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The prices aren't awful, though I feel their pours are small. The issue is the wackiness of the pricing where Hudson's Manhattan Rye is ~35% more expensive that PVW15, GTS and WLW. It's to the customer's benefit, of course, but that's just weird pricing, in my opinion. The beauty of Liberty is that I have no clue what their prices are and don't really care. I always feel like I get treated fairly there and I get my money's worth.Quote:
Originally Posted by humchan2k
Apparently the spirits manager is not a Bourbon guy, but hey, if that what customers are willing to pay . . .
I stopped into Total Wine in Tukwila today and was very pleasantly surprised to find a big selection of bourbon. They had a few bottles of JPS18 Batch #17 for $93.99 before tax if you're looking (I found it interesting that it was on the shelf and not in the "High-End Spirits" cabinet directly across the aisle; in fact, there was no bourbon in that cabinet). Most interesting to me was the big selection of Sazerac brands that I'm totally unfamiliar with: Black Ridge, Buckhorn, Chestnut Farms and Two Stars, among others. Anyone ever tried any of these? They were NAS and seemed more about packaging than anything else. They also had a ton of bottom shelf stuff I've never seen: Black Eagle, Paddleford Creek, Southshot, Watkins Select and Winchester.
The Tukwilla Total Wine also has great customer service, a remarkable change from many of the people I encountered who were on the state payroll.
The Watkins Select is here at Total as well, and I bought a bottle a couple of months ago. I asked the Wine Manager of the store, who seemed to know his bourbon as well, what he would buy as an every day pour, preferably under $20. He didn't have to think long and named two bourbons. The Watkins was $17 (I forgot what the other bourbon was). It was very drinkable (though I don't remember the specifics), and I finished the bottle within a month or so, having no qualms about reaching for it equally as often as other, roughly-equivalently-priced stuff in my cabinet at the time (mainly 4R YL, and Weller SR, IIRC). At that price, I wouldn't have felt bad about if someone had wanted to mix it.Quote:
Originally Posted by dementedavenger
I will likely buy another bottle again in the future. It's a lot better than Dickel #12, and I liked it as much as the AA. (I can't get AAA here).
If you haven't already tried it, I strongly recommend giving the Oola Cask Strength version of its Waitsburg Bourbon a try. It's young but at 118-proof it's got a real nice bite to it. I wish more craft distillers would follow Oola's lead and put out a cask strength offering. They sell it direct from the Capitol Hill distillery and Total, as well as some of the more expensive joints.
Thank demented (boy, that was fun to type). I'll look for it here, though this is a long way from Capitol Hill (in so many ways).
I used to spend a fair amount of time in the Madison area, though usually a few blocks farther east. I think I know the building they are in.
Two more liquor store reviews.
QFC University Village: Former state store; the entrance is separate from the actual grocery store. A surprisingly strong selection of bourbon and rye, including two bottles of JPS18 (batches 17 and 18) for $104.99 before tax; Weller 12, which I rarely see out here, and a bunch of stuff that has totally slipped my mind now. Prices are competitive with BevMo! and Total if they've put it on sale and right now a lot of stuff is on sale. I overheard the manager talking to someone - either a distributor or craft producer - and he sounded like he knows what he's doing and is trying to turn that store into something. I think this particular store may have a lot of potential because while that QFC is on the edge of the U-District it's main constituency comes from middle to upper income neighborhoods in close proximity.
Capco Beverages in West Seattle: Local folks took over the old "premium" state store. Big selection though the only stuff they had that I don't routinely see elsewhere is OFBB, OFBIB, Willett 4-Year Rye and some real bottom shelf. It's an independent so their prices are not good. The only thing I saw that was priced lower than I've seen elsewhere is the Dry Fly Port Finished Wheat Whiskey, a 375ml bottle that still costs $30 after tax. I'm sure I'll be back, though likely just to browse.
A bunch of Weller 12 just landed here last week.
...but, if you are not a bar or restaurant....Quote:
Originally Posted by BourbonShill