Bourbon prices

[ratcheer]

Have I ever mentioned that bourbon (and liquor prices, in general) are very high in Alabama? I believe that I have.

I went to the ABC store, today, to see if they had anything new and exciting. They didn't. But I was shocked to see the current prices. They have gone from very high to outrageous!

For example, Wild Turkey Rare Breed has been $31, but now it is $35.99. That is a 16% increase. Wild Turkey 101 was $18 a couple of years ago, was $19 the last time I remember looking, and it is $20, now. Old Grand Dad 86-proof is now $15. And Jim Beam Black is $21.

Basically, everything I have any interest in is up substantially over what I remember from just a couple of months ago. Are prices generally increasing for you in other parts of the country? I'm not asking about small increases, but 10% or more. Or, is Alabama really sticking it to me above and beyond their already gouging prices?

Tim

[Hedmans Brorsa]

Well, whatever you do, don´t move to Sweden. I pay the equivalent to $57 for Rare Breed.

To add insult to injury, it is special order only, which means that I get no chance to check which batch I get.

[Rughi]

Wild Turkey 101 was $18 a couple of years ago, was $19 the last time I remember looking, and it is $20, now....

Tim

I don't live in a control state, so each store may vary 10-20%. It's harder to notice price trends, so I just ask myself at a given store if what they offer is enough pleasure for the price, not if it's a better deal across town.

I would think that if the whiskey is pleasurable then $20 is quite a bargain, and if it isn't pleasurable, then it was a waste of $18 or $20, not $2. I don't see that the $2 is very relevant except in very large quantities.

That said, I probably have 60 open bottles, so I'm either savoring a lot of great whiskey or have wasted a colossal amount of money.

Roger

[ratcheer]

Okay, I agree with what you are all saying, but it rankles me when others in many other states can buy something for $28, but it costs me $31 and that is raised to $36. Plus, there is no competition, here, so I can't just find another store with better prices. Plus, the selection sucks. :hot:

Tim

[Powertrip]

Well, whatever you do, don´t move to Sweden. I pay the equivalent to $57 for Rare Breed.

To add insult to injury, it is special order only, which means that I get no chance to check which batch I get.

Must agree with you on this.

In Canada, the cheapest I have ever seen Rare Breed is for $41.99!

Most stores here average about $46.99.

[Rughi]

Just as data points:

I bought a Rare Breed for $35.99 yesterday, and the last times I can recall looking at prices for WT 101 it was $18.99 and for Beam Black it was $17.99. Of course, all of those could be $5 more at a different store.

I don't think you're getting ripped off in this instance (by Bay Area standards), but it would rankle me, just as it does you, if the government set a price that I didn't think was fair and I had no recourse other than travel to another state to make my purchases.

Roger

[OscarV]

[QUOTE][/QUOTE]

Okay, I agree with what you are all saying, but it rankles me when others in many other states can buy something for $28, but it costs me $31 and that is raised to $36. Plus, there is no competition, here, so I can't just find another store with better prices. Plus, the selection sucks. :hot:

Tim

Hey Tim,

I know what you are going through, in MI we too have very high prices and a terrible selection.

But to make you feel better 'Bama has better weather in the spring, fall and winter.

Oscar

[RedVette]

For example, Wild Turkey Rare Breed has been $31, but now it is $35.99. That is a 16% increase. Wild Turkey 101 was $18 a couple of years ago, was $19 the last time I remember looking, and it is $20, now. Old Grand Dad 86-proof is now $15. And Jim Beam Black is $21.

Tim

Just looked at my favorite ex-mailorder house from So Cal. Beam Black $24.99 for a 1.75l. ETL $20.99, WT101 $15.99, EW SB $21.99, WTRB $25.99. All of these are on sale now.

These guys are higher than most when something is not on sale, but when they put it on sale, it usually is a bargain.

[T47]

Tim, our prices here in WA State are pretty close to yours, some a little higher and some a little lower.

In WA. in theory I can get on line and search to see what Liquor is available and at what store and price and do it all on one central web site. The system can lag up to several months so I always call before I go, but it is kind of a nice benefit.

