BTAC Price Hike

[smokinjoe]

So the real question Joe is when do the goods ship this season?

I'm ready to grab a few and try out the 2010's!

I don't know when they're due out, but as in most years, I'm expecting a big tease on them during KBF.

[SMOWK]

Just checked, and BTAC is still listed at 39.50/bottle where I am.

[Joshua]

This weekend we were actually chatting about how cool it would be to have a BTAC from there come into the lineup

[Rughi]

This weekend we were actually chatting about how cool it would be to have a BTAC from there come into the lineup

From...Tom Moore?

[Joshua]

Ack, yes. Sorry, I quoted and screwed it all up!

[Virus_Of_Life]

This weekend we were actually chatting about how cool it would be to have a BTAC from there come into the lineup

From...Tom Moore?

Ack, yes. Sorry, I quoted and screwed it all up!

I think our musing was something like a BTUC to split off the Uncut Unfiltered expresssions and the BTAC to continue the Antique expressions with more age on them, part of that dreaming was some honey barrels of 15 year or there abouts stuff at Tom Moore. Oh and increasing the proof on the ER17 to 101.

Anyway, Joe is right, it'll hit 80, 90 and break 100 and still sell. I hate to say it but the barometer has already been set.

[Josh]

It will only sell at $100 if BTAC consumers are willing to pay that much for it. The teens who raided Em's bunker not withstanding, most of the consumers of the BTAC are enthusiasts/collectors, i.e. the members of this site. We are the source of the demand that allows them to raise prices.

I'll let Walt Kelly say the rest:

[Virus_Of_Life]

It will only sell at $100 if BTAC consumers are willing to pay that much for it. The teens who raided Em's bunker not withstanding, most of the consumers of the BTAC are enthusiasts/collectors, i.e. the members of this site. We are the source of the demand that allows them to raise prices.

I'll let Walt Kelly say the rest:

[angler82]

I purchased my first bottles of BTAC about 2 years ago- GTS08.

In the past couple months I've gotten a bottle of everything else in the collection outside of the Saz 18.

It's a bummer that the prices are jumping up a couple couple bucks but I'd buy a bottle of each this fall. If it touched 100 I'd be out.

The only one I'd consider for 100 would be WLW. But I'd rather get a Pappy 15 and a ORVW107 for the same price.

[cowdery]

I agree that enthusiasts unquestionably helped BT build the BTAC into what it is today, but it has now come to the attention of that class of persons with more money than sense, who have heard of this thing they should have and won't blink at paying $100 for it.

We may not pay much attention to scotch, but the bourbon producers do. Why should some single malts be able to routinely command triple-digit prices when $100 is generally unreachable for an American whiskey, regardless of its quality or rarity? American producers will always be testing that upper limit to find a way to increase it.

As for whether or not the higher prices are supressing demand, you have to remember that to the producer, if their warehouse is empty then it's a sellout. If bottles are sitting on retailer shelves a little longer it won't be until that's reflected in purchases by distributors from BT that BT will care. The year BT gets ready to release a new BTAC crop when they still have BTAC from the previous year in the warehouse will be the year something changes.

How many barrels of Eagle Rare 17 were dumped for 2009?

[rocky480]

I fully expect the BTAC to roar past $100 soon. At least, the Stagg. And, at that price, it will still sell wildly.

Stagg certainly may still sell wildly at $100 or more per bottle, but, so far, most of the bottles of BTAC I've been able to find from prior years have been at stores where they were priced close to $100. WLW and ER17 from two or three years ago were still available. One of the others was as well, but I can't remember which (it definitely wasn't Stagg though).

[T Comp]

I know where some 2009 WLW and GTS still lurks around here but it's tagged at $79.99 and with Illinois/Cook County taxes we're talking $90 out the door. I'm still considering but limited funds and so much other fine whiskey is a continuing dilemma.

