Jim Rutledge Cream of Kentucky

[lcpfratn]

Just got the word that my bottle of Cream of Kentucky is waiting for pickup. (Acronym CoK may not work so well in these times ?)

LOL! [emoji23]

[JoeTerp]

6 hours ago, GeeTen said:

Just got the word that my bottle of Cream of Kentucky is waiting for pickup. (Acronym CoK may not work so well in these times )

Hopefully you enjoy that CoK

[elmossle]

16 hours ago, Richnimrod said:

Well, it loox like it will be available in the early part of next year, at least for those states that get any at all. 

1500 cases isn't a tiny amount (9,000 bottles, if those are 6-bottle cases) so I'm assuming many here will get the opportunity to sample, and maybe even own this Bourbon. 

Personally, I'll await impressions of more folx (or a taste for myself... unlikely, I know) before spending a lot of energy trying to acquire a bottle.   Minnick and I rarely seem to agree on much regarding Bourbon choices.

The suggested price isn't stratospheric; but, it is a lot of cheddar for one bottle of whiskey, so there's that, as well.

Being so limited will make it an absolute MUST for a lot of folx who collect and/or flip.     For me, the chance to drink it is the main motivator, and having a great deal of really nice pours in my own personal stash renders the 'next shiny object' a little less than the "Holy Grail".    I do like the Barton profile, in general, and would more than likely enjoy this Bourbon very well... just not sure I'd like it as well as the final price that will be charged commands.

So, I guess 'reserving my decision' is the current most I can say about it.

As much as I loved JR's picks at Four Roses and would like to taste/own this release, I'm not sure I can or will get one at this price point. Between this and Booker's 30th I would probably go with the Booker's. If this was stuff Jim distilled himself, completely different story and I would be looking to get as many as I can. But since he is blending together the best he can with the stock he was able to find and purchase, this will most likely be a pass for me.

[GeeTen]

6 hours ago, elmossle said:

As much as I loved JR's picks at Four Roses and would like to taste/own this release, I'm not sure I can or will get one at this price point. Between this and Booker's 30th I would probably go with the Booker's. If this was stuff Jim distilled himself, completely different story and I would be looking to get as many as I can. But since he is blending together the best he can with the stock he was able to find and purchase, this will most likely be a pass for me.

 

You probably need a sample to try before making a final "buy/no buy" decision, yes?   

 

[elmossle]

15 hours ago, GeeTen said:

 

You probably need a sample to try before making a final "buy/no buy" decision, yes?   

 

Samples are always a good thing in the determination to purchase or not! You will have to let me know what you think about the release when you open yours!

[GeeTen]

8 hours ago, elmossle said:

Samples are always a good thing in the determination to purchase or not! You will have to let me know what you think about the release when you open yours!

 

Hmm, I do have some empty sample bottles . . . . . 

 

[mbroo5880i]

One of the local bar/liquor stores got two bottles of COK last week.  I saw on their Facebook page they are making it available for $20 per 1.5 ounce pour to allow more people an opportunity to try it.  

[The Black Tot]

11 hours ago, mbroo5880i said:

One of the local bar/liquor stores got two bottles of COK last week.  I saw on their Facebook page they are making it available for $20 per 1.5 ounce pour to allow more people an opportunity to try it.  

25oz/1.5oz = 16 x $20 = $300 a bottle plus a sip left over for themselves. 

 

Generous folk. Quite an "opportunity". For someone, at least.

Edited December 26, 2018 by The Black Tot

[mbroo5880i]

7 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

25oz/1.5oz = 16 x $20 = $300 a bottle plus a sip left over for themselves. 

 

Generous folk. Quite an "opportunity". For someone, at least.

Haha, I know.  I agree.  Of course, they could sell each bottle for secondary prices like they did most of their PVW/BTAC during their most recent holiday lottery.  I bet a lot of people would be tripping all over their wallets to pay up for an allocated bottled of Barton with Jim Rutledge's name and Cream of Kentucky on the label.

