What Bourbon Did You Pass On Spring/Summer 2021?

[lemonman]

12 hours ago, Kepler said:

 

8 year age statement.  Can't think of anything off the top of head that can match that for that price.

 

P.S.  Oops just thought of one:  EW SiB vintage.  That's a good comp.

 

 

 

Might be a regional thing, but a couple come to mind:

 

KC 9yr 100pf $27-30

RR 10yr 90pf $32-35

 

I've since seen it for a lot less, but will wait for more reviews on it; the ones I've seen so far are less than enthusiastic.

 

 

[Kepler]

53 minutes ago, lemonman said:

 

Might be a regional thing, but a couple come to mind:

 

KC 9yr 100pf $27-30

RR 10yr 90pf $32-35

 

I've since seen it for a lot less, but will wait for more reviews on it; the ones I've seen so far are less than enthusiastic.

 

 

 

Doh!  How could I forget those.  Good call. 

I haven't had the new GD Bourbon, so I will withhold judgement.  No way it can out-value KC9 though, which is one of my favorites.

[Richdel]

I thought my that maybe my "bourbon hunting luck" might be a weekend thing as opposed to a Friday thing.

Found a bottle of Eagle Rare.  $54.99 OTD.  No thank you!  Just Friday luck I guess...

[fishnbowljoe]

I had an experience like @Richdel. My wife and I took a drive today. We stopped to eat at a Subway in a pretty small town. We also took the time to stop at the local grocery store there so I could take a look see. ER @ 59.99. I agree with Rich. No thank you!

 

Biba! Joe

[JGriff]

I really dislike stopping by this store but the wife needed some wine.  They had Blantons and Weller SV behind the register.  I asked how much…Blantons $200 and the Weller $175.  Oof. 

Edited August 2, 2021 by JGriff

[Kjbarth]

Passed on almost everything in NH Liquor Outlet #1 today as wifey was with me and told me anything I buy today comes out of my KY purchase budget when we’re  in KY in 2 weeks.

[LCWoody]

Passed on this. Good price though. 

[JakeySnakes]

Went in a store I've never been in near the Albany area, and passed on all. Most notably MM101 at $69.99 and a 1.75 of ER for $120. Was very tempted to grab the BT Kosher Rye Recipe at $69.99, knowing how good it is, but passed on that as well.

[M777]

BT kosher wheat and rye for $75ea at a large grocery chain (average price here in IL for some odd reason). 

Edited August 7, 2021 by M777

[Sgtspitter101]

Passed on Weller sr at 79 and blantons twice at 150 and 179.

[PaulO]

I passed EC Rye.  Rittenhouse a couple feet away is $9 cheaper an 6 more proof. 

[Kepler]

Passed on Blanton's.  $67.  I've paid that much for Blanton's in the past year or two (even though it's quite arguably not worth it at that price).  So the reason I passed was not just the price, it was because of Total Wine's rigid policy of not letting me pick out which topper I wanted to purchase from their stock of $67 bottles.  Hey, everybody knows about the collectible bottle toppers -- it's part of the marketing of the product line designed from the producer BT.   It's part of the deal, right?

 

Message to Total Wine corporate office:  if you don't want to support the product line with the requisite customer service in your stores, that's fine, then just stop carrying the SKU in your store. 

 

BETTER YET, Message to Buffalo Trace/Sazerac and wholesale distributors nationwide:  Stop selling Blanton's to retailers like Total Wine that refuse to support your custom product properly.

 

 

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by Kepler

[fishnbowljoe]

2 hours ago, Kepler said:

Passed on Blanton's.  $67.  I've paid that much for Blanton's in the past year or two (even though it's quite arguably not worth it at that price).  So the reason I passed was not just the price, it was because of Total Wine's rigid policy of not letting me pick out which topper I wanted to purchase from their stock of $67 bottles.  Hey, everybody knows about the collectible bottle toppers -- it's part of the marketing of the product line designed from the producer BT.   It's part of the deal, right?

 

Message to Total Wine corporate office:  if you don't want to support the product line with the requisite customer service in your stores, that's fine, then just stop carrying the SKU in your store. 

 

BETTER YET, Message to Buffalo Trace/Sazerac and wholesale distributors nationwide:  Stop selling Blanton's to retailers like Total Wine that refuse to support your custom product properly.

 

 

 

Hell, regardless of the topper, I’d have bought three at that price if allowed. The last bottle of Blanton’s I saw at a store in my area was on a shelf behind the counter @ $189.99.

