BC Residents

[Drammed]

Anybody else outraged at the price of the new release whisky's due out on the 31st?

Examples....

Ardbeg Corryvrechan - 146 cad (138.70 usd)
Lagavulin DE - 145 cad (137.65 usd)
George T Stagg - 175 cad!! (166.5 usd)
Scapa 16 - 150 cad (142.5 usd)

I am stunned. I was expecting high prices, but this is just terrible

[pkt77242]

Sorry Drammed, that is horrific.

Sean

[lockejn]

Wow. The Ardbeg is nearly 2x what it's listed here for, and the Scapa is just a bit more than 2x. Can't speak to the others as they're not available here. A darn shame all the way around.

[AnnieB]

Apparently, Whisky drinkers are paying for the Winter Olympics single handedly! At 175% tax they should have it paid for in no time! Criminal..I tell all my customers to email their Provincial gov't an complain!

[Canucklehead]

Apparently, Whisky drinkers are paying for the Winter Olympics single handedly!

Don't worry, it's the same out here in Ontario.

Scapa 14, still available at a reasonable $56.95 is being discontinued in favour of the 16 y/o, at a nice markup. It's only $119.95.

I'm so fed up with this gouging.



.

[Ganga]

Can I be outraged for you? I mean, it's not like I'm getting screwed by this but hey you'se guys are my friends so it's mortifying. Boston had it's Tea Party....

[mithril]

Well, you know the solution: just boycott the "Premium Release" and let the BCLDB know why you're doing so (and provide examples of pricing, both in the US and in AB next door). We take up the proverbial derriere in the province because alcohol tax is applied as a sales tax, a percentage of the total price. Premium and luxury products are so much cheaper in AB because they charge as a flat rate per mL of alcohol so you pay the same amount of liquor tax on a $20 bottle of Jack Daniels as you do on a $17,500 bottle of Macallan Lalique. There's a very good reason I refuse to buy single malts and other premium alcohol in BC anymore, the selection is generally stagnant and the pricing is ridiculous. Now I buy only in duty free while traveling abroad or in AB when there on business or pleasure.

It used to be that the bottlings brought in as part of the Premium Release would sell in out completely in weeks to months, now there's always some brought in that languish around on the shelves for years. Perhaps if more people wrote letters of complaint and explanation on why they refuse to buy then the pricing and selections would change.

[Drammed]

Well, you know the solution: just boycott the "Premium Release" and let the BCLDB know why you're doing so (and provide examples of pricing, both in the US and in AB next door). We take up the proverbial derriere in the province because alcohol tax is applied as a sales tax, a percentage of the total price. Premium and luxury products are so much cheaper in AB because they charge as a flat rate per mL of alcohol so you pay the same amount of liquor tax on a $20 bottle of Jack Daniels as you do on a $17,500 bottle of Macallan Lalique. There's a very good reason I refuse to buy single malts and other premium alcohol in BC anymore, the selection is generally stagnant and the pricing is ridiculous. Now I buy only in duty free while traveling abroad or in AB when there on business or pleasure.

It used to be that the bottlings brought in as part of the Premium Release would sell in out completely in weeks to months, now there's always some brought in that languish around on the shelves for years. Perhaps if more people wrote letters of complaint and explanation on why they refuse to buy then the pricing and selections would change.

/start political rant

Have you met Gorden Campbell? This is the j**kass that is bringing in the HST, without a mention of it in his election campaign, so that we all get to pay more for every day items. The HST will hit the previously PST exempt items! I do not think he will care if we pay a lot for a bottle of whisky.

/end rant

So anyway, I am glad that I have a place in Washington State so I can go down once a month and get at least a couple bottles of reasonably priced whisky.

[mithril]

You're right Campbell won't, however considering sin taxes are one of the major revenue streams for the gov't if sales drop too much they will notice. That being said, on volume premium spirits are not the major renvue generator so as long as they keep selling cheap wine, alco-pops and mixing booze they won't even notice if those sales decrease.

Ultimately it's just about deciding that you won't let yourself be screwed anymore and recognizing that you can't control what others do. There are always other ways of getting whatever you want as long as you are willing/in the position to expend the time and effort.

[Drammed]

Well I bit the proverbial bullet and picked up some Corry today at the release. I do not travel much (except between Washington State and BC) so it is the only place that had access to stock atm.

[Knolly]

You're right Campbell won't, however considering sin taxes are one of the major revenue streams for the gov't if sales drop too much they will notice. That being said, on volume premium spirits are not the major renvue generator so as long as they keep selling cheap wine, alco-pops and mixing booze they won't even notice if those sales decrease.

Ultimately it's just about deciding that you won't let yourself be screwed anymore and recognizing that you can't control what others do. There are always other ways of getting whatever you want as long as you are willing/in the position to expend the time and effort.

BINGO!!!

Learn to work the system in a way that works for you. Get friends that are travelling up from the USA to bring a bottle or two with them, or ship bottles that you've bought on line in the US to a friend's place in Washington state and bring them back as part of your allowance when you travel.

The prices are absolutely ridiculous here and I personally refuse to purchase anything more. Some ludicrous examples:

George T Stag was something like 160 or $180 last year, yet commonly available for $65USD.

While it's nice to see more tequila in the BCLS stores, the prices are INSANE. I mean: Corzo for $110 when you can purchase it for $45 in the US? Cuervo Reserva for $180 when it's available for 80 - 90 us? Or what about Patron (anyone who buys this should be shot for being stupid to begin with!) for $110 when it's like $45 in California? Come On...

Unfortunately I think that you guys are right and that they make SOOO much money from cheap beer and imported (but labeled as BC) wine, that the premium Spirits sector is the proverbial drop in the bucket...