When I look at some non-State runs systems their prices seem seem to be all over the place, some much lower, some much higher.

I don't know enough about how it works. From a philosophical position I don't like the Government controlling liquor sales, but then I think of the saying, "be careful what you wish for". I would have thought that the State could negotiate better supplies snd prices because they do such a good volume...but like I said I don't understand enough about it.

With the exception of a few bottles I have a store pretty close to me that has a very nice selection...I might have to work harder in a non-State run system.

Just curious, does anyone know if a State (acting like a business) can better negotiate prices and variety from a Distillery because of the volume they sell?

[scopenut]

Tim,

In South Florida, prices have been pretty stable as of late. At one of the larger "discount" wine/spirit retailers here, WTRB $29, WT101 $17, OGD86 $14, Beam Black $16. These are apparently pretty good prices compared nationwide. The downside is that I can't get bourbon over the Internet shipped to FL.

-Kevin

[cas]

Hey Tim,

I know what you are going through, in MI we too have very high prices and a terrible selection.

But to make you feel better 'Bama has better weather in the spring, fall and winter.

Oscar

I just moved to MI and I'd call the selection fair rather than terrible. I've lived in a few different states over the last 5 years and seen quite a bit of variability. In NC the selection was terrible. In SC it was pretty good, but spotty. What MI lacks are the big discount places that are available in the non-control states. Fortunately my in-laws live in the Chicago suburbs so I can swing by the big outlets there when I visit to stock up.

MI prices are high, some items are probably 50% more than what I paid in SC.

Craig

[ratcheer]

Tim,

The downside is that I can't get bourbon over the Internet shipped to FL.

-Kevin

It is a felony to have it shipped to yourself Alabama. Again, no options.

Tim

[wadewood]

Just curious, does anyone know if a State (acting like a business) can better negotiate prices and variety from a Distillery because of the volume they sell?

WA state does often have one time buy specials. Trust me; prices are always negotiable, often depending on competition. However, one of the state run board agendas is to reduce alcohol consumption through higher prices.

The WA State liquor board does have monthly meetings and they post these notes on website. I have read these in past; the discuss tastings & pricing, then vote on if a product gets approved for distribution. There is currently a task force looking at the Three Tier system and possible changes to this (probably as result of lawsuit from Costco). Lots of interesting stuff: http://www.liq.wa.gov/3ttf-site/3ttf_Minutes.html

[OscarV]

I just moved to MI and I'd call the selection fair rather than terrible.

Craig

Maybe terrible is to harsh a word, but I have 130 different bourbon labels and I would say only about 30 were purchased in MI.

We can't get any of the BT Antique Collection,(not to mention the Experimental Collection). Only a couple of the Van Winkles, nothing by the Kulveens,(and thats a lot). I could be wrong but I don't remember any Old Fitz's. Used to get Very Old Barton 86 proof, but no longer. Blanton's is now $57.00.

Have you ever been to "Village Party Store" in Saline?

Andy is a nice guy, he has a good MI selection, and he is closing out some and they are on sale.

Also "Williams Party Store" close to US23 on Michigan Ave has a decent selection. Tell Kurt and Kent that Oscar sent 'ya.

[AVB]

The State Pennsylvania is the largest liquor buyer in the world. Sometimes that means a good price and sometimes it doesn't. In the case of Rare Breed it is $32 and 101 is $20. I can get slightly better prices in Maryland but I'll spend $10 in gas so that doesn't make it worthwhile.

On the plus side Pappy 20 is $72 for example.

[CrispyCritter]

My impression of Michigan has been that the lower-priced brands tend to be more expensive than in Chicago, but the upper-shelf brands tend to have prices in line with what I see on this side of the lake.

As I understand it, in Michigan the wholesale business is state-controlled, but the retail stores are private - with state-mandated minimum prices.

