Now is the perfect time to PANIC !!???

My thoughts are that the whisky industry can go fuck itself.

The consistent quest to squeeze every last penny it possibly can from its customers over the last 10 years has caused me to largely detest those who produce this product that I love.

Well....at least those in their marketing departments.....

@CanadianNinja I’d be sad to “hate” the Russells as they seem to be genuine, humble folks. Of course their overlords at Campari are something else.....

@OdysseusUnbound if your a fan of the current rendition of WTRB and WT101 stock up. You'll always have it on hand to drink and enjoy. You can always gift it or speculate later, with any left over bottles later. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have picked up a couple cases of Weller 12 in 2014 when it was only $34/bottle. Taste consistency of a spirit changes with newer batches, it is inevitable. If you enjoy it now you may not with the newer batches.

That new Turkey image just needs a Top Hat and maybe a Mr. Planter's peanut monocle. much like Barterhouse's Fox image.

Well, I'm glad that FOMO and FORO forced me to buy an extra bottle of the rare breed. It's a solid bourbon and these bottles should last me a while.

I'm lucky to be in a position where I can weather any whisky price storm simply by drinking as much as I want of what I like (as long as I don't covet new releases) because I will never run out. And anyone who does run out simply needs to visit Toronto...

@OdysseusUnbound, I have previously warned you about Campari. Wait a minute, I may have been overzealous. The Italians did a great job with Forty Creek, taking it from lofty heights as the sweetheart of Canadian whisky drinkers and ...oh yeah, forget the previous sentence. There's nothing wrong with having a case of your favourite bourbon(s) in the bunker, it don't go bad. The writing is on the wall. Change, it begins with a new label, ALWAYS!!

A bit of hyperbole @OdysseusUnbound, but I’m sure you get what I’m saying.

What has happened in the industry over the past 10 years or so is ridiculous.

Numerous distilleries continuing to ride on the reputations they no longer deserve, subpar NAS whiskies lining shelves, ludicrous prices for any halfway decent whiskies.....

It’s enough to make a guy cry!! ; )

@paddockjudge Well I’m glad I got 6 bottles of OWA 107 before they put a $30 cork on the bottle. I’ll have to get some backup bottles of WT 101 and RB.

@OdysseusUnbound, all of this Wild Turkey Rare Breed talk, along with a local sale, led me to pick up a bottle of it today. Local sales of something I like make me nervous, because the local system has a well-established pattern of putting items on sale prior to de-listing them. At best, it is to make room for a new batch. At worst, we will not see the product again.

@OdysseusUnbound - would be a real shame if they do Jack the prices. It's only the last year or so that WT101 and Rare Breed have come down in price and the former is sometimes seen in the supermarket.

I like WT a lot but should they go down this route (and, blimey, they've had 3 labels since I got into whisky ...) that respect may slip somewhat.

@RianC you are speaking of UK prices for Wild Turkey. Where I live Wild Turkey has always been bargain-priced, and outstanding value for money. It is only recently that the prices here have begun to creep up to their competitors' levels. Three and four years ago I went on and on that Wild Turkey Rare Breed was underpriced relative to its quality, and that price increases were inevitable. 1.5 years ago our local prices for Rare Breed rose from $ 35 plus tax ($ 30 on sale) up to $ 45 plus tax. Here, Rare Breed remains excellent value for money even at the new $ 45 plus 9% price. One more 25% price increase, though, and it will be costly, just like many of its competitors.

My biggest concern with Rare Breed is that they either lower the product's quality or eliminate it. New corporate masters may have new agendas.

As for Wild Turkey 101, that is a core product of their line, produced in large volume. In Canada and the UK it may increase in price due to local taxation, import costs, and tariffs, but I expect that it will remain competitively priced in its domestic US market indefinitely. I can buy WT101 today locally for $ 22.99 plus 9% for 750 ml ($ 2 sale off full price) or $ 46.99 plus 9% for a 1.75 L bottle. When would I consider Wild Turkey 101 to be locally expensive? Above $ 30 pre-tax for 750 ml.

Does Wild Turkey compete on price with Heaven Hill? No. But, then, nobody does.

@Victor - Yes, UK prices. I'm guessing Amazon, through bulk buying, have been able to source those two bourbons and thus sell them at lower prices. They've undercut the competition, essentially.

My first 101 about five years ago cost £35, I have since seen it as low as £18 ( a pre-Xmas sale) and now it's about £27- which seems a very fair price all things considered. Rare Breed is the same story, from c£70 to under £50 currently.