Kyjd75 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 Found a bottle of PVW 15 yr today and paid retail price, using a debit card. I'm happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robertsccr5 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 Found a bottle of PVW 15 yr today and paid retail price, using a debit card. I'm happy.Very nice. Someday I'll stumble on something like that. Although I can't complain, last week I found 3 old forester birthday Bourbon 2015 for $55 each and 2 Elijah Craig 18 year for $60 each. That's about as good a score as any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 Pappy!!!! Pappy!!! Paaaaappppyyyy!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluggo Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 Found a bottle of PVW 15 yr today and paid retail price, using a debit card. I'm happy.Very Nice, Congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluggo Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 Very nice. Someday I'll stumble on something like that. Although I can't complain, last week I found 3 old forester birthday Bourbon 2015 for $55 each and 2 Elijah Craig 18 year for $60 each. That's about as good a score as any.I'd be happy with that. Great prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Playing devil's advocate...something to think about:1. It's really just too late to be getting in good with a liquor store owner. The people who are in good got in good years ago. Trying to butter them up nowadays means you're the 57th person or so in line at best behind all the existing regulars. 2. How much money do you spend (in excess) trying to get in good? If you are just spending what you would have normally spent (i.e. on regular bottles for consumption and the purchases you want) that's fine, but are you spending needlessly in the hopes of getting in good?In other words, while we frequently decry it, the secondary market does have its advantages. If you really want that bottle of Pappy...it's out there...and probably cheaper in total to just spend the money on secondary price than to spend thousands at a liquor store trying to earn the right to buy it at retail.This is such a solid, reasoned, and reality based post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd2005 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I have to respectfully disagree with you. They are to blame. Fortunately some guys haven't BROKE and they will get my business!Loyalty is something that personally means everything to me. I live a very rich lifestyle! And I don't mean money wise... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 On the other side of this, you have the sazerac rep. They're asking you why the Fireball isn't more prominently displayed by the door. They're asking you about pushing their Rain vodka. Trying to get you to up your orders. All with the subtle or not so subtle threats of reduced allocations of BTAC and VW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amg Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 "HDW CLIX"Every store I've seen that in has had it just sitting in the glass case forever. I wonder if anyone's ever bought one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Every store I've seen that in has had it just sitting in the glass case forever. I wonder if anyone's ever bought one.Say what???? I am shocked, absolutely shocked to hear that somebody hasn't snapped up these $300 bottles of 80 proof vodka.... :slappin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Just my own personal taste , of course; but the ONLY vodka I've poured from a bottle in about 4-years has been 'Rain'. I find it to be the only one that holds any interest (flavor) for me.Edit: Sorry for the 'Thread Drift'.... Paaaaaaapppppppppy!!!!! There. Is that OK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisiana Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 The owner of the store did me right on a few bottles and I'll leave it at that. I asked where the remaining bottles were going and he said the distributor rep was hassling him hard for them. The store has the right to sell at any price unless they are state controlled. Not always fair by any means, but technically legal.Wouldn't reps buying supply be a conflict of interest or illegal?I'm sure there are plenty of honest reps too. Not throwing shade over everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I don't chase Pappy or, even BTAC, any more. Not that I would turn one down at MRSP plus $5 or $10, depending the bottle. I doubt I will be given that opportunity so I don't worry about it. If I could choose any of the bottlings to "find" it would be VWFRR. I understand that even that isn't what it once was but it is one that I would like to have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAbiker Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Well said. It's all you've stated and more.We've decided to do a lottery with our VW. Anyone that buys a bottle of bourbon between now and Dec. 14th gets a slip in the "Pappy Box". On the 14th, we'll pull names. 1st name, first choice.Today, get the umpteenth phone call about "pappy". Explain to "customer (who probably hasn't ever been to the store before)", what we were doing. He responded "I don't want to buy anything else, I just want to buy "Pappy". Explained to him that wasn't about to happen. Consider the perspective of the liquor store owner.For months on end you get phone calls, emails, walk-ins. Hundreds of people asking about these bottles.You also have your regulars - guys who give you good business, whose name you know, who have been coming in for years - asking for a bottle. You have a few big whales - people who spend thousands upon thousands in wine sales (all us measly bourbon drinkers are a drop in the bucket). On the other side of this, you have the sazerac rep. They're asking you why the Fireball isn't more prominently displayed by the door. They're asking you about pushing their Rain vodka. Trying to get you to up your orders. All with the subtle or not so subtle threats of reduced allocations