Operation High Octane: High proof, or hyperbole?

Dateline: April 21st, 2026

Location: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

Situation: Operation “High Octane”

Last month, the internet was rocked by news that North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (hereby referred to as ALE) executed a year long “sting” operation known as “High Octane” in which agents of ALE infiltrated local bourbon groups, discord servers, and/or facebook groups with the intent to embed agents and execute “buys” on the secondary bourbon market. 

The ALE will have you believe this was an effective use of NC tax payer money due to sellers/buyers on the secondary market not having to pay sales tax or could be peddling in counterfeit whiskey.  

Let’s discuss this from the perspective of what the vast majority of us are; lawful and well intentioned bourbon enthusiasts who would purchase allocated bottles if they were available on the shelf at SRP pretty much 100% of the time.  For the purpose of this article, we will also assume that said enthusiast resides in one of seventeen state-controlled locations and thus, is at the mercy of the government to legally purchase their whiskey from a local retailer. 

Let’s establish some basic understanding of the realities of living in an ABC state.  Our bourbon is tightly controlled via price, availability, and access.  Speaking specifically about North Carolina, the average citizen is beholden to their local ABC board “deeming” a specific bourbon worthy of their fine establishments.  But what does that mean, exactly?  It means your specific, local ABC board members can, at any time, “turn off” the ability of their General Manager’s to order in a product, despite the product being available at the state warehouse, and thus, approved for sale within the state.  This detail matters.  There are exactly 100 counties in North Carolina.  At its base level, the ‘simplest’ solution would be 1 board per county, right?  Wrong.  There are 171 NC ABC Boards located within the state.  Within that footprint, those 171 boards operate 452 stores. Each board runs their retail operation differently.  Some smaller boards have a single GM for multiple stores.  Some boards have one GM for each store within its purview.  

Why does all of this matter?  At its core, the ABC system is not the most efficient way to operate spirit sales.  That said, they have strict controls and thus, by nature, should make the ALE’s roll of enforcement easier!  Historically, the ALE would seek out offenders who sold controlled spirits illegally, often seeking out under-age servers to protect our youth.  I have absolutely no issue with this enforcement.

Fast forward April 21st.  News breaks of Operation High Octane.  28 charges levied against individuals for illegal transport, sales, and purchases of bourbon by non-permitted sellers.  No mention of under-age purchasing has been published to date.  28 adults were charged for infractions such as selling bottles (sometimes at zero profit) to other individuals in a parking lot; buying spirits outside of state lines, coming back over the line and reselling the spirits; and soliciting sales via electronic means (i.e. facebook/messanger/disord.)  

Now, let’s be clear here - all of those charges are, in fact, illegal.  Purchasing a bottle of bourbon from your buddy is strictly illegal in North Carolina.  You can gift the bottle to your friend, but you may not sell it to him. 

Why is this illegal?  Because of taxes.  It does not factor into the law that you may have legally purchased said bottle.  You are in a controlled state!  You may have purchased the bottle for NC ABC’s state-dictated price, paying all taxes assessed therein.  Does that give you the right to resell that bottle for the exact same amount of money the state does?  Nope.  

Now let’s examine mixed beverage merchants (known hereafter as “MXB”.) MXB has the ability to order bottles from an online inventory.  They pay a slight (literally a couple dollars more) increase over what private citizens pay to acquire the bottle, but for argument’s sake, we will assume both entities pay roughly SRP to acquire a bottle.  

MXB can order bottles for pick up and not worry about being at a “drop” to acquire an allocated bottle.  MXB has the luxury of their assigned store holding inventory for them.  Private citizens have NEITHER of those benefits.  

Private citizens cannot resell their whiskey.  MXB can.  

Let’s go ahead and explore this last sentence.  MXB resells their liquor.  An allocated bottle of Buffalo Trace is currently priced (at the time of writing) $32.95 (.750ML, + tax).  MXB has access to Buffalo Trace for $33.95.  That seems like a slight increase, right?  Wrong.  Their $33.95 is for 1L bottles.  My local board withholds 1L bottles specifically for MXB.  As a private citizen, I am barred from purchasing that “value” bottle. 

So for $33ish dollars, I can buy a bottle of Buffalo Trace, as can MXB.  What does MXB do with their bottle?  They sell it!  They now take 1L bottle and sell them as 1 oz pours (roughly 33 total pours, rounding down for spillage, etc.) 

What’s the rough price for a 1oz pour of BT at a local bar/restaraunt?  Roughly ~$8+.  I’ve seen as high as $13, but to help highlight what this is doing, we’ll settle on $8.  

For those mathematically challenged, MXB is selling a $34 bottle for $264.  

