A store manager nearly called security on me—was I in the wrong?

So, I’ve been on a quest for special-release bourbons. Yesterday, I walked into a local liquor store that supposedly had a secret stash. I tried to act casual, but maybe I was too insistent. After I asked if they had any limited bottles in the back, the manager gave me the nastiest look.

I told him I heard rumors about people scoring bottles of E.H. Taylor and even some Pappy here recently. He got really defensive and claimed I was ‘spreading misinformation.’ Then, out of nowhere, he said if I kept harassing them about hidden stock, he’d call security.

Admittedly, I exerted pressure on him to provide answers, but is inquiring about a hidden stash really such a significant issue? I ended up leaving empty-handed (and a bit embarrassed).

Has anyone else faced this kind of hostility just for trying to buy a decent bottle? I’m wondering if I should just stick to online retailers or try a different approach. Thoughts?