Our ongoing observations about whether the boom has peaked

[Phil T]

11 hours ago, Richnimrod said:

Ta-Killya?   No thanx.   With the exception of a well-made Margharita.   Those find my favor for certain.   But, Tequila as a neat pour?  Reminds me of what I imagine drinking fuel oil might be like.

 

 

I'm pretty much with you Rich.  Although my friends and I will occasionally do shots. I've been doing Ta-Killya for more than 40 years. It is usually a low cost brand. However, I have stepped up my game with tequila the last couple years to make a better margarita and ranch water.

 

I suddenly became single about 14 yrs ago and was experimenting with dating again. One night, I had a date to the house and we were sitting on the patio. Her drinking wine, me bourbon. At one point during the evening:

 

Girl...let's do some shots!

Me...I think all I have is tequila. 

Girl...oh, tequila makes my clothes fall off.

Me...Tequila it is!!

 

Fun times!

 

Prost!!  Phil 

[smokinjoe]

12 minutes ago, Phil T said:

I'm pretty much with you Rich.  Although my friends and I will occasionally do shots. I've been doing Ta-Killya for more than 40 years. It is usually a low cost brand. However, I have stepped up my game with tequila the last couple years to make a better margarita and ranch water.

 

I suddenly became single about 14 yrs ago and was experimenting with dating again. One night, I had a date to the house and we were sitting on the patio. Her drinking wine, me bourbon. At one point during the evening:

 

Girl...let's do some shots!

Me...I think all I have is tequila. 

Girl...oh, tequila makes my clothes fall off.

Me...Tequila it is!!

 

Fun times!

 

Prost!!  Phil 

You old dog!!!  

 

 

 

[flahute]

[Skinsfan1311]

5 hours ago, b1gcountry said:

Tequila can be amazing. Some of the extra anejo has more in common with good bourbon than you might expect. Agave takes 10-12 years to reach maturity, so every quality Blanco has about as much care as a 12 year whiskey.

Do you have any recommendations?

[b1gcountry]

39 minutes ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

Do you have any recommendations?

I'm still relatively new to it, so I don't have a ton of experience... but there is generally an additive free vs. sweetened/flavored decision, and a aged vs. unaged decision. 

 

Tequila ocho has a nice unaged and unaltered Blanco at around $40. It has a lot of vegetal stewed agave taste to it. It will be much different from whiskey, so this is decent as a different experience.

 

El Tesoro and arette are also good affordable options.

 

The bottle I just splurged on is tears of llorona, which has a thick body, and lots of vanilla tannins from the oak. It has some brandy notes to it, and I wager most bourbon lovers would like it. It's expensive though. 

 

The don Julio stuff is much sweeter and less flavorful. I stuck with these for my first few bottles, and they are decent. 

 

Stay away from Cristal. 

[PaulO]

6 hours ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

Do you have any recommendations?

I'll chime in.

You want something that has "100% agave" on tthe label.  Otherwise, it will be agave distillate blended with some kind of grain spirits.    Skip all that stuff.

 

Something easy to find is Cuervo Traditional.

I really like Olmeca Altos, and Espolon.  The reposado is what I usually get.  If you find it, the anejo version of either of those - is just wow.

[Double C's]

11 hours ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

Do you have any recommendations?

Insolito anejo is also good. If you want a bourbon lovers tequila(but at a cost), then the Arette Gran Clase Extra Anejo tequila is very good.

[Skinsfan1311]

12 hours ago, b1gcountry said:

I'm still relatively new to it, so I don't have a ton of experience... but there is generally an additive free vs. sweetened/flavored decision, and a aged vs. unaged decision. 

 

Tequila ocho has a nice unaged and unaltered Blanco at around $40. It has a lot of vegetal stewed agave taste to it. It will be much different from whiskey, so this is decent as a different experience.

 

El Tesoro and arette are also good affordable options.

 

The bottle I just splurged on is tears of llorona, which has a thick body, and lots of vanilla tannins from the oak. It has some brandy notes to it, and I wager most bourbon lovers would like it. It's expensive though. 

