 BiB & Full Proof are unicorns in NC. I enjoy the Small Batch, but the BiB would be a daily sipper for me, if I could get it.

[@xDeserted]

So weird this was just uploaded, I was in total wine last week and this EXACT bottle was recommended by a store rep when I asked about allocated bottles.

[@corrupthex]

I've overheard workers there sell it as if it were allocated. Very happy to know I made a good choice not listening to them to drop that kinda money on it.

[@BluegrassDaimyo]

I’m just glad you used glasses!

[@jasono.1629]

Great review, I always see stacks of those bottles at Total Wine. Nobody ever buys their store brands. I remember a Total Wine manager seeing me eye their Sib store pick Old Forester 100 proof, and tried to direct me to buy some crappy Total Wine brand called “Winchester” which I believe is just that 6 month rapid aged Terrapure crap rebranded to disguise it. They think their customers are idiots and treat them as such.

[@mapleblues22]

Hahaha good stuff guys. I'm buying that 1792 asap (young in bourbon journey)

[@35057]

Reminds me of every time I walked into my local store (small chain) the whiskey guys would pounce and push me/us into their Barrell store pick for $135. 😖

[@runwitvision47]

I bought this for my hubby for his collection. #1 it was only 60 bucks😝. 2nd I dont really drink. Maybe twice a year. I tried this and LOVED it, the Chestnut Farms. It was sooo smooth going down. No after effect, i hate the burn going down and this was smooth going down. He will like this for sure. As a woman im guilty of buying if the bottle is cute. 😂

[@edpeter9411]

“Weeping Willow”. Maybe a flow chart?

[@willcampbell4321]

I love 1792 BiB so much

[@francisrizzo1529]

Gotta bunker them when you can, that's why I bought 6 1792 FP store picks last year.

[@marcgregory9277]

Apparently they got a rickhouse reserve from Barton 1792 I tried it this weekend and it wasn't bad.

[@Abby_Normal_1969]

I have frequently received self serving advice from Total Wine. When they recommend the house brands, I have been disappointed. Having said that, I have received some decent recommendations on other whiskies.

[@TheOnion12]

My total wine pitches this bottle like they're selling florida timeshares to boomers.

[@tg9891]

Interesting.........They told me the exact same thing 2 years ago.

[@Shiner32]

Definitely a Total Wine “exclusive” like Wolcott and Kilbrin. Now I did enjoy the Kilbrin Irish Whiskey and that stuff is only $20

[@RK-ow1zg]

I have a 1792 FP pick that’s pretty good, but it’s only $45. I haven’t found anything from Barton that’s worth $120.

[@true-fiction]

Blind it with blantons and some other similar products and see how it does.

[@paden6493]

They have ownership in the brands they recommend

[@cleveland53015]

I was told the same!

[@bourbonapprentice]

Total Wine also hung a sign on a cheap bourbon (forget the brand, Two Star, or something like that) saying it was distilled by Buffalo Trace and it is not

[@pumpedupdart6859]

LOL, I had to rewatch the intro cuz, "GIRTH MAN".

[@matthewdohrmann]

It's weird because they had a Chestnut Farms 13-year wine cask finished bourbon for around 100 bucks in December of 2021. I know prices have gone bonkers, but I think I saw the same bottle for about the same price at Total Wine a few months ago. It's hilarious that it says " highly allocated" in the description of the bottled in bond.

[@eafarrar]

They also have tags at my store on some other house brand that says "Allocated from Barton..." Like, y'all are really playing fast and loose with the word "allocated," eh?

[@LeatherDaddy97]

There has never been a chestnut farms 13 yr wine cask

[@matthewdohrmann]

@@LeatherDaddy97 It was a 12-year that was aged an extra year in a Cabernet cask I think.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@matthewdohrmann they had one called mcfarlanes like that, and mcfarlanes is wheated

[@matthewdohrmann]

@@LeatherDaddy97 Actually, I was wrong. It was McFarlane's bourbon.

[@johnhicks8626]

Cannot find the 1792 BiB. Texas. But we have all the Still Austin.

[@junkbot2.1]

You guys wanna know how total wines system works. Ive got the insight here. Total wine judges its store teams off the percentage of winery direct and spirits direct products sold in relation to national brand products sold, so they have to sell these products because the national brands work against their percentage. You ever notice them get antsy when you ask for high end or large quanitity of a national brand product, its because that will work against the goal. Fucked up system if you ask me.

