Taking a break from my new roll as a political agitator, let's look at what's happened in the spirits catalog in the last two weeks.
This update picks up after the August 1st special edition, so only changes from Tuesday through Friday of last week are shown below, as well as all changes from this week.
New in-store and online products:
Junior Johnson was famous for his driving skills, both as a backwoods bootlegger in the '50s and as a NASCAR driver in the early days of the sport. Piedmont Distillers hired him as their "brand rep" to market their faux-moonshine products, which I haven't been a fan of in the past, but their fruit-infused Midnight Moon is actually pretty good. They cram a bunch of fruit into a 32-oz mason jar, then pour a full 750 ML of spirit on top of it. The fruit flavors the spirit and makes it drinkable. I haven't had their cranberry flavor, but their strawberry and cherry flavors are rather tasty.
Hangar One Vodka and Citadelle Gin are back in the state after being delisted some years ago. Hangar One is a small distiller in Alameda which makes eaux-de-vie, vodka, absinthe, and a few liqueurs. Their vodka is what I use as my neutral mixer, when I'm just looking to add alcohol or cut an intensely-flavored base spirit. Citadelle Gin is made at the Pierre Ferrand Cognac house in France. It's got a huge mouthfeel to it, due to the use of cognac stills in its production, and the bouquet is a "Frenchified" London Dry. It's an excellent gin for the price--comparable to $30 gins on the market--and it comes in a beautiful bottle to boot.
Malibu Black is a higher-proof version of Malibu Coconut Rum which is...yes...colored black. Their market research found that people only drink regular Malibu during the day, so the Black is an attempt to appeal to the nightlife crowd. Seems a little misguided to me, but I'm sure it must have performed well with their focus groups.
New-to-store items (previously online-only):
Products back in stock online:
Yes, we did get our allocation of the BT Single Oak Project's second release. And yes, it's pretty much all gone now. (There may be 3-4 bottles left.) Follow my Twitter feed for up-to-the-minute notifications of when products hit the online store.
In-store products moved to closeout:
Delisted SLO products:
Reactivated SLO products:
New SLO products:
Jefferson's 10yr Rye was released a couple months ago, and it's basically a cheaper version of WhistlePig. Both are sourced from Canadain whisky distilleries and are 100% rye, and supposedly the flavors are similar. But Jefferson's is half the price.
This update picks up after the August 1st special edition, so only changes from Tuesday through Friday of last week are shown below, as well as all changes from this week.
New in-store and online products:
- 2012 Luna Nueva Reposado Tequila 750ML (#030808, Online, $49.49)
- Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum 750 ML (#003921, Regular, $18.99)
- Captain Morgan Lime Bite 1.75 L (#003866, Regular, $30.99)
- Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine 750 ML (#003974, Regular, $21.99)
- Citadelle Gin 750 ML (#003922, Regular, $19.99)
- Grand Touring Vodka 750 ML (#003771, Regular, $14.99)
- Hangar One Vodka 750 ML (#009320, Regular, $29.99)
- Jacquins Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka 1 L (#003796, Regular, $10.99)
- Junior Johnsons Midnight Moon Cranberry 750 ML (#003975, Regular, $21.99)
- Malibu Black Rum 750 ML (#003970, Regular, $16.99)
- Pinnacle Cake Vodka 750 ML (#003743, Regular, $14.99)
- Pucker Cherry Tease Vodka 750 ML (#003910, Regular, $15.99)
- Pucker Citrus Squeeze Vodka 750 ML (#003912, Regular, $15.99)
- Pucker Grape Gone Wild Vodka 750 ML (#003913, Regular, $15.99)
- Pucker Sour Apple Sass Vodka 750 ML (#003914, Regular, $15.99)
- Qream Peach 750 ML (#003893, Regular, $27.99)
- Qream Strawberry 750 ML (#003900, Regular, $27.99)
Junior Johnson was famous for his driving skills, both as a backwoods bootlegger in the '50s and as a NASCAR driver in the early days of the sport. Piedmont Distillers hired him as their "brand rep" to market their faux-moonshine products, which I haven't been a fan of in the past, but their fruit-infused Midnight Moon is actually pretty good. They cram a bunch of fruit into a 32-oz mason jar, then pour a full 750 ML of spirit on top of it. The fruit flavors the spirit and makes it drinkable. I haven't had their cranberry flavor, but their strawberry and cherry flavors are rather tasty.
Hangar One Vodka and Citadelle Gin are back in the state after being delisted some years ago. Hangar One is a small distiller in Alameda which makes eaux-de-vie, vodka, absinthe, and a few liqueurs. Their vodka is what I use as my neutral mixer, when I'm just looking to add alcohol or cut an intensely-flavored base spirit. Citadelle Gin is made at the Pierre Ferrand Cognac house in France. It's got a huge mouthfeel to it, due to the use of cognac stills in its production, and the bouquet is a "Frenchified" London Dry. It's an excellent gin for the price--comparable to $30 gins on the market--and it comes in a beautiful bottle to boot.
Malibu Black is a higher-proof version of Malibu Coconut Rum which is...yes...colored black. Their market research found that people only drink regular Malibu during the day, so the Black is an attempt to appeal to the nightlife crowd. Seems a little misguided to me, but I'm sure it must have performed well with their focus groups.