 

The don Julio stuff is much sweeter and less flavorful. I stuck with these for my first few bottles, and they are decent. 

 

Stay away from Cristal. 

 

6 hours ago, PaulO said:

I'll chime in.

You want something that has "100% agave" on tthe label.  Otherwise, it will be agave distillate blended with some kind of grain spirits.    Skip all that stuff.

 

Something easy to find is Cuervo Traditional.

I really like Olmeca Altos, and Espolon.  The reposado is what I usually get.  If you find it, the anejo version of either of those - is just wow.

 

1 hour ago, Double C's said:

Insolito anejo is also good. If you want a bourbon lovers tequila(but at a cost), then the Arette Gran Clase Extra Anejo tequila is very good.

Thanks everyone!!

[Harry in WashDC]

Was in a Wash DC Wegmans today.  Plenty of basic BT.  The catch?  $54 a 750.  Mother, duck!

[ebo]

On 8/14/2024 at 5:32 AM, PaulO said:

I'll chime in.

You want something that has "100% agave" on tthe label.  Otherwise, it will be agave distillate blended with some kind of grain spirits.    Skip all that stuff.

 

Something easy to find is Cuervo Traditional.

I really like Olmeca Altos, and Espolon.  The reposado is what I usually get.  If you find it, the anejo version of either of those - is just wow.

I usually go with Espolon for affordable Tequila. I agree... the Anejo is very good.

[VWIndy]

If you are going to try some tequila I would recommend that you try the additive free tequila.  They are adding vanilla and all kinds of junk to some tequilas (e.g. Casamigos).

A good additive free tequila is G4 or Fortaleza.  Getting harder to find the Fortaleza  now that it has been discovered.  The prices are going up as taters hoard it (Sound familiar).

Cheers

 

[JT3NSB]

I guess the bourbon boom has peaked if all of you are going on about Tequila!   

[Skinsfan1311]

20 hours ago, Harry in WashDC said:

Was in a Wash DC Wegmans today.  Plenty of basic BT.  The catch?  $54 a 750.  Mother, duck!

Easy pass!!!

[Grady330]

Today my LS told me that 1792 came off of allocation here on eastern Long Island. Hard to get, Sweet Wheat, Full Proof, SiB, BiB all came though in multiple cases and $ came down quite a bit. He moved them from behind the counter to the regular shelves!!

[b1gcountry]

2 hours ago, Grady330 said:

Today my LS told me that 1792 came off of allocation here on eastern Long Island. Hard to get, Sweet Wheat, Full Proof, SiB, BiB all came though in multiple cases and $ came down quite a bit. He moved them from behind the counter to the regular shelves!!

I won an allocation lottery last month, and one of the picks was 1792 BIB ($39). This store puts most of it's marginally rare stuff in the lottery...

[PaulO]

On 8/15/2024 at 1:02 PM, Grady330 said:

Today my LS told me that 1792 came off of allocation here on eastern Long Island. Hard to get, Sweet Wheat, Full Proof, SiB, BiB all came though in multiple cases and $ came down quite a bit. He moved them from behind the counter to the regular shelves!!

The regular 1792 I can find without much trouble, but never see any of those other variations.  The funny thing is, long ago I decided I much prefer VOB 100 over 1792, when it comes to Barton brands, regardless of price.

 

As to the boom, I'm seeing so much Saz Rye lately - like multiple cases on display in grocery stores and liquor stores.  That product used to get almost the same sort of treatment Blanton's gets now.  Times have changed.  If I bide my time and wait for a sale, I can pick it up for $20.

[jvd99]

Beyonce thinks the boom is still going strong and there are enough gullible fans out there to buy her new American Whisky

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13761709/Beyonce-launched-whisky-SirDavis-sexy-snaps.html

[smokinjoe]

1 hour ago, jvd99 said:

Beyonce thinks the boom is still going strong and there are enough gullible fans out there to buy her new American Whisky

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13761709/Beyonce-launched-whisky-SirDavis-sexy-snaps.html

I’m sorry for this thread drift, but I remember this watching it live and laughing my arse off, and still giggle when I think about it, now.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Double C's]

Hot off the presses. This is a good indicator that sales across the spirits industry are not as strong as they have been in the recent past. 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jack-daniels-maker-brown-forman-132433941.html

[markandrex]

Maybe some JD available cheap near the KY/TN border.  One man’s boom is another man’s bust.

