Buffalo Trace - Experimental Collection

[jeff]

I'll go out on a limb here and say that there probably isn't a single bottle of this stuff anywhere that's unaccounted for. I was told that the Liquor Barns here in Lexington got one case or less per store, and not a single bottle touched a shelf. I would be suprised if any of the three bottlings ever made it out onto a sales floor, anywhere.

[chasking]

I suppose offering these special bottlings is a way for BT to get rid of some of their oddball casks at a profit, but it's not going to tell them whether any of their experiments have succeeded or not: if all the bottles are snatched up as collectibles, they will be unable to tell whether people are buying their new and different whiskeys because they like them.

[NorCalBoozer]

I suppose offering these special bottlings is a way for BT to get rid of some of their oddball casks at a profit, but it's not going to tell them whether any of their experiments have succeeded or not: if all the bottles are snatched up as collectibles, they will be unable to tell whether people are buying their new and different whiskeys because they like them.

Hopefully this wasn't their intended aftermath. I love BT products but I'm not going to start paying 6x retail for a 375 ml that is already priced at over $40 suggested retail. BT has a very loyal customer base (myself included), but this was a great idea that just ended up leaving a lot of us frustrated.

If they don't control the distribution channel, I'd rather see experiments like this kept in house, do tastings and then, if they feel it's good enough, put it in a decent size production run that we actually have a shot at.

[BSS]

I thought the same thing as NorCal.

Hopefully they weren't expecting to get a true idea about how well these would be accepted by the public based on this release. If they were, they aren't as business savy as I thought.

I will assume that they intended to try it themselves to determine its quality(and if they wanted to make a production run of it), and then dump the extra on the public. I would bet that less than 50% of those bottles will ever be opened.

[jburlowski]

If they truly wanted to test market exceptance, they would have released these randomly without any advance publicity. Either the BT folks (of whom I'm a big fan) are truly inept or they are merely interested in getting a little publicity and as many bucks as possible from a noble (bur perhaps failed) experiment.

[cowdery]

Hindsight is always 20-20. Did BT know this offering would sell out in the blink of an eye? Of course not. You never do in business. People who make those kinds of gambles see "sure things" tank and dubious propositions soar all the time. Yes, they brought out a product and sold it at a profit (shame on them?) but they also made a statement that they are willing to try things. The purpose of the publicity wasn't to sell these 400 cases, or whatever it was, it was to let people know that BT is a leader, pushing the envelope, trying new things. Do we really want to criticize them for that?

[BourbonSteve]

well put Chuck.

[ProofPositive]

If they don't control the distribution channel, I'd rather see experiments like this kept in house, do tastings and then, if they feel it's good enough, put it in a decent size production run that we actually have a shot at.

I agree. I finally found one retailer in town today who had some limited knowledge of the BTEC.....and, he said he just learned about it yesterday from the local sales rep for BT who came by his place on his rounds. He said the rep asked him if he wanted any and if so, how much. The retailer was told by the rep that it will be available in late June or early July.....huh??? Maybe even the sales reps do not even know as much as we do. I did not bother to differ with the fellow on the expected timetable of release by telling him it had already been released. I just left my name with him - for when and if he is able to procure any of the BTEC.

Is it possible that BT is going to release more of the EC, and, in greater number sometime next month or this summer? Or, is the sales rep misinformed? Or better yet, did he misinform the retailer? (Although I can find no logical reason for that).

Ken Weber, what say ye?

[BSS]

If it means anything Proof, it seems like sales reps being misinformed is the common theme around here too.

Two stores I went to said they were told that they would be getting a case, but they were later told they wouldn't. So I don't always think those guys know what their talking about.

[jeff]

Is it possible that BT is going to release more of the EC, and, in greater number sometime next month or this summer? Or, is the sales rep misinformed? Or better yet, did he misinform the retailer? (Although I can find no logical reason for that).

Indeed BT plans to release more of the BTEC, but in different forms. We got to try the next release during the sampler weekend at the BT lab. We were told that it would be bottled sometime in August. I'll let BT comment publically on what it is.