A MUST Visit: Canon in Seattle, WA

[CorvallisCracker]

I should take off early tomorrow and drive up. I could pick up some more Weller 12 while I'm up there.

[andykeck]

As I understand it, as long as you pay the tax, the State is ambivalent. There's change a-coming.

The BIG change I see is going to come when the consumer realizes that he's been had. The underlying theme with pro-1183 folks is that it will be a windfall for the consumer. With the taxes in place, the average consumer used to buying a $25 bottle of vodka is going to see that bottle ring up at $35 after tax.

I suspect they'll be some VERY pissed off Washingtonians within the next two months.

[LostBottle]

I don't want to derail this conversation, but I fully expect to see price hikes, at least on the good stuff. With demand far outweighing supply on the top shelf bourbon and rye, private retailers will price accordingly. Although you had to stand in line and beg a state store for a bottle of Saz or VWFRR, the price was fair.

Not that I defend the state system - I had enough when a store with a few bottles of Saz would not sell to average customers because they were reserving it only for the restaurants. I wold have preferred this allocation go to stores like Clearview where they genuinely care about whiskey and are actually helpful to their customers.

In regards to Canon, while the prices may be high, that selection is unbelievable!

[mrviognier]

I can't speak for anyone but myself, but my support for 1183 was based on convenience and selection, and not on price.

[mrviognier]

With demand far outweighing supply on the top shelf bourbon and rye, private retailers will price accordingly.

[CorvallisCracker]

Having just spent a few days with the top wholesalers in the state, I can tell you that the appearance of price gouging will be less attributable to the wholesaler/retailer, and more (MUCH more) on the shoulders of the State.

[LostBottle]

Certainly it will be much easier for craft distillers to get their products into distribution than it has been. In our case, High West was a special-order item, and - as soon as we appoint a distributor - will soon be readily available to those stores/bars that want us.

A silver lining, indeed!

[mrviognier]

I suspect the folks who'll really take to the steps of the State capital with pitchforks are the ones who buy Smirnoff, Bacardi, Tanqueray, etc. They're the ones who will REALLY experience sticker shock!

And I equally suspect Costco to work on ridiculously low margins on spirits in an attempt to have people believe that the real culprit here is greedy wholesalers and retailers.

[StraightNoChaser]

Dear lord I'm not even past the Bs and I'm hard as a rock!

[StraightNoChaser]

Look at all that Four Roses! :bigeyes:

[bad_scientist]

Look at all that Four Roses! :bigeyes:

Yes! One pour for 60% of the price of an entire bottle!

[Chris24]

The best reason to go to Canon is Murray Stenson:

http://www.keatleyphoto.com/blog/2012/01/drinks-with-murray-stenson/

He works Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and has given me some of the best bourbon and rye cocktails I've ever had. He's routinely reffered to as the best bar tender in America and he has excellent customer service when it comes to crafting drinks. I've given him a disproportionate amount of my income.

Price for a mixed drink is usual $10-$12, far better than most other bars.

[wadewood]

The best reason to go to Canon is Murray Stenson:

http://www.keatleyphoto.com/blog/2012/01/drinks-with-murray-stenson/

He works Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and has given me some of the best bourbon and rye cocktails I've ever had. He's routinely reffered to as the best bar tender in America and he has excellent customer service when it comes to crafting drinks. I've given him a disproportionate amount of my income.

Price for a mixed drink is usual $10-$12, far better than most other bars.

[nivto]

The best reason to go to Canon is Murray Stenson:

http://www.keatleyphoto.com/blog/2012/01/drinks-with-murray-stenson/

He works Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and has given me some of the best bourbon and rye cocktails I've ever had. He's routinely reffered to as the best bar tender in America and he has excellent customer service when it comes to crafting drinks. I've given him a disproportionate amount of my income.

Price for a mixed drink is usual $10-$12, far better than most other bars.

[humchan2k]

As a long time proponent of Zig Zag, including on these boards from time to time, I am thrilled/amazed that Jamie was able to get Murray onboard...it's incredible for him.

I also like Jamie quite a bit, and have had many beverages from him when he ran Vessel.....and yes, his Captain's List is incredibly well known throughout town, but one thing I really don't understand is his pricing...I bought a bottle of 1945 Old Overholt, 100 proof Pennsylvania bottled in bond quality beverage, on Ebay for about $150.....using Jamie's pricing methods, I would be charging about, oh, $500 for a shot of the stuff......his math is bonkers.

[JamieB]

The costs of canon's spirits are based on the simple math of 25% cost of sale based on what we purchased the bottle for (industry standard).

There are some exceptions; bottles that I am unable to purchase again. Right now that is anything Pappy, the Four Roses single mash bill bottlings (which I can't find again as a set) and the older bottles. I have to price Pappy at a much higher rate or the bottles would be gone in a week (truth be told, I don't even list the younger Pappy's as they still fly off the shelf even though they aren't listed). Unfortunately my allocation of Pappy is one bottle/year (for each vintage) and any other bottles that I am able to find online have me charging the prices that I charge.

As for the older bottlings, the pricing is figured as such: availability, waste and the purchase price.

My pricing, as is most bars, is also based on availability. If you know that the bottle is irreplaceable and you were lucky enough to receive one, you charge a premium as once the bottle is gone, it is gone forever. As I state to anyone who asks about the older whiskey, you are drinking history, not booze. This even goes for current bottlings that no longer exist. A good example would be that you will see more and more bars charging more for Bourye as it becomes more scarce as it no longer exists. AH Hirsch 16yr is another perfect example of this. It wasn't that long ago that I purchased a bottle for $89. It now goes for $400 (or more).

Waste. One must realize that every vintage bottle is not consumable. I was lucky enough to find an unopened case of AMS whiskey of which 9 of the 24 bottles were undrinkable. Unfortunately the lost bottles cost must be passed on to the drinkable bottles. Of the 140+ old bottles I have I've received, I've received 22 bad bottles. So far. I still haven't opened a lot of the bottles.

Purchase price. I haven't been able to get lucky enough to find prohibition era booze for $150 so cudos to you if you've been more fortunate than I have! Most of the bottles were purchased for over $300/bottle. Sometimes well over.

All of these factors contribute to the final cost. We have already sold several pours of vintage booze, and our guests while enjoying the spirit itself, appreciate the significance of the history that they were drinking even more.

If anyone out there wants to sell me their sizable, drinkable, prohibition era collection at ~$150/bottle, I'll be more than happy to drop prices! :grin:

Now having said all that, there are certain times of the year when I open up bottles that I have double of and sell them at cost. Repeal Day is usually one, and I'm thinking of doing so for our anniversaries as well.

Sincerely,

Jamie B

[wadewood]

Jamie B - thanks for responding. I had posted earlier in this thread questioning how you are able to sell bottles at your place not bought through WA state (and therefor not having paid WA tax). Any explanation? I'm guessing you reported to sate and paid the appropriate taxes?

I lived in Seattle for 9 years, now in Houston, but still get back to Seattle once a year. Look forward to coming back your place on my next trip.

[mrviognier]

Well-written, Jamie. Thanks for dropping in on the thread!

[JamieB]

Under #1183 we are allowed to source our product from anywhere as long as we pay the appropriate taxes. I was also fortunate to purchase an already existing business that already had an alcohol inventory.