Old Forester Birthday 2016

[Thirsty Adam]

I stopped by a liquor store down the road from my office to pick up a couple of bottles for a hunting trip next week. He had two bottles of OF birthday 2016. He would only sell one to me if I bought the following package.

1 bottle of Yippee Ki Yay @ $60

1 bottle of OF 1920 115 proof at $70

1 bottle of OF Birthday at $80

Total $210 for 3 bottles but only one I was interested in. 

 

I passed and left with a bottle of ER10 and 4R but I am second guessing. He said he wanted to make sure he kept some for his regulars. I have only purchased about 5 bottles from him in the past year. Do you guys think that package is a good deal?

Edited October 14, 2016 by Thirsty Adam

[tanstaafl2]

The YKY is probably in the ball park for the cost but the OF 1920 seems high depending on your local market. The MSRP seemed to be about $60 here and even that seemed high to me. The OFBB has doubled in the last few years but $80 was probably about retail here. Don't know the typical prices of your area in SE coastal Texas.

 

Just kind of depends on how much you want it and if you are willing to take the others. I liked the OFBB this year and it seems to be getting good reviews. I also like YKY and would be OK at that price. The OF 1920 was OK to me but seemed overpriced even at retail.

 

Personally I dislike being forced to buy a "package" of things even if I do happen to like or want the other ones. So I would probably haves passed too.

[BigRich]

I think that the whole "package" idea is abhorrent and it would cause me to cease doing business with that store.

If you want an Accord the dealership doesn't make you buy a Civic

[Thirsty Adam]

I think that the whole "package" idea is abhorrent and it would cause me to cease doing business with that store.

If you want an Accord the dealership doesn't make you buy a Civic

I agree, he said his distributor recommended doing it that way to push more product. I was already buying 2 other bottles and really didn't want to walk out with 5. I hate scams and this felt like one. I offered to pay slightly above retail for the birthday with no extras but he said no. Today might be the last 2 bottles I buy from him. If he would have been straight with me on the OF, he probably would have had a customer for life.

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[jeffrey r]

Although not completely out of the question, I would have likely passed on that deal.  YKY has been a rare shelf turd by me for a unique HW release (that is, not simply Double Rye or something like that).  I have passed on it myself many times as I have stocks of MWND and I'd drink that instead, but I would not be miserable to have a bottle of YKY.  The OF 1920 is not something I need.  And personally, while I enjoyed OFBB at $50, I thought it was a bit overrated even at that price, and I don't think I would spend $80 or more on a bottle today.  That said, OF will sell each and every bottle of OFBB at $80 or more around the country I am sure, so they don't need me...  Bottom line, I endorse OP's passing of this package deal.

[miller542]

8 hours ago, Thirsty Adam said:

I agree, he said his distributor recommended doing it that way to push more product. I was already buying 2 other bottles and really didn't want to walk out with 5. I hate scams and this felt like one. I offered to pay slightly above retail for the birthday with no extras but he said no. Today might be the last 2 bottles I buy from him. If he would have been straight with me on the OF, he probably would have had a customer for life.

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As the store owner, he needs to listen to his customers more so than his distributor.  Happy customers move way more product than some lame package deal which is really just a strong-arm tactic.  Pass on this and anything else like it.

 

Pros and cons of control vs non-control states I guess, I haven't always had pick of every bourbon in production, but then again I've never had to deal with shady stuff like this.

Edited October 15, 2016 by miller542

[Vosgar]

I wouldn't do business with a store like that, period. I also wouldn't have bought the ER10 and FR, making sure to tell him what I thought of his business strategy.

 

Then again..... I'm kind of an asshole that way

[Thirsty Adam]

I did tell him that the hoops he wanted me to jump through were ridiculous. I bought the other bottles just for efficiency. Lol. I really didn't want to stop by another store on the way home and I have not seen any ER10 anywhere else lately.

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[BottledInBond]

Honestly I don't think is too terrible compared to other scenarios I have seen. There are certainly retailers that have just jacked up their price on OFBB to gouge levels, and I'm sure there are parts of the country where retailers have charged that package price just for the OFBB. 

 

I actually agreed to a package purchase last fall. I bought a Master's Keep and a WLW both at MSRP, so about $230 for the pair. I was OK with it because I know many retailers charge much more than the $230 just for the Weller, and at that point I still hadn't tried the WTMK so why not?

 

That said I'm much more willing to jump through a few hoops for WLW compared to OFBB........ And for what it's worth I though the nose on this year's OFBB was great but after that I wasn't as impressed as some. To each his own though of course!

