Shelf vacancy

[Vosgar]

10 minutes ago, TheNovaMan said:

You know, I was going to post that if anybody suggested Scotch, I'd slap them next time we're both in the gazebo at the GN.  But I deleted it, so I guess you get a pass.

 

Go ahead Pete, I know I deserve it! It's just that it had been so long since I could bust your balls about Scotch that I couldn't resist 

 

Looking forward to the next time I see you and your dad in KY., whenever that may be.

[BottledInBond]

1 hour ago, TheNovaMan said:

I don't think I have any of those.  Last I checked, Blanton's was $60 in MI, and RHF was slightly more attractive at $55.  Can't remember pricing on ETL, but I think it was a little better.  Remind me what HPR is?  RHF is such an attractive bottle I may have to break down and buy one.

 

[Skinsfan1311]

Elijah Craig rye is good too.  I tried my first one, (without very high expectations), and was pleasantly surprised.

[fishnbowljoe]

I’d forget about bottle size restrictions Pete. Buy a bottle of something new and interesting that you haven’t had before, if you can find one. Or, just grab another bottle of one of your favorites.

 

Biba! Joe

[TheNovaMan]

4 hours ago, Vosgar said:

Go ahead Pete, I know I deserve it! It's just that it had been so long since I could bust your balls about Scotch that I couldn't resist 

 

Looking forward to the next time I see you and your dad in KY., whenever that may be.

Aww Gary, I'm not gonna slap ya.  You're just being Peaty Gary!  I imagine you're probably having a dreadful Islay Scotch right now with an early evening cigar.

 

4 minutes ago, fishnbowljoe said:

I’d forget about bottle size restrictions Pete. Buy a bottle of something new and interesting that you haven’t had before, if you can find one. Or, just grab another bottle of one of your favorites.

 

Biba! Joe

That's probably exactly what I'll end up doing.  But there have been some great suggestions in this thread

[mbroo5880i]

2 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

I’d forget about bottle size restrictions Pete. Buy a bottle of something new and interesting that you haven’t had before, if you can find one. Or, just grab another bottle of one of your favorites.

 

Biba! Joe

This is probably the best advice yet.  I will say that I find Michigan pricing frustrating.

 

 

[TheNovaMan]

I've lived in MI my whole life, so I'm used to it.  That doesn't mean I like it, but I'm used to it.  What about it in particular do you find frustrating?

[Mattk]

Shortest bottle I can say for a collection shelf that is worthy of a nice pour besides pritchards. I'm a rye guy. Out of box stands 9 3/8".

Edited April 6, 2020 by Mattk

[Mattk]

I feel like the pritchards was shorter, but don't currently have one to measure

[Mattk]

Seems like mgp has the shortest bottles. The ten year is just under 8".

[fosmith]

20 hours ago, TheNovaMan said:

Do they not use the same bottle as EC12?  Or did they change the EC NAS bottle?

No, ECBP changed to the same taller bottle as the EC NAS SmB in Jan. 2017. 

[B.B. Babington]

On 4/5/2020 at 6:25 PM, fishnbowljoe said:

I’d forget about bottle size restrictions Pete. Buy a bottle of something new and interesting that you haven’t had before, if you can find one. Or, just grab another bottle of one of your favorites.

Or get 15 bottles, the one that fits goes on the shelf, others can go in the bunker, kitchen cabinet, next to couch in living room, one in the work shed, another where it happens to be when you set it down.  And when you forget where they are, it's a pleasant surprise or gift from the gods when you find it.

[Special Reserve]

On 4/6/2020 at 12:25 AM, TheNovaMan said:

I've lived in MI my whole life, so I'm used to it.  That doesn't mean I like it, but I'm used to it.  What about it in particular do you find frustrating?

It's an uncontrolled control state.  Well almost uncontrolled, there is a minimum price that must be honored.

