What Bourbon did you pass up today? Fall '13

[ChainWhip]

Passed on PHC 7th for $110 (cheapest price in WA so far). Add sales tax and it would be $136 out the door. That's just approaching stupid.

Ridonkulous!!! Sometimes I wonder WTF Young's is doing... We need another distributor in WA state for HH & Sazerac products.

[Happyhour24x7]

Had to pass on some Parker's heritage promise of hope yesterday. Had already pulled the trigger on some Lot B and PVWFRR, one of which I also left behind for, you know, karma and stuff.

[snifred]

Got a lead on a FR LESmB, called the store and they said they'd hold it for me...at $199.99. As much as I want it, that's just ridiculous.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

You're right Huge. When searching for a bottle on Google Wine-Searcher.com is commonly at the top of the results. Some of the prices there are absurd. I had a retailer point that site out to me once when I scoffed at his pricing.

I wouldn't be surprised if those merchants on ws.com got their pricing from BX.

Wine searcher is not as bad as the online bourbon sources. I'm looking at a few high end wines on there and they are showing prices cheaper than I can buy them wholesale.

[smknjoe]

Wine searcher is not as bad as the online bourbon sources. I'm looking at a few high end wines on there and they are showing prices cheaper than I can buy them wholesale.

It may be good for wine, but the bourbon prices are way out of whack. Look up PVW15, it's not showing up at $80 like it should be. It's $600-$3500 on that site. Four Roses LE Small Batch is showing up at $285.

Edited November 4, 2013 by smknjoe

[P&MLiquorsEric]

It may be good for wine, but the bourbon prices are way out of whack. Look up PVW15, it's not showing up at $80 like it should be. It's $600-$3500 on that site. Four Roses LE Small Batch is showing up at $285.

Gotcha. Never searched for bourbon on it.

Even limited production wines are relatively easy to get online. The bourbon and wine games have similarities but supply is a different ballgame. you have 7 or 8 main producers for bourbon vs tens of thousands for wine.

[savagehenry]

ER10 for $89.99. Yeah. The 10 year.

[393foureyedfox]

Gotcha. Never searched for bourbon on it.

Even limited production wines are relatively easy to get online. The bourbon and wine games have similarities but supply is a different ballgame. you have 7 or 8 main producers for bourbon vs tens of thousands for wine.

eric, with your years of experience in the business, do you think that the high demand of whiskies right now will encourage new distilleries to open over the next decade....and if so, do you think they will be new companies, or just new distilleries to broaden the availability of the existing brands?

or, do the existing companies just enjoy the high demand/low availability/running at capacity/ higher prices game?

[whiskeyagonzo]

Passed up a THH & ER17 for $99.99. Also passed on CEHT rye and sour mash......wait for it.......$129.99. I just shook my head and walked out.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

eric, with your years of experience in the business, do you think that the high demand of whiskies right now will encourage new distilleries to open over the next decade....and if so, do you think they will be new companies, or just new distilleries to broaden the availability of the existing brands?

or, do the existing companies just enjoy the high demand/low availability/running at capacity/ higher prices game?

There are lots of people entering the bourbon game as startups. The problem they face is that they need income now, not in 5 years when they have a viable bourbon to bottle.

I am surprised none of the big boys have gobbled up a smaller bourbon maker. ie diagio or pernard. I'm guessing they see a bubble in the bourbon business and overpaying is not something they want to do.

In a few years it will be interesting to see how the startups first real bourbons taste. And will they price a 4-6 year product where it should be or in the premium category?

I don't think the big players in Bourbon are that worried about startups. Selling nearly all of the bourbon they produce is the best problem to have.

If I am guessing, there will be a bunch of equipment for sale from current startups in 10 years at "clearance" prices.

[squire]

I doubt the big guys are worried, they can make it cheaper, hold it longer, sell it lower, and have enough stock on hand to weather any economic storm.

