Has Heaven Hill BiB white label gone NAS?

[brettckeen]

White label HH is 80 proof in IL, has been for a while.

[393foureyedfox]

stopped into a liquor store today that was next to the grocery I was going to. Didnt plan on buying anything, but looking at whats on the shelf and at what prices. A while back, they stopped carrying HH6BIB, and kept carrying HHBIB gold and HH 6 year 90. Now, they stopped carrying the 6 year 90. Since both the 6 years are not being carried here now, it makes you wonder.

I like to keep an eye on here about HH 6 year, and watch the shelves, hoping that if it ever is dropped, that I know about it early enough to run home and get the truck and load up.

[squire]

The truck with a trailer hitch.

[393foureyedfox]

you read my mind, squire

[393foureyedfox]

anyone else noticing this falling off of more and more shelves? is the d/c worry coming true, or is it just not profitable to sell?

[squire]

I don't think it ever was a big seller.

[Phil T]

I don't think it ever was a big seller.

[squire]

Yep . . . but it's classified.

Edited March 25, 2014 by squire

[MyOldKyDram]

Well then?

.................

[393foureyedfox]

Well then?

.................

yeah......

now I only see it at the big box store and two small stores. everywhere else has stopped carrying it. I'm curious as to why.

[squire]

I believe they sell more Evan Williams eggnog than Evan Williams BIB.

[WAINWRIGHT]

Considering that it is available in what 6 states that's not exactly surprising it was a very limited distribution to start with. EW BIB went nation wide with a more marketable name behind it,makes sense to me.

[squire]

And only recently that widely available, shame really, EW and the other HH BIBs are well crafted tasting experiences.

[393foureyedfox]

update on the HH6BIB supply....

its one of my top 5 pours, and with the rumors going around, I keep an eye on supplies. Ive been noticing that many stores stopped having it on their shelves this year, and of the ones that still have it, they often only have a bottle or two. I also keep an eye on the TPS supplies as a gauge for supplies semi-locally. They've been out of stock for weeks. So, I get skeered and just start buying them whenever I see a few on a shelf.

This week, I finally got an email back from HH about this bottling. They told me that it is not planned to discontinue it, its just that supplies aren't as abundant as they once were. A few months ago, someone noticed on the TTB site a new labeling for the HH6BIB, and today, I noticed it on a shelf for the first time....

So, apparently, they're still planning on producing it for the forseeable future, and keeping the age statement. Maybe some places just couldn't order it while the label transition was under way. But, most of the smaller stores here tell me that they decided to stop carrying it anyway as its not very profitable. One of the largest stores in Louisville I was in today doesn't carry it anymore either, they even took down their shelf spot and moved other stuff in its place.

Long term, who knows....I have a case and a half and plan to keep adding to it.

[suntour]

While shopping the other day it dawned on me that today's dusting shopping has essentially been reducing to grabbing things like this bottling, one that's "guaranteed to continue on" until it isn't, because man is shelf space disappearing.

More often than not now I go to liquor stores and see more NDPs than HH products. What a shame.

I'm definitely going to have someone send me a few bottles of this. I LOVE gold label BIB and from nearly all accounts this one is slightly better.

[squire]

There was a time when I thought the HH 10 year old Rare Old BIB would always be around but then they dropped the age to 8 years, then they lowered the proof, then . . .

[393foureyedfox]

who knows what's going on with this bottling. TPS has been out of it for about a month, and today I notice that it has been removed completely from their inventory list, so they either stopped carrying it completely, or it's a goner. Seeing a few new label bottles at one store here in Louisville, I prefer to believe the latter, but when a store like TPS d/c's it, who can say anymore.

EWBIB is still in stock though. Ive been saying for a while now that with them distributing EWBIB nationwide that I expected HH6BIB to be on its way out. Lower the age, put the EW name on it, and sell it for $3 more a 750.....

[squire]

Good idea Doug, they could make some real money doing that.

[Jackinbox]

It's been out of stock in my local store for a while now. Finally they got a new shipment in on Thursday with the newly designed label. I still don't know why they'd go through the hassle of redesigning the label if they were going to discontinue it.

[PaulO]

Not exactly a side by side. I finished off a HH 6 year one day. The next day I opened an EW BIB I had stashed. I would say I really favor the HH 6.

[amg]

I actually saw this just last week (though I think still the old label) at a store that didn't previously carry it. It's not getting harder to find in Indianapolis.

[Lepisto]

I went to about 7 stores today looking for dustys and just learning what all is out there. I found one store that about 5 bottles. I got 2 of them. I should have asked if they had more in the back. There wasn't much more room for more beyond the 5 I saw. I had never seen this bottle before in any of the stores I've visited in my area.

[393foureyedfox]

=Jackinbox;438886 I still don't know why they'd go through the hassle of redesigning the label if they were going to discontinue it.

my guess (hope) is that they dont plan to d/c it, but just that it's cheaper to stick 2 labels on a bottle than the 3 that used to be on these bottles of HH6BIB, and if planning to keep it in production in the long run, changing the labels was a cost saving move. the old label was a bit classier though, I thought.

I always wonder how much longer HH will hold out on raising prices. There are no other age stated 6 year BIBs (or regular bourbons in that price range) out there to compete with them anymore, yet they still offer it at an unbelievable $10-11.

Edited September 13, 2014 by 393foureyedfox

[squire]

Perhaps they've realized keeping your customers happy keeps your customers.

[Jackinbox]

my guess (hope) is that they dont plan to d/c it, but just that it's cheaper to stick 2 labels on a bottle than the 3 that used to be on these bottles of HH6BIB, and if planning to keep it in production in the long run, changing the labels was a cost saving move. the old label was a bit classier though, I thought.