Liquor Store "Huh?" Moments

[flahute]

1 hour ago, smokinjoe said:

I’m liking the sound of that cocktail, Harry! Buying me some blood orange Sodey water tomorrow.  And, I appreciate your condolences.  Scherzer?  Really?  That’s the guy who comes in as a pinch hitter and gets the rally starting hit?  Baseball.  The greatest game.  

Just think Joe, you could be a Reds fan like me. If I still lived in Cincinnati I'd drink a lot more bourbon to numb the pain of losing.

[kevinbrink]

10 hours ago, flahute said:

Just think Joe, you could be a Reds fan like me. If I still lived in Cincinnati I'd drink a lot more bourbon to numb the pain of losing.

As a Mets fan my liver has been greatly damaged this year, at least at this point Harvey is your problem.

[PaulO]

Kroger grocery stores have been trying to get into selling liquor in a big way.  They had an OK selection, and sometimes great prices.  Fast forward, about two weeks ago, they dramatically raised prices on many items.  Four Roses Yellow Label went up around $9 higher and so on - WTF?  

[Paddy]

^^^ all 4R products have recently experienced a price reboot here as well.  I think you guys were just behind the curve...

 

[Jav]

Around my parts 4 roses small batch is ridiculously consistent.  It's between $31 and $33 pretty much everywhere I see it, even places that sell WSR for $80.

 

Four roses single barrel, on the other hand, is all over the place.  From $33 at total wine and more to $55 at other places.

[kcgumbohead]

A tale of 2 cities. Last week I was in Las Vegas for work and set out for a 375 of WT and to browse new places and generally enjoy, as I do here in GA or KY, TN, IN...the retail experience. Now I have been going to LV for over 25yrs and in all that time I don't recall spending any time in a LS. What I found on this trip may not be the case in the greater LV area, but within a 10mi radius of the strip, the "huh" moment was the feeling that I should be wearing a trench coat and dark shades as I passed through the portals of these (visited about 5) establishments. I did find my WT but I had to point it out as strolling the aisle leisurely reading labels and just enjoying shopping was not an option. The entire selection was behind the counter and only the store staff had access to it, beer was plenty accessible in the coolers opposite the counter. 

To any LV area SBrs no disrespect here, I get why things may be set up this way and I have great affection for your city, its just a startling contrast to what I have grown accustomed to. A tip of the hat to the greater ATL merchants whose broad and deep inventory is presented in spacious, clean and for the most part simply pleasant environments that often foster browsing and conversation as well as pretty decent pricing across the board.

A good many of us enjoy the browsing aspect of this hobby, myself certainly included and it was during this trip that I collected several "huh" moments and considered just how different this seemingly simple experience can be from 1 locale to another.

 

[anthony. g.]

6 hours ago, kcgumbohead said:

A tale of 2 cities. Last week I was in Las Vegas for work and set out for a 375 of WT and to browse new places and generally enjoy, as I do here in GA or KY, TN, IN...the retail experience. Now I have been going to LV for over 25yrs and in all that time I don't recall spending any time in a LS. What I found on this trip may not be the case in the greater LV area, but within a 10mi radius of the strip, the "huh" moment was the feeling that I should be wearing a trench coat and dark shades as I passed through the portals of these (visited about 5) establishments. I did find my WT but I had to point it out as strolling the aisle leisurely reading labels and just enjoying shopping was not an option. The entire selection was behind the counter and only the store staff had access to it, beer was plenty accessible in the coolers opposite the counter. 

To any LV area SBrs no disrespect here, I get why things may be set up this way and I have great affection for your city, its just a startling contrast to what I have grown accustomed to. A tip of the hat to the greater ATL merchants whose broad and deep inventory is presented in spacious, clean and for the most part simply pleasant environments that often foster browsing and conversation as well as pretty decent pricing across the board.

A good many of us enjoy the browsing aspect of this hobby, myself certainly included and it was during this trip that I collected several "huh" moments and considered just how different this seemingly simple experience can be from 1 locale to another.

 

i've a trip booked to LV later in the year and was hoping to pick a bottle or two up to enjoy back here in the UK. any advice on where to look would be greatly appreciated 

[mbroo5880i]

On 6/12/2018 at 1:50 PM, PaulO said:

Kroger grocery stores have been trying to get into selling liquor in a big way.  They had an OK selection, and sometimes great prices.  Fast forward, about two weeks ago, they dramatically raised prices on many items.  Four Roses Yellow Label went up around $9 higher and so on - WTF?  

 Yeah, I stopped at the store in Bargersville and noticed some price changes.  The Brownsburg store rearranged everything and had new price tags on several things. 