[TheNovaMan]

On 4/7/2020 at 4:15 PM, B.B. Babington said:

Or get 15 bottles, the one that fits goes on the shelf, others can go in the bunker, kitchen cabinet, next to couch in living room, one in the work shed, another where it happens to be when you set it down.  And when you forget where they are, it's a pleasant surprise or gift from the gods when you find it.

That's sometimes how it goes!  I have bourbon stored in the basement, on the main floor, and upstairs.  None in the garage because it gets hot in the summer and it's packed full of car and truck parts anyway.

 

On 4/7/2020 at 4:24 PM, Special Reserve said:

It's an uncontrolled control state.  Well almost uncontrolled, there is a minimum price that must be honored.

There are two nice things from the consumer standpoint: the taxes and the prices are all calculated from the wholesale price, so if one bourbon costs more than another, it's because the distilleries are charging more for the one than the other.  And of the control states, we have about twice the selection of the next best one.

[smokinjoe]

5 minutes ago, TheNovaMan said:

 

There are two nice things from the consumer standpoint: the taxes and the prices are all calculated from the wholesale price, so if one bourbon costs more than another, it's because the distilleries are charging more for the one than the other.  And of the control states, we have about twice the selection of the next best one.

That is not a given.  The wholesaler may price at whatever he wants, regardless of producer pricing.  

[smokinjoe]

6 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

That is not a given.  The wholesaler may price at whatever he wants, regardless of producer pricing.  

You may want to disregard this opinion, as I think I am wrong on Michigan’s case...

[TheNovaMan]

My understanding is the distilleries are the wholesalers.  They sell stuff to the state (on paper - there's no state warehouse or anything), which then sells to the distributors (again, on paper).  The distributors physically receive the liquor from the distillers and then sell to restaurants and stores, and the stores charge state minimum or more.  But I could be wrong.

[smokinjoe]

Here is something I saw, which suggests that the State as the wholesaler and purchaser of the liquor from the vendor, has a fixed across the board tax, before selling to the retailer.  So, it appears if it as clean as it seems, the price (all things being equal) is based off of the producer price...as you said.  However, Delaney says “when the state buys a bottle of spirits from a vendor...”, this may suggest that the vendor is not necessarily the Distiller...

 

 

To answer that question, Andy Deloney, chairman of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (LCC) joined Stateside today.

"The state of Michigan, since the end of Prohibition in 1933, has been the wholesaler of all distilled spirit products ['hard liquor'] in the state of Michigan..." Deloney said. "The prices are not set by the Liquor Control Commission, per say. It is set essentially by state law."

According to Deloney, when the state buys a bottle of spirits from a vendor, it adds three taxes of 4% each and those dollars go into a variety of funds within the state government. Then, on top of those three taxes, the price is marked up by 65%. 

The change in price comes from the vendor who sells the spirits to the state. The LCC allows for price changes up to four times a year.

Listen to the full interview above for a full explanation, and to learn about the motivation behind minimum prices. You'll also hear how beer and wine factors into the equation.

[TheNovaMan]

Ah, OK.  So the state is the wholesaler, and we're not sure who the vendor is... but it could potentially be the distiller.

 

1.04*1.04*1.04*1.65*1.06=1.967, so the shelf price is 196.7% of the wholesale price.

[B.B. Babington]

I think it works something like this in Virginia also.  Least it used to.  Producer/distributor sets a price, state marks it up by about 30%.  That maybe includes VA's exorbitant liquor tax?  Then it goes to warehouses and thence to ABC retail stores.

 

Sometimes there's confusion.  WT setting price of a premium Traditions(?) year's ago at $100, and went on shelf at $130, when I think WT meant for shelf price to be $100.  I paid it anyway.

Edited April 10, 2020 by B.B. Babington

[Kepler]

On 4/5/2020 at 7:28 AM, Richnimrod said:

Pete, if you haven't tried it yet, do yourself a favor and grab a Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof.   This is absolutely the best whiskey to come out of Lynchburg in . . . forever?   The bottles are right about 9" tall, too.

This has my vote.