Liquor Store / Distributor Ridiculousness

[dcbt]

The thread about RHF being discontinued (it's not, btw), along with the seemingly weekly story about such-and-such being discontinued, got me thinking: What are some absurd tidbits of "info" you've been told by liquor stores or distributors?

I'll start: one manager told me Buffalo Trace was 8 year old Pappy. It was wrong on so many levels I didn't even have the energy to refute or inform.

(We can probably skip all the "This bourbon is being discontinued" stories since just about everything short of Jim or Jack has fallen in here at some point, or so it seems.)

Edited February 5, 2015 by dcbt

[JGriff]

Well how many stores (that don't get it) have said W12 is Pappy. Too numerous to count. That's why I saw a bottle listed for $89.

[CorvallisCracker]

Hard to cite examples, because I tend to forget bad information as soon as I hear it...but I know I've heard a lot...

[BonVivant84]

I got a few...

Corner Creek Bourbon is a bottled in bond (thats what his rep told him)

Stagg Jr. is 100% part of the antique collection

Baby Saz is a limited edition release

Liquor is supposed to be stored on its side.......a bunch of nice stuff ruined in that place

And ditto the above posts about various takes on the anything Weller / Buffalo Trace are just younger versions of Pappy.

Edited February 5, 2015 by BonVivant84

[squire]

Yeah, Benchmark is made by the same people who make Pappy.

[kjbeggs]

-Elmer T Lee has been discontinued, because Mr. Lee passed away (I know you said skip these, but I just found the reasoning to be kinda' funny, given the number of labels on the shelf named after a dead guy)

-Noah's Mill is the best bourbon in the store, and it's a limited release (They had almost an entire aisle of it that was being "featured")

-We are the only store in Texas that got any PVW 23, because you have to be on a secret list. That's why it's $1400

-TX Whiskey is the first bourbon distilled in Texas (not bourbon, not distilled here; although they do have some Bourbon currently aging).

[Harry in WashDC]

I wish somebody would buy the damn Jefferson's Ocean at my closest store. My last six visits I've been met with, "Hey! Good to see you again. I've been keeping this for you!"

[Tony Santana]

I always like the "there are only 2 (or 4, or whatever) bottles of this in the whole state". Maybe I'm buying it with something like the Van Winkle Rye this year, but not much else. Heard it most recently with the WT Diamond. Two in the whole state? Oh really? I've already got one, two of my friends do, and I personally know at least 3 stores within a 10 mile radius where I could buy one if I really wanted to do so. Peddle that line to someone else.

[amg]

Got an email from a local a couple weeks ago claiming that Redemption BP Rye is exclusively available from them. Maybe their super-gougey price is exclusive to them, I guess.

[rcs86]

I was told that they "were going to get the 26 year Pappy" This year.

[dcbt]

I was told that they "were going to get the 26 year Pappy" This year.

I was told the same thing about the 21 year recently. I asked if he meant the 20? He nodded affirmatively. But for kicks I also asked if he meant the 23? Yes again. Both? No. So which one? Yes. At this point in my head I'm hearing Jules in Pulp Fiction. ("English, mother******, do you speak it?!")

[sailor22]

The regional distributor kept telling our group that Eddie was working on a secret super special absolutely over the top batch of only the very best barrels of Wild Turkey that would be a very very very limited release in honor of his fathers anniversary. He swore it was going to be better than Tribute because he had tasted it. Turns out Diamond was not even remotely close to being very limited or in the same league as any of Turkey's better efforts, much less their Tribute.

Wild Turkey saying that they pulled the WT 101 Rye off the market and substituted 81 proof because the bartenders wanted a lower proof. Then some time later they made the 101 proof available again with a press release saying it was being produced because it is what the bartenders wanted.

The distributor for Tempelton Rye recently insisting it was distilled in Iowa from Al Capone's old recipe.

