Pricing Oddities

[slkinsey]

So... yesterday I had some time on my hands and decided to do a little booze shopping. I've been experimenting with a lot of drinks with triple sec and orange curaçao recently, which can get a little pricey when you use the top shelf brands.

As a result I've been on the prowl for some Marie Brizard orange curaçao and triple sec. Most orange curaçao and triple sec from producers like Bols, Hiram Walker, De Kuyper, Leroux, et al. is sugary artificial crap. Marie Brizard products, on the other hand, are very high quality. Marie Brizard's orange curaçao and triple sec are often recommended as lower priced alternatives to Cointreau, etc. -- especially for drinks with enough other things going on that you are unlikely to taste the difference.

The first odd part of this story is that I have had a very hard time even finding a place that sells Marie Brizard orange curaçao and triple sec. In fact, I still haven't seen any Marie Brizard orange curaçao for sale. Finally I saw some Marie Brizard triple sec at Warehouse Wines & Spirits. Here's the thing: they were charging 22 dollars for a 750 ml bottle. I noted that they were selling a liter bottle of Cointreau for 30 dollars. Using my amazing mathematical powers, I figured out that a liter of Cointreau would only cost me about 65 cents more than a liter of Marie Brizard triple sec. Now, Marie Brizard triple sec is good... but it ain't that good. When I pointed this out to the salesperson, he offered "well, it's imported..." as an excuse (I didn't bother mentioning that Cointreau is imported too). Needless to say, I bought the Cointreau.

Was this an unusually high price for Marie Brizard triple sec? An incredible deal on Cointreau? I was expecting the price difference to be more like it is between Grand Marnier and GranGala (GranGala is less than half the price).

Oh... and here's another head scratcher: I have been looking for Charbay Blood Orange vodka. Finally found some at Park Avenue Liquor Shop. They were charging $41 for a 750 ml bottle. No way am I spending $41 on a bottle of vodka. Last night I saw the same bottle at Astor Wines & Spirits for $27, and I didn't get the impression they were selling it as a loss leader.

Any other stories of seemingly inexplicable price oddities?

[JPW]

I live in the land of price oddities.

It's called Montgomery County, MD. It's said, and I believe it but can't prove it, to be the only county in the US with its own liquor control board. Liquor is sold only in county stores. These stores also carry beer and wine. Other retail outlets can carry beer and wine, but the must buy from the county. All restaurants and bars must buy from the county.

They have what seems like an almost random policy of putting things on sale. Occasionally quite steep sales. I'll have to start keeping track better, but I recall buying 1.75L of Maker's Mark for $30 (normal price $40). Go here for this week's sales. Stores will also drop prices on items they want to clear below these sales.

I also do some shopping in both DC and Virginia so I'll have to do some more comparison shopping.

Edited February 18, 2005 by JPW (log)

[phaelon56]

Out of nothing more than idle curiosity (something I'm blessed with an abundance of but some say it's not a blessing)... I'll look around here in Syracuse and report back on pricing. NY State has a minimum mark-up law for wine and spirits that prevents the big "discounters" from driving the little independent liquor stores out of business (at least that's how it's presented). In this area I've never seen discrepancies as large as those you describe but it's bizarre. I have not purchased any Marie Brizard products in years but recall them being at a nice mid-point price between the swill and the top shelf liquers.

I just checked the online prices for a PA store - they have strictly state controlled pricing. Marie Brizard orange curacao is $25.29 for the 750 ml bottle and Cointreau is $30.99 also for the 750 ml bottle - not a one liter size.

[kvltrede]

...Finally I saw some Marie Brizard triple sec at Warehouse Wines & Spirits.  Here's the thing: they were charging 22 dollars for a 750 ml bottle.  I noted that they were selling a liter bottle of Cointreau for 30 dollars.  Using my amazing mathematical powers, I figured out that a liter of Cointreau would only cost me about 65 cents more than a liter of Marie Brizard triple sec.  Now, Marie Brizard triple sec is good... but it ain't that good.  When I pointed this out to the salesperson, he offered "well, it's imported..." as an excuse (I didn't bother mentioning that Cointreau is imported too).  Needless to say, I bought the Cointreau.

Was this an unusually high price for Marie Brizard triple sec?  An incredible deal on Cointreau?  I was expecting the price difference to be more like it is between Grand Marnier and GranGala (GranGala is less than half the price)...

Sam, that's a nice price on the Cointreau. I think you should probably head on back there before whoever mispriced it wises up.

Here in Chi the 750 ml is $32 and the 1L is $37 while the 750 ml's of MB Triple Sec, Apry, Blackberry and Anisette are all $21. The Charbay Blood Orange and other flavors are, hold on to your hat, $20. The "regular" Charbay is $27.

Kurt

[winesonoma]

Hamilton Montana last july, finished the Plymouth Gin and need more gin for martinis. Go to the state store across the street and found Citadel Gin for $21.99 a bottle. Score. It's $30-35 where I live.

[slkinsey]

Yea, I can understand why a certain bottle might cost more or less in, e.g., Lenexa, Kansas compared to New York City. What is so odd to me is how a certain bottle can be sold at such radically different prices in the same town.

I'm also a little surprised the Marie Brizard bottles are so expensive. I would have figured them at around $15 for 750 ml rather than $20+

[alphaiii]

I managed to find a bottle of Cristall Vodka for $11.29 here in PA - last bottle in the state. Needless to say, when I saw that one lonely bottle listed in the online product catalog, I went right to my local store and arranged for them to transfer it in. I'm still patiently waitiing for it though.

[Rob Simmon]

I live in the land of price oddities.

It's called Montgomery County, MD. It's said, and I believe it but can't prove it, to be the only county in the US with its own liquor control board. Liquor is sold only in county stores. These stores also carry beer and wine. Other retail outlets can carry beer and wine, but the must buy from the county. All restaurants and bars must buy from the county.

←

I'm a big fan the the Montgomery County stores -- some of their weekly sales are astonishing, like $19.99 for a bottle of Hendricks (I think I've seen it as high as $33.00) They have one or two really good bottles of the base liquors on sale at any given time, so I'm trying (without too much success) to limit myself to just picking stuff up at a discount. Fortunately there are a lot of good liquor stores in DC, so the limited MC selection doesn't hurt so much.

As far as price disparity, I bought a bottle of Van Gogh chocolate liqueur for $5 (maybe even 4, I can't remember) and have seen it for $16.

[trillium]

I have trouble finding the MB stuff at all in Oregon, which is still stuck in the dark ages of alcohol consumption. Oddly enough, the only MB I can find is Parfait Amour, and I still have not convinced myself I need a bottle of it. I'm kicking myself for not buying the Apry when I hauled home my stash from New Orleans.

As a sidenote... I wouldn't pay $40 (or probably even $27) for a bottle of Charbay. When I was in Sacto recently and talked my friends into driving me to BevMo (I have nice friends) the store had all of the Charbay for something like $14/bottle. I bought the grapefruit and the lime to play with. They are both good, but not anything I'd pay more then $15/bottle for.... I think some of the infusions I do myself are better and have much more complexity. They taste like most of the aromatics are coming from the peel, so I'm not sure how exciting the blood orange would be. My friends bought the grapefruit and the meyer lemon, and we all agree that both the lime and the lemon have a sweetness to them that we don't really care for, the grapefuit seemed to be the best of the lot.

Back to your regularly scheduled programme....

regards,

trillium