The Bourbon Thread

[Andrew Kotowski]

That 1920 goes for $62/btl pre-tax in WA.

I just picked up a couple of bottles from a local store for $104 out the door... which sadly feels like a steal.

[Edward H. Earles]

That is a good deal.

[ERPark]

For WA, that’s a great deal all-in with the extra vig they collect on liquor.

[Mich@el Ch@ng]

those are 750?

[Andrew Kotowski]

those are 750?

Yes. Just nuts, considering I’ve picked up the special release for $19.99 here. I brought in a shot (in a vial) of Willet 4 for my wine/beer guy as a thank you.

[Kris Patten]

Nice Andrew.

For reference I think we sell them for about $25 wholesale, if I'm reading it right $104 for both would be great.

[Ryan Kilkenney]

Purchased at a local store, but definitely NOT for retail prices. A splurge for the holidays.

[Robert M yers]

If anybody is getting hit with mark ups for Weller special Reserve and Antique I’d be willing help get some to you at cost. They arrive here fairly regularly now, regular bottles and 1.5’s. I think they are just under 25-30 pre tax. Might prefer the opportunity to trade for beer/whisky that not available here...

[Ben Herd]

Anyone know if BTAC and Pappy will be dropping soon in WA state? Also why are we the last state to get anything?

[Mike Maguire]

Anyone know if BTAC and Pappy will be dropping soon in WA state? Also why are we the last state to get anything?

Because this state is a joke when it comes to hard to get spirits, and when they do get them they jack the price anyway.F...k Wash. liquor industry!
,

[Kris Patten]

Anyone know if BTAC and Pappy will be dropping soon in WA state? Also why are we the last state to get anything?

Because this state is a joke when it comes to hard to get spirits, and when they do get them they jack the price anyway.F...k Wash. liquor industry!
,

Ever follow overpricedbourbon on Instagram? WA liquor stores are on it regularly for head shaking prices, Costco is on for good prices, albeit the taxes after the fact are brutal regardless of their fair starting margin.

The more whisky thay goes to Kroger/Safeway/Costco the fairer the prices are marked up and close to MSRP....caveat the taxes don't let them get close after the till. Safeway and Kroger eat the 17% which helps consumers and Costco works at 10-13% so they are doing what they can, but you can't get around liter or spirits sales tax at register.

[Andrew Kotowski]

Picked up some Willett Pot Still at $53.99 yesterday at QFC (Sammamish). Kills me to see it discounted down to $40 in CA... but at least I’m seeing it now?

[alan weinberg]

Picked up some Willett Pot Still at $53.99 yesterday at QFC (Sammamish). Kills me to see it discounted down to $40 in CA... but at least I’m seeing it now?

I bought 2 b here in CA Saturday but I won’t tell you what I paid. They were out of the $83 1.75 liter size. It’s my go to.

[Alan Rath]

Have seen High West Midwinter recently at Whole Foods. K&L has blown through two batches in the past few weeks, put it on your email alerts if interested.

[GregP]

Bought a few bottles of Bulleit Barrel Strength @ $20 per earlier this year at Costco (Summerlin, Las Vegas). Angel's Envy @ $38.

[Scott G r u n e r]

Picked up some Willett Pot Still at $53.99 yesterday at QFC (Sammamish). Kills me to see it discounted down to $40 in CA... but at least I’m seeing it now?

I bought 2 b here in CA Saturday but I won’t tell you what I paid. They were out of the $83 1.75 liter size. It’s my go to.

Saw some of those at the local costco. Can’t recall price. That bottle annoys me though. It’s like the la gardine bottle of whiskey

[Mike Maguire]

Picked up some Willett Pot Still at $53.99 yesterday at QFC (Sammamish). Kills me to see it discounted down to $40 in CA... but at least I’m seeing it now?

I bought 2 b here in CA Saturday but I won’t tell you what I paid. They were out of the $83 1.75 liter size. It’s my go to.

Saw some of those at the local costco. Can’t recall price. That bottle annoys me though. It’s like the la gardine bottle of whiskey

I saw those too Scott, $65 out the door.Last year in Cali. $85 for the 1.75.