 

I believe one issue here is that distributors seem to have started catering  to tater stores with more than their fair share of the “good stuff”. Point system be damned. I know a couple of stores that had more points last year than they did the year before. They qualified for more limited products, but received less.

 

I do have to give you credit though K. Your remember to check the toppers. For a number of years now, I’ve intended to check the toppers before buying Blanton’s. In my excitement of finally finding Blanton’s at a decent price, I invariably forget to check.  Anyone need the second “N”?  

 

Biba! Joe

[PaulO]

17 hours ago, Kepler said:

Passed on Blanton's.  $67.  I've paid that much for Blanton's in the past year or two (even though it's quite arguably not worth it at that price).  So the reason I passed was not just the price, it was because of Total Wine's rigid policy of not letting me pick out which topper I wanted to purchase from their stock of $67 bottles.  Hey, everybody knows about the collectible bottle toppers -- it's part of the marketing of the product line designed from the producer BT.   It's part of the deal, right?

 

Message to Total Wine corporate office:  if you don't want to support the product line with the requisite customer service in your stores, that's fine, then just stop carrying the SKU in your store. 

 

BETTER YET, Message to Buffalo Trace/Sazerac and wholesale distributors nationwide:  Stop selling Blanton's to retailers like Total Wine that refuse to support your custom product properly.

 

 

 

So, what's their arrangement.  Are the bottles in a glass case, or hidden in a back room.  Regardless, you should either be able to point and say "I want that one" or the clerk say "which letter are you looking for, I'll check".  I bet if they had at least checked for you, and didn't have your letter, you wouldn't have held it against them.

I would describe the experience as poor customer service.  My dad would describe it as the store "being real chicken shit about it".

[apt43bear]

On 8/14/2021 at 8:14 PM, Kepler said:

Passed on Blanton's.  $67.  I've paid that much for Blanton's in the past year or two (even though it's quite arguably not worth it at that price).  So the reason I passed was not just the price, it was because of Total Wine's rigid policy of not letting me pick out which topper I wanted to purchase from their stock of $67 bottles.  Hey, everybody knows about the collectible bottle toppers -- it's part of the marketing of the product line designed from the producer BT.   It's part of the deal, right?

 

Message to Total Wine corporate office:  if you don't want to support the product line with the requisite customer service in your stores, that's fine, then just stop carrying the SKU in your store. 

 

BETTER YET, Message to Buffalo Trace/Sazerac and wholesale distributors nationwide:  Stop selling Blanton's to retailers like Total Wine that refuse to support your custom product properly.

 

 

 

Not sure if that is Total Wine policy or if I just got an employee that was helpful during my experience.  Granted, in my area, Total Wine only sells Blanton's as part of their lottery/raffle system so they don't have them lying around the store.  When I went to pick up the Blanton's that I "won," I asked for a specific letter and the employee came out with the requested letter.  The employee did initially question me and asked "Not sure I can keep opening boxes until I find it."  I was just like okay sure, I'm fine with whatever then, but the employee did come out and said she found it within the first couple of boxes so all was well.  

[Skinsfan1311]

Not bourbon, but WTRB rye at $76.00 was a hard pass.

Booker's $139.99

ECBP $99.00**

OF100 $27.99*

 

*I know this silly, given the price point, but I've seen too may of these prices at $23.00.  I just bought one, on sale, for $20.00

** I'm not huge fan anyway...I have a few bottles in the bunker, bought years ago at MSRP & I can't see paying anything above $60.00 for it, unless it's an exceptional release

[fosmith]

59 minutes ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

Not bourbon, but WTRB rye at $76.00 was a hard pass.

Booker's $139.99

ECBP $99.00**

OF100 $27.99*

 

*I know this silly, given the price point, but I've seen too may of these prices at $23.00.  I just bought one, on sale, for $20.00

** I'm not huge fan anyway...I have a few bottles in the bunker, bought years ago at MSRP & I can't see paying anything above $60.00 for it, unless it's an exceptional release

You did right.  I would have passed on all of those at those prices, especially the Booker's at $140.  Remember in 2017 how outraged we were when Beam announced it's intention to raise Booker's msrp from $50 to $100?  That seems quaint in retrospect. 

