Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary

[miller542]

...Forgiven, Jefferson's Collaboration and Bulleit 10 sit at $50. Stagg Jr. moves quickly, ECBP gets snapped up, and OFBB '13 disappeared very quickly--all compelling products in one shape or form, at reasonable prices. PHC 6th sat at $80, and PHC POH is really sitting at $90-$100.

I think they're all probing the market, and there will be some hits, and some misses.... Will be interesting to see where this one falls.

Agree 100%, they're probing the market but it appears WT is not probing the right spots as this one falls well outside the realistic realm.

Diamond Anniversary is $125+tax here and a check of the state inventory indicates not a single bottle has sold. Any stores with it still has 6 bottles and the state warehouse has 54 bottles. Easy to deduce each store got a case and the warehouse has 9 cases in reserve. Seems like this is better off a gift shop item for visitors taking the distillery tour and thats about it.

If this gets discontinued and drops below $100, I may take a flyer on this one, until then its an easy pass for me and really I no longer have reason to by anything from WT other than Rare Breed. I'm among the many here in my continued lamentation of the loss of RR101.

[sailor22]

When WTRR went to a lower proof and different packaging the line from the WT PR dept. was that they were trying to find some traction with new Bourbon drinkers who were moving toward brown spirits from Vodka. Eddie has said that the Diamond was targeted at newer drinkers, and that accounted for the lower proof and the overall softness.

Apparently research shows the marketing wonks at WT that they have a problem with how it is perceived by younger, newer drinkers and they keep trying to find a way to appeal to that crowd. I know that when I host tastings for newer drinkers their perception of WT even before they taste it is that it is hot and rough. Unfortunately if they keep siphoning off the best barrels and neutering the juice with water they will live up to those preconceptions with their shelf offerings.

Trace gives us the Antique collection and the Col. Taylor line as representative of some of their very best efforts. Their signature products.

Heaven Hill does the Parkers Heritage, William Heavenhill and Select Stock among others as representative of their best efforts.

Compare those with Turkey that only has the single barrel Kentucky Spirit and the Tradition as their top of the line offerings. Then they show up with the Diamond that doesn't qualify as a super premium even though it's priced as one. It's enough to make an enthusiast loose confidence in the good folks at Turkey.

I'm hearing rumors that they are woking on something special - but I heard those same rumors before the release of the Diamond. Fingers crossed.

[sob0728]

I agree with sailor. WT could be great, but they are not doing it right. They are correct that younger consumers are not drawn to the brand. I have friends that think it is terrible until they actually taste it. WT101 isn't bad. I think WTRB is one of the best values in bourbon (it's $30 in MN).. Kentucky Spirit is no better than RB but costs more, so they could eliminate that. RRSB is basically the same age and proof as WTRB but is $20 more expensive, which doesn't make any sense. If it were up to me, they should keep WT 101, put an 8 year age statement on WTRB and sell it for $30, change RRSB back to 10/101 to sell at $40, and then have a 12/90 at $50. They would then have a nice range of proofs and ages. They could do an annual Russell's Limited Edition batch every year as a 15yr barrel proof at the same age/proof/price as George T Stagg. I'd pay $80 for that in a second.

[bourbonfoot]

It's enough to make an enthusiast loose confidence in the good folks at Turkey.

Agree wholeheartedly. I'm already at that point. I'll still gladly pay for WT101, and maybe some RR every once in awhile. But for my $ I'd rather go with something else almost any day of the week.

[Harry in WashDC]

WT Diamond is $124 plus tax at Virginia ABC stores; it was up front on the "new items" counter when I was in a store this AM. At that price, I passed and picked up WT101 (Hi, Paul) instead. Somebody must have cleaned out inventory - bunches of 375mls of WTRB 108 popped up on the shelf, too, right next to the 750ml 112s.

Edited September 26, 2014 by Harry in WashDC
fixed a typo or 2

[squire]

That would be a good lineup SOB but what's obvious to us seems to be mysterious beyond grasp to them. Instead of trying to create something new just improve what you've got because new Bourbon drinkers will gravitate towards quality.

[TunnelTiger]

I've seen it the last few weeks at both of my haunts and it does appear to be moving @ $149. Differnt folks, different strokes.

[bicktrav]

WT definitely has a PR problem with younger crowds. Not long ago, my brother, who is 34 and more interested in whiskey than the average consumer, scoffed when I ordered rare breed at a restaurant. Anything with the WT label was off-putting to him. I explained that rare breed is actually a pretty great buy, but I really had to fight the impression that all turkey was hot, well liquor. As for the diamond anniversary, I'd like to try it, but I'm not shelling out that kind of cash for it. The pricing just seems misguided and bizarre--particularly when one takes into account the fantastic pricing they have on rare breed.

[The Black Tot]

A turkey is not a widely respected animal - in fact it is usually the butt of all jokes. Add "wild" to it, and you get a thought picture that the bourbon is hot and a rough ride.

