K&L Fear Tactics?

[jeffrey r]

You decided to buy 200 bottles, but are only stocked for now?

Cut out the middle man. Just call BT and tell them you'll take all they can produce

I think he was quoting K&L as buying 200 bottles, not speaking for himself, no? Nothing like a little fear to boost sales.

[jburlowski]

Weller 12 does have periodic shortages... this has been happening for several years now. (This may not be happening / apparent in markets that don't sell a lot of Weller 12.) The basic reason is lack of aged wheated bourbon stocks at BT. (This is the same reason they dropped the age statement on OWA.) Weller 12 now gets released roughly twice a year --- as distillations reached the twelve year mark. I'm sure BT has ramped up production and the shelf stocks will eventually level out.

I don't think Lot B has anything material to do with this. Compared to the Weller expressions, its sales are the proverbial drop in the bucket.

[savagehenry]

I think he was quoting K&L as buying 200 bottles, not speaking for himself, no? Nothing like a little fear to boost sales.

Correct. I just pasted that from the email. If I had 200 bottles I'd be set for 20 years.

[macdeffe]

Internet hysteria

If you can create the image that a bottling is rare then "everybody" will stock up and it becomes rare (in the shops that is). It's a self fullfilling prophecy

The recent price hike (especially for scotch) is caused by us consumers stocking up beyond any kind of sense. I am also guilty. The day we decide that the prices are high enough and that we just gonna drink our stock (we got enough in the cupboards for two lifetimes anyway) then the whiskycrash will be over us

Steffen

(Glad I got a few 12yo in stock :-) )

PS Don't confuse the 12yo Weller with Lot B quality. It's not even near. And I regard the 12yo Weller high

[frayed99]

The Van Winkle hysteria is already out of hand, but now a possible run on a mediocre bourbon due to its loose connection to the **5th tier** Van Winkle (if you include VWFRR)? Really? I mean, c'mon, how many years would it take most of us to run through our respective bunkers before we'd say, "Man, if only I'd bunkered more Weller 12?" How many chances would you likely have to bunker some in the meantime? This just makes zero sense.

[MyOldKyDram]

Makes plenty of sense considering it's a near daily pour for lots of people around here, I'd say. Makes even more sense when said pour is $30+ cheaper than that 5th tier VW offering.

It's good. It's cheap. It's occasionally difficult to find. I am unapologetic in grabbing it when I see it.

[frayed99]

I never said don't buy it if you see it, but, no, it doesn't make any sense to stock up far beyond what will keep a steady supply on hand per historical levels. Going beyond that based on nothing more than self-serving rumors (that likewise make little sense) is what creates artificial scarcity and drives reasonably priced bourbons into unreasonable price ranges. IMHO, it sounds more like some distributors/sellers are feeding off of the insane rush on certain brands to make some quick sales on other labels.

[David D]

I take what I hear from K&L with a grain of salt. A few months back they were saying it is/will be impossible to get BMH SmB, which is just not the case at other places (I just loved this bit: "Make sure you load up when it's here because it never lasts long. Doesn't that just make you want it more?".

Whether it be news of Weller 12, BMH, Jefferson's Ocean, "placeholder prices" on the BTEC, or talk of a possible VW/BTAC auction, remember that K&L are in the business of selling whiskey for profit. As such, they probably find it in their best interest, and profitability, to add fuel to the fire that has overtaken the bourbon market.

I don't think we've ever spoken for anyone but ourselves. I haven't had any BMH since early October, so am I lying?

I should also add that this was a private email sent to K&L customers only. The "fear tactics" started when someone posted it to this message board. You didn't see K&L posting this on our site, trying to start a riot. We were merely saying that "we" would be running out shortly. That's a pretty different message than what this post is making it out to be.

[GOCOUGS2002]

I received the email and thought that BT had a marketing agreement with the new Red Dawn movie...you know communists hate Weller 12, and to my surprise Coors Light. I guess the term bunker is correct in this instance.

[LostBottle]

I don't think we've ever spoken for anyone but ourselves. I haven't had any BMH since early October, so am I lying?

If you want to pick up 40 bottles, let me know and I can point you towards your local SFO competitor that seems to have them on the shelf...even after the puff piece.