[smokinjoe]

42 minutes ago, mbroo5880i said:

Haha, I know.  I agree.  Of course, they could sell each bottle for secondary prices like they did most of their PVW/BTAC during their most recent holiday lottery.  I bet a lot of people would be tripping all over their wallets to pay up for an allocated bottled of Barton with Jim Rutledge's name and Cream of Kentucky on the label.

I think $20 is a rather fair price for a shot of this.  

[JoeTerp]

8 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

25oz/1.5oz = 16 x $20 = $300 a bottle plus a sip left over for themselves. 

 

Generous folk. Quite an "opportunity". For someone, at least.

Considering retail is $149, I think that's actually a really good price.  I usually see retail pricing at 1/4 to 1/3 of the bottle price, which would be between $37.50 and $50 a pour.

[The Black Tot]

5 hours ago, JoeTerp said:

Considering retail is $149, I think that's actually a really good price.  I usually see retail pricing at 1/4 to 1/3 of the bottle price, which would be between $37.50 and $50 a pour.

 

IMO this is Bubble economics. The idea of a $50 pour being "usual practice" is not something I'm going to ever get cool with. Fortunately I believe these conditions will pass.

 

So long as people believe pricing practices like these are right and fair, bars and restaurants will continue to shunt more and more of the allocated whiskeys away from we retail buyers.

 

It would seem that many people hate flippers, unless they flip 1-1.5oz at a time.

[lcpfratn]

 
IMO this is Bubble economics. The idea of a $50 pour being "usual practice" is not something I'm going to ever get cool with. Fortunately I believe these conditions will pass.
 
So long as people believe pricing practices like these are right and fair, bars and restaurants will continue to shunt more and more of the allocated whiskeys away from we retail buyers.
 
It would seem that many people hate flippers, unless they flip 1-1.5oz at a time.

Good point Paul.

[dad-proof]

3 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

 

IMO this is Bubble economics. The idea of a $50 pour being "usual practice" is not something I'm going to ever get cool with. Fortunately I believe these conditions will pass.

 

So long as people believe pricing practices like these are right and fair, bars and restaurants will continue to shunt more and more of the allocated whiskeys away from we retail buyers.

 

It would seem that many people hate flippers, unless they flip 1-1.5oz at a time.

Except one group is running a legitimate, licensed, insured, and taxed enterprise with overhead and employees, and the other is breaking the law.

[smokinjoe]

4 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

 

IMO this is Bubble economics. The idea of a $50 pour being "usual practice" is not something I'm going to ever get cool with. Fortunately I believe these conditions will pass.

 

So long as people believe pricing practices like these are right and fair, bars and restaurants will continue to shunt more and more of the allocated whiskeys away from we retail buyers.

 

It would seem that many people hate flippers, unless they flip 1-1.5oz at a time.

Yeah, but typical bar pricing does run at those types of mark-ups on drinks from it's Buds to it's BTACs.  This stores mark-up is below that, so I think pretty fair.  

[The Black Tot]

4 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

Yeah, but typical bar pricing does run at those types of mark-ups on drinks from it's Buds to it's BTACs.  This stores mark-up is below that, so I think pretty fair.  

$10 Bulleit Rye, anyone?  ($30bottle/3)

[JoeTerp]

2 minutes ago, The Black Tot said:

$10 Bulleit Rye, anyone?  ($30bottle/3)

This place charging $20 for Cream of Kentucky would be in line with charging $4 for Bulleit Rye. 

[The Black Tot]

34 minutes ago, dad-proof said:

Except one group is running a legitimate, licensed, insured, and taxed enterprise with overhead and employees, and the other is breaking the law.

Their legality is not my concern. Their EFFECT is.

 

Both are doubling-quadrupling the price of limited whiskey for the drinker who wishes to consume from them.

 

And by now I think bars and on premise are getting more limited whiskey than the flippers, who are a much smaller segment of the market, legal or otherwise.

 

Sorry dudes, what started as a joke has dragged this off topic. 