[BLittle]

Total Wine has Hancock President's Reserve in stock for $50. Had last year and a very smooth sipper so picked up a pair

[Josh Grossman]

Just picked up an Old Pogue and Wilderness Trail Barrel-proof Rye

[Mike Maguire]

Ok, I have to fess up , I did pick up a Four Roses Limited Edition at the Gig Harbor Costco.$157+ $35 in taxes=$192 out the door, I am weak

[Leonard Taylor]

Going to a lottery tomorrow afternoon which I am sure will be packed. Which of these would be on your top 5 if you got the chance to only buy one bottle?

George T. Stagg
Weller Antique 107
Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Yr
W.L. Weller 12 Yr
Elijah Craig 18 Yr
Thomas H. Handy
Michter's Toasted Sour Mash
E.H. Taylor Single Barrel
E.H. Taylor Small Batch
Wild Turkey Master's Keeper Cornerstone
Kentucky Own Straight Rye Batch 3
Blanton's Single Barrel
Buffalo Trace
1792 12 Yr
1792 Single Barrel
1792 BIB KSBW
McKenna Single Barrel
Smooth Ambler Big Level Wheated

[ERPark]

^^^ depends on if those are at MSRP or close, or jacked up to secondary market pricing or close.

[Mich@el Ch@ng]

Stagg

[Leonard Taylor]

^^^ depends on if those are at MSRP or close, or jacked up to secondary market pricing or close.

This is in NC where all the stores are owned and run by the state so there are no markups

[Ryan Kilkenney]

The big gets are Stagg (my favorite among the bunch), Van Winkle, Thomas Handy (rye), and Elijah Craig 18. Weller 12 is very good and would good get at retail price.

[ERPark]

^^^ depends on if those are at MSRP or close, or jacked up to secondary market pricing or close.

This is in NC where all the stores are owned and run by the state so there are no markups

So the first 8 plus the Kentucky Owl rye are the ones that will likely get scooped up first. Blanton’s probably rounds out the 10th spot, or maybe the Henry McKenna 10 year SiB. Then it’s personal preference after that. EHT SmB, Buffalo Trace, 1792 SiB and Smooth Ambler BLW can be procured fairly readily in most areas of the country.

Based on the gap between MSRP and secondary market pricing, the VWSR 12 year is the prize if you’ve got the whole list to pick from. 2019 Stagg is being derided by a lot of aficionados as the worst ever, but it still gets plenty of love. THH rye, EC18 and W12 would round out my first 5 picks.

Good luck!

[Mich@el Ch@ng]

people are deriding GTS because it has the lowest ABV of any stagg; "only" 116 proof. I really like both it and the 2018 version which some people also dislike, more than prior years. I have 2016 and 2018 in the bar currently. I agree that the lot B is likely going to be the most expensive on the secondary market by 100 or so, but I like it much less than the GTS; I doubt anyone could tell the difference between it and the W12 blind.

[Andrew Kotowski]

Clearly not bourbon, but some context for the discussion re: WA State above. Same thing for Willett 4 year, etc.

[Jim Brennan]

Have we had a discussion of how long an opened bottle of whiskey lasts? I was always under the impression that once you open, the only real risk is slow evaporation, but recently I heard someone argue that it changes once you open it, and that it drinks best in the first 3 or 4 months.

[Ryan Kilkenney]

That seems short to me. My rule of thumb is to drink within a year.

[Kris Patten]

Clearly not bourbon, but some context for the discussion re: WA State above. Same thing for Willett 4 year, etc.

You have to put in context. We sell the vast majority of our spirits cheaper/equal to what CA does, but we have the highest tax rate in America. The State collects 5% from distributor on sale price, 17% retailer, liter tax and 20.5% sales tax. While our original price is similar, once you get to the retailer, then to register you get beat up. Safeway and Kroger eat the 17%, so it could be way worse, kudos to them.

[Andrew Kotowski]

Not sure I follow. WA price is $80 higher on this item; i should be happy it’s not more?

[Mich@el Ch@ng]

That seems short to me. My rule of thumb is to drink within a year.

I think it depends on how much volume you take out. I have had bottles that have been open for years that have been drinking well.