I too had to get over this, among many, of my incorrect predispositions about bourbon brands. I also rejected Fighting Cock on the same grounds. I don't know how they can try and suggest that people should associate quality bourbon with a cockfight.

I'm sure WT goes back farther in history before people used to call each other Turkey as a derogatory term, etc. And I understand that wild in this case means occurring naturally.

I agree with others here, though. The brand would be better served by not watering down their signature offerings. My fave is the RR single barrel.

[kjbeggs]

I'm no Turkey hater, I've got bottles of 191, RB, KS, and even a bottle of Forgiven.

Got a call that a local store got 18 bottles today, priced at $110, but for what is sounds like is in the bottle, I kindly declined.

[BFerguson]

Seems like many parts of the market may be hitting the peak of the bubble and are not pulling the trigger on the latest thing that hits.

Hopefully a move back in the right direction

B

[jeffrey r]

Seems like many parts of the market may be hitting the peak of the bubble and are not pulling the trigger on the latest thing that hits.

Hopefully a move back in the right direction

B

Agreed. This release seems to be languishing a bit by me, and I see nothing wrong with a message being sent to the industry that just calling a release 'premium' and pricing it as such is a guaranteed success and a sellout.

[garbanzobean]

I passed earlier at $150, which seems pretty shameful in terms of markup. I think this would need to be $50 before I would consider it.

[BMartin42]

The wife brought one home today as a Birthday present to me. She said she had been trying to work the BTAC from the locals (they know her as well as they know me) and they told her it was likely hopeless here in Central IL this year. She said she had resigned herself to buying me 2 1.75's of BT when this caught her eye. Even if she didn't make the "right" decision when it comes to me tasting what is in the bottle, I appreciate her effort and it is a damn fine looking package. I have thoroughly enjoyed the AS and Tradition bottlings. Hope I like this one. BTW, I asked. She paid 129.99.

[garbanzobean]

Well I think that's a great gift to a bourbon lover: she tried to get you something she knew you wanted, but when that didn't bear fruit, she got you something nice that you probably wouldn't have bought for yourself. Cheers to a happy birthday!

[tigerlam92]

That's very nice. We are jealous and she's a keeper.

[bicktrav]

The wife brought one home today as a Birthday present to me. She said she had been trying to work the BTAC from the locals (they know her as well as they know me) and they told her it was likely hopeless here in Central IL this year. She said she had resigned herself to buying me 2 1.75's of BT when this caught her eye. Even if she didn't make the "right" decision when it comes to me tasting what is in the bottle, I appreciate her effort and it is a damn fine looking package. I have thoroughly enjoyed the AS and Tradition bottlings. Hope I like this one. BTW, I asked. She paid 129.99.

Very nice of her. Enjoy it and let us know how it is.

[The Black Tot]

No act of kindness is ever wasted. Whether we can say the same of bourbon drinkers is another matter.

[flahute]

I have passed on this so far. I really like Turkey products and am super interested in trying 13-16 yr old Turkey, but I seem to have reached a limit in how much I want to spend, especially for a lower proof offering. As a relative newbie, I've had no problem shelling out for premium and limited bourbons, partly for the "gotta try it" factor, partly for the "it's so sought after it must be really good" factor, and partly for the "fear of missing out" factor.

Now that I've tried and found numerous regular offerings that suit me very fine, and discovered that most of the limiteds are not better enough to justify the cost increases (if you are not lucky enough to find them at MSRP), I'm finding the price of DA to be a little too uncomfortable. If it was at BTAC prices, I'd be all in. At $120, I'm not in.

[Auracom]

^Agreed with everything you said, Flahute. I'd probably be a buyer at ~$70 for this one. As it is, I've already passed it up both at my local place as well as in Kentucky on a trip. 112 proof Rare Breed just offer so much more value...

[squire]

I seem to have reached a limit in how much I want to spend, especially for a lower proof offering. . . . . Now that I've tried and found numerous regular offerings that suit me very fine . . . . .

Steve I've given this some thought (well, as much as age related short attention span will allow) and concluded if I'm paying more I should get more. Higher proof (Bottled in Bond, cask strength, etc.,) means I get more character of what the distillate allows.

So just give me your best effort straight from the barrel and I'll pay a premium. Don't water it down though . . . I can do that myself.

[Nillion]

Wild Turkey at less than 101 proof is an abomination to me. It's just wrong.

[Grain Belt]

An early 90's 12 year old Wild Turkey was my greatest bourbon bottle ever, with no close seconds. That being said, I am scared about shelling out the bucks for a sub 100 proofer. It might have to be a bar pour for me to try it.

[gburger]

I paid $129 at the distiller last April, it is now in Spec's in Texas for $100.00. Only nice thing is that I got Jimmy to sign it for me at the Sampler.

[Mickbourbon]

I passed on it here in the Twin Cities at $136. But then made another stop and saw it for $119 so I said happy birthday to me and got it.