WAL-MART Liquors.... worth it?

[aquavite]

I was going to venture out tomorrow to my local WAL-MART to pick up my med refills, and some other things.  Normally, I use their "delivery" service and it's been reasonably good.

Apparently, there is a WAL-MART Liquor store, separate from my general super center store but right next to it. I had planned to visit it at some point, just to see what they might offer.

 

Tonight, I was browsing their website in the "grocery" section to see what I might buy there tomorrow, and "pick up" rather than have delivered.  And I saw a link for "Alcohol." I clicked on it,

not expecting much from them.  Boy, was I wrong!

 

Save for a few "allocated" items (Sorry, no Pappy or WLW) these guys listed EVERYTHING!  Certainly, everything I've ever encountered including:

 

Buffalo Trace Std 875ml;

Elijah Craig Small Batch;

Fireball Cinnamon;

1792 Small Batch;

Blanton's (listed but out of stock)

ECBP (B523 - listed but out of stock)

Bulleit Stanard offerings (Bourbon & Rye and all sizes)

Knob Creek (9 + 12 in stock; 15-18 out of stock0.

Woodford Reserve (std & Double Oaked)

 

The list goes on.  And apparently, they (liquor division) deliver!

 

Is this worth the effort to try them?  If it does work, I might not need to do Costco for this.   The only things I might  need to seek, otherwise, are the specialty items like ECBP or 1792 single barrel or  Virgil Kaine Ginger, or other items like that).

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 11 by aquavite

[PaulO]

The Walmart near me has a booze section.  They recently moved it to the back corner when they remodeled.  The prices and selection are nothing to brag about.  They even sell their own brand of Bourbon - Stedman's (young Barton).  If a second stop was way out of your way, well I guess you could pick up a mid shelf bottle there.

[b1gcountry]

I'm not impressed by Walmart liquor's selection. The prices are not amazing either. 

[aquavite]

Well, my first encounter with WAL-MART Liquors proved successful! 

 

Three acquisitions including:

1) Buffalo Trace 875ml  for $23.95;

2) Woodford Reserve Double Oaked for $52.95  (believe it or not, they had a "security device"  around the neck of  this bottle which the clerk had to cut off);

3) Fireball "Six Pack" of 200ml bottles, $9.95  (it's weaker than I thought.. only ABV 33%). 

 

The BT was allocated but they said they get a shipment every Thrs, and they had plenty of it on the shelf.  Everything else was on the open shelves.

 

The only thing missing (which I expected) was ECBP.  Even their advertised B523 was also out of stock.  

 

'll be back to you later this evening with my first "taste test."

 

 

Edited June 11 by aquavite

[Special Reserve]

In my city, Livonia, Michigan, only liquor stores can sell liquor. Costco can't sell Kirkland liquors, but the party store down the street does have Kirkland liquors for sale.

 

Unfortunately, the liquor stores pressured the city counsel to pass a law that made this possible. While I'm not much of a buyer these days, my favorite party store is not in my home city.

[aquavite]

OK the results of my taste test.

 

I "tandem tasted"  Woodford Reserve regular with the double oacked (2 half shots, side by side).   And, as a "chaser,"  I rinsed my palate with some "Fireball" Cinnamon.

 

In general, it seemed like all the notes, fragrance wise were all the same...  like they were all mixed together.  I smelled Vanilla, Butterscotch, maple syrup, etc. etc.), all mixed into one.   The aroma seemed stronger in the regular WR than the double oaked.   The taste in the double oaked was stronger than the regular WR.  The Alcohol was precisely the same,  I don't know why, but, for some reason, the regular WR seemed a little easier to go down than did the Double oaked.  

 

The Fireball was a hoot!  Very sweet.... very "cinnamony." Maybe a bit too cinnamony.  The aftertaste had remnants of that bitter cinnamon powder flavor (i.e  if you put a pinch of cinnamon powder on your tongue).  But, otherwise, very good. I hope I have similar luck when I can get a bottle Virgil Kaine ginger bourbon.