[Tom G l a s g o w]

Costco is the reason WA has the highest liquor tax in the country. Maybe world.

Costco certainly opened Pandora’s box, but the 20% added tax was supposed to expire in 2015, guess what , it didn’t. Are you old enough to remember how they sold
the lottery to the voters? Will eventually fully fund education in our state, how did that workout?

This state gets enough of my money for various taxes, but nothing for booze or lottery.Road trips to Oregon and California satisfy my needs and wants.

PA wins this “contest” with Johnstown Flood Tax in place since 1936 and the rate is 18%.
Edit we pay the 18% included in the state store price plus 6% to 8% general sales tax on the state store price. So taxes mark up the wholesale price by 28% +/-. I didn’t find any info on an additional state tax, so Washington has a higher tax on liquor, or at least lower priced liquor given the $2.85 tax per fifth of liquor.

[Kirk.Grant]

Livermore Costco has 13 bottles after I left just now. $46.99 and limit of 1 per member. Hurry!

IMG_2351.JPG

What can anyone tell me about this bourbon? I'm relatively new to Bourbon and aside from the obvious (Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, etc that I never really liked or thought were too sweet). I've only really been exposed to Eagle Rare($35), Pappy 10($79), Pappy 15 ($99), & Pappy 20($209).

[Kirk.Grant]

Scooped up 4 bottles of Blantons this AM at Total Wine in Norwalk Ct $48 per.

Are these hard to find? They sit on the local grocery store shelves here for about $54

[Leonard Taylor]

Scooped up 4 bottles of Blantons this AM at Total Wine in Norwalk Ct $48 per.

Are these hard to find? They sit on the local grocery store shelves here for about $54

Depends on where you are. In NC they are next to impossible to find. State owned stores.

[Tom G l a s g o w]

Scooped up 4 bottles of Blantons this AM at Total Wine in Norwalk Ct $48 per.

Are these hard to find? They sit on the local grocery store shelves here for about $54

Depends on where you are. In NC they are next to impossible to find. State owned stores.

PA hard to get too, I’ve never scored a bottle. Ch@ng gets it all.

[Ryan Kilkenney]

That seems short to me. My rule of thumb is to drink within a year.

I think it depends on how much volume you take out. I have had bottles that have been open for years that have been drinking well.

I learned that lesson with a bottle of Pappy 23 a few years ago ($200? - it seemed extravagant at the time). I drank it down to the final pour with friends and then it sat in the liquor cabinet for I don’t know how long. Saving it for a special occasion, I guess. It was a shadow of its former self when I finally got around to drinking it.

[Tom G l a s g o w]

That seems short to me. My rule of thumb is to drink within a year.

I think it depends on how much volume you take out. I have had bottles that have been open for years that have been drinking well.

I learned that lesson with a bottle of Pappy 23 a few years ago ($200? - it seemed extravagant at the time). I drank it down to the final pour with friends and then it sat in the liquor cabinet for I don’t know how long. Saving it for a special occasion, I guess. It was a shadow of its former self when I finally got around to drinking it.

A smaller bottle might have helped, but I wouldn’t experiment with a drink of that caliber

[Edward H. Earles]

Scooped up 4 bottles of Blantons this AM at Total Wine in Norwalk Ct $48 per.

Are these hard to find? They sit on the local grocery store shelves here for about $54

We can't find them at any price in KY. Local demand outstrips supply by about 1000/1.

[Tom G l a s g o w]

Costco is the reason WA has the highest liquor tax in the country. Maybe world.

Costco certainly opened Pandora’s box, but the 20% added tax was supposed to expire in 2015, guess what , it didn’t. Are you old enough to remember how they sold
the lottery to the voters? Will eventually fully fund education in our state, how did that workout?

This state gets enough of my money for various taxes, but nothing for booze or lottery.Road trips to Oregon and California satisfy my needs and wants.

PA wins this “contest” with Johnstown Flood Tax in place since 1936 and the rate is 18%.
Edit we pay the 18% included in the state store price plus 6% to 8% general sales tax on the state store price. So taxes mark up the wholesale price by 28% +/-. I didn’t find any info on an additional state tax, so Washington has a higher tax on liquor, or at least lower priced liquor given the $2.85 tax per fifth of liquor.

