There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t get asked by somebody, “Got any allocated bourbons?”  It’s a question that sends shivers up my spine for several reasons.  First off, as a liquor store owner, it is very frustrating not to be able to provide customers with a product they are searching for.  Secondly, the sheer number of times each day I get asked this gives me a headache.  It’s frustrating for store owners and it’s frustrating for customers that they can’t find that “unicorn” bottle.  So let’s delve into this allocation thing a little bit further to give you all an understanding of why you can rarely find Buffalo Trace, Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, E.H. Taylor, Weller, etc.

The bourbons I listed above are easily the ones I get asked about most frequently and for good reasons – they are all fantastic products, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they are the “best” bourbons on the market.  It’s just human nature to automatically think since you can’t find something that it must be the best.  “Best” is subjective as everybody’s palate is different and what I like you may not so when it comes to bourbon you just have to give them a try until you find one that fits your palate but I digress.  The hard-to-find bourbons are produced in smaller amounts than say Woodford Reserve or Maker’s Mark for example.  So right out of the box, the allocated bourbons are just not as plentiful and many believe the distillers do this on purpose to create constant demand.

So let’s delve into this further.  The first determination in regard to allocation is state population.  So it’s pretty simple yet frustrating math.  California and Florida, for example, will of course receive the lion’s share of the distribution and then so on down the line state by state.  South Carolina’s population is only the 23^rd highest in the U.S. so we are handcuffed from the start.  Many folks mention that they see the tough-to-find bourbons all over the place in Georgia – Georgia is the 8^th most populous state so it only stands to reason you would see more in stores to our south.

The next determining factor in allocation is the distributor.  Once the distributor receives their allotment from a given distillery they then determine how much each store is going to receive.  This is where it becomes extremely frustrating for many store owners like myself because there is truly no formula they use to determine who gets what and how much.  It’s very subjective and that is just bullcrap!   Of course, the large “mega-stores” are going to get larger amounts because they buy more booze.  I totally get that part of it but when it comes to smaller stores, like mine, it basically becomes blackmail.  The distributor instructs their salespeople to “recommend” that retailers buy certain brands of various products and if you do so you will get more allocated items.  So for example, the more Fireball I buy in a given month the more allocated items I will receive.  And when I say receive it is actually a joke.  Allocated items are not ordered by me – they just show up every six weeks or so.  The amount my store receives is comical.  Most times I will receive 4-6 Buffalo Trace bottles, maybe a Blanton’s (as in one), and probably 3-6 Eagle Rare’s every year.  So when store owners like me say we don’t currently have any allocated items in stock – 9 times out of 10 we aren’t lying.  The 10^th time when I do lie about it is because you aren’t a regular customer of my store.  I reward loyalty as every store owner should.   The more I see your face the better the chance at some point I may have a hard-to-get bottle for you.

One other thing to keep in mind when it comes to this “allocation” thing.  Buffalo Trace and Blanton’s are not the only brands that are allocated.  There are many allocated items currently on my shelves like Michters, Willet, Bardstown, and many others.  So when you go into a store don’t ask the clerk “got any allocated bourbon”?   You want to ask “what allocated bourbons do you have?”  Your chances of finding Buffalo Trace or Blanton’s or Eagle Rare on a store shelf this time of year are going to be very slim.  You may get lucky but don’t use a full tank of gas hitting every store in the county on a wild goose chase.  Find one store, like mine, do all of your booze shopping there and build a rapport with the owner, and one day you will be awarded one of those unicorns you are searching for – maybe!!!!

For more information and tips about the type of bourbon whiskey we carry, come visit our liquor store today. Located at 488 Mercantile Pl #101Fort Mill, SC 29715.