Whiskey prices on the rise again

[Virus_Of_Life]

Back in California for the weekend I went out to see if WTAS had reached the area and was quite shocked to see some price increases. Pappy20 at a place that used to carry it for $69.99 is now $99.99! :shocked: They said the distributor jacked up prices due to alleged shortage. Sorry BT et al I will not be paying that price for Pappy20. The current release of Handy $79.99, not going to pay that either! Current Stagg $59.99, maybe but doubt I will pay that either - thought it was great at $45 but at $60 not sure. Pappy 15 $69.99 - uh no - especially if I don't know what juice I am getting.

:frown: :crazy: :frown:

[TNbourbon]

Back in California for the weekend I went out to see if WTAS had reached the area and was quite shocked to see some price increases. Pappy20 at a place that used to carry it for $69.99 is now $99.99! :shocked: They said the distributor jacked up prices due to alleged shortage. Sorry BT et al I will not be paying that price for Pappy20. The current release of Handy $79.99, not going to pay that either! Current Stagg $59.99, maybe but doubt I will pay that either - thought it was great at $45 but at $60 not sure. Pappy 15 $69.99 - uh no - especially if I don't know what juice I am getting.

:frown: :crazy: :frown:

Well, Christian, I've had to pay $99 (or more, after sales tax) around here for some time. I won't rule it out till it's three figures, which won't be long.

Anyway, the ones you note are nearing the end of their lives, anyway, I suspect. How much more 15yo bourbon does BT have that can be bottled as Stagg without a drop in quality? Will we care about Pappy 20 once it's no longer S-W whiskey?

More and more today, I'm glad that even the lower shelves of bourbon/rye are quite respectable, because I think that's where a lot of my product will be coming from soon enough.

[Virus_Of_Life]

Will we care about Pappy 20 once it's no longer S-W whiskey?

Exactly Tim and hence the reason I will not pay much more than $45-50 for the 15 year old. I love the SW 15, I mean really love it and if I KNEW it was SW would pay upwards of $70. I know Julian wouldn't do it because of the obvious, but if there was some labeling to denote the difference I'd pay the high prices for the SW juice and more reasonable prices for whatever other stuff he picks out.

More and more today, I'm glad that even the lower shelves of bourbon/rye are quite respectable, because I think that's where a lot of my product will be coming from soon enough.

Yep, I was just thinking this recently as well as hoping I can always find the upper shelf regulars such as Blanton's for reasonable prices.

[melting]

You folks are going to love this one. As I've already stated last week New Hampshire is running a sale on Elijah Craig 18 year old. I bought all of the stock at the store closer to me. 4 bottles for $23.99 each.

This morning I get an email from a large local liquor store here in Mass. Their newsletter has a bottle of EC18 prominently displayed. There's a little caption box next to the picture telling you all about how good it is. then there is the price. Ready. $54.99 per 750 ml.

They must be working with a pretty good markup at that store. I'm pretty confident I won't be hitting their shleves any time in the near future.

Chris

[JRomain]

GD gas prices! Whenever that goes up, all else follows.

[ggilbertva]

Back in California for the weekend I went out to see if WTAS had reached the area and was quite shocked to see some price increases. Pappy20 at a place that used to carry it for $69.99 is now $99.99! :shocked: They said the distributor jacked up prices due to alleged shortage. Sorry BT et al I will not be paying that price for Pappy20. The current release of Handy $79.99, not going to pay that either! Current Stagg $59.99, maybe but doubt I will pay that either - thought it was great at $45 but at $60 not sure. Pappy 15 $69.99 - uh no - especially if I don't know what juice I am getting.

:frown: :crazy: :frown:

Those prices you show are typical for my area. In fact, Pappy 20 goes for $110 here in VA. I picked up a bottle of Pap 20 in S.C. last year and paid around $65 for it. The Pappy 15 year I bought online and paid $36. I can't even get the 15 year here in VA. The BTAC go for around $60 a piece. Last Summer I found a store that had some stray Stagg on the shelf. They wanted ~$60 each but the shelf label still advertised $49 each. I pointed that out to the clerk who said the price went up and he didn't have a chance to change the shelf tag. I told him that didn't matter, his advertised price is $49. He relented and gave me 5 bottles for $49 each.

[MGades]

The good news is that even mainstream media is catching on that Ethanol as a fuel is counterproductive. We'll have to see how it plays out (given all the federal subsidies), but the price of corn should drop now.

And yes, the "highest and best use" of corn is definitely Bourbon.

Let's keep it that way!

[cas]

I'm lobbying for a Memorial - Labor Day whiskey tax holiday.

Craig

[OldJack]

Please, no one blame it on the rising cost of corn. Seriously, that's how it goes. Prices rise all the time.

One thing that a lot of people don't realize is that a company has but one obligation. That is to make money for it's shareholders. End of story.

Chris

Sorry, but that is BS. Yes, the shareholders are a company's first responsibility, but not the only one. Corporations are also responsible to society at large- to be good citizens and neighbors. This social darwinian model for business isn't what our free-market was designed for. There was always supposed to be a sense of corporate responsibility just as individuals are also responsible to others.

I know that rant has nothing to do with rising prices of bourbon, but I couldn't let it pass.

[heatmiser]

Corporations are also responsible to society at large- to be good citizens and neighbors.

Maybe, but nobody is holding them to it...

[OldJack]

Maybe, but nobody is holding them to it...

True enough- but a lack of accountability does not excuse a lack of responsibility.

I'm a free market guy. I like capitalism. I just want capitalists to cherish, honor, and listen to that inner Jimmeny Cricket.

