Thirsty in CA - I HATE shipping laws, and can't get BT Antique ANYWHERE!

[humchan2k]

It's official, I HATE America and our draconian alcohol distribution / allocation system. :hot: :hot: :hot:

I live in LA, and I have had the WORST time trying to track down a single bottle of Buffalo Trace Antique 2010.. I have called multiple stores, been put on multiple waiting lists, and it just doesn't seem to matter. I know that people the nectar is out there, so I figure, screw it....I'll use Wine Searcher and track down bottles online and have them shipped to me. Right? WRONG. Did you know that apart from one business I have found that'll risk it, I can't get a single company to ship whiskey across the country? What is this BS? How does it make ANY sense that shipping booze is illegal!??! Like, let me get this straight - if I want wine, that's totally legal to ship, but the moment it's whiskey, I'm trying to murder baby Jesus!?!?

What's even more ridiculous is that a bottle of Handy Rye is online for $65 in NYC/NJ, and a bottle of Stagg is online for $70 or so, but I know for a FACT that all Antique collection whiskey is going to be over $100 a bottle out here in LA! The crooks and middlemen who get the old boy network handshakes rocking make it almost impossible to get good rye/bourbon out west for prices even close to the south. In fact, Mission Liquors, has some Antique in stock, and they want $120/bottle for Stagg, Handy, and Weller. How does this happen!??!

Isn't there ANYONE who can help me get my hands on a full flight of the '10 BT Antique Collection? Anybody?! Hell, I would settle for a bottle of Saz 18 and a bottle of Thomas Handy.....does anyone know how to combat this?

HELP!!?!?!?! BUELLER?!?!?

B~

[sku]

The problem is probably less shipping than scarcity. I rarely have a problem getting things shipped here. Binny's, Astor Wines, The Party Source and others all ship here. Of course, some states, such as Massachusetts, prohibit shipping out of state.

California gets all whiskey releases late. We usually don't get much BTAC until mid to late November. Once we do, it is usually not that hard to find. Yes, Mission Liquors and a few other retailers charge crazy prices, but usually, if you shop around, you can find BTAC for the $70-$80 range, but you need to be vigilant. Make regular trips to Wine & Liquor Depot in Van Nuys and keep your eyes on the websites for K&L and Hi-Times, though I think Hi-Times does charge a fair amount. By checking in with lesser liquor stores, I've even found some significantly into the next year for reasonable prices.

[fishnbowljoe]

The other problem is that there are probably a number of people that have standing orders for the BTAC every year. I'm talking multiple bottles/cases more than likely. They put it on ebay for a higher price, or sit on it for a while, then put it on ebay for an even higher price. Just my opinion. Joe

[BBQ+Bourbon]

Spend a little time here and I'm sure you'll find a way to get BTAC in your hands.

[Rughi]

... How does it make ANY sense that shipping booze is illegal!??! Like, let me get this straight - if I want wine, that's totally legal to ship, but the moment it's whiskey...

I live in Northern California and have bought difficult to find out west bottles from Binnys of Chicago many times without incident. If it'll calm the nerves, phone the Binnys Spirits Hotline and jawbone with Joe (lost pollito her) about what interesting bottlings they do have on hand right now to tide you over till the BTAC's come in locally to you. It's not the advice that you asked for, but SKU has already covered that.

Binnys has good taste in their barrel selections.

• You like barrel proofers, sorta like Stagg or Larue? Mmmmmm, Binnys Four Roses barrel selections.
  
• You like ultra-aged bourbons sorta like Eagle Rare 17 or Sazerac 18? Mmmmmm, Elijah Craig 18 Binnys select.
  

They're worthy tide-me-overs for a BTAC, in my book.

Roger

[dmarkle]

The other problem is that there are probably a number of people that have standing orders for the BTAC every year. I'm talking multiple bottles/cases more than likely. They put it on ebay for a higher price, or sit on it for a while, then put it on ebay for an even higher price. Just my opinion. Joe

And here is where your opportunities lie! I've found that a lot of these people don't put any money down, so when the time comes to pick up their juice they seem to just as often as not forget to pick it up, or they only pick up a portion. The 5 bottles of 2010 I picked up today were due to that very occurrence, as was my last Pappy 20 purchase.

[T Comp]

The other problem is that there are probably a number of people that have standing orders for the BTAC every year. I'm talking multiple bottles/cases more than likely. They put it on ebay for a higher price, or sit on it for a while, then put it on ebay for an even higher price. Just my opinion. Joe

It's too bad then that retailers don't do a better job of allocating the allocated and then maybe some of this ebay crap would lessen. I believe that Binny's, at least as Joe relates, does make some efforts at this.

[Lost Pollito]

It's too bad then that retailers don't do a better job of allocating the allocated and then maybe some of this ebay crap would lessen. I believe that Binny's, at least as Joe relates, does make some efforts at this.

We try to let it drip out, so that everyone can get a shot. We should have our's in this week . Guessin wednesday. We'll see.:grin: I really want a WLW.

[theDon]

If anyone in Dallas is interested in where to find 3 Handy and 3 Weller BTAC from '09 let me know. I am on the waiting list for this years Stagg and they tried to sell me the left overs from last year. $65.99 each. You must have at least 100 posts and references.:grin:

[Josh]

If anyone in Dallas is interested in where to find 3 Handy and 3 Weller BTAC from '09 let me know. I am on the waiting list for this years Stagg and they tried to sell me the left overs from last year. $65.99 each. You must have at least 100 posts and references.:grin:

Do they have to be good ones?

[theDon]

Do they have to be good ones?

I guess if you're honest enough to send bad references, that'll work too!

