Enoch Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Whaaa? Yes, while the sale of liquor must go through licensed spirits' wholesalers (if that's what you mean by 'approved'), as far as I know, they don't have limits as to how much they can bring in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrviognier Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Sounds like the reps are blowing smoke. They don't need to re-register every year...more than likely the issue is the demand for certain products are outstripping the allocation the state gets by the supplier. Believe me, we're working on getting SC distribution soon. I practically grew up spending summers in SC (my family has a house on HHI & one up SW on Lake Greenwood), and plan to retire there someday. You'll see High West in SC within the next 6 mos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethangsmith Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Still cleaning house at the local State Stores. I've been getting some odd looks when I roll up to the counter with 2 arms full of WT rye.....http://theethansmithblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/wild-turkey-rye.htmlMy blog post showing my current stash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p_elliott Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Bourbonblog.com has a blog about this with a picture. The blog is more of a WT press release it reads pretty much like the WT 81 did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazer Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 The shortage, of course, will be caused in part by the introduction of 81, but the 81 will produce more bottles from the same amount of whiskey, and I'd be shocked if the price difference reflects the true value difference, so it's a smart way to make a little more money from a scarce resource. "Shortage" doesn't necessarily mean bare shelves. There has been a shortage of Maker's Mark for decades, in as much as they always have more ordered than they can supply, and have to allocate what they have, but do you ever have any trouble finding Maker's Mark?Funny you should ask. I live in NYC. I went into a big store last night that does a lot of volume, less focus on variety. They usually have 4 or five bourbons, MM included, either 1L or handles. Anyway, last night, all they had was JD and JB. They said they should have MM by thursday. I wasn't worried because I'm in NYC where we have almost everything available, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But even here I haven't seen the WT rye 101 lately. Hmmm... I'll be right back. I just have to go check something..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Bourbonblog.com has a blog about this with a picture. The blog is more of a WT press release it reads pretty much like the WT 81 did.I haven't read one of his blog entries that didn't read like a press release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weller_tex Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 This thread was scary..until I finally felt reassured by Chuck Cowdery that my beloved WT Rye 101 was safe. I will give the new 81 proof a try too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethangsmith Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I'm still scared. To me, making the 101 rye scarce is like trying to find a Pappy 20 to a Van Winkle addict. There is never enough around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightBoston Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Bad news, kids: according to Eddie Russell (technically a Campari spokesperson, but with perhaps a bit more authority) the WT101 rye is going away to be replaced by 81 proof -- and he is in on the change. Jimmy was standing next to him as he told us at Julio's in MA last night.He acknowledged that it would be unpopular but asked us to taste it before complaining.My take on the rationale is similar to their explanation for the WT81: they believe that they need a lower-proof offering -- primarily for bars and "younger generation" switchers from lighter spirits -- but they are using older whiskey than the four-years-and-a-day of the WT80 bourbon and today's WT101 rye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethangsmith Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 Looks like I need to ratchet up the hoarding! I somehow knew this was coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisko Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 they believe that they need a lower-proof offering -- primarily for bars and "younger generation" switchers from lighter spirits -- but they are using older whiskey than the four-years-and-a-day of the WT80 bourbon and today's WT101 rye.To hell with the younger generation-- to which I belong. :hot: These are the same kids who are making Red Gag successful.Talk about diluting your brand.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virus_Of_Life Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 To hell with the younger generation-- to which I belong. :hot: These are the same kids who are making Red Gag successful.Talk about diluting your brand....I think the writing was on the wall as mr. cracker pointed out with them not redoing the packaging for the 101, but did for everything else. It was obvious, regardless of the rhetoric.I've been saying it for a long time, Wild Turkey has lost most of my respect. They have put out some of the best American Whiskey ever in my opinion, with some of the WTKS Pewter top and dark brown tops being up there with the best Stitzel Weller and others, but this is the last straw. All respect gone. It will have to be earned back.I cannot possibly believe that their stocks are so low they have to water things down and drop ages so extreme that all is left is over priced whiskey.Makes me glad I am drinking far more Scotch than Bourbon/Rye these days, but WT Rye was still one of my favorite go to drinks with beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorvallisCracker Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 I think the writing was on the wall as mr. cracker pointed out with them not redoing the packaging for the 101, but did for everything else. It was obvious, regardless of the rhetoric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightNoChaser Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 