[ILLfarmboy]

True enough- but a lack of accountability does not excuse a lack of responsibility.

I'm a free market guy. I like capitalism. I just want capitalists to cherish, honor, and listen to that inner Jimmeny Cricket.

If you are a "free market guy" then I'm a guerilla capitalist.

Legal responsibilities can be enforced. Moral responsibilities; ones that lie are outside those overlapping legal areas, are unenforceable. Primarily because we recognize that to do so would be a violation of the enforceie's property rights, or, if you want to get touchy feely, the right to pursue happiness within the bounds of those property rights as long as he/she doesn't commit fraud or aggress against another persons right to dispose of his property as he sees fit.

If I was king of the world I might decree that henceforth all bourbon, hell, all whiskey destined to be sold as a straight, shall not come off the still at more than 110 proof and go into the barrel at not less than 105 proof. Because, after all, if the producers were listening to their inner Jimmeny Cricket, wouldn't they want to do that without me forcing them?

do you see what I'm getting at?

As for the original subject of this thread; rising whiskey prices, I'll pay. I'll economize in other areas, eat more road kill (some of you probably think I'm joking, I'm not.) etc.

[robbyvirus]

Sorry, but that is BS. Yes, the shareholders are a company's first responsibility, but not the only one. Corporations are also responsible to society at large- to be good citizens and neighbors. This social darwinian model for business isn't what our free-market was designed for. There was always supposed to be a sense of corporate responsibility just as individuals are also responsible to others.

Yep, and I'm sure all the former Enron executives believed this too.

[cigarnv]

While it is nice to speak of corporate responsibility and the need to do good at the corporate level few if any of us would invest our $$ in an upstanding company that delivered poor returns to the shareholder. The obligation of a company, IMO, is to maximize return to the shareholders within the confines of the law.... let the shareholders do good in any way they want with their returns.

[smokinjoe]

Two articles in the Atlanta paper this morning regarding higher whiskey prices, and higher beer prices:

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/business/stories/2008/06/03/whiskey_prices.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/2008/06/02/microbreweries.html.

JOE

[Gillman]

This should impel people ever more to buy based on inherent quality, not labels. Lagavulin 16 is great - but even many malt devotees might only have that occasionally. Many Scotch blends of excellent quality can be bought at good prices (some were mentioned in one of the articles Joe cited). Glenfiddich 12 and Glenlivet 12 are excellent, well-priced whiskies in the malts category. Some of these are sometimes put on sale, depending on where you live and the alcohol control environment. VOB is still a great buy, so are many of the Heaven Hill labels. Prices are going up, but with careful selection many good buys can be found.

Gary

[mozilla]

Two articles in the Atlanta paper this morning regarding higher whiskey prices, and higher beer prices:

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/business/stories/2008/06/03/whiskey_prices.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/2008/06/02/microbreweries.html.

JOE

Thanks for the link, Joe. :grin:

[ThomasH]

I was in the local liquor store today and the change of the month resulted in a change in whiskey prices again. All the versions of Jim Beam went up a 1.00 for the 750 and 2.00 for the 1.75. Blantons went up 2.00 for a grand total of a 4.00 increase in 3 months. CC 12 went up 2.00 a 750, Jameson up 3.00 a 750, MM up 1.00 a 750 as were several other categories of alcohol. Ohio's prices for Jim Beam are approaching prices in other places for bourbon much older than 4yrs. I think JD only raised the price of Gentlemans Jack, which is quite suprising. Usually they are right at the head of the pack when it comes to rising prices!

Thomas

[HipFlask]

Well Rittenhouse Rye BIB was $12.99 when the new shipment came in the price jumped up to $17.99. The 80 proof is still $12.99. I am not quite sure what prompted an almost 50% increase but is sure does not seem quite right. Is that price in the ball park of what everybody else is paying?

[Attila]

Bourbon is very inexpensive. Esp. if you consider the punch you get per dollar. Bourbon is about 6x as strong as wine. If your daily bottle of wine is about $15, then your daily bottle of bourbon should cost $90. $90 buys a very, very nice bottle of bourbon, but $15 doesnt buy very nice wine.

[tritioch]

The word in upstate NY from the BT folks is that a major price increase is coming this fall. Couldn't get any details as to how big, but it sounds like a cross-the-board hike. Fair enough for Eagle, Weller, Elmer, etc. which have been basically the same price for the last 4-5yrs, but on the top end stuff? PvW has gone up every other month for the last year... and another major price hike?

[fishnbowljoe]

Noticed things here in northern Illinois creeping up a bit. Only a buck or two though, and not on everything. You can still find some really good prices when stuff goes "on sale". Tritioch, one place I go has Pappy 20, and it's up to $123.00 a bottle. Joe

[texascarl]

Sounds like I'd better go buy a few more 'everyday' bottles. I've been buying gin, scotch and vodka lately. Which means the whusk index is down, the white likker index is still rising. Time to review our investment stragedy. I grabbed some Rare Breed and RR on sale last month. This week Evan Williams Black is on sale here, $15.99/1.75. Good for the vatted 'mingle' I whip up once or twice a year.

To paraphrase the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers "Bourbon will get you thru times of no money better than money will get you thru times of no bourbon."

[tritioch]

Noticed things here in northern Illinois creeping up a bit. Only a buck or two though, and not on everything. You can still find some really good prices when stuff goes "on sale". Tritioch, one place I go has Pappy 20, and it's up to $123.00 a bottle. Joe

$123 per bottle :bigeyes: ?!? Thankfully it is still under $90 around here.

[jburlowski]

It's called inflation folks, and we'd all better get used to it.