[@rurugby]

That's awful. Explains why they promote their off brand stuff.

[@tallmunchkin868]

Weirdly though, they sell Maker’s 46 and Knob Creek for cheap at $21.99 and I don’t know why I’d buy anything in their sub-40 range given those options.

[@itsdavejustdave4876]

Total Wine says this bottle is “highly allocated” and yet it’s literally everywhere and so overpriced.

[@chrishughlett213]

Exact same thing happened to me.

[@DustTbotMs]

They push Lazy River at my store all the time.

[@jamestucker9803]

$70 where I live. East coast.

[@kloss213]

Ever been to whiskey point Mi? They need a distiller over der.

[@joethesampleguy3414]

A BiB Barton that swerves a little into Old Forester's lane? I'm in for one bottle even at 125, just for science and stuff!

[@chuckn1537]

My neighborhood store has the BIB for $90 while the closest Total wine is priced at $120.

[@johnnyceetv1987]

Bro they did that to me last week when I went to pick up some willet 4 year Rye.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

Those are nothing alike tf

[@johnnyceetv1987]

@@LeatherDaddy97 I know. I think they get commission on those bottles

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@johnnyceetv1987 total wine employees dont make commission at all, im 100% sure on that

[@MrPlebeia]

I can confirm my local total wine employees pushed this on me and others specifically.

[@thomaspaine8886]

I live three miles from a Total Wine. The sales reps are usually inexperienced and simply told to push particular bottles in your price range.

[@TheWalkingDude27]

They have told me nearly half the time I go there to grab it.

[@cebailey5920]

Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! I'm the first to agree with you 1792 isn't something that hits my pallette, but Very Old Barton 100 ... come on, you can't dismiss an entire distillery based on the marketing staff. The old Tom Moore distillery, damn I love that place

[@lukstephens1]

Answer is Stone Hammer 😂

[@LeatherDaddy97]

Man i havent seen a 1792 bib in years. The price on chestnut farms bib is bad. It used to be 90 for a while and i thought that was high. The whiskey is solid tho.

[@BB-kr7ep]

I passed on the Chestnut Farms BIB the other day at TW because of price. I been looking for a 1792 BIB in Michigan for two years now 😞

[@klenk1am]

I've found Full Proof more often than BiB in MI.

[@jasonczfan8658]

A few years back I was just discovering bourbon and I went into Total Wine looking for Blanton’s not knowing how the allocated game worked. He told me to get the Hancock’s Reserve because it was the same mash bill, cheaper and readily available. Lol

[@brentb2228]

That’s actually a really good recommendation relative to others I’ve heard

[@oubrad85]

Yeah, agreed. That was a good recommendation. Honestly would like to find a Hancock’s at some point but I have never seen it in Dallas.

[@jasonczfan8658]

@@oubrad85 lol, I’ve never seen it since that time I bought it.

[@korgs1302]

I tried this at a TW. It was good, but for $125?!? NFW. At $50 it would be a stretch

[@tjwright]

Every time I've been looking at bourbon at TW they have asked me if I like Eagle Rare and then told me that most of their customers find the Chestnut Farms "just as good". I look them right in the eye and say "well ER is $30 MSRP and this bottle is $65 so I would expect it to BLOW IT AWAY - not be "just as good", "nearly as good", or "a little better". And it simply isn't any of those things other than 2x the price (and on the shelf).

[@mazar11221122]

😮 wtf that's exactly what happened to me yesterday at total wine i asked one of their associates that wear white shirts and this was the very first bottle he recommended, i got the same bottle but not the one in the box and it was $65 the one you have in the video was right next to the one i got and it was $109 i think, they also had ratings about them both and stuff and says ranked high and the guy was acting like it was his choice, this was in Plano Texas

[@ekbuz]

For those who haven't seen 1792 recently, it's because it has gone allocated. I was talking with a rep last winter in Minnesota and she told me it was going to get a lot more rare because it had just switched to being allocated.

[@slim2429]

What does allocated mean?

[@gingergeezer3685]

@@slim2429 Harder to get. Limiting the amount distributed to liquor stores. Not worth it IMO.