The beauty of a high ABV spirits is the ability to proof it down however you please, IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorvallisCracker Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 The beauty of a high ABV spirits is the ability to proof it down however you please, IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightBoston Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 Doing that in front of your guest is bad form. :skep:Plus, it wouldn't be Kentucky branch water! :cool:In the case of the Sazerac, you could just be liberal in the amount of water needed to dissolve a sugar cube (but I use Ritt BIB and rich simple syrup in my Sazeracs, so I'm not much help.)My takeaway from Eddie Russell's talk was that they're betting that more people will come to the brand at lower proof than they will lose even if everyone who complained left (but where would they go, given that the Ritt's availability is about the same as Pappy?) -- and if they use older juice to maintain the profile, they might even keep enough of the WT101 complainers. Then again, maybe that's why Beam introduced the Knob Creek Rye now...(I also got the sense that the calculus didn't hold for WT101 bourbon -- they'd be in trouble if they dropped that!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorvallisCracker Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 ...I use...rich simple syrup in my Sazeracs...So do I. I always mix up some before a party. Useful for lots of different cocktails...so I'm not much help.That's okay. I still like you anyway. :grin:My takeaway from Eddie Russell's talk was that they're betting that more people will come to the brand at lower proof than they will lose even if everyone who complained left (but where would they go, given that the Ritt's availability is about the same as Pappy?) -- and if they use older juice to maintain the profile, they might even keep enough of the WT101 complainers. Sounds reasonable.Then again, maybe that's why Beam introduced the Knob Creek Rye now...There may be something to that. Checking the oh-so-useful TTB COLA database, I see the WT 81 label was approved on 8 July 2011, and the label for the KC rye submitted on 4 October 2011 (I'm sure the major distilleries monitor the thing to see what their competitors have in the pipeline).(I also got the sense that the calculus didn't hold for WT101 bourbon -- they'd be in trouble if they dropped that!)Fer sure. 101 proof is integral to the whole WT bourbon mythos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisko Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 In the case of the Sazerac, you could just be liberal in the amount of water needed to dissolve a sugar cube (but I use Ritt BIB and rich simple syrup in my Sazeracs, so I'm not much help.)So do I. I always mix up some before a party. Useful for lots of different cocktails.not to threadjack, but how "rich" do you make your syrup? More than 1:1, I gather? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorvallisCracker Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 not to threadjack, but how "rich" do you make your syrup? More than 1:1, I gather?1.5:1 sugar:water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightBoston Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 not to threadjack,We're way past that! but how "rich" do you make your syrup? More than 1:1, I gather?1.5:1 sugar:waterI actually do 2:1, and 1:1 for the "regular". I also have some packets of gum syrup that I bring back from Japan for use in really old-timey cocktails (though I'm not convinced I can really tell the difference...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasH Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I bought 4 bottles of WT101 rye on closeout at 17.00 each. It was a special order item here so you don't see much of it around here!Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalessin Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Bad news, kids: according to Eddie Russell (technically a Campari spokesperson, but with perhaps a bit more authority) the WT101 rye is going away to be replaced by 81 proof -- and he is in on the change. Jimmy was standing next to him as he told us at Julio's in MA last night.He acknowledged that it would be unpopular but asked us to taste it before complaining.My take on the rationale is similar to their explanation for the WT81: they believe that they need a lower-proof offering -- primarily for bars and "younger generation" switchers from lighter spirits -- but they are using older whiskey than the four-years-and-a-day of the WT80 bourbon and today's WT101 rye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisko Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 My take on the rationale is similar to their explanation for the WT81: they believe that they need a lower-proof offering -- primarily for bars and "younger generation" switchers from lighter spirits -- but they are using older whiskey than the four-years-and-a-day of the WT80 bourbon and today's WT101 rye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mosugoji64 Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I'm not a huge WT fan, but the 101 rye is a mighty fine whiskey. I don't understand the desire to cater to a different market when the market for rye is very small anyway. I hope the 81 is good, but still think losing 101 is a bad idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Boozer Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I'm not a huge WT fan, but the 101 rye is a mighty fine whiskey.To parallel the fate of WT101, WT101 WAS a mighty fine whiskey. The last bottle I had of WT101 with the new label was young and hot. WT101 used to have 4-6-8 year old stock. (that what was listed on the old web site.) Now the "old" stock that has been set aside for Eddie's WT81. I suspect they are following the same game plan with WTR-101. Today, they are dumping the WTR81 with the "older stock" of rye that use to be used in WTR101. Eventually down the road, both WT81 and WTR81 will be made up almost exclusively of young whiskey, in the 4 year old range. They won't get rid of WT101 but it will be made up mostly of young whiskey. I have little faith in Eddie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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