[MrAtomic]

Said "Thanks but no thanks" to Stagg and Handy at $150 in a store with a friendly owner/manager. It's a spot where I used to pay $59 for the Stagg (before there was a Handy), then $79, then $89. I think the Handy debuted at $79 and stayed there for years, which was a steep but acceptable price for getting tasty, non-MGP rye locally. That said, I am officially not tempted by BTAC at $150. The store got no Weller, Saz 18, or ER17 this year.

I overheard the store owner on the phone with someone -- I'm guessing his distributor? -- while I was in there, and he was really cheesed off. The owner was shouting, "I push your stuff all year and you give me a bottle each of of Stagg and Handy? Why do I bother? What do I tell my customers that spend money here, year-round?" When he got off the phone he told me that Pappy has disappeared from his ordering system (supposedly because of the big theft) and that he's getting two bottles of BTAC this year because the distributor has something like 1500 bottles for all of southern California. Who knows if it's accurate information or not, but man, he was steamed. And he really does push BT products all year. He also said his price for BTAC went up $30 per bottle this year. I was sorry to hear it, but not interested in subsidizing his increased costs.

So I bought a bottle of baby Saz and left.

[c2walker]

I left behind an EC18 for $40. At that price I'll go back and get it eventually, but at the time my eyes were drawn to the prizes on the shelf next to the EC18 - a PHC Golden Anniversary and a PHC Cask Strength 122.6 proof.

[luther.r]

I left behind an EC18 for $40. At that price I'll go back and get it eventually, but at the time my eyes were drawn to the prizes on the shelf next to the EC18 - a PHC Golden Anniversary and a PHC Cask Strength 122.6 proof.

Wow, nice pickups Christopher! :bowdown:

[thiemb]

I left behind an EC18 for $40. At that price I'll go back and get it eventually, but at the time my eyes were drawn to the prizes on the shelf next to the EC18 - a PHC Golden Anniversary and a PHC Cask Strength 122.6 proof.

[jonhalter]

I passed a Hirsch 20 yr for $90, and a Stagg Jr. for $70. Hadn't seen the Hirsch before, but the Jr. can be had for $50 at store 2 miles away.

[portwood]

I am surprised none of the big boys have gobbled up a smaller bourbon maker. ie diagio or pernard. I'm guessing they see a bubble in the bourbon business and overpaying is not something they want to do.

Both Diageo and Pernod Ricard are investing big money in Scotland expanding existing distilleries and/or building new ones.

[Special Reserve]

I left behind an EC18 for $40. At that price I'll go back and get it eventually, but at the time my eyes were drawn to the prizes on the shelf next to the EC18 - a PHC Golden Anniversary and a PHC Cask Strength 122.6 proof.

Damn! At first I just skimmed over the posting and was going admonish you about "passing up" on a PHC 122.6. Then I read it more carefully, the PHC 122.6 is a great find.

Congrats!

[dreasoner]

I passed PHC at several stores this last week. anywhere from $89 - $129 a bottle. Just couldn't pull the trigger.

[Special Reserve]

I passed PHC at several stores this last week. anywhere from $89 - $129 a bottle. Just couldn't pull the trigger.

Not all PHC are the same. All are good a few are great!

[skidfive]

Damn the timing of the BTAC release and pappy soon. Passed on an Elijah Craig 21 for $108. Beat price I've seen in a long time

[WAINWRIGHT]

That is a great price and would have me thinking twice,cheapest I've seen is $119.99 and was rather tempted then.

[Yeti]

Under $110 would have me putting one in the cabinet for a rainy day.

Stopped by the local store to get a little face time and passed on all the normal suspects, including EC21 at $145.

[skidfive]

well, luckily the BTAC release is supposed to be this Thursday. so if it doesn't, I have a backup present to myself

[michaelturtle1]

2011/2012 stagg and Handy for $249.99.. Oddly the store had Saz 18 @$119.99 from 11/12 but had baby Saz @ $159.99