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Liquor Store "Huh?" Moments


fenderbender4

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Feel free to share your interesting encounters but I had to post about something.  Went into a local liquor store advertising Jefferson's Presidential Select 18 Yr. and told that it was (after calling).  I walked in and it's the Jefferson's Reserve, marked at $87.99.  I was then told that it WAS the same as the 18 Yr. and that lots of companies are dropping the age statements to "prevent theft" (i.e. thieves see an age statement and steal it). 

 

Umm...okay.

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Makes sense to me. I removed the logo from my Caddy and replaced it with the Chevy bowtie to keep the thieves from taking it. The Caddy, that is.

Edited by Flyfish
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Living in a stupid world where the government controls all liquor coming in and out of my Provence I'm kinda baffled by this one government controlled liquor store (BCL) by my work that has 4 "new" bourbons that are at no other BCL, it's not even listed on their website. Not sure if what is going on is under the counter or not, but whatever, I'm glad to buy what they're getting in.

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Not quite the same, but there is a liqour store down the road from my house that has multiple bottles of Stagg Jr for $200 a bottle and OWA was something like $45.  That's before the 20.5% sales tax.  Another has a bottle of William Larue Weller for $700.  Those made me double take.

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I went into a store in search of some common ryes (Ritt, WT101R, HW stuff) and they didn't have any and the owner said they did not normally carry it. As I was going to leave, a distributor who was in the store chatting with the owner told me to hang on and that he had something even better. He walked back to the whiskeys and grabbed a Templeton and started telling me the story about it being Al Capone's favorite and how it was better than Sazerac in a blind taste test. I smiled and said no thank you.

 

On the flipside, I went to a different place in search of various FRSB recipes and they were having a sale on the OBSVs, 2/$50. I thought this was a great deal but noticed they were dusty on top and asked why. The owner said they weren't popular and the feedback he was getting was that there was a funky note to them. He also told me they don't get BT LE stuff anymore because they stopped carrying 1792 which is the key to getting it, apparently. He said it wasn't worth the trouble and would stick to standard stuff.

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A small store did a private barrel of Jef President Reserve.  I tried a sample.  It tasted like really average high rye bourbon.  Evan Williams, OGD, or VOB taste better to me.  I can't see paying $40 for Jef's NAS, 90 proof, youngish sourced whiskey.  Now a grocery store is carying the same brand, but not a barrel selection.  It's almost $50.  For a buck or two more, Blanton's and MMCS are next to it!  :lol:  KCSB is less.

Here's a huh moment that has happened several times to me.  I go to look at bourbon and a clerk becons me to see a certain brand's bong shaped bottle behind the counter.  They've heard it's something real special.

Edited by PaulO
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Not a bourbon story, but a 1963 Glenfiddich 40+ year old, in box, laying on its side in the display case.  In another local store, a Mac 25 on its side in the case.  Unbelievable.  

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I live in Ohio, and my local is in the kroger. We are state controlled. I pretty much think that the people who work there know how to take money, and nothing else. 

 

A couple months ago I was there and bought an EC12. The check out dude, probably mid 20s says, "you know, this is losing the age statement." Surprise, surprise. Who knew?

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I had a positive "huh" moment a few months ago. A store on the way home from work was charging $32 for Pikesville. I was so shocked the first time I saw it. I bought one per week until they realized it and started charging $50.

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Went into a store in MD while on my way up to NJ, and saw they had some BT on the shelf, with a handwritten note in front of it that says "This is the stuff that becomes Pappy!!!" 

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This is a good topic. 

 

I've gotten the same sales pitch on Templeton rye. I too smiled, said no thanks. Didn't correct the sales person. Just let it go. 

 

At the same place, I once asked what whisky was new and the GM showed me Clyde Mays and told me that it was bourbon aged with apples in the barrel. I checked it on my phone and showed him that what they were selling for 40-50 bucks, it was not bourbon at all, but a blended whisky with apple flavoring added at the end. The store quit carrying it and the GM told me that the distributor had lied to him about the product. I was shocked.

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Deleted by poster.

Edited by starhopper
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A good "huh."

 

A decade ago I went into a funky liquor store about 2 miles from work to discover a Classic Gold Label WT 12 on the upper shelf with a substantial layer of dust on it.  I ask how much the clerk got the step ladder at first gave me the price of the bottles on either side of it.  After convincing him I was interested in the WT 12 he pulled the bottle cleaned of some dust and said $45.  I said it looks like there might be another.  In total there was 6.  Because I took them all, he ate the tax.