[@mcwright0178]

Small Batch can’t be allocated, I live in a state is terrible for allocation and literally every store uas shelves full of small batch.

[@scrappymark]

@@gingergeezer3685where is the supply going if not to liquor stores? I’ve never understood “allocated”

[@BigBadJerryRogers]

​@@scrappymarkit is going to liquor stores. Brands are allocated when the demand greatly outpaces the supply.

[@barthur08]

I've found the same thing with the regular Chestnut Farms and another Total Wine brand - tasted pretty good but way way overpriced.

[@mikeives5233]

I'd be interested in a head to head against a similarly priced product you like...Calumet 15 or a Bardstown Disco (not 10) maybe.

[@johncellona8133]

Great, just when I thought I was understanding how to taste bourbon. Now I have to consider the length and girth of the finish. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@andrewmitchell6196]

I love you guys, but I can't find 1792 (except the normal small batch) to save my freaking life lol. I have seen 1 Single Barrel and 2 Full Proof in the last year or so. (SC Bourbon market sucks lol)

[@frankmastromauro5630]

Good video

[@Remydelco]

I’ve only ever had the chestnut reg bottle think it’s 60$ not bad tasting but it’s a 40$ max bottle

[@BentleyPascoe]

This is the bottle that put me quite firmly into the "try before you buy" land. I bought this going "I've heard barton is good and this guy seems to talk it up a lot. Overall reviews look OK on the website." Man was I wrong. Barton, I found, has a horrid bitter and mineral after taste to me. Cheap Jim Beam Black is MILES better than this for my personal palate. I thought maybe it's just this bottle, some kind of cork taint, tried some 1792 FP - same thing. Now any brand TW pushes, I avoid outright.

[@davekragness4725]

Is the $65 Chestnut Farms a big drop taste from the $125 version?

[@tommyjusz]

never seen a BiB 1702 in chicagoland

[@WhiskeyCrusaders]

Sadly no surprise TW always says stuff like this. It's a direct spirit which they make a huge margin on. Plus this tastes nothing like Blanton's. Its just 1792 BIB for 3 times the price so not worth it to me at all. Cheers

[@cartermayfield]

Thanks for tasting it so that we don't have to. I haven't been tempted by this one, but I've been curious. And yes... you can separate the quality of the whiskey from the price point. Matt Porter does it with every single whiskey he tastes. Let the quality define the value. If you can get a Matt Porter 8.0 for $60, that is a great value. Period. I think what Jason C does, which is trying to assess value based on age and proof point is ultimately futile. If it is old and high proof and tastes horrible, a low price point does not make it a "good value." Bad whiskey is never a good value. But ya'll do you... it is too late to turn back now.

[@user-hm8sp6dn9p]

So......i guess i will just go with the cal 16??😂

[@stevefromchicago8277]

I may be forced to find a Total Wine and go in to ask for Blanton’s - I’ll report back

[@bigjakeb45]

Underrated comment.

[@tabray9567]

How does it compare to 1792 Full Proof; that’s my favorite!

[@Solarhawke]

Mine was good at open but I liked it less as it sat. It opened up in the wrong way.

[@brandonstraczek3398]

Compare it to Kirkland's bottle in bond

[@michaeledwards7615]

What is Sean’s t-shirt, must have that

[@govtfunded]

The Barton marketeering on the bottle is almost as good as the "this comes from the secret Buffalo Trace hidden distillery" shtick I've heard at about a dozen Total Wine stores regarding the regular Chestnut Farms. Old Forester is better.

[@kegancentala3661]

Still look for that shirt DAN

[@The_IncrediSteve]

I want to know how many episodes Dan's pizza box is going to appear in 😂😂

[@caseyD2016cubs]

1792 BIB is a ghost in IL. Where are you seeing these?

[@foosandbrews4680]

25$ more for Calumet 15 or 16 though

[@chrisbfd]

Well, it does have a horse on the bottle like Blanton's.

[@xxMalakeixx]

I completely assumed they recommended the chestnut farms because of the horse not cause they think its better lol

[@kmccarthy327]

Regardless of how good it is or not I’m getting sick of the Total Wine pivot sales pitches. I’m going in there looking for thing if I’m looking for something I don’t want to be convinced of a house label replacement. Granted I do buy them on my own accord but damn it leave me be.