The Barrel Pick Flood
…and a Lifeboat in a Sea of Endless Barrels
What whiskey writers and industry voices have been forecasting for years has finally arrived.
Welcome to the flood — the barrel pick flood.
How do we navigate this sea of endless barrels?
Let's talk about it
The Evolution of Barrel Pick Culture
ver the past two decades, the "Bourbon Boom" has shaped an entire generation of "boomer" whiskey drinkers. As collections filled with limited editions, allocated releases, and the so-called "tater bottles," enthusiasts began craving something more meaningful — the individuality, honesty, and intimacy found only in single-barrel selections.
That natural progression gave rise to today's thriving barrel-pick culture. What was once a small, insider practice reserved for retailers, clubs, and a few well-connected curators has evolved into a widespread movement. Palates have matured, communities have multiplied, and social media has turned the passion into a cultural wave.
Thanks to trusted figures like T8ke, Fred Minnick, and Mythical Barrels, single-barrel selections are now accessible to anyone who seeks them — a win for whiskey drinkers everywhere.
But with every boom comes the risk of saturation.
Diluted by the Flood
ingle-barrel selections have always been celebrated for their individuality, transparency, and ability to outshine mass-produced offerings. Yet, as enthusiasm grows, so too does the challenge of maintaining that sense of rarity and discernment that once defined the category.
Today, there are more opportunities than ever to pick up a single-barrel selection — from whiskey clubs and liquor stores to online communities and independent curators. Each brings its own perspective, style, and claim of exceptionalism. But sheer volume, even with the best intentions, naturally blurs the line between rare and routine.
Not every barrel is truly remarkable — and that's okay. The truth is, if everything is exclusive, nothing is. The beauty of whiskey, over other spirits, lies in its wide variance. Still, as the number of selections climbs into the thousands each year, the statistical odds of consistent excellence grow slimmer.
The Numbers Don't Lie
istilleries themselves recognize how few barrels truly rise to the top.
Jack Daniel's, for instance, has stated that "less than half of one percent of their barrels are considered worthy of a single-barrel designation." That's 0.5%.
(And for the record — that comes straight from Jack Daniel's via DrinkHacker, not from BRBNFNDR.)
Across the industry, the general consensus hovers near 1%. That includes major producers like MGP, Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace, and Jim Beam.
So, looking at that in practice...
If a group releases, say, eight single barrels in a single month, and each barrel is supposed to represent the top 1% of what its own industry considers "single-barrel worthy," that group or curator would've needed to evaluate roughly 800 barrels — about 27 barrels per day — to find those eight truly standout barrels. It's a mathematical reminder that true "standouts" are, by definition, rare.
Is every curator sampling 100 barrels for every one gem they find?
Of course, some non-distilling producers (NDPs) refine the process by sampling only pre-screened barrels to keep the integrity of all picks above a certain threshold. This helps improve the odds, but even so, the margin for consistent greatness remains razor-thin.
Fatigue in a Flooded Market
s the flood grows, so does a quiet undercurrent of fatigue.
What once symbolized selectivity and craftsmanship can start to feel commonplace when every release carries similar superlative claims to fame. Enthusiasts are beginning to sense it. We know. They tell us. But even if they didn't, the commentary of fatigue over the sheer volume of "best ever" single barrels being released is all over the internet.
It's the sense that there are simply too many "best ever" bottles and not enough truly distinct experiences. If distilleries say that 1% of their barrels are worthy of being single-barrel shelfers, then why does it seem like 20–30% of bottles online are single-barrel selections promising to be incredible, top-tier picks? The math doesn't math.
The future of picking barrels successfully belongs to those who approach the process with restraint, transparency, and care — those who preserve what made barrel picks superior in the first place: discovery, discernment, and the growing connections that make finding the best barrels easier.
Navigating the Flood
RBNFNDR has never been interested in releasing a large volume of barrel selections — and never will be. We believe that for barrel picks to maintain their standing as unique and superior options, someone has to carry forward the mantle of quality over quantity, and whiskey over dollar signs.
In line with industry numbers, BRBNFNDR has coincidentally rejected nearly all of the barrel samples we've tasted. This isn't to be rude, and it isn't to maintain some expected rate of attrition. It's because of a core fundamental belief that the whiskey has to be truly remarkable for us to pick it — not just "the best of the four we tried today." That standard happens to be reflected in the amount of barrels we reject.
To each their own, but we don't care for the "best of four" selection philosophy. If we tentatively select a barrel — as rarely as that happens — that's only phase one of our personal selection process.
The next step is to double-blind that selection against other comparable and remarkable picks or bottles.
An example of this is our Catcher in the Rye 12-year, 7-month MGP pick through River Roots. It was only after winning its own blinds against its direct sample competitors, and then further blinds against some of the best ryes we could compare it to, that it was selected and a barrel contract was signed.
Most samples don't even make it that far — and that's okay. What we can say is that we know what barrels we've tried, and every barrel code we've turned down has found its way to market one way or another.
There isn't a single BRBNFNDR member who needs us to pick a barrel that any of the other five whiskey groups they're in would (and will) pick if we don't.
There are endless whiskey groups to join to chase many "best of four" picks. We simply view it differently.
The Final Pour
RBNFNDR's philosophy isn't about being better than anyone else. It's about being the best version of ourselves — consistently, transparently, and with a single purpose: helping whiskey drinkers find perfect pours.
When we do select a barrel, our members can trust it wasn't a quick decision — it was earned.
We don't want to waste your time or your money.
So we'll keep sailing forward through the sea of barrel picks, waiting for the next one that's worthy.
There's no release tempo, no barrel quota, and no settling.
Just whiskey worth the pour.
Upcoming Members-Only Releases
- Old Commonwealth – Old Hoffman Rare Select Bourbon & OC 10-Year Rye
- Whiskey Thief – 7-Year "Mad Hatter"
- River Roots – "The Rye That Stole Christmas"
- New Era – "Cherry Cola Catastrophe" 12-Year Bourbon
A few bottles of our River Roots × Whiskey Weather 14-Year Rye Collaboration are still available if you'd like to experience what a BRBNFNDR pick is all about:
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