Let that sink in.  They’re marking up that bottle over 6 times the price they purchased.  This bottle is allocated.  I have to be at a drop to acquire, and I get 250ml less.  Why would this be permitted? 

Taxes. 

Up until this point, I haven’t shown the math to include sales tax. Using Wake County tax (estimated, as I don’t have access to their specific POS - 7.25%) makes the bottles sale prices as: 

BT 750: $35.34

BT 1L $36.41

Breaking out the pour pricing from the 1L bottles, this shows that NC ABC has already assessed a tax on the sale (~7.25%)  however, here is where things get interesting.  MXB now gets to resell the bottle as 1oz pours and when they do so, they charge… yup, you guessed right dear readers, ~7.25% on top of the $8.00.  That works out to be $8.58 per 1oz, or an additional tax of $0.58.  33 pours at .58 = total tax assessed at $19.14.  Y’all, they’re receiving over HALF of the bottles total value in tax revenue by prioritizing and limiting bottle sales to MXB vs John T. Citizen. 

What can you do?  To be fair, not much.  The NC ABC has a powerful lobby with politicians.  With the commerce industry benefiting from privileged access; who else has the money to change such sweeping authority? 

There are many other aspects that set citizens of control states at a disadvantage vs uncontrolled states, what instances can you think of?  Or, are you in a private state and wish you could always buy a set price no matter what area you drove to within the state?  There are certainly some benefits to ABC control; but I’d argue those benefits pale in comparison to the cons of being controlled by a single board entity with absolutely ZERO incentive to listen to an average consumer.  With no recourse, state funded government entities controlling, and now targeting local bourbon groups, it’s getting dangerous being an enthusiast in this community. 

Helpful Hints to Begin Your Bourbon Journey

Hunting Season

So you live in a controlled state and work a typical 40-hour week. You clock in around 8 a.m., try not to stay past 5, and today—glorious, stressful, unpredictable today—is truck day at your local ABC store.

You rush out of work, politely hold the door for Susan (who really is an amazing receptionist), and wish her a great evening. The fall wind kicks up, sending crisp brown leaves swirling as you fumble with your keys, jump in the car, and fire up the engine. You’ve got one goal:

See what’s left on the allocated shelf.

You already know the Staggs are gone… but maybe, just maybe, there’s an Eagle Rare waiting for you?

If you live in a controlled state, this scenario probably feels way too real. I’m not trying to trigger anyone’s bourbon-hunting PTSD, but let’s be honest: hunting in a controlled state is hard.

So how do you get a Stagg?

How do you backfill your favorite daily drinker?

How do you build a bourbon collection without sleeping in your car?

Fear not, fellow bourbon lovers—I’ve got some ideas.

1. Join the Community (It’s the Secret Ingredient)

My favorite part of the bourbon world isn’t the bottles—it’s the people. Rarely do you find a hobby full of folks who avoid drama, support each other, and happily set politics aside. This community genuinely wants you to succeed.

Start by using the tools already in your pocket:

Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter).

Search “[your city] + bourbon.”

Find local groups—public or private.

Groups like Bourbon & Banter have chapters in many metro areas. Search “bourbon charity” and you may find local auctions or fundraiser tastings. Networking opens doors, teaches the lingo, and puts you in the path of good people.

2. Attend Local Whiskey Events

If your community hosts bourbon or whiskey festivals—go.

In my area, we have huge outdoor events where a general admission ticket lets you try a ton of new expressions. You’ll meet enthusiasts, reps, local stores, and other hunters who can help you navigate the game.

3. Find Your “Underground”

If you’re wondering what I mean… go back to tip #1.

Once you build genuine connections, you’ll eventually get invited into private group chats, Discord servers, or text threads.

I’m part of a local chat with nearly 500 bourbon enthusiasts who talk daily and keep each other informed. These folks changed everything for me.

4. Make a Friend—One Real Friend

Friendship in the bourbon community is powerful.

I met one of my closest friends because Facebook was acting up and I reached out to help a stranger troubleshoot something in our group. That conversation turned into a bottle share, which turned into a bi-weekly gathering, which turned into a lifelong friendship.

You never know which simple interaction will build your bourbon family.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Reach Out to Creators

I’m writing this article because I listened to Heather in a Tortured Bourbon episode asking viewers to send feedback via Instagram DM.

I reached out. She and B replied.

And now here I am—contributing to the team.

In fact, I found TB from a local Facebook group, thanks to an active member who posted one of their videos (thanks again, Steve!). One message can change everything.

6. Be Patient—Don’t Overpay Out of Impulse

You can overpay online anytime you want.

But if you network, ask questions, stay respectful, and include others in your journey, opportunities will appear.

Prices drop. Friends share. Someone brings a sample. Bottle shares pop up.

You won’t need to camp outside your store unless you just like the adventure.

