FOOD NEWS
What It Really Means For Your Bourbon To Be Allocated
BY NIKITA EPHANOV
With bourbon, hard-to-find distillations are known as allocated bottles. These sparsely available bottles are regulated by distributors that select who gets what amount of them.
There's a regulated alcohol sales system in the U.S., with distillers selling to such distributing bodies who then disperse the spirits to points of sale.
As a result, allocated bottles are only available in limited quantities at select stores. The exact specifics depend on the region and bottle involved.
Bourbons can go in and out of allocation, with production and recipe changes heavily impacting availability. Oftentimes, distillers release these bottles seasonally.
To get your hands on a bottle, keep an eye on distillers for schedules. Then, try your luck at a local liquor store or a chain, as the latter is likely to get more cases.