 

 

 

About 1hr later, i tried some Buffalo Trace for the first time.  I dunno.... it seemed a bit "weaker" than WR regular.   The same aroma was there, but not as strong.  And the taste was not as strong/bitter, either.  Very easy to swallow and, therefore, very easy to drink a lot of it if I so choose. At this point, though, I choose not.   I'll come back to it  for sure.  But I have other things to do now.  I need to find some ECBP and maybe a 1792 bonded.

 

We'll see.

 

Edited June 11 by aquavite

[lemonman]

Walmart used to have decent prices, albeit a limited selection, around here. They've become my only real source for BT at a price I don't consider robbery; it shows up occasionally.

 

 

[mbroo5880i]

On 6/11/2024 at 10:44 AM, aquavite said:

Well, my first encounter with WAL-MART Liquors proved successful! 

 

Three acquisitions including:

1) Buffalo Trace 875ml  for $23.95;

2) Woodford Reserve Double Oaked for $52.95  (believe it or not, they had a "security device"  around the neck of  this bottle which the clerk had to cut off);

3) Fireball "Six Pack" of 200ml bottles, $9.95  (it's weaker than I thought.. only ABV 33%). 

 

The BT was allocated but they said they get a shipment every Thrs, and they had plenty of it on the shelf.  Everything else was on the open shelves.

 

The only thing missing (which I expected) was ECBP.  Even their advertised B523 was also out of stock.  

 

'll be back to you later this evening with my first "taste test."

 

 

 

My Walmart usually has MM, WT101, KC9, WR, WRDO, ECBP, AE, AE Rye and some of the low brands @PaulO mentioned.  Most of the Crown is either locked up or has a tag requiring you to buy it up front.  

 

I assume the BT was a 750 ml?  I have never seen ECBP or anything close to allocated at the local Walmart.  

 

Different areas of the country may differ but in general as @PaulO notes, Walmart is ok for picking up a low to mid shelf bottle on the quick if you are already there.  I can usually find better selection and prices at a grocery store or a liquor store, both of which are within 1/2 mile of Walmart. 

 

I have read posts in the past where SB members occasionally find ER and some other interesting bottles.  While my expectations are always as they usually only have standard stuff, like @fishnbowljoe I rarely pass by a liquor department. 

[aquavite]

9 hours ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

I assume the BT was a 750 ml?  I have never seen ECBP or anything close to allocated at the local Walmart.  

 

 

Yes, 750 ml.  I dunno why I keep being dyslexic about that....

[MyBrainOnWhiskey]

On 6/11/2024 at 5:53 PM, aquavite said:

OK the results of my taste test.

 

And, as a "chaser,"  I rinsed my palate with some "Fireball" Cinnamon.

 

 

Stop drinking fireball  .  It is an abomination and it will not advance your palate.  In fact, ingesting substances like fireball might make your willie fall off  .

[Clueby]

I know there is a Walmart in rural Missouri that has a once-a-year lottery event for allocated bourbon....includes Pappiez and BTAC.   Makes me wonder where the stuff for all the other stores ends up?

[fishnbowljoe]

A friend in my bourbon/beer/cigar group stopped at a Walmart a few weeks ago. They had EW BIB on clearance for $10.00. He bought the last five bottles. Shared ‘em with the group.

[PaulO]

8 hours ago, Clueby said:

I know there is a Walmart in rural Missouri that has a once-a-year lottery event for allocated bourbon....includes Pappiez and BTAC.   Makes me wonder where the stuff for all the other stores ends up?

One would think, with the high volume of common stuff these big grocery chains purchase from distributors, those distributors would in turn offer them first chance at the unicorn bottles.   

[aquavite]

7 hours ago, PaulO said:

One would think, with the high volume of common stuff these big grocery chains purchase from distributors, those distributors would in turn offer them first chance at the unicorn bottles.   

 

The classic war between  big bad box stores like Walmart and little Mom & Pop shops.  I think the distributors know they have to meet the demands of the Mom & Pop shops as they are, generally,  more prevalent than Walmart centers. It would be interesting to calculate how much product is moved by Walmart/Costco etc. vs the Mom & Pop shops.