[$helby]

4 hours ago, Vosgar said:

I wouldn't do business with a store like that, period. I also wouldn't have bought the ER10 and FR, making sure to tell him what I thought of his business strategy.

 

Then again..... I'm kind of an asshole that way

I agree but would have taken it a few steps further: I would have gone to another store and purchased the ER10 and FR and dropped the receipt by along with a note that I would no longer be a customer of his.    He actually would have been much better off keeping the OFBB behind the counter and waiting for one of his best customers to ask for it.     Then again, I am in a state controlled area and  this package deal would not have been legal.   

[Thirsty Adam]

5 minutes ago, $helby said:

I agree but would have taken it a few steps further: I would have gone to another store and purchased the ER10 and FR and dropped the receipt by along with a note that I would no longer be a customer of his.    He actually would have been much better off keeping the OFBB behind the counter and waiting for one of his best customers to ask for it.     Then again, I am in a state controlled area and  this package deal would not have been legal.   

I let him know it was shady. But i will just wash my hands of that LS. I deal with confrontation at work daily and decided it wasn't necessary at this avenue. The whole thing sucks because he had the best bourbon selection I have found locally. Sounds like a good opportunity to make new friends at some other LS. 

[garbanzobean]

8 hours ago, Thirsty Adam said:

He said he wanted to make sure he kept some for his regulars. I have only purchased about 5 bottles from him in the past year. Do you guys think that package is a good deal?

Was he making his regulars do this?  If not, then I guess that could be a pretty good way to keep trophy hunters or flippers out without flat out refusing to sell to them.  Not saying you're either one, but if he doesn't want to sell to that type then that's his business I guess.  

 

If he is making everyone do this, then kind of lame I guess?  Still seems less crappy than trying to charge someone the equivalent of a used car for PVW23 or whatever.  Then again, I guess it's probably more difficult to sell 1 bottle of rare bourbon at retail + the cases and cases of other junk you had to agree to take from Sazerac to "earn" that bottle.

 

Man I'm glad to just do raffles these days.

[Bourbonmakesmepoop]

I've got one better, a store near me has the 2015 Thomas handy in a package deal with... wait for it.... a pint of buffalo trace white dog for $700.

not only that, I used to go in there pretty frequently. After I cleared out the $45 weller 12 bottles I stopped going there. I tried for months to get her to sell it to me alone for $200 but she wouldn't budge. And there it still sits. My business now goes to a different mom and pop store.

[Thirsty Adam]

Amazes me how some people stay in business[emoji849]

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[Golferpimp1]

I think that the whole "package" idea is abhorrent and it would cause me to cease doing business with that store.

If you want an Accord the dealership doesn't make you buy a Civic

Agreed

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[BottledInBond]

20 minutes ago, Bourbonmakesmepoop said:

I've got one better, a store near me has the 2015 Thomas handy in a package deal with... wait for it.... a pint of buffalo trace white dog for $700.

not only that, I used to go in there pretty frequently. After I cleared out the $45 weller 12 bottles I stopped going there. I tried for months to get her to sell it to me alone for $200 but she wouldn't budge. And there it still sits. My business now goes to a different mom and pop store.

So does this mean THH for $750? Because someone would have to pay me $50 to take the white dog

[jaxn slim]

The store probably has to move a lot of product to get allocated any OFBB.  They're probably just trying to ensure they get it next year.  Those other bottles are good whiskey, so it's not like they're getting you to buy garbage.  The OP sounds perfectly reasonable, but some of you are overreacting IMO.  Bundling is a lot better than charging secondary prices, which would be the same price but without the additional two bottles.

[BigRich]

The store probably has to move a lot of product to get allocated any OFBB.  They're probably just trying to ensure they get it next year.  Those other bottles are good whiskey, so it's not like they're getting you to buy garbage.  The OP sounds perfectly reasonable, but some of you are overreacting IMO.  Bundling is a lot better than charging secondary prices, which would be the same price but without the additional two bottles.

So what does it say about the state of the market that some, like yourself are comfortable with the lesser of two evils? Has bourbon buying devolved to the level of the 2016 presidential election ?

[jaxn slim]

So what does it say about the state of the market that some, like yourself are comfortable with the lesser of two evils? Has bourbon buying devolved to the level of the 2016 presidential election [emoji4] ?

The state of the market is definitely unusual, but I'm not going to take it out on store owners who are trying new ideas out to move more product. I'm disappointed when they're asking anything other than MSRP, and I usually choose not to buy that bottle. I realize we're all pretty sensitive about our whiskey, but boycotting a store because they are offering a deal you don't like seems a bit extreme.

