Middle Shelf Whiskey Archives – Whiskey for the Ages

Thank you for catching up as we continue our Whiskey Availability and Marketing series! In Whiskey Marketing – p1, we discussed in-store merchandising and where in the typical liquor market one might find the whiskeys so many of us crave. In this post, I’ll discuss some of the more common whiskey availability terms and highlight why certain whiskeys may be difficult to find and purchase.

Rare Whiskey
Retailers are sometimes given the opportunity to purchase available liquor inventory from distributors or distillers based on previous purchases and/or overall sales of merchandise. A specific whiskey in the distribution chain may or may not be rare depending on the production run, AND regional availability. A small batch whiskey is not necessarily a rare whiskey and neither is a Single Barrel or a Bottled-in-Bond Whiskey … but they can be. So – What is a “Rare” Whiskey?

A rare whiskey is any whiskey which the seeker is having trouble finding. For example, I can find bottles of Eagle Rare in any store in Idaho. And every couple of months, expressions of Barrel Proof Elijah Craig grace the shelves as well. People who post in several of the whiskey forums I follow often lament these same bottles are next to impossible to find in their part of the country and world. Just like some scotches in this country, bourbons are often hard to find outside North America. In short, not rare for me; rare for them.

So in the broadest sense, a rare whisky is one which may simply be difficult to find, one which the store has little history of purchasing, or one difficult to acquire due to region availability.

Regional Whiskey
While it would be great to live in Kentucky, just down the road from Brown-Forman, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, or one of the many stellar distilleries in the state, I reside in Idaho. So I’m not going to find releases exclusive to Kentucky, Indiana, or Tennessee. Likewise, people in the central part of the country are not likely to find offerings from the Pacific Northwest or Rocky Mountain states. And in just Washington, Oregon and Idaho alone there are more than 120 distilleries!

Regional distillers can and do produce outstanding whiskeys. I’m told Texas and Wisconsin have several fine distillers as do those in Georgia, New York and other states. While some may be able to mass produce and distribute a few of their products, most have other offerings which are made in smaller quantities. These products are seldom sold far from their points of origin. I’ve had good experiences with two distillers in my region: Wyoming Whiskey in Kirby, WY and Dry Fly Distilling out of Spokane, WA.

An early bottle from Dry Fly put the regional distillery on my radar. They produce a nice Straight Wheat Whiskey, an interesting Straight Triticale Whiskey, a sweet Huckleberry Port Finished Wheat and a wonderful Washington Straight Bourbon 101. I’ve enjoyed them all and the Bourbon 101 is a regular in my daily sipper rotation. Other than the Straight Wheat, one would be hard pressed to find any of these whiskeys outside of the Pacific Northwest.

Be sure to check out your local and regional whiskeys. Small distillers simply do not have the marketing budget or distribution capability to send product to cities around the states. By being adventurous, you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy and you’ll be supporting local craftspeople and farmers.

Allocated Whiskey
I’m sure we’ll all agree big distillers produce a lot of whiskey. It’s said there are more barrels aging in Kentucky than there are people. Yet, there are still limits on what is available. Certainly there is some marketing involved, but a great deal of craftsmanship goes on as well.

We’ve all had experience with whiskey availability and allocation whether we knew it or not. We’re in the store and there — COMPLETE WITH THE HALO — is a single bottle of Blanton’s (or Weller Antique 107, or Stagg Jr. or …) And there are dozens of allocated whiskeys. One could say most higher end Scotches qualify, as do Japanese Whiskeys as there are only so many cases made available to us here in the United States.

In addition, a number of distillers produce special batches of product, releasing them at intervals throughout the year. These releases are typically made from a limited number of specially selected barrels. Some of these releases are of the high proof variety, or may be Bottled-in-Bond expressions, but that’s not always the case.

Then, factor in rewards and accolades. If a whiskey gets high praise from a noted reviewer or receives an award at a prestigious tasting event, the demand for product can skyrocket. Such was the case for Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bourbon, a ten year old offering after the spirit won awards in 2018 and ’19 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Heaven Hill could not simply add another bottling or two just because they had won awards. After all, it took more than 10 years to grow trees for the barrels, procure the grains, produce the mash, age the distilate and bottle the bourbon which had been given the “Best in Show Whiskey” designation.

