What do you look for on the shelf? (liquors, whiskey, grape)

[whiskey buyer]

I am the manager of the liquor department at the store I work at. I am trying to develop the department into a known specialty store; the place you can find brands / expressions that are not easily found in other stores.

What do you look for when you shop that can be hard to find? (Not talking about the outrageously expensive ones)

[timberline742]

If they're not easily found, there is a reason for it. It's either they're hard to get, outside the price point for the clientele, or just not desired by many people.

But if you could load up on Pappy you should get a good stream of people.

[Book Lover 21]

I look for good, hard to find absinthe.


I also look for Lodi region Old Vine Zinfandel.


Anything from Michael David winery, in particular 6th Sense Syrah. I can't find it anywhere and it's wonderful.


I don't know if it is legal in your state, but our local store almost always has a lady giving out little samples of different beer, wine, etc. That was how I got into hard root beer.


Basil Hayden bourbon

[elnina]

New imports of vodka, mostly. Stuff I would like to give as a gift.

[Knox Harrington]

I'm a drinker and here is what I want in a liquor store:

#1. Don't gouge me on price. Many of us are educated shoppers nowadays and we know what is a fair price for a bottle. I will spend $500 on a bottle of 40-year-old Scotch, if I know it is worth it. Don't try to put a $500 price tag on any old bottle just because it says "Macallan" on the label or has the color "blue" in the name.

#2. Make friends with your customers, and in turn, make friends with your distributors. I continue to be loyal to my store because they know me, they know what I like, and they are great about hitting up their suppliers for what I want. Selling booze is no different than any other sales industry (other than the age requirement). It's a people business.

#3. Don't forget about the cheap stuff, as that is likely to be the bulk of your business. As I said earlier, I buy expensive booze, but you know what else I buy? Cases of Miller Lite, bottles of Cuervo, two-liters of Coke, etc. So do millions of other people.

Good luck! The world needs more peddlers of booze, IMO!

[Old Gringo]

I look for, and never find, Royal Lochnigar Scotch. Maybe it's no longer imported.

In general, I look for quality liquors at competitive prices. I know what I've paid for the labels I prefer, so I won't tolerate gouging. That said, I don't mind paying a dollar or two more for my brand if the store is in a convenient location that saves me driving across town.

Conversely, I never pay any attention at all to the bottom shelf stuff in the large plastic bottles. I'm way too old for that. Let the frat rats at the local colleges have it.

Go ahead, call me a booze snob.

[sskink]

Zu.

[RogueMom]

I have learned to love dry "fruity" wines (besides grapes) such as blueberry, blackberry, pomegranate, but good quality ones (not talking Boones Farm Strawberry Hill here) are hard to find. The local grocery store here sells out of the few they have constantly, and the selection is very limited.

[Scratch33]

Cuervo 1800 Anejo seems to be scare as of late.

[kaymacca]

What I look for when I shop is informed sales people, I found my favorite Bourbon from a recommendation that way. I treat myself to expensive whiskey but I also buy the cheaper stuff for mixed drinks so also carry quality mixers like vermouth and bitters if you can.