Another edit, didn’t see the 17% to the retailer. Crazy, not much info on these tax rates on line that is a comprehensive comparison of state tax rates.

[Kris Patten]

Costco certainly opened Pandora’s box, but the 20% added tax was supposed to expire in 2015, guess what , it didn’t. Are you old enough to remember how they sold
the lottery to the voters? Will eventually fully fund education in our state, how did that workout?

This state gets enough of my money for various taxes, but nothing for booze or lottery.Road trips to Oregon and California satisfy my needs and wants.

PA wins this “contest” with Johnstown Flood Tax in place since 1936 and the rate is 18%.
Edit we pay the 18% included in the state store price plus 6% to 8% general sales tax on the state store price. So taxes mark up the wholesale price by 28% +/-. I didn’t find any info on an additional state tax, so Washington has a higher tax on liquor, or at least lower priced liquor given the $2.85 tax per fifth of liquor.

Another edit, didn’t see the 17% to the retailer. Crazy, not much info on these tax rates on line that is a comprehensive comparison of state tax rates.

PA is not even close. You pay about 40.5% at the till.

https://taxfoundation.org/state-spirits-taxes-2018/

[Kris Patten]

Not sure I follow. WA price is $80 higher on this item; i should be happy it’s not more?

I don't sell this, so I can't speak to its wholesale price...I'd assume this is a function of distributor making 35% margin vs. 20-25% before it gets marked up at TWM. The only variables between wholeslae in WA and elsewhere is the 5% for State and the distributors margin is where I was trying to get.

[Tom G l a s g o w]

PA wins this “contest” with Johnstown Flood Tax in place since 1936 and the rate is 18%.
Edit we pay the 18% included in the state store price plus 6% to 8% general sales tax on the state store price. So taxes mark up the wholesale price by 28% +/-. I didn’t find any info on an additional state tax, so Washington has a higher tax on liquor, or at least lower priced liquor given the $2.85 tax per fifth of liquor.

Another edit, didn’t see the 17% to the retailer. Crazy, not much info on these tax rates on line that is a comprehensive comparison of state tax rates.

PA is not even close. You pay about 40.5% at the till.

https://taxfoundation.org/state-spirits-taxes-2018/

We still have the longer lived tax, it too was supposed to be for a few years and was supposed to benefit one town. They finally wised up and changed the name.
I had missed the fine print and think it’s misleading to post $ amounts when in states like PA and WA it's actually a percentage.

[Kris Patten]

Another edit, didn’t see the 17% to the retailer. Crazy, not much info on these tax rates on line that is a comprehensive comparison of state tax rates.

PA is not even close. You pay about 40.5% at the till.

https://taxfoundation.org/state-spirits-taxes-2018/

We still have the longer lived tax, it too was supposed to be for a few years and was supposed to benefit one town. They finally wised up and changed the name.
I had missed the fine print and think it’s misleading to post $ amounts when in states like PA and WA it's actually a percentage.

My bad above, in WA you pay about 40.5% at the till, not sure what PA is, but that is distilled spirits only and spirits based RTDs.

[ERPark]

My 2020 just got off to an amazing start!

[Adam Noble]

Wow. 1956? That is very cool. Where does one find something like that?

[ERPark]

Sheer luck. Got put in contact with a private seller. Apparently belonged to a relative who passed away recently. Seal was already broken, so I could sniff and taste before buying. Either the seller is a very talented blender who could make bank refilling bottles of Pappy, or it’s the real thing.

Seller definitely did not fit the profile at all of someone who drinks bourbon or is aware of the bourbon craze........

[Adam Noble]

Sheer luck. Got put in contact with a private seller. Apparently belonged to a relative who passed away recently. Seal was already broken, so I could sniff and taste before buying. Either the seller is a very talented blender who could make bank refilling bottles of Pappy, or it’s the real thing.

Seller definitely did not fit the profile at all of someone who drinks bourbon or is aware of the bourbon craze........

Neat. Beautiful bottle too.