New-to-store items (previously online-only):
- Bakon Vodka 750 ML (#010641, Limit Dist, $29.99)
Products back in stock online:
- Bakon Vodka 750ML (#010641, Online, $29.99)
- Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project 375ML (#030772, Online, $48.99)
- Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whiskey 750ML (#010559, Online, $49.99)
- Greenore 15 Year Old Irish Whiskey 750ML (#010861, Online, $108.99)
- Highland Park 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch 750ML (#010863, Online, $99.99)
- Tyrconnell Irish Whiskey 750ML (#010836, Online, $39.99)
Yes, we did get our allocation of the BT Single Oak Project's second release. And yes, it's pretty much all gone now. (There may be 3-4 bottles left.) Follow my Twitter feed for up-to-the-minute notifications of when products hit the online store.
In-store products moved to closeout:
- Antigua Cruz Silver Tequila 80pf 750 ML (#003476, Regular, $15.99)
- Skyy Vodka 1 L (#009296, Outlet, $15.99)
- Ursus Green Apple Vodka 750 ML (#003500, Regular, $5.99)
Delisted SLO products:
- Absolut Vodka Los Angeles 750 ML (#072166, SLO, $28.29)
- Anchor Distillery Junipero Gin 750 ML (#051244, SLO, $38.89)
- Chivas Regal Scotch 25yr 750 ML (#071198, SLO, $355.79)
- Le Coq Dor Pineau des Charentes Non Vintage 750 ML (#511742, SLO, $25.99)
- Old Pulteney 21 Yr 750 ML (#065164, SLO, $115.19)
- UV Vodka Cake Flavored 750 ML (#513910, SLO, $10.39)
- Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka 750 ML (#072125, SLO, $29.19)
Reactivated SLO products:
- Balvenie 14 Year Caribbean Cask Scotch 750 ML (#506512, SLO, $75.19)
- George Dickel 8 750 ML (#064246, SLO, $11.99)
- Jacquins Vodka Whipped 1 L (#512956, SLO, $12.99)
- Parrot Bay Passion Fruit 1 L (#057669, SLO, $14.99)
New SLO products:
- Absolut Vodka Special Edition La Green Way Project 750 ML (#514714, SLO, $24.49)
- Armagnac de Montal VSOP 750 ML (#514812, SLO, $53.99)
- Brillet Blanc Prestige Pineau des Charentes 750 ML (#514816, SLO, $29.99)
- Comte Louis de Lauriston Fine Calvados 750 ML (#514813, SLO, $40.99)
- Dartigalongue Armagnac Vintage 750 ML (#514575, SLO, $886.99)
- Dartigalongue Armagnac Vintage 750 ML (#514574, SLO, $485.59)
- Dartigalongue Armagnac Vintage 750 ML (#514573, SLO, $175.19)
- Dartigalongue Armagnac Vintage 750 ML (#514572, SLO, $121.89)
- Dartigalongue Armagnac Vintage 750 ML (#514571, SLO, $104.09)
- DeKuyper Island Blue Pucker 1 L (#514850, SLO, $12.49)
- DeKuyper Rootbeer Schnapps 1 L (#514848, SLO, $12.49)
- DeKuyper Strawberry Pucker 1 L (#514849, SLO, $12.49)
- El Tequileno Gran Reserva Reposado Tequila 750 ML (#514815, SLO, $44.99)
- El Tequileno Platino Blanco Tequila 750 ML (#514814, SLO, $41.99)
- Elastico Tequila Blanco 750 ML (#514891, SLO, $48.99)
- Esprit Classique Liqueur D'Orange VSOP 750 ML (#514817, SLO, $45.99)
- Goslings Rum Old Family Reserve 750 ML (#514852, SLO, $79.09)
- Jeffersons Rye Whiskey 750 ML (#514516, SLO, $43.29)
- Laphroaig Triple Wood Scotch 750 ML (#514722, SLO, $62.59)
- Leroux Creme de Cassis 1 L (#514723, SLO, $13.29)
- Margaitaville Gold Tequila 1 L (#514833, SLO, $13.99)
- Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac 750 ML (#514606, SLO, $120.89)
- Maurin Quina 750 ML (#514800, SLO, $40.19)
- Stolichnaya Russian Vodka Chocolat Razberi 1 L (#514819, SLO, $24.99)
- Three Olives Vodka Cake 1 L (#514876, SLO, $15.59)
- Voli Vodka Lyte 1 L (#514810, SLO, $31.29)
Jefferson's 10yr Rye was released a couple months ago, and it's basically a cheaper version of WhistlePig. Both are sourced from Canadain whisky distilleries and are 100% rye, and supposedly the flavors are similar. But Jefferson's is half the price.
Hi Nathan,
Speaking of Pierre Ferrand, any idea if/when state stores might get their recently-unveiled 1840 cognac? I see the luxury stores already carry the Ambre.
Thanks,
Ian
Hi Ian,
We'll probably pull it in soon, but it might take Ferrand a while to deliver it to us. They're just now getting inventory into the US, and it'll go to the NY, IL and CA markets first.
Thanks, Nathan. Good to know it's on the way, anyway.
Wait a minute. I can either buy George Dickel No. 8 at my local for $14.99, or I can special order it for $11.99?
WTF?
Yep, I don't know why that SLO code was reactivated since Dickel 8 is in the regular selection now, but it's got the old 2009 price on it. Could just be Diageo trying to give licensees a better price, though they're not supposed to do that.
Diageo break the law to gain market share? I cannot fathom!