[Edit 3:35pm -- I don't think this warrants a new blog post, but I wanted to bring to everyone's attention a chart the PLCB posted which lists suggested alternatives for all 396 products that were delisted. Most of the spirits suggestions I checked were fairly reasonable. (My favorite suggestion was for the Ice Box Manhattan Cocktail RTD: "Bourbon, sweet vermouth") I don't expect most of you will need it, but if your mother-in-law or somebody calls you up complaining that her favorite $6 chardonnay got delisted, you could quickly look up an alternative in the same price range that she might be happy with.]
PLCB spirits catalog changes for the week of February 28th:
New in-store and online products:
New to the specialty spirits collection is Old Overholt Rye, finally available again after Beam pulled it from PA a few years ago, and Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon (below) which was available as an online-only item last year until it sold out in just a few days.
The PLCB is testing how well a high-end mezcal will do in stores with Ilegal Joven, an excellent spirit which I discussed when it went on SLO in September. It's expensive, like all good mezcals, but hopefully it will do well.
Last but not least, we have Cynar. Although well-loved and drunk in great quantities by Italians and craft cocktail enthusiasts, the rest of the world would be best served by Stuart Walton's description from his Ultimate Book of Cocktails: "A liqueur for the truly intrepid, Cynar is a soupy, dark brown potion made in Italy, the flavouring of which is artichoke leaves. It contains all of the savoury bitterness of the globe artichoke, which is boldly illustrated on its label. If that sounds like fun, go ahead and try it."
New-to-store items (previously online-only):
The other online-only item I've been impatiently waiting to see in stores is Junipero Gin. As the name suggests, it carries its juniper boldly in front like a banner. There's no delicate, floral "new western" subtlety here: like DrinkHacker imagines, it's a gin that seems like it would be perfectly suited for the gritty 1940s. If you're a gin martini drinker, you want to try it.
Neisson Blanc is generally thought to be the best blanc agricole rhum available. It's another rum from Kaiser Penguin's consolidated top-10 list.
Delisted SLO products:
New SLO products:
PLCB spirits catalog changes for the week of February 28th:
New in-store and online products:
- Camarena Reposado Tequila 750 ML (#003579, Regular, $21.99)
- Courvoisier 12 Year French Cognac 750 ML (#003272, Regular, $49.99)
- Cynar Artichoke Liqueur Italy 1 L (#010925, Limit Dist, $22.99)
- Evan Williams Cherry Reserve Kentucky Liqueur 750 ML (#003466, Regular, $15.99)
- Illegal Mezcal Joven 750 ML (#003681, Regular, $54.99)
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon 750 ML (#003276, Regular, $39.99)
- Michael Collins Single Malt Irish Whiskey 10 Year 750 ML (#003434, Regular, $36.99)
- Old Grand Dad 114 Kentucky Bourbon 750 ML (#003279, Regular, $24.99)
- Old Overholt Straight Rye 750 ML (#006242, Limit Dist, $19.99)
- Pineapple Coconut Jack Rum 1.75 L (#003675, Regular, $19.99)
- Pinnacle Chocolate Whipped Vodka 750 ML (#003676, Regular, $13.99)
- Tropical Jack Rum 1.75 L (#003679, Regular, $19.99)
New to the specialty spirits collection is Old Overholt Rye, finally available again after Beam pulled it from PA a few years ago, and Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon (below) which was available as an online-only item last year until it sold out in just a few days.
The PLCB is testing how well a high-end mezcal will do in stores with Ilegal Joven, an excellent spirit which I discussed when it went on SLO in September. It's expensive, like all good mezcals, but hopefully it will do well.
Last but not least, we have Cynar. Although well-loved and drunk in great quantities by Italians and craft cocktail enthusiasts, the rest of the world would be best served by Stuart Walton's description from his Ultimate Book of Cocktails: "A liqueur for the truly intrepid, Cynar is a soupy, dark brown potion made in Italy, the flavouring of which is artichoke leaves. It contains all of the savoury bitterness of the globe artichoke, which is boldly illustrated on its label. If that sounds like fun, go ahead and try it."
New-to-store items (previously online-only):
- Amaro Ramazzotti Herbal Liqueur Italy 750 ML (#010635, Limit Dist, $22.99)
- Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey 750 ML (#010880, Limit Dist, $39.99)
- Junipero Gin 750 ML (#010487, Limit Dist, $33.99)
- Neisson Agricole Blanc Rum Martinique 1 L (#030986, Limit Dist, $30.99)
- The Isle of Jura Single Malt Scotch 10 Year Old 750 ML (#010878, Limit Dist, $39.99)
The other online-only item I've been impatiently waiting to see in stores is Junipero Gin. As the name suggests, it carries its juniper boldly in front like a banner. There's no delicate, floral "new western" subtlety here: like DrinkHacker imagines, it's a gin that seems like it would be perfectly suited for the gritty 1940s. If you're a gin martini drinker, you want to try it.
Neisson Blanc is generally thought to be the best blanc agricole rhum available. It's another rum from Kaiser Penguin's consolidated top-10 list.
Delisted SLO products:
- Beefeater Wet Gin 1 L (#054687, SLO, $30.89)
New SLO products:
- Van Gogh Mojito Mint Vodka 750 ML (#510491, SLO, $21.99)
It's like Christmas for me!
Yikes! $20 for Old Overholt? That's criminal!
On the plus side, I agree with Mr. Hansell...the Knob Creek SB is wonderful, and I'm glad to see Four Roses Single Barrel hit the shelves.
Yeah, the Overholt was kind of a take-it-or-leave-it deal. Beam would have preferred not to sell it to us at all, but so many customers wanted it that $20 was better than nothing.
(If it weren't for Beam, Old Overholt would still be in the regular selection. It's currently one of the top five best-selling SLO spirits in the system, ignoring the well/bulk products that only bars buy.)
Why in the world would they not want to sell a Pennsylvania brand in its home state? Where else DO they sell it, and why there and not here? I mean, really, shouldn't any business be happy to sell more product, not less?
Go figure!
Old Overholt competes with Beam's yellow-label rye. They have no incentive to compete with themselves and keep the brand around because they can't drop it out of fear of backlash.
Yes, I'm still bitter they biffed the 200th anniversary.
Please allow me to purchase pre-mixed Manhattan coctails legally. Bring Ice Box Manhattans back to Pennsylvania or you will force me to purchase it in Ohio or New York.
If you cannot give PA citizens what they want, then get out of the business and let free enterprise operate.