 

I wish Mr Rutledge all the success in the world.

[The Black Tot]

1 minute ago, JoeTerp said:

This place charging $20 for Cream of Kentucky would be in line with charging $4 for Bulleit Rye. 

That's what Bulleit costs many places in the US. 

 

So we're back to the Liquor store buying at their license price, which is ~30% off of retail, charging bar prices and getting double retail for their bottle. 

 

As I said, it's a good deal for SOMEONE...

[mbroo5880i]

 

 

Apparently, they are also offering Booker's 30th for $20/1.5 oz. pour.   I imagine they could sell each bottle for more than $300.  Either way, this is the only way most of their customers will get to try it. 

 

In general, they are pretty reasonable on prices and generous with sample pours of reasonably unique bottles (e.g., Peerless, Michter's 10, FR PS, etc.).  They also have free tastings once a month with unique bottles.  This year was the first time I recall them using "secondary" pricing on PVW/BTAC.  They did indicate a portion was going to charity.  However, since I did not attend the lottery event, I am not sure what percentage above MSRP was donated.  I also don't know how many bottles they allocate to on-premise consumption v. retail sale.  The store is in a pretty shaky area of town so I only go in during the middle of the day and have never visited the bar area.

 

The following is a list of pours they had available as part of their charity fundraiser held as part of the lottery event.  Their goal was to raise $10,000.  I don't know if that included a portion of bottle sales and pours.

 

[The Black Tot]

Enjoy the pours

[GeeTen]

9 hours ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

 

Apparently, they are also offering Booker's 30th for $20/1.5 oz. pour.   I imagine they could sell each bottle for more than $300.  Either way, this is the only way most of their customers will get to try it. 

 

In general, they are pretty reasonable on prices and generous with sample pours of reasonably unique bottles (e.g., Peerless, Michter's 10, FR PS, etc.).  They also have free tastings once a month with unique bottles.  This year was the first time I recall them using "secondary" pricing on PVW/BTAC.  They did indicate a portion was going to charity.  However, since I did not attend the lottery event, I am not sure what percentage above MSRP was donated.  I also don't know how many bottles they allocate to on-premise consumption v. retail sale.  The store is in a pretty shaky area of town so I only go in during the middle of the day and have never visited the bar area.

 

The following is a list of pours they had available as part of their charity fundraiser held as part of the lottery event.  Their goal was to raise $10,000.  I don't know if that included a portion of bottle sales and pours.

 

 

Wow - is that bar opening again any time soon!!!!!  Hope the charity made a ton of bucks.  I think I might have bought the entire bottle of CEHT 4G and passed it around at those prices.  After I called my tax consultant, of course (heh, heh).   

 

[GaryT]

12 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

$10 Bulleit Rye, anyone?  ($30bottle/3)

That's probably about what it runs at most bars/restaurants around here (hell, shots of JD are $8; Evan Williams black would be $6 if you can find it).  The ratio seems below the typical on-prem markup, at least from what I see.  Although I agree that the "bubble economics" are inflating the retail price to begin with  

[JoeTerp]

12 hours ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

The store is in a pretty shaky area of town so I only go in during the middle of the day and have never visited the bar area.

 

i

I think that's a bit of an understatement.  I went there about two years ago and my wife swore that I was risking her and the kids safety.

 

That being said the store was amazing.  Coming from control state Virginia, I imagined that's what Bourbon heaven looked like.  They must have had 30 store picks including 7 or 8 Four Roses.  I must have had 6 samples (I don't remember the exact number, but it was enough that I asked my wife to drive afterwards).  There was a 10 year OBSK that I remember had a finish that just didn't end.  Prices were fantastic too.  

[Soberiquet]

3 hours ago, JoeTerp said:

I think that's a bit of an understatement.  I went there about two years ago and my wife swore that I was risking her and the kids safety.

Lol, my wife said about the same thing. I don't think I'll be allowed to go back seeing as I always have the wife and kids with me when passing through Indy.