[ProofPositive]

Okay, I agree with what you are all saying, but it rankles me when others in many other states can buy something for $28, but it costs me $31 and that is raised to $36. Plus, there is no competition, here, so I can't just find another store with better prices. Plus, the selection sucks. :hot:

Tim

I was in Alabama for 2 weeks back in July and traveled across several counties between the Mississippi state line and Decatur. At least from my personal observation, what you are saying about the prices & selection in 'Bama is absolutely correct and I sympathize with your situation down there. I also suffer from higher prices here in the western part of Tennessee on some particular labels. At the same time though, others can be quite reasonable (ER, ETL, and the Weller line to name a few). We are not a control board state though - which is definitely a plus.

Are you anywhere near the Mississippi border? If so, you can save some money going across the line. If not, are you near Georgia or Florida? I don't know about those states but maybe the selection & prices would be better(?). Miss is a control board state but they seem to have a very decent selection most of the time. If you can find any GTS there, it is normally at least $10 less per bottle. Of course, finding it is the problem. For the most part though, I find as much selection in Olive Branch, Miss as in Memphis, Tenn.

I make a trip into north Mississippi every so often just for Rare Breed which is $28.50 plus sales tax of 5% in Olive Branch. That gets me out the door for slightly over $30 which is a deal compared to the Tennessee stores where I noticed there has been an increase lately from $36 to $38. Maybe WT is raising prices a bit and perhaps Miss has not felt the pinch yet....don't know. Overall though, I can usually save a few bucks every time I go south of the border if for nothing else the sales tax is almost half! The key is buying in quantity as much as possible. Due to the recent price of fuel, the savings can be negated quickly if I make too many trips south.

[ratcheer]

Thanks, but I am pretty much in the center of the state. It is over 100 miles to any other state. When I do go to Atlanta or Tennessee or Kentucky, I always pick up a few things, but the opportunities are few and far between.

Also, my original post was trying to say that I think AL prices have gone up, and sharply, since July. So, they are quite worse now than what you saw.

For some reason, I rarely find myself in Mississippi. I like the state and have even given it thought as a place to retire to, but I only go there every five years or so.

Tim

[TNbourbon]

...I make a trip into north Mississippi every so often just for Rare Breed which is $28.50 plus sales tax of 5% in Olive Branch...

Ah, yes -- Olive Branch, MS. (sigh!) I used to know where there was some good bottles there.

[wintersway]

My prefered liquor store has not had ANY Van Winkle product in stock for a couple of months. Yesterday I went there and !hallaluja! the shelves were once again laden with the sweet nectar. After loading up with as much Family Reserve Rye as my card would float I noticed that an old favorite of mine, the 10 yr old 107, was now priced @ 37 dollars! The last time I bought this was in early July and I paid $21 so for some reason this bottle has appreciated tremendously.

[Nebraska]

Hirsch 16yo via Binny's from $59 to $69 in the last several weeks. Good thing I bought them over Labor day at the old price.

[JeffRenner]

As I understand it, in Michigan the wholesale business is state-controlled, but the retail stores are private - with state-mandated minimum prices.

That's correct. The minimum prices can be checked here.

Before January, 2005 (I think), the prices were mandated, not minimum, but somebody got to the state legislature and they changed the law. There was no publicity about this law until the day before the vote. When I complained to my state senator, he said that he voted for it because he felt it would be good for the consumer to have competition. I suggested that if he wanted competition, they should remove the price floor, not just the ceiling.

Our best liquor store in town, A&L Wine Castle, advertises that they sell at the state minimum, but you have to watch them. Some of their prices are way over the minimum. I've never had any trouble with them when I pointed this out - they've looked up the price and charged me the minimum, but I don't like this apparent duplicity.

Jeff

[TNbourbon]

Hirsch 16yo via Binny's from $59 to $69 in the last several weeks. Good thing I bought them over Labor day at the old price.

Went looking for a couple of these this morning just because they're going to get nothing but rarer, and was prepared to pay the general $75 price tag around here for the gold-foil version. Imagine my surprise when the nearest store in which I'd last seen them had lowered it to $54.99 because they weren't selling. He sold some today.

[Nebraska]

Are you reading this Brett...see nobody's buying them...I'd lower the price right away...you're gonna get stuck with them.

Being's you've been sooo good to me I'd even take a few more off your hands!

[Nebraska]

P.S. Very good find Tim, I'm envious at that price!