Joe Imel

 

@joeimel

 

KSP is on the lookout for a semi carrying a load of stolen Jack Daniels Whiskey on I65 NB near the 1 mm. Scanner traffic indicates the driver picked up the wrong trailer.

 

 

12:08 PM · Sep 20, 2024

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[fishnbowljoe]

What I posted in another thread:

For something more positive “On a different note, I’ve been seeing allocated items show up a little more frequently. I hope this is a good sign.”  YES, SUPPLIES ARE BEGINNING TO CATCH UP TO DEMAND!

[smokinjoe]

9 minutes ago, fishnbowljoe said:

What I posted in another thread:

For something more positive “On a different note, I’ve been seeing allocated items show up a little more frequently. I hope this is a good sign.”  YES, SUPPLIES ARE BEGINNING TO CATCH UP TO DEMAND!

I’ll counter that supplies are not beginning to catch up to demand, but have now blown past demand, and more’s comin’.  

[mbroo5880i]

Maybe people are just getting tired of chasing every bottle.  Maybe it is the economy although even during slower period people didin't seem to stop buy bourbon.

 

One store in my area had an ECBP 9 year store pick for $78.99 that a year ago would have been wiped out before the clerk could pull the bottles from the case.  They had several bottles that sat on the shelf for several weeks.  They put out several bottles B524 last week for the same price and the bottles are still sitting there.  Last year, it was difficult to score the regular release much less to see them on the shelf.  The same bottles are still sitting on the shelf.

 

Same with a Dickel 17 year.  It has been sitting there for $249.99.  Same with the higher end Rabbit Holes.  Bulleitt 10 year.  If the same store put out even something WTRB it would get wiped out the same day.  Now it sits for a week or two.  This store is located in a heavily shopped bourbon area.

[flahute]

For everyone interested in this topic, I highly recommend this podcast by David Driscoll with special guest Chuck Cowdery. @Richnimrod  what Chuck has to say is likely familiar to you based on his latest newsletter. Some of you will remember Dave Driscoll from his days as the writer of the wine and spirits blog for K&L Wine and Spirits. Since he left K&L he's worked a variety of roles in the indusrty from distribution to his current role as consultant to brands in the industry.

 

The title of the podcast is "The Bourbon Bust has Already Begun." Whether you agree or disagree it is well worth a listen.

 

https://www.two-nineteen.com/episode-009

[GaryT]

20 hours ago, flahute said:

For everyone interested in this topic, I highly recommend this podcast by David Driscoll with special guest Chuck Cowdery. @Richnimrod  what Chuck has to say is likely familiar to you based on his latest newsletter. Some of you will remember Dave Driscoll from his days as the writer of the wine and spirits blog for K&L Wine and Spirits. Since he left K&L he's worked a variety of roles in the indusrty from distribution to his current role as consultant to brands in the industry.

 

The title of the podcast is "The Bourbon Bust has Already Begun." Whether you agree or disagree it is well worth a listen.

 

https://www.two-nineteen.com/episode-009

Just listened to this podcast earlier today.  I hope there is a part 2 as Dave hinted at the end might be needed.  Hearing Chuck compare to the signs and how company's responded in the glut of the 80s/early 90s - and their hypothesizing who gets hurt, and how folks are likely to respond was incredibly interesting.  I can't imagine anyone who is active (even folks who don't post that often like myself) in this community not finding the 40 minutes well worthwhile.

 

And I'm looking forward to 6-7 year cask strength MGP for $15  

Heck, when I was getting INTO whiskey I remember picking up Willett 5 year rye for $35 which was just LDI/MGP; or Smooth Ambler Old Scout 9 year cask strength for $40.  I don't think we'll see prices for the main labels change (no going back to ETL for $19.99 on the shelf unfortunately), but a lot of the misc stuff likely won't survive - and likely will see the quality of other labels drink marginally better for a bit.