[Thirsty Adam]

The state of the market is definitely unusual, but I'm not going to take it out on store owners who are trying new ideas out to move more product. I'm disappointed when they're asking anything other than MSRP, and I usually choose not to buy that bottle. I realize we're all pretty sensitive about our whiskey, but boycotting a store because they are offering a deal you don't like seems a bit extreme.

It is not so much the package deal, it was the fact that he was not willing to work with me. I told him that I would consider the package but I would have to put back the ER10 and FRYL for another time. He said no, they were separate deals and I would have had to buy those to have the package deal even available to me. So in the end, I am not going to be strong armed to purchase 5 bottles for about $280+tax. When I do not like a part of a contract I am working, we negotiate until both sides are happy. If he wants to hard line his deals, that is fine. It is his business, I just don't have to darken his doorstep again. Maybe down the road I will, but there are too many LS in Houston to sweat one.

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[garbanzobean]

3 hours ago, BigRich said:

So what does it say about the state of the market that some, like yourself are comfortable with the lesser of two evils? Has bourbon buying devolved to the level of the 2016 presidential election ?

Unfortunately, it's a seller's market right now.  I'm not saying we should just accept our octopus-like groping with a smile, but taking things too personally seems counterproductive.  

That said, I am all about redirecting business to the few stores that continue to treat me fairly.  I'll certainly remember the GM of my preferred local shop, the one who accommodates my flights of fancy (like always ordering new Springbank and Kilkerran releases in quantity even though they are slow sellers and mostly bought by me over the course of a few years), when the market slows down again.  I don't know if there will ever again be a total bourbon bust when stuff like BTAC languishes on shelves, but I know where I'm going to spend my dollars regardless.

[jaxn slim]

I can't tell you how many stores I've been to that were hard to work with on one bottle and then gave me great deals on others. They're just trying to move product because the distributors are threatening to stop giving them allocated bottles.

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[Enoch]

OFBB is going for $80 around here. That is amazing because I bought a case in 2009 for $24.99 each. Some inflation...

[mbroo5880i]

On 10/15/2016 at 10:49 AM, Thirsty Adam said:

It is not so much the package deal, it was the fact that he was not willing to work with me. I told him that I would consider the package but I would have to put back the ER10 and FRYL for another time. He said no, they were separate deals and I would have had to buy those to have the package deal even available to me. So in the end, I am not going to be strong armed to purchase 5 bottles for about $280+tax. When I do not like a part of a contract I am working, we negotiate until both sides are happy. If he wants to hard line his deals, that is fine. It is his business, I just don't have to darken his doorstep again. Maybe down the road I will, but there are too many LS in Houston to sweat one.

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In general, I would ok if he said he would sell you an OFBB as part of a package deal.  I just wouldn't want to be required to purchase specific product that I am not interested in.  For example, I would be ok if he told me that he was saving the OFBB for customers who purchased a certain amount or who were regular customers and offered to sell it to me if you purchased a reasonable amount (e.g, $100) of additional product but let me decide what to purchase.  For example, I would be happy to purchase 2 bottles of EC NAS and 2 bottles of OGD 114 for the opportunity to purchase a bottle of BTAC.  However, I would pass if I am told I have to purchase specific bottles of products at prices higher than MSRP.

 

BTW, I purchased and tried OF 1920 for $50.  I really like it.  I believe the price in Indy will be around $60 which is probably a little high.

[Thirsty Adam]

 

In general, I would ok if he said he would sell you an OFBB as part of a package deal.  I just wouldn't want to be required to purchase specific product that I am not interested in.  For example, I would be ok if he told me that he was saving the OFBB for customers who purchased a certain amount or who were regular customers and offered to sell it to me if you purchased a reasonable amount (e.g, $100) of additional product but let me decide what to purchase.  For example, I would be happy to purchase 2 bottles of EC NAS and 2 bottles of OGD 114 for the opportunity to purchase a bottle of BTAC.  However, I would pass if I am told I have to purchase specific bottles of products at prices higher than MSRP.

 

BTW, I purchased and tried OF 1920 for $50.  I really like it.  I believe the price in Indy will be around $60 which is probably a little high.

I agree with you. I was willing and tried to negotiate. He wasn't hearing it so it wasn't worth my time. I might have to find a sample of the OF 1920 and give it a shot. The only OF I have ever had was their standard label and with ginger ale. My BIL likes it. You guys have talked me into trying some of their LEs. I just haven't found them yet.

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