Retailers are only able to acquire product based on previous purchases. Once bottled, there is simply a limited amount of product available for distribution. Liquor control states get some, retailers get some, and bars and restaurants get some. The total supply is divided or allocated across the distribution chain. And certainly, distillers often have their more highly allocated brands that are met with great anticipation.

Depending on allocation quantities, special batches and releases may be sold from store shelves on a first come first served basis or released to the buying public through some type of lottery process. I have personally benefited from Idaho’s Liquor Lottery, given first right of refusal on bottles of 1792 Full Proof, Little Book expressions Noe Simple Task and The Road Home, and Weller C.Y.B.P. and 12 Year Old, and many others. Hannah, my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages editor, has won the opportunity to purchase lottery bottles and several friends have been selected as well.

When I see any of the bottles mentioned above, I usually buy, because who knows when one will be seen in the wild again. In some circles people post pictures of their finds, boasting of their latest “Kung-Fu”. Others tell their friends and soon the shelf stocks are gone.

Limited Release Whiskey
Big production distillers offer many limited releases. Among the most popular, are offerings from Buffalo Trace’s Antique collection: George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye, and Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye all of which are released each fall. Stitzel-Weller Distillery’s Pappy VanWinkle can also be included in the popular limited release mix.

Limited release whiskeys are quite difficult to find and are seldom available outside of some type of lottery process. Old Forester’s Birthday Bourbon, Beam-Suntory’s Booker’s Anniversary Editions and Chapter Series, and Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig 18 and 23 Year Old fall into the limited release catagory.

Limited releases are possibly the hardest bottles to purchase as they have small production runs, and in some cases, far less than 2000 bottles per year.

Rare, regional, allocated, and limited release whiskeys can be a source of frustration for many a whiskey buyer. Add to these the Store Picks, or Director’s Cut whiskeys, finding the unicorn can be a major challenge to overcome. Many of the whiskeys we want to buy are hard-to-find products. To improve your chances, I advocate building relationships with the people in the stores you shop. Sometimes, the whiskey you’re seeking will magically appear.

In the final post of our Whiskey Availability Series, “By the Numbers“, I’ll discuss the science and use a little common sense in effort to make it a bit clearer why a few of the most sought after whiskeys have such limited production runs. Until then, Cheers!

Written by Brian Dawson

Featured image created by Brian Dawson, WhiskeyfortheAges.com editor

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Map Photo taken from Google Maps

Blanton’s Single Barrel photo created by Brian Dawson of Whiskey for the Ages

When I began my whiskey journey, I never thought I would become a whiskey hunter or that sourcing a favored bourbon would be difficult. I figured all I needed to do was learn a little, taste a few, then make my purchases as needed. Just a few months into my odyssey, a world of whiskey availability and marketing challenges began to appear. I had to learn how they could and can be overcome.

Sure, there are plenty of folks who walk into their neighborhood liquor haunt, grab their regular mixer and maybe a favorite for sipping. But many of us whiskey adventurers are on the hunt for new favorites. There are hidden gems which others may have overlooked or do not yet know about!

Count me in this later group. I (like many) do have several bottles which I consider “daily drinkers”. I replace them as they are drawn down. But I’m always on the lookout for the latest Stagg Jr. or the newest Elijah Craig Barrel Proof release; and it’s impossible for me to pass on a Booker’s batch I don’t already have in the bunker.

As whiskey availability and marketing includes quite a array of subject matter, I’ll break it down over the next couple of articles, sharing a bit of what I’ve learned …

Idaho, a Liquor Control State
As I’ve mentioned in other posts, I live in Idaho, a liquor control state. Idaho’s liquor website details store locations, product inventories and monthly promotions. State and retail store sites are a GREAT place to begin a whiskey search. In Idaho, the spirits themselves are sold from state run stores, all of which are laid out pretty much the same, yet each manager has some autonomy in how product is merchandised. For example some place their small package (375 ml) liquor together near the front of the store for the impulse buyer (and security); others place the smaller bottles on the shelf with the distiller’s other offerings.

