What bourbon did you pass up today? Spring/Summer 2014

[flahute]

Passed on Hayes Parker Bourbon........

A store employee was trying to sell me on it telling me it had just come in and that he'd heard it was pretty good. I took a quick look at the side label and saw that this was a product from Terresentia using the 'revolutionary' TerraPure process. Haha.....I told the guy that I read about this process and that I was highly skeptical. He then proceeded to tell me that I probably knew a lot more than him since he actually worked in the wine department and really didn't know bourbon.

So, thats who is handing out bourbon advice at this particular store.

[TunnelTiger]

None of the stores I frequent have 1% the knowledge of bourbon that the majority on this site have and I'm not including myself. Most of my stores get all their "knowledge" from the distributor reps that call on them.

[squire]

Yes, I once had a store manager insist he "knew for a fact" that the bottles of Joseph Finch Bourbon he had in stock were actually made at the Joseph Finch Distillery.

[393foureyedfox]

depends on how you define 'made'

[Renegator]

Passed on Wild Turkey Tradition for $229.

Sad story on this one - it was in a glass case with no price on it. I asked the guy behind the counter how much it was and he said it was part of a collection. One of those $14,000 packages with Pappy, BTAC, etc. I looked into it some more and realized that he was wrong so I went back to the counter and asked a girl this time how much it was. She looked it up in the computer and told me it was $99. The other guy (possibly owner or manager) heard her tell me that and immediately ran over and said "no, that's $229". She showed him in the computer where it was $99 but he was emphatic that it was $229. I will probably never buy anything from this store because of this. They obviously know how much they should be selling it for since it's in the computer but choose to rip people off. Sad.

[squire]

depends on how you define 'made'

He meant distilled there and his proof was that's what the rep told him and the label clearly stated Joseph Finch Distillery.

[mbroo5880i]

None of the stores I frequent have 1% the knowledge of bourbon that the majority on this site have and I'm not including myself. Most of my stores get all their "knowledge" from the distributor reps that call on them.

My bourbon guy is in the 1%. That's why I like him. Of course, he is a member of SB! :cool:

[sutton]

He meant distilled there and his proof was that's what the rep told him and the label clearly stated Joseph Finch Distillery.

To be fair to store employees who may be more for familiar with wine/beer than whiskey/spirits, wine labels are much more "non-deceptive" than bourbon. So I can understand if they are familiar to the point of what the label says and rely on that to do their jobs. Until I joined this site, I would have never understood the subtleties (i.e., intentional deception) on so many bourbon labels. Micros aside, exactly where is the Old Granddad Distillery?

[mbroo5880i]

I think even distributors repeat information they get from "media kits" which are developed by the PR people at the distilleries.

[tanstaafl2]

Passed on Wild Turkey Tradition for $229.

Sad story on this one - it was in a glass case with no price on it. I asked the guy behind the counter how much it was and he said it was part of a collection. One of those $14,000 packages with Pappy, BTAC, etc. I looked into it some more and realized that he was wrong so I went back to the counter and asked a girl this time how much it was. She looked it up in the computer and told me it was $99. The other guy (possibly owner or manager) heard her tell me that and immediately ran over and said "no, that's $229". She showed him in the computer where it was $99 but he was emphatic that it was $229. I will probably never buy anything from this store because of this. They obviously know how much they should be selling it for since it's in the computer but choose to rip people off. Sad.

Sounds like maybe you have been heading east down I-20 towards Conyers...

If so it is a weird place because they do often have bottles at very good prices along with the absurd multi-thousand dollar bottle packages. I tend to grit my teeth and buy the deals when I see them and try not to get too bent out of shape about the silly bourbon packages. And I take my regular purchasing elsewhere of course. Don't feel at all bad about doing my best to cherry pick the good deals and ignoring everything else!

[BFerguson]

The other day on my run back from the north I stopped at a new place that I really was looking forward to seeing. Nice setup and a large selection of product.

My my hope was to pick up a couple of SAOS 7yr ryes. Good price on them too. But after tasting a sample I was more meh than yah.

Still nice to drink, but not what I had I mind for what the product was going to be.

Reminded me a a milder version of Lot 40, mildly sweet and fruits coming through, but given a preference, it would be Lot 40 any day.

B

[MyOldKyDram]

All the Lexington hate. smh

[garbanzobean]

All the Lexington hate. smh

[jmj_203]

To be fair, most of those are not entirely PA's fault for not stocking. Distillers and distributors mainly decide what states they want to fulfill unless a purchaser can really push them otherwise. Fortunately, PA has that power, but isn't necessarily knowledgeable about what consumers demand - especially for the bottom to mid shelf. It looks like it is doing fine for the top shelf. With that said, a bunch of people (including myself) put together some recommendations for the spirit buyers of PA. Of those recommendations, OWA107 and W12 are at the top of the list.

I think it is plausible that PA will be able to stock at least OWA107. It has been sold in the state before (it is how I got my earlier bottles) and every state around PA stocks it. However, given how limited supply has become, PA could cannibalize other state stocks (like NJ or DE, which are becoming increasingly hard to find OWA) and is probably one of the reasons why we don't get it anymore. I myself tried to push for the Heaven Hill BIB's to be put in the state store but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm for it. I go to NJ to get the Gold (you can also special order it) or DE for white label.

The Gold label HHBiBs are gone from the special order page. It was an adequate HH replacement so I special ordered 5 bottles of the 750's at like $60, insane price on a tasty btm shelf that drinks above its pricepoint. They took the 750's off after my order, so after tasting it I said screw it I'll buy 3 of the 1.75's and have a 5 year stash, but my fav helper Bailey answered my email saying distributors are out of stock, she had no idea if or when they may have more. Thats all I'd like to see is at least HHBiB and EWBiB be at the least put on the special order page. It's my understanding they don't stock or hold any of the specials, they just call in an order from out of state distributors. So in that way they wouldn't have unsold btm shelf bourbons if they at least expanded our SLO list.

[393foureyedfox]

man, lots of talk lately of the PA state-controlled liquor blues.....i feel bad for you guys!

[davidg07]

Rhetoric for $80 plus tax. Haven't heard enough about it to justify the price tag.

[Lab Walker]

Blanton's...

but got Macallans's for my birthdAY

[mbroo5880i]

All the Lexington hate. smh

I have never been to Lexington, Massachusetts so I am not sure why people are dissing it.

[bananaslug]

Passed up on the Willett 2yr Rye for $54. sigh. This LS would actually move bottles if they reduced their prices a bit.

[BootsOnTheGround]

Passed up on the Willett 2yr Rye for $54. sigh. This LS would actually move bottles if they reduced their prices a bit.

That's just dumb. Unfortunately, it will only get dumber....

[bananaslug]

This place just gouges. They have Stagg Jr for $69. I got it 15 minutes away for $47. LS #2 is now sold out, while every bottle is still on the shelf of the former. I say make it move!

That's just dumb. Unfortunately, it will only get dumber....

[nd2005]

I think it's kind of funny that the cheapest price I've seen for the Willett 2 yr rye is at their gift shop...

[amg]

I think it's kind of funny that the cheapest price I've seen for the Willett 2 yr rye is at their gift shop...

[GaryT]

I think it's kind of funny that the cheapest price I've seen for the Willett 2 yr rye is at their gift shop...

That is funny - although I'm hoping ATL will break that trend. C'mon $30 . . . (rolling dice)

[big pete]

Passed up some good deals today: ETL Commemorative for $69.99 and Pappy 15 for a low, low price of $699.99!