of BTAC and VW. Then the big day comes...you get your allotment. It's 1/3 less than last year. For most "good" liquor stores that adds up to about a full case or so. If you sell them at MSRP, you'll end up with less money than you earn on beer sales in a day. And you have a veritable pitchfork and torches mob waiting to try to get these bottles. With half or more firmly believing they DESERVE these bottles because of all the hard-earned business they've given you.How do you win in this situation? Low possibility of profits...high possibility of pissing off valued customers. IMHO there's no really good way to handle the madness. The easiest way is probably not to play at all, but then you risk losing more customers because they expect you to be able to get the high-end products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDBourbon Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I think that is a great idea. Well said. It's all you've stated and more.We've decided to do a lottery with our VW. Anyone that buys a bottle of bourbon between now and Dec. 14th gets a slip in the "Pappy Box". On the 14th, we'll pull names. 1st name, first choice.Today, get the umpteenth phone call about "pappy". Explain to "customer (who probably hasn't ever been to the store before)", what we were doing. He responded "I don't want to buy anything else, I just want to buy "Pappy". Explained to him that wasn't about to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 He responded "I don't want to buy anything else, I just want to buy "Pappy".That tells you right there what he wants to do with it.........[flip]........There'a a small store near me that sold me an ER17 last year. Every time I go in this time of year to ask if they've heard anything yet about BTAC, I buy something. If I'm gonna be the umpteenth guy that day to ask them about a limited, I'm at least going to make it worth their while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcbt Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 We've decided to do a lottery with our VW. Anyone that buys a bottle of bourbon between now and Dec. 14th gets a slip in the "Pappy Box". On the 14th, we'll pull names. 1st name, first choice.Today, get the umpteenth phone call about "pappy". Explain to "customer (who probably hasn't ever been to the store before)", what we were doing. He responded "I don't want to buy anything else, I just want to buy "Pappy". Explained to him that wasn't about to happen.Yea, either he lives nowhere near your store or is intent on flipping. Who wouldn't just go buy an extra something for the bunker, worst case scenario? Or best case, they find something else they were looking for, or discovered a new store to shop at, etc?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Santana Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I'm glad there are still stores that sell at MSRP, or at least close to it, since I wouldn't have any VW products or BTAC if there weren't. Now, getting a bottle is another story, but most of the stores in my area do sell at reasonable prices - it's just that you have to be a preferred customer (lots of purchases, earning goodwill), win a lottery or just plain get lucky with being in the right place at the right time. I don't blame stores that jack up the prices, though. I don't like to see it, but I understand it. If they all did it? Then I'd just have drink other good bourbon that's reasonably priced, and wait until the hysteria dies down in x number of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KyleCBreese Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I think that is a great idea.A local store near me is doing basically the same thing, but the purchase has to be from the glass case and then you get a ticket for the Pappy raffle. They have reasonable bottles like CEHT SB and Saz Rye, so it's not like you have to spend $200 to get a ticket. I guess it prevents people from buying a $9 bottle of HH for a raffle ticket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisiana Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 A local store near me is doing basically the same thing, but the purchase has to be from the glass case and then you get a ticket for the Pappy raffle. They have reasonable bottles like CEHT SB and Saz Rye, so it's not like you have to spend $200 to get a ticket. I guess it prevents people from buying a $9 bottle of HH for a raffle ticket.That's what I was wondering when GAbiker said they were doing that!Do the mini bottles count? Just kidding! Hope it works out well for everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp_stargazer Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I like the "a purchase gets you a ticket" method.One of my local stores (and pretty much the only one that gets BTAC and the Van Winkle line) has the raffle coupled with a tasting event. It is $20 to get in but they hand you a $20 voucher for a purchase that night. For the raffle, you put your name in the hat for the bottle(s) you are interested in purchasing and they draw randomly for each bottling until supply is exhausted. Basically it is an equal opportunity for people and the store wins because they get at least $20 from everyone (probably more). So even when I don't "win," I still have tasted a bunch of stuff and received $20 off a regular purchase!Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluggo Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 "Thar She Blows" I finally found one of the Great White Whales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonutsNBourbon Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 "Thar She Blows" I finally found one of the Great White Whales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnybogey Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 "Thar She Blows" I finally found one of the Great White Whales.Curious to hear your thoughts on Lot B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Curious to hear your thoughts on Lot B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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