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Behind the Scenes Battle Threatens Bourbon Boom


cowdery
This topic has been inactive for at least 365 days, and is now closed. Please feel free to start a new thread on the subject! 

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Wow - just noticed that they did sell out the golden tickets. I'm in the wrong field ...

-- Ravensfire

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Wow - just noticed that they did sell out the golden tickets. I'm in the wrong field ...

-- Ravensfire

Edited by smokinjoe
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When Chuck is right, he is spot on and I think he is correct in all he says (or implies) here.

Mike Veach

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Thanks, Mike. I was wondering where you were on this. Mike is another independent voice who is no doubt feeling some pressure.

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Apparently I have underestimated the potential consequences of this semi-disclosed discord, assuming that problems like this seem a bigger deal to insiders and experts than to the rest of us. Is there any chance that, without naming any names, you could describe the contours of the threat to help the slower-witted make the connection and realize that rather than being just a bump in the road the very continuation of the "bourbon boom" is in real jeopardy?

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A new post on my blog today should shed a bit more light. As to the threat, I believe that if this tendency by the KDA to 'bigfoot' and try to control everything continues, it will cause visitors and others to have bad experiences and that potentially could start a downhill spiral. Cognoscenti tend to start these trends and can end them just as easily if they get turned off.

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I don't know the history or origin of the KDA, but it sounds like a classic evolution of cooperation that grew into greed and power. It happens all the time with co-ops, associations and other collective efforts that start out with good intentions and reasonable people, then grow into power-hungry entities that don't align with the industry/group they are supposed to be representing which ultimately disrespects the end users and consumers.

An organization like KDA has a purpose but they should be positive, or at least neutral, that Sazerac or anyone else can attract visitors and grow their brand without KDA's help. KDAs argument that their efforts help Sazerac without paying dues is baseless because it goes the other way too. Using KDA's own logic, if Sazerac is attracting close to 100,000 visitors using their own marketing dollars, that is indirectly benefiting KDA members.

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I can't find a mission statement on the KDA web site, but I did see this on the "About Us" page.

A lot has changed in 130 years. But the mission of this venerable association has remained steadfast—to protect the trade interests of the industry whenever they may be threatened and to handle common problems in a concerted action.

This leads me to believe that the KDA thinks any Kentucky distiller who isn't a member is threatening the trade interests of the industry. That's a recipe for disaster.

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Jump over to the old but new thread where an employee of the Bourbon Trail is offering to answer questions.

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The question is who needs who to exist?

Micros need an association, majors need a bigger visitors parking lot.

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Jump over to the old but new thread where an employee of the Bourbon Trail is offering to answer questions.

Somehow I don't think questions related to this conversation are the ones he is willing or able to answer. :) I wouldn't want to corner him with controversial topics; he's offering help for visitors to Kentucky.

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Micros need an association, majors need a bigger visitors parking lot.

So true! What one wouldn't give to be the official parking lot paver of the Bourbon Trail!

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KDAs argument that their efforts help Sazerac without paying dues is baseless because it goes the other way too. Using KDA's own logic, if Sazerac is attracting close to 100,000 visitors using their own marketing dollars, that is indirectly benefiting KDA members.

The whole Pappy/Stagg mania has drawn so much new money into bourbon that KDA's argument is hard to take seriously. The heirs of John Wayne and the Mad Men writers might as well send a bill to the KDA members for promoting Kentucky bourbon.

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If I had $1350 burning a hole in my pocket, and the time, I would start my own bourbon trail. We could call it the liquor stores of Kentucky. Bring a pickup truck or van.

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The fight between KDA and Sazerac has been going on for some time. This is about more than that. What's new is the bid by KDA, ostensibly on behalf of its members, to control all access and message. They're shifting from promoting the industry to trying to control all access to it. It used to feel like if you wanted to do something in Kentucky that promoted bourbon, bourbon's heritage, and the bourbon producers, the KDA was automatically on your side. Now it feels like the KDA is an obstacle you have to get around and one that will keep putting itself in front of you. That's exactly what they want, of course. They want you to get discouraged and give up or go to them on bended knee and ask, "how may I please you?" I'm hoping that by shining some light on it I'll embolden the other people who don't see this as a good thing, who see it as potentially strangling the goose that's laying the golden egg. Bourbon enthusiasts won't come to Kentucky to get into the middle of a war.

As for me, they can be a thorn in my side but they can't really put me out of business although I represent what they hate most, someone who is completely independent of them.

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As for me, they can be a thorn in my side but they can't really put me out of business although I represent what they hate most, someone who is completely independent of them.

[QUOTE][/QUOTE]

Keep up the good work Chuck.

As for me I have given up, all the distilleries just want to release 3yo whiskey and act like it's a gift from God.

The way I see it we need a 1970's style of not consuming bourbon then the hayseeds in KY might wake up.

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