[TehRegion219]

The OF100 is def a pass at 27

[Skinsfan1311]

1 hour ago, fosmith said:

You did right.  I would have passed on all of those at those prices, especially the Booker's at $140.  Remember in 2017 how outraged we were when Beam announced it's intention to raise Booker's msrp from $50 to $100?  That seems quaint in retrospect. 

Thanks and yes, I remember.   

Damn shame too, because some of those releases are/were very good.   Not $140.00 good, but very good.   There are just too many great barrel-proofers out there for the money, (JDSBBP & WTRB come to mind), to justify spending that kind of money.

34 minutes ago, TehRegion219 said:

The OF100 is def a pass at 27

Amen!

I consider it, (along with their 100 rye), some of the best bang for the buck whiskey's out there.     

[PaulO]

I was at TW today and passed on all their bourbon.  Granted, there were a couple I might have bought, but this was a day trip to get things I can not get locally.  I surely was not in the market for any of the Spirits Direct underaged, ambiguously sourced, Potemkin brand nonsense.  It seems really bad in the whisk(e)y selection.  If you see a brand only sold there - beware.  I only want real brands.

No Bourbon, but picked up Oktoberfest beer, Tequila, and Absinthe.

[mbroo5880i]

2 hours ago, PaulO said:

I was at TW today and passed on all their bourbon.  Granted, there were a couple I might have bought, but this was a day trip to get things I can not get locally.  I surely was not in the market for any of the Spirits Direct underaged, ambiguously sourced, Potemkin brand nonsense.  It seems really bad in the whisk(e)y selection.  If you see a brand only sold there - beware.  I only want real brands.

No Bourbon, but picked up Oktoberfest beer, Tequila, and Absinthe.

 

I am heading that way for dinner tomorrow night and was thinking about stopping by.  I think I will opt for a few other retailers where I know I can find what I want for a fair price.  

[Kepler]

On 8/15/2021 at 4:21 PM, PaulO said:

So, what's their arrangement.  Are the bottles in a glass case, or hidden in a back room.  Regardless, you should either be able to point and say "I want that one" or the clerk say "which letter are you looking for, I'll check".  I bet if they had at least checked for you, and didn't have your letter, you wouldn't have held it against them.

I would describe the experience as poor customer service.  My dad would describe it as the store "being real chicken shit about it".

 

They had a big stash in their room off to the side of their "Will call" area.  Not really the back room, so they could easily let customers go through a few boxes of their choice at the will call counter.  I wasn't asking them to go through every box but just let me check a few boxes.  It was their rigid refusal to let me do anything other than say "thank you sir, I'll take whatever you give me" ... it rubbed me the wrong way.  I've bought lots of Blanton's in locations in several states and I've never seen that attitude before.  Excuse me TW but we are the customer and you are the seller.

[Kepler]

On 8/16/2021 at 10:12 PM, apt43bear said:

Not sure if that is Total Wine policy or if I just got an employee that was helpful during my experience.  Granted, in my area, Total Wine only sells Blanton's as part of their lottery/raffle system so they don't have them lying around the store.  When I went to pick up the Blanton's that I "won," I asked for a specific letter and the employee came out with the requested letter.  The employee did initially question me and asked "Not sure I can keep opening boxes until I find it."  I was just like okay sure, I'm fine with whatever then, but the employee did come out and said she found it within the first couple of boxes so all was well.  

 

That's all I was expecting.  Sounds like the Total Wine you shop at understands the concept of basic customer service.

 

[Harry in WashDC]

Second Email in two days from a local store near the downtown hotels so its prices are "high" but it has stuff nobody else can get -

 

OWA 107 750 - $180

WSR 750  - $100

WSR 1L - $130

WSR handle - $160

 

Its Pappys sold out at comparably high prices within an hour of the first email, which I didn't see until several hours later - not that I'd have bought doodoo even if I'd seen it.

Edited August 22, 2021 by Harry in WashDC

[mbroo5880i]

1 minute ago, Harry in WashDC said:

Second Email in two days from a local store near the downtown hotels so its prices are "high" but it has stuff nobody else can get -

 

OWA 107 750 - $180

WSR 750  - $100

WSR 1L - $130

WSR handle - $160

 

Its Pappys sold out at comparably high prices within an hour of the first email, which I didn't see until several hours later - not that I'd have bought doodoo even if I'd seen it.

I am sure out-of-towners would be all over stuff they cannot get at home.  Do they normally put this stuff on the shelf or do they keep it behind the counter and the e-mail is to alert "VIPs" they have it?