BTAC Price Hike

[cigarnv]

The 2010 BTAC line hasn't been posted up here in New England yet. NH held firm for years but jumped about $5 last year to the mid-$50s. Since they pulled the 2009 listings down earlier this year I expect we'll see another price hike again when they relist them shortly.

I'm thinking $70 is probably my limit for GTS & WLW, $60 for the Handy and mid-50s for the ER and Saz 18, but I never know for sure until the prices hit those levels. ...and how good the releases happen to be when they do...

I don't buy much single malt scotch these days for exactly these same reasons, and bourbon is definitely following these same pricing trends.

I find I'm buying more microbrews and belgian beers these day - "cold malts" in the circles I run in.

Anxiously waiting to see how the single barrel bourbons we selected for Julios during the 2010 Bourbon Crusade come in and how they're priced this year - that's what I'm most likely investing in next. They're tasting the ones that have arrived to date at the Oct 6 Whisky Wednesday. Can't wait!

Cheers! DrE

[DrEntropy]

Thanks for the warm welcome folks, if I had realized that was my first post here I would have probably de-lurked a bit differently.

Been reading this forum for years and enjoy posts from many familiar folks that we met under the Gazebo at KBF 2009 (this event was a critical turning point in our current American whiskey focus) and during the Julio's 2009 Bourbon Crusade. Mercer and I host many whisky tastings up here in Portland ME area and have been primarily working with the Julio's whisky crowd most recently, which is the closest group of hard core enthusiasts to us these days.

I've also gotten to know Funknik really well (contacted him through this forum) and have been digging deep into bourbons with him in waves of tasty HtHtHs... I reciprocate by corrupting him with waves of unaffordable collectible single malt scotch whisky. We're both going down the tubes together here but enjoying every sip!

Reid, we do need to get together one of these days when you pass thru NE. Definitely Allagash is a central part of the cold malt mix since they have at least 6 of these on tap all the time at the Great Lost Bear, and I try to get over there at least twice a month. Also obsessing over the completely amazing White Birch Belgian-styled offerings coming out of this Hookset nanobrewery. Bill's currently in the process of expanding from a one to seven barrel operation so they'll be easier to find in the near future. And they're worth finding.

I'll find a more appropriate thread to introduce myself and my interests in more detail. However, I'll sign off by admitting I'm one of those pesky BTAC hoarders someone was complaining about earlier in this thread. Good news is that I would never sell ANY of it on eBay or anywhere else - that would be bad whiskey karma! This is mostly designated trading/dramming stock that I'm just holding a bit to leverage for some of those tasty dusties that never made it to New England and that I blindly walked past in my travels over the past 20 years when I was obsessing over single malt scotch. For refreshment, we currently have 24 different BTAC releases open in the Holistic Dramming Institute. It's an infectious disease!

cheers! Tim

[B.B. Babington]

...we currently have 24 different BTAC releases open ...

wow, and I thought I lived the good life with half dozen open. but then I have a penchent for killing staggs.

[WIMARIPA]

I feel like increases in price are likely to decrease the bunkering of these whiskeys. I know I personally prefer to spend more of my money on trying something new/unique and have a much smaller amount set aside just for those special bottles that I'll know I'll want to have again in the future.

[sgtgto]

I think the small increase in price will actually increase the amount of people who are able to enjoy it. The hoarders are already claiming "foul!" due to the increase. But it means that they won't buy 12 this year, leaving them on the shelves for others to actually enjoy them. They also increased the # of bottles of most of them.. 19,000 bottles of Stagg! That should decrease the ebay market quite a bit. This may be one of the first truly easily available BTAC release yet.

[Virus_Of_Life]

19,000 bottles of Stagg! That should decrease the ebay market quite a bit. This may be one of the first truly easily available BTAC release yet.

[doctorkeyvil]

I'd love to see something less than $70 for GTS or WLW. Cheapest I found here is $100 for GTS, 75 for WLW and 70 each for ER and Handy. SW Florida here, so at these rates even Ebay doesn't look bad. It figures, just when I got into the BTAC offerings, the prices went through the roof.

[darkluna]

In Oregon, 2010 BTAC is selling for the same amount as last year: $77.10 a bottle (as determined by OLCC). Not a great price, but... it's worth mentioning that we don't have a state sales tax either.

[BBQ+Bourbon]

They were the same price as last year here in KC. I saw an ER17 and a Saz18 on a shelf tonight at $65. The only reason they are there is that nobody wants them, because WLW PVW15 and GTS disappear from this place within hours.

I grabbed three ORVW 10/107 at $38 a Handy at $63ish, Pappy 15 for 58 and something else. Everything was the same as or less than last year.

[CorvallisCracker]

In Oregon, 2010 BTAC is selling for the same amount as last year: $77.10 a bottle (as determined by OLCC). Not a great price, but... it's worth mentioning that we don't have a state sales tax either.

[SMOWK]

I don't understand the large price differences all across the country. Weird tier systems and regulations. Last time I checked, Crack was priced comparatively no matter where I went.

[Josh]

I don't understand the large price differences all across the country. Weird tier systems and regulations. Last time I checked, Crack was priced comparatively no matter where I went.

I dunno, around here it depends on the size of the crack.

[BlueRobot]

$64.99 for everything in NE Wisconsin (Same as last year)

Everthing is gone except the Handy and Saz...

[DeanSheen]

Once place in IL I know of went from 59.99 to 79.99. They said it got passed on to them from the distributors.

I guess in 2 more years 99.99 will be the standard.

Still amazing considering how low inflation has been. I know, supply and demand............

[cowdery]

I don't understand the large price differences all across the country. Weird tier systems and regulations. Last time I checked, Crack was priced comparatively no matter where I went.

Since the drug marekt operates entirely outside the law, it is as pure free market as you are going to find. In a free market with active competition, prices across the market will inevitably seek the same, low level, that being the lowest level the market will support.

The market in alcohol, by contrast, is the closest thing we have in the United States to a socialist command economy. Funny how the ostensibly conservative people who favor tight control of alcohol sales support such a Stalinistic way of doing it. Central control defeats competition and leads not only to artifically high prices but also large variations in price since neither goods nor customers may travel freely to seek more favorable terms.

[SMOWK]

Since the drug marekt operates entirely outside the law, it is as pure free market as you are going to find. In a free market with active competition, prices across the market will inevitably seek the same, low level, that being the lowest level the market will support.

I've always thought of Crack dealers as pure capitalists. If the guy across the street has cheaper Crack than you. Just shoot him and take it. Now you've cornered the market.

[fishnbowljoe]

Once place in IL I know of went from 59.99 to 79.99. They said it got passed on to them from the distributors.

I guess in 2 more years 99.99 will be the standard.

Still amazing considering how low inflation has been. I know, supply and demand............

I was told the same thing Robert. Only difference is, it went from $69.99 to $79.99. I've heard many things about the distributors here. None of it really good. I agree with Chuck in that it sure seems funny how some politicians favor tighter control of the sprits industry, yet the current system sorely leaves something to be desired. Where does all that extra money go? Silly me. I forgot. I live in Illinois. :slappin: Just kidding. Joe

[SMOWK]

I have to say that there is one store close by that has had the BTAC priced consistently from year to year. They started carrying it in 2007, and each year it has been priced the same. $99.99.

[nivto]

i bought a few WLW off of ABC's store website. I checked again yesterday just out of curiosity, and they were, of course, out of stock. That wasn't a surprise, but what I found interesting was that they have already raised the price on the website from $75.99 to $80.99 for next year's release.