Also interesting though is how the continuing price rises in American whiskey sharply contrasts with what is going on in the wine world. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal told of the tough market now for Washington state wines as a result of the reduced pricing for many Napa Valley wines. I can only speculate that the contrast reflects the relative continuing great value of American whiskey where wine (like real estate) was due for a crash.

[DeanSheen]

"I can only speculate that the contrast reflects the relative continuing great value of American whiskey where wine (like real estate) was due for a crash."

Interesting point. Also American Whiskey has relatively few producers compared to global wine production. American craft beer has been rising steadily for years but it seems to have leveled off for now as I think they have hit their ceiling for the time being.

[Joshua]

I'll buy 3-5 ER17s a year without blinking at $50 a pop. Not worried about that at all, $60 I may grab 2-3 WLW/GTS, over $60 makes me cringe a bit. I will still pick up a bottle of WLW and GTS and $60-70... and a dusty one at $70.

Higher then that however, is a joke. The sad thing is if the "cheap" price for Stagg pops up to $70... I'll only buy one for the year. If we all did that, there would still be the ebayers and moneybags buying up everything they can get a hold of. It's going to drive the real enthusiasts away and fill the shelves of wealthy people that don't appreciate it as much as some.

[jburlowski]

To me, the sad point is that many of the bottles are going to hoarders / re-sellers and not to actual drinkers.

[dgonano]

BT would be happy to have us buy only one bottle. Like John mentioned, the hoarders take so much, then BT is forced to "allocate" the BTAC. Maybe a price increase would lead to better distribution of the product. Just don't venture into untested waters.

[dmarkle]

Ha... I was going to a friend's house the other day and I figured I would bring a bottle of reasonable bourbon. I stopped by the nondescript corner liquor store in DC (wearing my Buffalo Trace T-shirt), and noticed 3 bottles of Stagg and a bottle of the WLW on the top shelf! They sold a bottle of each to me in the $60's somewhere. Totally nice guy at that store, too. He's got my future business...

[angler82]

Reading this thread made me pour some ER17 tonight

[gblick]

Regarding the present state of the economy, this is kind of absurd.

[p_elliott]

How many barrels of Eagle Rare 17 were dumped for 2009?

They Dumped 39 barrels of the ER 17 in 2009.

[ggilbertva]

Ha... I was going to a friend's house the other day and I figured I would bring a bottle of reasonable bourbon. I stopped by the nondescript corner liquor store in DC (wearing my Buffalo Trace T-shirt), and noticed 3 bottles of Stagg and a bottle of the WLW on the top shelf! They sold a bottle of each to me in the $60's somewhere. Totally nice guy at that store, too. He's got my future business...

[unclebunk]

Regarding the present state of the economy, this is kind of absurd.

[p_elliott]

My shopping experience in DC usually results in prices around $80-100 a bottle. Finding BTAC in DC for $60 is a good deal. Of course, you have to contend with the DC 10% tax on liquor.

For the first time since I've been purchasing the BTAC, I limited myself to only those bottles that I really wanted in 2009, e.g. WLW, Stagg and Handy. VA prices range from $68-$72 depending on the label (Stagg is more than ER17). I'll do the same thing this year and probably only go with 1 or 2 of each. For me the other factor is, just how many more bottles of BTAC do I add to the bunker. I don't "collect" and certainly plan on drinking everything I have (and share also), but with somewhere north of 35-40 bottles of BTAC in the bunker, do I really need to keep adding to it? The last full set of BTAC I had open was 2006. I just opened a 2007 Stagg about 6 months ago and have a 2008 WLW, ER17 and Stagg open but only because a friend gave me those bottles. So, my buying position is based on two factors, price and desire.

[ggilbertva]

Your not buying 3 cases of each ? :slappin:

Fortunately those days are over.

[fishnbowljoe]

I will probably be a little more picky this year when it comes to the BTAC. Of course I plan on getting the WLW, and probably ER 17. I may pass on the GTS this year though. I don't drink it too often, and I have a few bottles in the bunker. Joe