Wild Turkey Generations - Campari jumping the shark - pricing at $450.00

[Kepler]

I just wanted to create this thread to highlight the bullsh!t marketing by Campari and Wild Turkey. Someone needs to counteract Rarebird101's shill campaign to cover for Wild Turkey's recent price hike of their special releases like "Generations," but also their core premium releases like Master's Keep and even Russell's Reserve 13 Year, which has seen a 100% price hike in the past 24 months.  Enough is enough.

 

For what it's worth, I'll confirm that I am a solid member of "The Flock" ... (my two favorite bourbons being RRSiB and WT101) .. but even I have been stretched to my absolute limit.

 

What say you, SB community and fellow Flock members? 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2023 by Kepler

[markandrex]

You forgot the spike on this years Single Rickhouse CN-F!

Otherwise you are preaching to the Flock brother, preaching to the Flock!

 

After my discontent with the lottery pricing, I sent them a “strongly” worded email to address this very issue.

[MM818]

I did a quick search on Reddit to see how people were talking about Generations. Apparently secondary is $700. 
 

I can’t see how the recent Turkey LE’s are commanding this amount. Recent MK and Camp Nelson have been great but I can’t see going over $250 for any of these offerings. I’m going to buy Voyage but each year I’m less enthused on MK. I bought the 2022 Camp Nelson but can’t see myself buying the 2023. 

 

Would love to see these as shelf turds but it only takes one person to find out the hard way. 

[Skinsfan1311]

I couldn't have stated it better myself.

Preach on!

 

 

[Jazzhead]

These LEs amount to exploitation.   Stick with Rare Breed,   RR and KS single barrels.  

[geclbxf]

Or vote with your wallet and stop buying Campari all together!    November seems like a fine month to not buy a turkey.

Couldnt agree more that enough is enough.

[berto]

Campari was relatively late to the game and it seems like they’re making up for lost time.  I love Turkey but these releases don’t really exist in my world as they rarely hit the shelf and are priced over MSRP when they do.  Sure, I’d like to try them all, but it’s just bourbon and I have more than I’ll ever be able to drink sitting on the shelf at home.  

[fosmith]

At least they haven't premiumized the core WT101 product; at least not yet.  I can still get it for under $20 and, frankly, I like it better than some of their higher end releases. 

[kcgumbohead]

I checked out awhile back with a MK Revival. I thought 150.00 was as high as they would go then subsequent releases kept raising the ceiling at which point I raised the white flag. As Berto stated so very well "its just bourbon and I have more than I’ll ever be able to drink sitting on the shelf at home." I purchase VERY rarely now, not just WT (flock member since I was 17-18) but anything. I am DAMN glad I accumulated what I did when I did so I am well insulated from the madness. 

[PaulO]

6 hours ago, fosmith said:

At least they haven't premiumized the core WT101 product; at least not yet.  I can still get it for under $20 and, frankly, I like it better than some of their higher end releases. 

Indeed, I got to try the original MK 17 and MK Decades.  They were good, but not something worth the big bump in price over their standard brands to me.

Maybe I'm not the target audience.  There are folks slightly younger than me.  They throw mad money at silly things because it's "an experience".  Then there are others that buy it, but won't open it - because it's "an investment".  

As long as the WT 101, RB, and some of the others keep coming, and quality and relative price remain, I'm ok with it.

Legacy distillers - release all the overpriced limited stuff you can sell, just don't let it interfere with the flagship brands.

 

[Skinsfan1311]

8 hours ago, fosmith said:

At least they haven't premiumized the core WT101 product; at least not yet.  I can still get it for under $20 and, frankly, I like it better than some of their higher end releases. 

That's my fear.....

Edited November 7, 2023 by Skinsfan1311

[Bourserker]

I am a member of the flock as you put it, and I gotta be honest that I literally just don't even care about these prices anymore.  So many products have been priced in a way which seems to be totally disconnected from reality (i.e. what they are actually worth).  Ultimately it will work itself out.  If it's really good it'll probably go for a huge markup on secondary and one will just have to pay that if they want one (or get lucky and find one for MSRP).  If it's not that good then perhaps it'll sit around and not sell.

 

I just hope the core products that actually sit on the shelf aren't affected.

[flahute]

As many others have said, I will sit this one out. That said, I do not blame them a bit for this pricing. As long as fools will part with their money for these why wouldn't they price them this way? Remember that all of these distillers acutely remember the glut years when they couldn't beg people to buy their whiskey. Remember when Julian begged us to do a barrel pick? All of these distillers will ride the wave as long as it lasts because they fear another glut. What do we knowledgeable people on this site do in this time? Ignore the noise, let others chase while we laugh at them while enjoying Rare Breed and RRSiB. It's not complicated.