[kcgumbohead]

On 6/13/2018 at 7:34 PM, anthony. g. said:

i've a trip booked to LV later in the year and was hoping to pick a bottle or two up to enjoy back here in the UK. any advice on where to look would be greatly appreciated 

There is a Total Wine on the south side of the strip not far from the airport. Since you are visiting I will assume your stay will be strip centric in terms of where you might shop. I did not go to the LV Total wine on this trip but having visited other outlets in other cities you should find a much more pleasant shopping experience than I did. TW typically has a deep inventory but given its proximity to a major tourist hub, expect inflated prices. My personal recommendations without knowing your preferences would be Russels Reserve private barrel selections, 4Roses private selections if they ahve any. I did see WT KY spirit for about 10 dollars less than what I see at home and it is the discontinued bottle, which could make a fine keepsake. That may be a international release which negates the recommendation but I am unfamiliar with UK bourbon releases. Enjoy the trip, it is a fun and uniquely American city, I love it and I hope you will too.

[anthony. g.]

4 hours ago, kcgumbohead said:

There is a Total Wine on the south side of the strip not far from the airport. Since you are visiting I will assume your stay will be strip centric in terms of where you might shop. I did not go to the LV Total wine on this trip but having visited other outlets in other cities you should find a much more pleasant shopping experience than I did. TW typically has a deep inventory but given its proximity to a major tourist hub, expect inflated prices. My personal recommendations without knowing your preferences would be Russels Reserve private barrel selections, 4Roses private selections if they ahve any. I did see WT KY spirit for about 10 dollars less than what I see at home and it is the discontinued bottle, which could make a fine keepsake. That may be a international release which negates the recommendation but I am unfamiliar with UK bourbon releases. Enjoy the trip, it is a fun and uniquely American city, I love it and I hope you will too.

thanks for your response. im staying on the strip and downtown to break the trip up a little. i have visited LV a few times now but have only started to enjoy bourbon  over the last 18 months or so, so never really looked on my previous trips there.

thanks for the heads up on TW. ill get to that store and have a look

[Clueby]

4 hours ago, anthony. g. said:

thanks for your response. im staying on the strip and downtown to break the trip up a little. i have visited LV a few times now but have only started to enjoy bourbon  over the last 18 months or so, so never really looked on my previous trips there.

thanks for the heads up on TW. ill get to that store and have a look

I just got back from a week in LV but never really got off the strip or Fremont. Had a few nice restaurant pours but nothing too crazy. One pretty high end place's best pour was Woodford? Had some Stagg Jr. and an OWA PS. Buckets of Shocktop for the pool at TI did the trick while people watching. Lol. The Seafood Shack bar in TI has great $8 hand muddled mojitos all day every day so I think I had one every time I walked by!

[PaulO]

On 6/12/2018 at 1:50 PM, PaulO said:

Kroger grocery stores have been trying to get into selling liquor in a big way.  They had an OK selection, and sometimes great prices.  Fast forward, about two weeks ago, they dramatically raised prices on many items.  Four Roses Yellow Label went up around $9 higher and so on - WTF?  

So I went there today for groceries and 4R prices had come down a lot.  Now Yellow Label is only a bit over a buck more than before the bump.    

[Bob_Loblaw]

10 hours ago, anthony. g. said:

thanks for your response. im staying on the strip and downtown to break the trip up a little. i have visited LV a few times now but have only started to enjoy bourbon  over the last 18 months or so, so never really looked on my previous trips there.

thanks for the heads up on TW. ill get to that store and have a look

Per a friend TW had some EC store picks bottles.  Little pricey at $36, but for a vacation bottle and considering proximity to strip not something I would pass up.  No notes on bottle as he chose a non store pick Belle Mead as his purchase

[BottledInBond]

20 hours ago, anthony. g. said:

thanks for your response. im staying on the strip and downtown to break the trip up a little. i have visited LV a few times now but have only started to enjoy bourbon  over the last 18 months or so, so never really looked on my previous trips there.

thanks for the heads up on TW. ill get to that store and have a look

This isn’t helpful for liquor store purposes but for getting a pour at a bar, the bar at Delmonico has always been my favorite whiskey destination in Vegas. Not cheap but awesome selection generally. Lots of places in Vegas will had stupid gouge pricing Van Winkle pours but I also feel like their ability to constantly keep them available creates suspicion that some of those places are refilling those bottles or something. Maybe I need to take off my tinfoil hat or something but it just seems unlikely that they have a limitless supply out there somehow, and it’s a town built on greed. 

[BigRich]

I’m not usually posting in the “huh” thread because I think the LS stupidity is too widespread to even comment at this point. Well, I was stunned today when I went into TW and saw their EC pick for $43 next to regular EC for $27. I picked up the bottle and shook it but I couldn’t see any magic fairy dust in it. I guess those TW boys are masterful barrel pickers. Or just masterful BS artists.

[0895]

9 minutes ago, BigRich said:

 Or just masterful BS artists.

Spirits direct shelf talkers say what

[GeeTen]

10 hours ago, BigRich said:

I’m not usually posting in the “huh” thread because I think the LS stupidity is too widespread to even comment at this point. Well, I was stunned today when I went into TW and saw their EC pick for $43 next to regular EC for $27. I picked up the bottle and shook it but I couldn’t see any magic fairy dust in it. I guess those TW boys are masterful barrel pickers. Or just masterful BS artists.