7. Share and Be Shared With

Through connections alone, I’ve been able to try:

• George T. Stagg

• Thomas H. Handy

• Multiple Staggs

• Dusty Wild Turkey

• Ultra-craft bourbons

• Single barrel picks that would make your mouth water

And that’s because of one thing:

A group of friends who share what they have and are excited for others to experience something new.

A Community Worth Celebrating

The best part of this journey is the people who’ve become my chosen family:

Derek, JT, Alex, Nick, Brian, Jack, Heather, B, Katie, Dylan, Ian, David, Chris—and honestly dozens more. The list could go on until the Internet ran out of space. I owe this joy and connection to them.

What Did I Miss?

Have an idea I didn’t cover?

Want to argue about my syntax?

Have a question you’d like me to tackle in my next article?

Email me anytime at pourbourbondecisions@gmail.com

—or—

Join our Discord server and jump into the conversation.

I’d love to help you begin your journey into the wonderful, weird, welcoming world of bourbon.

Cheers, y’all!

Meet Mike: How Bourbon Found Me (And Why I’m Here)

One Man’s Journey in Bourbon

Hello! You may be wondering how I ended up here, writing for Tortured Bourbon. Allow me to wax poetic for a moment.

I’m an older guy — a solid Gen X’er — and someone who only recently discovered this wide, wonderful world of whiskey. Growing up, alcohol wasn’t really a presence in my life. My mom might have had an occasional drink with friends, but my dad was firmly anti-alcohol. Like most young men, I eventually found my way to beer at parties, but it never clicked. Later in life, my ex-wife’s father was a functional drinker, which pushed her into the no alcohol camp — so again, booze wasn’t really around.

Fast-forward to 2018. I separated from my then-wife and started dating again. I met someone who enjoyed wine, but I discovered I preferred stouts over IPAs. She did introduce me to Bulleit and Buffalo Trace, though — two bottles I liked for totally different reasons — but I didn’t dig deeper yet. I was still on my beer path.

Jump to 2022. I picked a bourbon-forward bar for a first date… and suddenly bourbon created a “moment.” Something stuck. But life, as it does, threw a curveball. In early 2024, a personal bombshell left me with more silence than I could handle. I hit a rough patch — a mental health crisis, truthfully — and I struggled. Hard.

Thankfully, I had built a small but supportive circle, and with their help, I made it through the dark and into something better.

So what does bourbon have to do with all this?

Everything.

Bourbon offered something I desperately needed: community. A place to belong. People who welcomed me without judgment. When my old passions — music and sports — stopped filling the void, bourbon stepped up and took the weight. It gave me new friends, new experiences, and new hope.

Yes, I said hope.

I’ve been on the record saying bourbon saved my life — and I mean that. And I’ll always be grateful for places like Bourbon Real Talk, That Bourbon Dude, and now — most importantly — Tortured Bourbon.

Those first two channels had Facebook communities with zero tolerance for negativity. Safe places for someone new to the whiskey world. I joined some local groups too, and one day an active member dropped a link to Tortured Bourbon asking NC bourbon folks to check them out (thank you Steve!).

I clicked.

I watched.

I laughed.

And then I reached out on Instagram with a show idea. They replied — which shocked me. A couple weeks later, my name was mentioned on their channel. I felt like a six-year-old running downstairs on Christmas morning. Me — a high school dropout (stay in school, kids!), a bourbon newbie — they wanted to use my idea? I was floored.

From then on, I was hooked.

One random Saturday, I got word that some Still Austin bottles had dropped at an ABC outside my county (shoutout to controlled states and their confusing rules). I DM’d Heather asking if she and B wanted one since I’d be driving 40 minutes to grab it. I’d never met them in person, but she said yes. I scored two bottles — story for another day — and delivered one to them at their local ABC.

They were exactly like the people I had been watching for months — real, warm, and barrel-free in person. They invited me to their first anniversary celebration, and from that point forward I was all-in on helping Tortured Bourbon grow.

I’m not special. I’m just an average guy trying to learn what I like, why I like it, and how to describe bourbon without sounding like I’m making up flavors no human has ever tasted. I’ll get things wrong, and I’m okay with that.

In my day job, I’ve been managing people for over 30 years — it’s what I do. But in my bourbon life, I’m still early in the journey, and I want to bring you along with me. In upcoming articles and shows, we’ll explore topics like:

• how to train your palate

• whether glass shape actually matters

• and other bourbon questions I’ve asked (and Googled) myself

You can find me on social media as PourBourbonDecisions, and I look forward to your feedback. Heather, B, Katie, and Bandit have all encouraged me to join the Tortured Bourbon family — and I’m excited to rise to the occasion.

As we always say around here…

Cheers, y’all.