Jump to content

Christmas packaging


kbuzbee
This topic has been inactive for at least 365 days, and is now closed. Please feel free to start a new thread on the subject! 

Recommended Posts

Anyone know of Christmas packing to watch out for?? A few years ago I got some nice rocks glasses with Rare Breed. Last year Don Julio Tequila came with some nice little mini snifters.... Just wondering if anyone has seen or heard anything.

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All I've seen so far has been Christmas packaging for Cazadores Tequila. There are two different versions. One with a margarita glass I saw at my local Sams Club, and one with two small snifters at my local liquor store.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I picked up a Christmas package of Wild Turkey 101. It comes with two low ball glasses with the turkey etched at the bottom. At 17.99, it was a steal! Anybody see any bourbon packages with a flask?

Also, if anyone likes Jack Daniels, Costco had a fantastic wood case with regular Jack, Gentleman Jack and Single Barrel in it. It has a glass window with Jack Daniels etched on it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I saw the WT package as well. Nice. I liked the glasses better when they did the Rare Breed package. Those were very nice quality.

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't remember, but someone is doing a combo flask/cigar holder. It looks interesting. I would jump at the Glenmorangie. A lot of stores here either pull the sets to sell this time of year, or some break them apart and sell the gifts seperately. Now that sounds like a rip at first, but I bought a shaker for $2.00 from a vodka I would not spend 50 cents on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of stores here either pull the sets to sell this time of year, or some break them apart and sell the gifts seperately.

Is that...legal?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of stores here either pull the sets to sell this time of year, or some break them apart and sell the gifts seperately.

Is that...legal?

Depends on where it is. Here is Tennessee, no. We can't sell anything -- not even a corkscrew for your wine purchase -- that doesn't have an alcohol content (even our mixers have 1% abv) unless it's packaged with liquor/wine. Thus we can sell gift sets -- but only if intact.

Lots of places (he said, in an understatement) have more liberal alcohol sales laws, however.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We at BTD looked into providing glassware or some other holiday gift, but then we had to consider the following:

Cost of quality rock glass with imprint: $1.50

Cost of special gift carton to hold glass: tooling $3800 plus $2.25 per box

Cost of inserting glass into special box: $.50 per box

Cost of special shipping master carton to hold 6 gift boxes: tooling $1800 plus $1.40 per shipper

Now assuming we provided 2 rocks glasses for the 750ml size BT only (one glass is kind of cheap) and we produce 5,000 cases (since only 6 bottles will fit into the shipper, we are only selling 2,500 9 liter cases), our total cost is around $185,000 or $6.16 per bottle sold or $74/9 liter case. I can tell you that I only wish we made enough profit on a case of BT to breakeven on this. Suffice it to say, we don't.

It's not that I have anything against gift packs, but bear in mind that distilleries, while moved by the holiday spirit, are in this business to make a profit. If they are still make a profit after producing these gift packs, then I am envious of their profitability.

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quite possibly the costs are written off as promotional expenses. Many if not most are bought to give to someone else---a way to get the product into the hands of someone who may not buy it themselves.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ken,with the cost breakdown you have graciously provided, I am a little more impressed at those gift sets since here in Colorado,they always retail at the same price as those without. I always seek out the gift sets because of the added value; that means sometimes buying when I don't need too. And that could just be why other distillers do it. I will say, while I enjoy Bombay Sapphire, it's not my favorite. But I will usually by their gift sets because of the martini glasses they provide. Don't get me wrong; if a really nasty bottom shelfer had a set of cool glasses, I probably still wouldn't buy. On the other hand, if I purchased a 1.75ltr of Buffalo Trace yesterday, and noticed today a gift set came out, you guessed it, I'd have TWO new bottles on my shelf. As a retail business owner, I could also see the gift sets as a way of thanking the store owners, as it would spur additional holiday sales, adding to their bottom line, which in turn should make them more appriciative of the distillery and their distributor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't remember, but someone is doing a combo flask/cigar holder.

Today I saw a Cutty Sark gift set with cigar holder and a cigar shaped flask.

Glenlivet gift sets were also plentiful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ken--don't waste your company's time and money. The whole idea behind a holiday package is twofold: 1. to win over new customers and 2. to reward your brand-loyal faithful.

Let's look at these one at a time:

1. You already have a demand greater than supply (at least at this point). You aren't looking to win people over whom you can't supply.

2. Your brand-loyal (people like yours-truly) don't need some cheap coaster to buy your product.

My advice? Keep churning out your awesome product and don't compromise. Don't follow the way of Maker's Mark and chip away at your quality as a byproduct of marketing.

soapbox.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wild Turkey 101 gift set at Rite-Aid for 12.99 until 11/17. Needless to say I purchased one and will probably purchase another as 12.99 is a damn good price with or without glasses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I liked the glasses better when they did the Rare Breed package. Those were very nice quality.

Ken

Were those the one's with the glasses that looked like barrels? I saw some of those today : Bottle of Rare Breed, two barrel shaped glasses and a nice wood/plexiglass box. They've either been issued again this year or our distributor had some left over. Very nice gift set IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I doubt we are talking about the same glasses. Tim posted this photo a while back. It's the one on the right:

Rare Breed glasses

They are very heavy and the taper is about perfect (for me anyway)

I'll keep an eye out for the ones you saw.

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, they are definitely different from those glasses. The one's I saw are basically tumblers that look like barrels. Maybe it is the new set for this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ken,

After some years in the glass business the figures that you quote are not only accurate but the main reason that these gift packs are now considered a marketing ploy that you as the producer decide to do in spite of the cost. The lead time is huge and the margin low. That being said I will still be keeping my eyes open this year for the bargains that are always there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a very nice packaging of EWSB 1995 with one lowball glass and a silver "flip jigger", which is a decorative jigger that balances in the rim of the glass and you "flip" the contents into the glass. I bought one of these at the HH Visitor's Center last year and I think I paid $8-10 for it. The cost of the boxed set is the same as the bottle price.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ken--don't waste your company's time and money. The whole idea behind a holiday package is twofold: 1. to win over new customers and 2. to reward your brand-loyal faithful.

Let's look at these one at a time:

1. You already have a demand greater than supply (at least at this point). You aren't looking to win people over whom you can't supply.

2. Your brand-loyal (people like yours-truly) don't need some cheap coaster to buy your product.

Here! Here!

Ken, keep up the great work. When I can get hold of a product from BT, it is always first class bowdown.gif

If I want a drink coaster or glass, I simply order it from the web site. wink.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beg to disagree boys. Anytime I can get a bottle of Bourbon with 2 glasses, a string bikini, or anything else for the price of the bottle alone, I'll buy it. I think it has something to do with being frugal. smilielol.gif

Joe usflag.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anytime I can get a bottle of Bourbon with 2 glasses, a string bikini..

Yep, I've gotta admit, if it has a string bikini in the box it'd suck me in too... crazy.gifsmilielol.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dunno, never had any problem in aquiring a string bikini if I wanted one, my problem has always been getting the filler. Now if the package came with the filler....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.