[Xevious]

Maybe not bad info... but I've had multiple people from multiple stores (same chain) walk up and try to sell me on Willett Pot Still after they see me in the whiskey isle. It's like they got a company memo instructing them to push that stuff.

[Scotch Neat]

Maybe not bad info... but I've had multiple people from multiple stores (same chain) walk up and try to sell me on Willett Pot Still after they see me in the whiskey isle. It's like they got a company memo instructing them to push that stuff.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

From our distributors.

"This cinnamon Jose Cuervo will take the place of fireball. Flavored tequila is the future."

"We think with product will work best in the whiskey section."

Me: but it's a liqueur so it will go in the liqueur section.

"Moonshine is different than vodka."

"This is the best deal that we will ever have on this product".

[squire]

I was told a story that Pappy is made on a small, special still deep in the recesses of Buffalo Trace where the public wasn't allowed to go.

[TunnelTiger]

I have NEVER EVER witnessed anyone buying a Willett Pot Still bottle.

Was in a store in Brooklyn where the distributor gave me a heads up to stock up on the older Macallan Scotch as the distiller has run out of the older spirit.

I'll fess up, bought one two years ago, lesson learned

[jaycamm]

I was told that all rye was made in Indiana because its easier to ship the grain to one location. I was about to school the clerk but I just left the store instead.

[Chris m]

In response to a customer asking why they had so many High West bottles:

"Oh! That's because they just opened a distillery in Utah!"

This was right after he pushed willett's 2yr rye on this customer as ultra rare and one of the best ryes available.

[Richnimrod]

I was told a story that Pappy is made on a small, special still deep in the recesses of Buffalo Trace where the public wasn't allowed to go.

Squire; That's absolutely true! I was among the few who snuck into the secret passageway when the tour guide wasn't looking, and saw it for myself... Hand to God! Even saw the man himself stirring the mash! Even saw 'em pour a few drops from a barrel that, I swear was marked 1883! Saw a few sheaves of wheat being spread in palm fashion before Mr. Van Winkle as he walked down the hallway!

Sorry for the thread drift.....

[tsangster]

A guy once told me that his distributor friend told him that Evan Williams is leftover Jack Daniels.

[jackthedog]

I was once handed a bottle of Eagle Rare for $70 and told it would sell out that day. I asked if this was by chance the 17 year and my timing was perfect. The answer was no, that will be at least $300. I left shortly thereafter.

[fishnbowljoe]

I was at one of my favorite stores one time, when I happened to run into a sales rep/distributor. I asked him about the prospects of getting some EW BIB on the shelves there. He asked for my phone number, and said he'd check on it and get back with me. Right….. Surprise! Surprise! He actually called me two nights later. :bigeyes: He said it'd be in the store in two or three weeks. That was about 8 months ago. Still haven't seen any. :skep:

[Harry in WashDC]

From our distributors.

"This cinnamon Jose Cuervo will take the place of fireball. Flavored tequila is the future."

"We think with product will work best in the whiskey section."

Me: but it's a liqueur so it will go in the liqueur section.

"Moonshine is different than vodka."

"This is the best deal that we will ever have on this product".

Thank you, Eric. Glad to hear that it's not just consumers that get hustled. Don't know why retailers would be immune, but it does take the edge off an obvious hustle to know they, too, get pressured sometimes.

[Ravensfire]

Alas, my usual place does a good job of keeping the distributors out of sight and the whiskey people there are excellent.

At the Whiskey in the Winter event a few months ago, I made my usual beeline for Buffalo Trace and was saddened to note that the distributor there was quite clueless. I didn't mind the booth babes not knowing anything (especially since it gave me a chance to chat with one for a few minute to educate her!), but the distributor saying that Blanton's was the best, longest-aged bourbon from BT was, well, sad. Especially when there isn't an age statement on the bottle. There was also some crap from him about ETL would be part of the BTAC soon.

Which is why I kept chatting with said booth babe! At least I could give her some correct (but basically useless) info about the products.