[silverfish]

... 3 Weller BTAC from '09 let me know. I am on the waiting list for this years Stagg and they tried to sell me the left overs from last year. $65.99 each. You must have at least 100 posts and references.:grin:

Do they ship?!...

[theDon]

Do they ship?!...

Texas doesn't allow shipping, so I'm guessing no they wouldn't, but I have no problem going to jail for an unjust law!

[SBOmarc]

The problem is probably less shipping than scarcity. I rarely have a problem getting things shipped here. Binny's, Astor Wines, The Party Source and others all ship here. Of course, some states, such as Massachusetts, prohibit shipping out of state.

California gets all whiskey releases late. We usually don't get much BTAC until mid to late November. Once we do, it is usually not that hard to find. Yes, Mission Liquors and a few other retailers charge crazy prices, but usually, if you shop around, you can find BTAC for the $70-$80 range, but you need to be vigilant. Make regular trips to Wine & Liquor Depot in Van Nuys and keep your eyes on the websites for K&L and Hi-Times, though I think Hi-Times does charge a fair amount. By checking in with lesser liquor stores, I've even found some significantly into the next year for reasonable prices.

Sku is correct. I won't even begin looking local until late next week. I will find it, but am pretty certain that the price won't be to your liking.

[humchan2k]

So I shouldn't start going out looking until today, huh? Well, what sucks is even if I want it, I'm going to get royally sca-rewed on the price...which is really funny, because I've lived in state gov't controlled liquor states my whole life, so when I came to CA, I was excited about free market and what that should have meant for price....and have found that, nope, it means absolutely NOTHING.

Well, I'll take a field trip today just in case.

Thanks for the info all! I am dying to get some of the good stuff, but not at $120/bottle

[Rughi]

...I am dying to get some of the good stuff, but not at $120/bottle...

BTAC's have become commodities much moreso than nice (but not uniquely so) whiskies. They have become fetishized as trophies, and are widgets for ebay speculation. I'm all hyped out on BTAC's nowadays.

There are other whiskies out there that don't have the hype and are just as good, some perhaps better, for drinking at much, much lower prices.

If BT is listening, know that the backlash is gaining momentum.

Roger

[hectic1]

BTAC's have become commodities much moreso than nice (but not uniquely so) whiskies. They have become fetishized as trophies, and are widgets for ebay speculation. I'm all hyped out on BTAC's nowadays.

There are other whiskies out there that don't have the hype and are just as good, some perhaps better, for drinking at much, much lower prices.

If BT is listening, know that the backlash is gaining momentum.

Roger

Post of the month right here!:thankyousign:

[MissinER101]

There are other whiskies out there that don't have the hype and are just as good, some perhaps better, for drinking at much, much lower prices.

If BT is listening, know that the backlash is gaining momentum.

Roger

Don't ya just hate a guy who AIN'T a name dropper :slappin:

[OscarV]

I'm all hyped out on BTAC's nowadays.

Same here, it seems that the fun is gone and it has become a tiresome job just to get a couple of bottles.

[silverfish]

LiquorMart in Boulder, CO posted in another Bourbon forum with sample

items & prices. Last line was:

"We ship to Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, and New Mexico."

A search of their site shows Stagg, Handy, Pappy, etc (reasonable prices

too!) so maybe this is something you Californians could look into.

Note that I have nothing to do with this store nor can I vouch for them.

Maybe someone in CO could swing by "Historic Downtown Boulder - corner

of 15th and Canyon" and check 'em out?

[humchan2k]

Thanks to some amazing advice from Mr. Sku, I pulled off the greatest haul of my young booze hunting career! A full BTAC '10 collection - 1 ER 17, 1 Stagg, 2 WLW, and best of all (as I am a rye fan over bourbon,) a full unopened case of Saz 18, a case of Handy, and 1 extra Handy as well! If you haven't seen the whiskey sell sheets with the recipes, let me know, i can post the rye sheets as well!

I put the pic in the "what did you buy today" thread....I'm a happy camper....SO, I don't HATE CA that much anymore...and I owe it all to you wonderful folks!

Cheers!

[jburlowski]

Same here, it seems that the fun is gone and it has become a tiresome job just to get a couple of bottles.

It was sad to talk to people waiting in line to by this year's BTAC and hear how few people were buying to actually drink their purchase.

BTAC has become the "beanie babies" of the new millenium.

[humchan2k]

See, what I don't understand is why people would even bother to put the bottles up on Ebay. Ok, so you buy it for $65-70, you pay sales tax...you're in for $75-80/bottle, right? You then sell it on Ebay for $100-110, after you give Ebay their cut and you figure in the cost of your time to go get it, post it for sale and then take it to a post office for shipping...you've made like $30, which is really like $5/Hr for your time...that math just makes NO SENSE to me. Now, if you could buy for $75/bottle and sell it for $200/bottle, THAT makes sense.......but I've never seen BTAC sell on ebay for more than $115-120/bottle....

I don't get it. Just drink it!

[Josh]

See, what I don't understand is why people would even bother to put the bottles up on Ebay. Ok, so you buy it for $65-70, you pay sales tax...you're in for $75-80/bottle, right? You then sell it on Ebay for $100-110, after you give Ebay their cut and you figure in the cost of your time to go get it, post it for sale and then take it to a post office for shipping...you've made like $30, which is really like $5/Hr for your time...that math just makes NO SENSE to me. Now, if you could buy for $75/bottle and sell it for $200/bottle, THAT makes sense.......but I've never seen BTAC sell on ebay for more than $115-120/bottle....

I don't get it. Just drink it!

[SMOWK]

Ok, so you buy it for $65-70, you pay sales tax...you're in for $75-80/bottle, right?