Hey Free Rangers,
Time is not on our side. And this year’s calendar is a willful accomplice. Coming up on ten years into this whole retail thing, we have almost zero ability to foresee the ebbs and flows in any kind of predicable cycle. One thing for certain is true: when the major holidays fall in the middle of the week, we do significantly better business than years in which said major holidays fall on weekends. When holidays are during the week, we see a significant bump in sales during that week, and still get at least regular weekend business on either side. This year was the perfect storm. Christmas and NYE fall on Friday(s). In this case the holiday and the weekend seemed to cancel each other out, such that we did lower numbers this holiday weekend than we do on a regular weekend this time of year (as Christmas Day erased a Saturday). The week before also did us no favors, and the day after Christmas Sunday on Atlantic Ave was an absolute ghost town. The calendar indeed had the last laugh, and we didn’t do anything to that guy. This of course timed up with our fair city becoming the epicenter of new infections for whatever number wave is currently upon us. For a second consecutive year we didn’t do a single (large) wedding, or holiday party, once a reliable significant boost to the annual profit. It’s been a rough one, but getting by is still the new kicking ass, so I suppose we’re doing that. Hard to say where we go from here.
We did just enough business in 2020 to not qualify for any pandemic related assistance, and have had the pleasure of working straight through two years of pandemic protocols. Such is the life of an essential business out here in the desert of the real. We’re keeping the lights on, but we’re not breaking any records (or matching Before Times numbers). There are many ways one might make this business more profitable, but each would require changing the business model to the point that I might prefer not to be the one running the daily show. And next year, Christmas and New Years Eve are on Saturday(s), so, if you know anybody who wants to buy a wine shop… To top off the current upheaval, I’m also looking for a new place to live within a mile or so of the shop: one or two bedroom, good light, and at least a bit of outdoor space. Referrals greatly appreciated. A complimentary Magical Mystery 6-pack to whomever connects me with where I next hang my hat (and grow my tomatoes).
Continued thanks to those of you who have stuck with our little retail operation, and to those who continue to read here, even (most especially) those of you who have moved too far away to shop with us. I had three partial stories teed up going into this week, but decided to go with the reality this time. More entertaining content ahead. Upcoming stories include the intersection of poker and retail, how a joke about poor quality becomes a reputation for excellence, and how Phish is the new Chardonnay… or maybe the new Kendall-Jackson? Still working on the concept, but the customer interaction involved in that one is priceless. Stay tuned. This round most of the creative effort (or at least inventory, research, and math) is going into the sale below.
In attempts to goose the revenue before this foul year of our lord (and fiscal quarter) relents, check out the below sale list of some of the rarest spirits under our roof, quite a few of these are from my personal collection (which admittedly is out of hand). Most of these are super limited, and several historically significant including EH Taylor Amaranth, pre-Remy buyout Bruichladdich, Elijah Craig 12 year in extinct short bottles, long extinct Lost Spirits Abomination, and a private bottling of Springbank 25. We’re not messing around on this one, and are intent on clearing some space in the rare whiskey room, and generating some of our MIA 2021 revenue. THIS SALE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE ONLY, and all bottles are first come, first served.
**Max 1 bottle of each per customer.**
(!) CLICK HERE for hidden sale page (!)
sale: retail:
Canada:
Caribou Crossing $69 $89
Pendleton 20 Year (2019) $145 $199
Ireland:
Blue Spot Cask Strength $225 $—-
Red Spot 15 $245 $299
Redbreast 27 $595 $675
Japan:
Hakushu 12 $149 $199
(older release- no box)
Hakushu 18 $525 $599
Hibiki 17 $875 $975
Hibiki 21 $1075 $1250
Nikka Single Malt Miyagikyo $99 $129
Nikka Single Malt Yoichi $99 $129
Nikka Pure Malt 17 $475 $595
Yamazaki 12 $129 $149
(black box)
Yamazaki 12 $199 $—-
(old release – yellow box)
Kentucky:
Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2016 $379 $499
Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2018 $379 $499
Bardstown Discovery (#6) $135 $159
Bardstown Prisoner Cask $199 $259
Blackened x Willett Rye $239 $299
(6.5yr Madeira Cask)
Booker’s Bluegrass $149 $—-
Calumet 15 Year Bourbon $125 $149
Cream of Kentucky 11.5 Year $190 $—-
EH Taylor Small Batch $699 $—-
(sealed 6-pack)
EH Taylor Rye $149 $199
EH Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon $199 $225
EH Taylor Barrel Proof Bourbon $475 $599
EH Taylor Amaranth $2,375 $—-
Elijah Craig Toasted $89 $125
Elijah Craig 12 Year Small Batch $149 $—-
(Old bottle)
Elmer T Lee $299 $399
Hancock’s Bourbon $119 $199
Kentucky Owl Rye 10 Year $159 $199
Larceny Barrel Proof B521 $139 $189
Noah’s Mill (wax cap, old release) $149 $—-
Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye $299 $—-
(Barrel 19C386)
Michter’s Toasted Barrel Rye $299 $—-
(Barrel 17C592)
Old Ezra 7 Year $99 $129
Old Fitzgerald 8 Year $349 $—-
Old Fitzgerald 14 Year $425 $—-
Willett Rye 4 Year $85 $119
Weller Antique 107 $175 $209
Weller CYPB $549 $675
Weller Full Proof $395 $495
Weller Single Barrel $675 $—-
Orphan Barrel:
Orphan Barrel Barterhouse 20 $375 $499
Orphan Barrel Forged Oak 15 $275 $399
Orphan Barrel Gifted Horse $265 $375
Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 21 $345 $489
Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 22 $335 $479
Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 24 $349 $499
Orphan Barrel Muckety Muck 25 $259 $359
Other US:
Black Maple Hill Rye $99 $—-
FEW Flaming Lips Brainville Rye $109 $135
High West BouRye $89 $129
(Batch 17L19)
High West Yippee Ki-Yay $225 $—-
(batch 10)
High West Midwinter Dram $249 $—-
(act 3 scene 1)
High West Midwinter Dram $199 $235
(act 6 scene 3)
High West Midwinter Dram $189 $225
(act 7 scene 4)
Lost Spirits Abomination $249 $—-
(Sayers of the Law)
Lost Spirits Abomination $249 $—-
(Crying of the Puma)
Redemption Rye Barrel Proof $149 $—-
(Batch 2)
Redemption Rye Barrel Proof 7 year $159 $—-
(Batch 2)
WhistlePig 15 Year $189 $239
Whistlepig The Boss Hog VIII Rye $525 $599
(Lapulapu’s Pacific)
Scotland:
Ardbeg Perpetuum $299 $—-
Daftmill 2007 (Winter) $209 $259
Daftmill 2009 (Summer) $189 $239
Laphroig 16 $129 $—-
Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23 $319 $379
Bruichladdich 20 Year $495 $—-
(pre-Remy, signed by Jim McEwan)
Bruichladdich The Laddie 10 $325 $—-
(pre-Remy buyout)
Bruichladdich The Laddie 16 $375 $—-
(pre-Remy buyout)
Bruichladdich Black Art 26yr 8.1 $575 $699
Bruichladdich Octomore 11.1 $279 $325
Bruichladdich Octomore 11.3 $299 $375
Bruichladdich Octomore 10 Year $325 $—-
(2019 release)
Springbank 18 $299 $375
Springbank 25 (private bottling) $875 $—-
Talisker 25 $599 $759
Cheers,
Jack
Proprietor
Free Range Wine & Spirits
P.S. Free Range E-mail Archive
