Allocation News From Templeton Rye

[Lost Pollito]

Anyone know if the Templeton people are involved with the Iowa bourbon I've seen lately...comes in the same bottle.

Hey Tommy!! The Iowa Bourbon is from Cedar Ridge. Different place.

[cowdery]

Is it really that hard to find or is this just a PR stunt telling people "It's so hard to find so buy it if you see it."

As Iowa-based posters have already confirmed, it's real and a serious problem for Templeton, as it is causing ill will with consumers, retailers and state regulators. Doubt it's possible to be too successful? Templeton has been great at creating demand, not so good at satisfying it, and they have not corrected their course very effectively. I think it's because their first instinct in every case is to not tell the truth.

[IowaJeff]

I have no idea what goes on in Iowa but it can be found rather easily around Chicago. Is it really that hard to find or is this just a PR stunt telling people "It's so hard to find so buy it if you see it"

Anyone know if the Templeton people are involved with the Iowa bourbon I've seen lately...comes in the same bottle.

I can't speak for all of Iowa, but in Des Moines, it really is that hard to find. Many liquor stores have waiting lists. I don't ever go out looking for TR, but I frequent quite a few liquor stores and rarely see a bottle on the shelf. Some people get to the liquor store early in the morning on the day when they get their shipments. It was really crazy around Christmas. In Des Moines, it is the adult version of Cabbage Patch/Ticklemeelmo/furby/whatever the kids want these days. Before Christmas I saw a bottle for $80, and I'm sure someone paid it.

[p_elliott]

The small town I live in the local store always has it on hand but you should have seen the look on the face of the owner when I told her it wasn't made in Iowa. I proceeded to tell who does make it she had an absolute look of betrayal on her face as this is the only rye they sell.

[Parkersback]

I have no idea what goes on in Iowa but it can be found rather easily around Chicago.

Same for NYC, it's becoming strangely ubiquitous. But I don't see it jumping off the shelves. For the money, you can get two bottles of WT101 or Ritt101.

A friend of mine bought some and I had a bit neat, and then some in a Manhattan. Both were fine drinks, but not remarkable. But I didn't think it was better than Ritt BIB, and probably not $35 better than Old Overholt, IMHO.

I hate to pile on here, but I'd be bummed too if I was one of those Iowans who'd been told this was an Iowa product, made in Iowa, by Iowans, just like they made it in Iowa back in the day, only to find out that its not made in Iowa, and that fact was being in any way concealed. I love supporting local products, especially ones that are steeped in the history of a place, and it'd feel pretty awful to me to think a company was trying to trade in on that desire without actually delivering on the implied promise.

[Josh]

Hey Tommy!! The Iowa Bourbon is from Cedar Ridge. Different place.

You missed this thread Tommy, my boy...
http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14164

[CorvallisCracker]

The small town I live in the local store always has it on hand but you should have seen the look on the face of the owner when I told her it wasn't made in Iowa. I proceeded to tell who does make it she had an absolute look of betrayal on her face as this is the only rye they sell.

You're just a Big Meanie, Paul. I suppose you also tell five year olds that there isn't a Santa Claus.

[lrochau]

Templeton avail seems to go up and down in the Quad Cities. Prices range from $32-$40 that I have seen. Most places have it around the $36 range.

I do know a guy who owns a grocery store and his stock sells out in about 6 hours at a one per customer limit.

[craigthom]

Now that they've created demand the market is ripe for someone to come in and actually make a rye in Iowa.

[Inthewater]

I've had some tastes of the different "batches" they have had, but have never actually purchased a bottle.

It just isn't good enough for what they charge for it.

My opinion, of course.

Also, I get into arguments all the time with drunk know-it-alls that demand it is a 100% Iowa product, and try to astound me with their whiskey knowledge. One dude tried to argue with me that Jameson Irish Wiskey was single malt Scotch...then demanded that TR was Iowa through and through.

Meh.