Stores in Idaho categorize spirits by group. Clear spirits are separated from dark and mixers are placed near the check-out for the impulse sale. Closeout, promotional, and Store Pick product are positioned near the front so patrons can see them as they walk by. In addition, some stores have special displays for locally sourced products.

… So, what can we, as buyers expect from our liquor sources, and where will the bottles be located in the shops we frequent? I’ve been in liquor retailers in Arizona, California, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin … all have similar layouts to those found in my home state..

On the lower shelves one will typically find budget priced spirits (<$25); on the middle shelves, mainstream popular and readily available products at a slightly higher price point ($25-$45). The top shelves (at eye level) house higher end elixirs (>$45) in effort to entice patrons to purchase. And some stores reserve special, out of view locations for rare and limited edition products (prices vary — $40-$150 or more).

The store manager can also partner with the state’s liquor control department and cater to their clientele’s needs. Some stores specialize in clear spirits, tequila or rum while others are more heavily stocked for bar business. The stores I shop cater to whiskey drinkers and tend to have a wider variety of product and harder to find bottles in this category.

When it comes to in-store whiskey availability, marketing, and merchandising, Scotch is separated from Canadian whiskeys, and Japanese and Irish whiskies have their own homes as do American ryes and bourbons. Yet all whiskeys can usually be found on one wall or section of the stores. I imagine the businesses you frequent have similar merchandising displays.

Bottom Shelf Whiskey
Bottles on lower shelves are generally main line and old standby whiskeys made by distillers in vast quantities with minimal aging. Most bottom shelf whiskey is great for mixing cocktails, yet any can be had neat or over ice. And many flavored whiskeys will be found on these shelves as well. Fast moving, high turnover product is merchandised on the lower shelves. These whiskeys sell well wherever they’re placed and don’t require any type of special marketing.

Middle Shelf Whiskeys
Bottles on middle shelves are typically a step up from those found just below. But what makes this so? All whiskeys are aged prior to bottling and middle shelf whiskeys usually have a few more years in the barrel. Extra aging adds more flavor and typically gives whiskey a fuller mouthfeel… Hence the higher price tags.

On middle shelves one can find whiskeys with wider aroma and flavor profiles of fruit, sweetness and wood. Distillers may choose to bottle older aged whiskeys at higher proof levels, so look for Bottled-in-Bond products in these rows. Whiskeys on the middle shelves can be mixers, but many people gravitate here to select one for sipping neat or over ice.

Top Shelf Whiskeys
The top shelves can be confusing and a source for buyer beware. Here, marketing really comes into play: fancy packaging, custom containers, wooden boxes, seasonal releases, etc. And some regional products, marketed as “premium” offerings may appear on these shelves as well. Packaging may appear similar to those on the lower shelf so pay close attention to labeling to make sure placement is not in error.

On the upper shelves, one will also find the full proof and barrel proof offerings enjoyed by so many. Generally, top shelf whiskeys will have longer aging but this is not always the case. Be an informed buyer. Do a little research or ask your expert about whiskeys on these shelves before laying down hard earned cash.

Rare and Limited Edition Whiskey
Rare whiskeys are another beast entirely. Whiskeys in this group are “unicorns” and are often prized by collectors, making them even tougher to secure. If this is your thing, make friends with your liquor store team. I typically ask the staff if they’ve received any “specials” recently … and as I’m in several stores on a regular basis, I’m frequently told what’s new even before I ask. And be sure to purchase regular shelf stock from them as well (responsibly) — Build a good relationship as a buyer.

Product marketing is a big topic, but with a little orientation, most people can be comfortable in their liquor store as they go in to make their purchases. Marketing and in-store product merchandising is just one aspect of finding the whiskey we want to purchase. In Whiskey Availability and Marketing part 2, I’ll dive into availability and provide a few of the reasons some whiskeys are so hard to find and purchase. Watch for my next post coming soon … Cheers!

Written by Brian Dawson

WhiskeyfortheAges.com editor

Back to …

The Sip – Whiskey Articles
Whiskey Reviews

Whiskey for the Ages

Tag: Middle Shelf Whiskey

Whiskey Availability, part 2 of 3

Whiskey Marketing, part 1 of 3