Merle Haggard Once Dropped Over $12,000 On Whiskey Shots - Tasting Table

"In 1983, Haggard was at the honky-tonk bar Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth, Texas. To celebrate his 28th hit song, "C.C. Waterback," from a duets album he'd recorded with George Jones, the musician decided to buy a round of C.C. waterback shots for every single person in the huge bar."

"Haggard's celebratory order came to 5,095 shots, which called for 40 gallons of whisky and rang up a bill for $12,737.50. That sounds wild, but maybe it was a steal considering each shot was just $2.50? On second thought, in today's money, that total would be more like $40,000, so that's still pretty staggering. This order set a Guinness World Record for the largest round of drinks ever bought."

In 1983, country music legend Merle Haggard celebrated his 28th hit song "C.C. Waterback," a duet with George Jones, by purchasing a round of drinks for every patron at Billy Bob's Texas honky-tonk in Fort Worth. The C.C. Waterback is a simple shot of Canadian Club whisky followed by water. Haggard's generous gesture resulted in 5,095 shots requiring 40 gallons of whisky and totaling $12,737.50, which adjusted for inflation equals approximately $40,000 in modern currency. This massive order set a Guinness World Record for the largest round of drinks ever purchased. The bar's owner Billy Bob Barnett reciprocated by buying Haggard a complimentary drink, a traditional bar practice called a buyback.

Read at Tasting Table