[Kepler]

On 11/6/2023 at 4:33 AM, geclbxf said:

Or vote with your wallet and stop buying Campari all together!    November seems like a fine month to not buy a turkey.

Couldnt agree more that enough is enough.

Nah I like WT too much for that.  I'd rather just complain about the price increases lol.

[markandrex]

Generations seems to be languishing.  I have received at least three emails in the past week offering the “opportunity “ to purchase.  Today, I received a email from WT that it will be available at their gift shop on Wednesday.  
Still a hard pass.

Edited November 14, 2023 by markandrex

[Richnimrod]

When the sales hit 75 or 80% off, I'm IN!!!!

[markandrex]

I bought a $10 ticket today at a local LS.  They are getting one bottle in and are raffling it off.  200 tickets are going into the bowl.  Drawing is on 12/31/23.  For $10, I will roll the dice.

[fosmith]

39 minutes ago, markandrex said:

I bought a $10 ticket today at a local LS.  They are getting one bottle in and are raffling it off.  200 tickets are going into the bowl.  Drawing is on 12/31/23.  For $10, I will roll the dice.

200 tickets at $10 each means they're basically selling the one bottle for $2000. 

[markandrex]

3 minutes ago, fosmith said:

200 tickets at $10 each means they're basically selling the one bottle for $2000. 

No doubt but if I get lucky and get a $450 bottle for $10, why not.  A 1/200 chance is not that bad.

[Richnimrod]

6 hours ago, fosmith said:

200 tickets at $10 each means they're basically selling the one bottle for $2000. 

IF They sell all 200-tickets.   Probably will, I suppose.   Like Markandrex said: a $450 bottle for 10-bux, so many folx will take the chance.

[Jazzhead]

On 11/8/2023 at 1:34 AM, flahute said:

As many others have said, I will sit this one out. That said, I do not blame them a bit for this pricing. As long as fools will part with their money for these why wouldn't they price them this way? Remember that all of these distillers acutely remember the glut years when they couldn't beg people to buy their whiskey. Remember when Julian begged us to do a barrel pick? All of these distillers will ride the wave as long as it lasts because they fear another glut. What do we knowledgeable people on this site do in this time? Ignore the noise, let others chase while we laugh at them while enjoying Rare Breed and RRSiB. It's not complicated.

Well, sure, let 'em make hay while the sun shines;   there are enough people in the world who are drawn to a pig in a poke. 

 

But the damage is to their long term reputation.   The key to successful exploitation is not to be perceived  as a rip off. Everyone loves a tasty variation on a beloved recipe,  but there comes a point where it's a matter of respect for the audience; we're not patsies.

Edited November 18, 2023 by Jazzhead

[jvd99]

None of the WT special or limited releases hit the shelves around me, except the occasional tater peddler which I won’t oblige.  Prices on everything are going up across the board, not just bourbon, everything. Some may be inflation, but some of it is flat out opportunism by corporations, and prices will never come back down, even if inflation eased. This is the new normal unfortunately. 

[smokinjoe]

I don’t know about this being the new normal, but I feel your frustration, and at times feel the same.  But, I’m keeping my trust in the invisible hand keeping on keeping on.  

[flahute]

On 11/18/2023 at 12:37 PM, Jazzhead said:

But the damage is to their long term reputation. 

I don't think there's any appreciable damage though. The only folks they risk damage. with is guys like us but guys like us are in the minority. We've been talking about this for a long time and how all the new blood that keeps coming in wave after wave doesn't know what things used to cost so they think these prices are normal. The fact these bottles sell indicate that. Meanwhile guys like us who are disgusted by the prices still buy WT101, RB and RRSiB. WT is not paying any price. 10 years from now if the situation is reversed and they are now bottling 12 year old whiskey in WT101 are you going to hold a grudge or are you going to happily buy that old whiskey for the 101 price? I know what I will do.

[Anwalt]

13 hours ago, flahute said:

they think these prices are normal. The fact these bottles sell indicate that. Meanwhile guys like us who are disgusted by the prices still buy WT101, RB and RRSiB. WT is not paying any price. 10 years from now if the situation is reversed and they are now bottling 12 year old whiskey in WT101 are you going to hold a grudge or are you going to happily buy that old whiskey for the 101 price? I know what I will do.

 

Yup.

 

I'll add: I love the Saffell. Happy to pay $50 for 375 ml all day long. And those RRSB SP's at $80 or so. Cause I don't know any better.