Ohio Lawmaker Proposes Legislation Requiring Retailers to Open Allocated Bottles to Prevent Secondary Resale

[mbroo5880i]

Interesting but misguided concept.

 

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2024/11/27/ohio-lawmaker-seeks-to-thwart-bourbon-resellers/76617651007/

Edited November 28, 2024 by mbroo5880i

[Richnimrod]

Hmmm.   This sounds, at least maybe, well-intentioned; but, to my mind misguided.   

Although I abhor the idea of purchasing whiskey in an effort to turn a profit (flip), I can't see the good in the government forcing this on the public.

I also, see a really big downside here...   Folx in Ohio (and elsewhere) would soon enough be offered 'opened' (unsealed) bottles of various 'unicorns' with no way to determine (other than the sales pitch of the profit-motivated seller) what those bottles may actually contain.    I am certain, knowing human nature, that some fools will bite.   ...Another way for unscrupulous turds to monetize possibly-inexpensive stuff at the expense of unwitting taters.   So this effort may actually stop NOTHING; but, allow an even more profitable avenue for the ethically-challenged to get over on the short-sighted-but-foolish seekers of hard-to-acquire bottles.   Just my opinion, of course.

[mbroo5880i]

It would also make it difficult to gift a specual bottle if it has already been opened.  

 

The secondary market is what it is. We see it with a lot of things. Concert and sports tickets. In many areas scalping is illegal but still happens. If some dude wants to pay $3000 for a bottle of Pappy or Taylor Swift tickets that's up to him.

[PaulO]

I like the sentiment of trying to treat people fairly, and that there is a bipartisan Bourbon group in a state government.

 

The breaking seals, opening bottles idea doesn't seem like overall a good solution.

What about the majority of limited releases that go to on premise accounts (bars and restaurants).

 

My idea is go back to what was done before prohibition.  People could buy directly from the distillery, rectifier, or whom ever was bottling it.  The US Mail delivered it.  Someone of legal age had to sign for the package.

My understanding of why the three tier system was justified at the time - the government feared distillers would produce and sell more product than they declared for tax purposes.  The way things are monitored nowadays, that probably wouldn't be much of a problem.

Having a bunch of middle men involved creates the mischief.

[flahute]

A local restaurant/bar (quietly one of the best whiskey bars on the west coast now) has a barrel program and sells the bottles at msrp to the local whiskey enthusiasts.

With bottles like Stagg, Blanton's Gold, and the Weller's he has had issues with them showing up on secondary. He now requires the buyers of any of these to open them before leaving. It's the only way that Sazerac will give him these barrels now.

I have no problems with this practice.

[PaulO]

17 hours ago, flahute said:

A local restaurant/bar (quietly one of the best whiskey bars on the west coast now) has a barrel program and sells the bottles at msrp to the local whiskey enthusiasts.

With bottles like Stagg, Blanton's Gold, and the Weller's he has had issues with them showing up on secondary. He now requires the buyers of any of these to open them before leaving. It's the only way that Sazerac will give him these barrels now.

I have no problems with this practice.

In some states (like where I live) a person could get a ticket just for having an open container in the vehicle.  Once, my wife and I took half a bottle of wine home from a restaurant.  The staff there put it in a plastic bag and heat sealed it closed.  I guess that satisfies the law.

 

With the Seattle local restaurant/bar the issue has to do with those extra little stickers with the establishment's name and all.  No denying where they came from.  Letting a few bottles go to good customers in the know at MSRP I'm sure isn't their main business.  They have to be making a lot more selling same by the pour.

 

[flahute]

1 hour ago, PaulO said:

In some states (like where I live) a person could get a ticket just for having an open container in the vehicle.  Once, my wife and I took half a bottle of wine home from a restaurant.  The staff there put it in a plastic bag and heat sealed it closed.  I guess that satisfies the law.

 

With the Seattle local restaurant/bar the issue has to do with those extra little stickers with the establishment's name and all.  No denying where they came from.  Letting a few bottles go to good customers in the know at MSRP I'm sure isn't their main business.  They have to be making a lot more selling same by the pour.

 

Put the container in the trunk.

 

For the Seattle business, the overwhelming majority goes to the barrel club, not just a few.

[PaulO]

Another thing I thought of, in the situation mentioned, there are probably a few shady characters that would gobble up a rather limited inventory if they could.  So I sort of understand that.

 

Personally, I would not want to be told I had to open something as a condition.  And I neither buy nor sell on the black market.

 

Why is it always the BT/Sazerac brands with all the high drama.  

[smokinjoe]

5 hours ago, PaulO said:

Another thing I thought of, in the situation mentioned, there are probably a few shady characters that would gobble up a rather limited inventory if they could.  So I sort of understand that.

 

Personally, I would not want to be told I had to open something as a condition.  And I neither buy nor sell on the black market.

 

Why is it always the BT/Sazerac brands with all the high drama.  

I also would not like the sale condition of opening something up.