 

And they (TW) make an additional $16 for their Spirits Direct barrel pick than the "$0.01 over cost" regular EC (from their business model).  Now the folks working the aisles will be pushing their barrel picks like crazy, under orders from "on high!"  As always, try before you buy and then decide if the Master Barrel pickers @ TW made the good choice that's worth the extra cost.  JMHO.  8-)

  

Edited June 17, 2018 by GeeTen

[mikeydk]

On 6/13/2018 at 4:34 PM, anthony. g. said:

i've a trip booked to LV later in the year and was hoping to pick a bottle or two up to enjoy back here in the UK. any advice on where to look would be greatly appreciated 

Top Shelf Wine and Spirits has two locations in LV that I find to be an appealing environment to shop at.  

 

6795 West Tropicana Avenue Ste 130

and

6415 Fort Apache Road Ste 100.  

 

Both in LV proper.  Good luck.  

[mikeydk]

On 6/16/2018 at 6:28 AM, BottledInBond said:

This isn’t helpful for liquor store purposes but for getting a pour at a bar, the bar at Delmonico has always been my favorite whiskey destination in Vegas. Not cheap but awesome selection generally. Lots of places in Vegas will had stupid gouge pricing Van Winkle pours but I also feel like their ability to constantly keep them available creates suspicion that some of those places are refilling those bottles or something. Maybe I need to take off my tinfoil hat or something but it just seems unlikely that they have a limitless supply out there somehow, and it’s a town built on greed. 

I do not believe that the big name restaurants would engage in bottle refilling as the damage to their reputation would be perilous in a city like Vegas, where the restaurant business is so utterly competitive.   I do believe that Emiril has a strong connection with Buffalo Trace, as Pappy, and Weller are seemingly ALWAYS available at his restaurants.  Delmonico being one of them of course.  Case in point, go to Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill at Caesars, and there on the wall is a dead soldier tribute to the Pappy line, all empty, sadly waiting for replacement that never comes.  

 

I once got a Van Winkle Reserve Rye Manhattan there many years ago, best Manhattan I've ever had.  Alas, all that remains is the empty bottle on the wall, and my memories.  

[BottledInBond]

1 hour ago, mikeydk said:

I do not believe that the big name restaurants would engage in bottle refilling as the damage to their reputation would be perilous in a city like Vegas, where the restaurant business is so utterly competitive.   I do believe that Emiril has a strong connection with Buffalo Trace, as Pappy, and Weller are seemingly ALWAYS available at his restaurants.  Delmonico being one of them of course.  Case in point, go to Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill at Caesars, and there on the wall is a dead soldier tribute to the Pappy line, all empty, sadly waiting for replacement that never comes.  

 

I once got a Van Winkle Reserve Rye Manhattan there many years ago, best Manhattan I've ever had.  Alas, all that remains is the empty bottle on the wall, and my memories.  

Yeah, I have faith in Delmonico as they always had that stuff, well ahead of the curve. And I’ve had plenty of good outs at Emeril’s other restaurants as well. 

 

But as I walk around in Vegas these days it sure seems like 90%+ of the higher end places have full Van Winkles on their bars and it just seems suspicious. Maybe I should take off my tinfoil hat. I have known of other places in other states that have been heavily suspected of refilling bottles though. Maybe it doesn’t happen in Vegas but I do believe it happens some places 

[PaulO]

My guess is most of the refilled bottles get sold to new enthusiasts via social media.

When it comes to LE bottles, I've always heard on premise accounts (restaurants and bars) get the first pick.  Everyone else gets what's left over, if any. 

[mbroo5880i]

On 6/15/2018 at 10:39 PM, PaulO said:

So I went there today for groceries and 4R prices had come down a lot.  Now Yellow Label is only a bit over a buck more than before the bump.    

My wife wanted to make a trip to Costco yesterday.  Our options are Michigan Road or County Line Road.  I called the Kroger on Emerson and County Line and asked if they were having the 30% of sale this weekend.  The lady at Customer Service told me they were.  After a 45 minute trek south, I found out they weren't.  However, I did stop at Payless for their tasting so all was not lost.  I also ended up stopping at an actual liquor store to pick up a HMcK10.  I was told by the liquor guy at the local Kroger they should be having a 30% off sale soon.  But, like you said, they don't know until it happens.

[PaulO]

To confuse matters more - since we have Sunday sales now, will the sale still be Friday & Saturday?

[mikeydk]

20 hours ago, PaulO said:

My guess is most of the refilled bottles get sold to new enthusiasts via social media.

When it comes to LE bottles, I've always heard on premise accounts (restaurants and bars) get the first pick.  Everyone else gets what's left over, if any. 

I agree with your guess.  The restaurant business, especially the high end super groups, is all about relationships.  Emiril has been around a long time, and has established tight business relationships with enhanced buying power.  You make whiskey?  You want it in is places because he will showcase it and move volume.  With the brands now wanting impressions per bottle, it makes sense that they end up in restaurants and bars first, liquor stores second.  

 

I do wonder what Bobby Flay did that he never gets replacements at Mesa Grill.   

[HoustonNit]

^Amy chance Emeril has connections with BT LE’s through local networking with Sazerac in New Orleans?