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9 hours ago, Fort Knox said:

Went into a store in MD while on my way up to NJ, and saw they had some BT on the shelf, with a handwritten note in front of it that says "This is the stuff that becomes Pappy!!!" 

I had a store manager tell me something like that as well a few years ago, that BT was 8 year old Pappy.

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I've mentioned this before I think but I went into a local store that had Angels Envy Rye marked $45. (It was right next to the regular AE but had its own shelf tag.) I went to the owner and told him I thought it priced was wrong. In a snide voice, he informed me he knew how to manage his store. I bought them all and still enjoying them today.

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12 hours ago, Three quarks said:

I walked into a store down south to get some OWA. I started talking to an older gentleman standing near the bourbon. It turned out that we are both pilots, both military, and both musicians, with much in common. I also learned that he owned the store. As we eventually got back to discussing bourbon, I told him that I really like wheated bourbon, and he asked if I liked Pappy. I told him I had never tried it, because when it was affordable, I wasn't interested, and now prices are through the roof. 

 

He then asked: "would you like to try it"? I said sure, thinking he must have an open bottle. He said "follow me," and he took me to the storeroom where he had a safe with several bottles. He said I could have any one for whatever it rang up on the cash register. I was a little nervous about the price, but I choose a Pappy 15 and surprisingly it rang up at retail. What a great deal! I also gained a great friend, because he then invited me to their jam sessions while I was stationed in the area.

 

I also like hearing about the "great coincidences in life" stories.  Helps to alleviate the many "ugh" moments.  That's awesome.

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One of the warehouse club stores here has 4RYL 750 for $34.  Other stores in my area have it for $21.  I've not seen a bottle sold.  I asked if the price was right, they checked and said yes.  Other brands and bottles are more realistic prices, not sure why they have this one so far off of standard price.

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I gave up long ago trying to explain to retailers when they appear to be confusing and mispricing products.  It just isn't worth the hassle. 

 

Same thing when they tell me something incorrect about the product.  Like today someone told me if I like Blanton's, I should try CEHT.  I could explain the difference but I am not sure it would have mattered. 

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I've found if ya frequent the same stores often buying higher end, the clerks and managers might start paying attention when ya suggest something

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On 5/7/2016 at 11:15 PM, Fort Knox said:

Went into a store in MD while on my way up to NJ, and saw they had some BT on the shelf, with a handwritten note in front of it that says "This is the stuff that becomes Pappy!!!" 

In a way this could be correct.  If the store sells a huge quantity of BT, maybe eventually they will be offered a bottle or two of VW.  :lol:

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On 5/8/2016 at 11:31 PM, B.B. Babington said:

I've found if ya frequent the same stores often buying higher end, the clerks and managers might start paying attention when ya suggest something

 

Yeah, which is kind of unfortunate as quality and price seem somewhat correlated but there are some expensive bourbons that are terrible, and some "cheap" ones that are quite good, but those wouldn't be apparent to people who haven't done a little research.  

 

I get what you're saying though and I guess if I was a liquor store owner, and didn't know much about a certain spirit, and a customer came in and kept buying a bunch of different expensive ones, I'd be inclined to get his/her opinion.

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On 5/7/2016 at 10:17 PM, Three quarks said:

I walked into a store down south to get some OWA. I started talking to an older gentleman standing near the bourbon. It turned out that we are both pilots, both military, and both musicians, with much in common. I also learned that he owned the store. As we eventually got back to discussing bourbon, I told him that I really like wheated bourbon, and he asked if I liked Pappy. I told him I had never tried it, because when it was affordable, I wasn't interested, and now prices are through the roof. 

 

He then asked: "would you like to try it"? I said sure, thinking he must have an open bottle. He said "follow me," and he took me to the storeroom where he had a safe with several bottles. He said I could have any one for whatever it rang up on the cash register. I was a little nervous about the price, but I choose a Pappy 15 and surprisingly it rang up at retail. What a great deal! I also gained a great friend, because he then invited me to their jam sessions while I was stationed in the area.

Great story, old military guys are the best.

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I was standing in the whisky isle when a well dressed mature lady walked up holding a bottle of Rock Hill Farms and asked me if it was a good Bourbon.  Yes ma'am I responded.  She thanked me and said, "the clerk told me if I had a question about Bourbon I should ask the white haired gentleman on the cane", then she walked off to pay for her purchase.

 

Don't know if she thought I worked there or something.  Later when I told my son the story he said, "did you get her number, your kinda old yourself".

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Just got back from a store that had Regular Stranahans and Stranahan Diamond peak right next to each other marked for the same price at $35.99, not sure I would pay $70 for it, but a no brainer at that price. 

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