I’m still trying to wrap my head around Crowded Barrel products now shipping to 41 states. I usually don’t mention the same thing 2 weeks in a row, but this is game changing, and I hope it’s here to stay. The ability to get you a bottle has opened up a new world of possibilities, but frankly - it’s a double edged sword.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around Crowded Barrel products now shipping to 41 states. I usually don’t mention the same thing 2 weeks in a row, but this is game changing, and I hope it’s here to stay. The ability to get you a bottle has opened up a new world of possibilities, but frankly - it’s a double edged sword.
Here’s the situation.
Before MB’s could get whiskey shipped, you had to purchase your bottles directly from Crowded Barrel’s website. We’d then hold those bottles in a secure location until you (or a cohort) could visit Austin and pick them up.
Not exactly convenient.
Getting stuff shipped is great. But that greatness comes at a cost, and Crowded Barrel’s business model is turning on a dime.
I’ll say it plainly.
Before we found a retail partner to ship bottles around the country, we got to keep all of the money from our releases (minus the tax man’s pound of flesh). Which was great for moments (like now) when we have a $60k bill to finally establish Crowded Barrels in-house brewing operation.
But with a real retail partner, we’re now splitting a big portion of the sales revenue with a 3rd party. That’s what happens when we have to jump through the legally required, tiered-Whiskey-hoops to get the whiskey to you.
Don’t get me wrong. There was a long and exhaustive vetting process before choosing our new retail partner, and we’re excited to be working with them. But we just traded some financial flexibility for an opportunity to scale up and meet people where they are - at home.
Short term - this is a pain in the ass, and we’re tapping dancing our way into a new economic reality.
Long term - this is exactly what needed to happen, and I can’t wait for more MB’s to try the things we’ve been working on.
As expected, the current shippable selection of Crowded Barrel products is nearly sold out. But one solitary hero remains to guide Crowded Barrel across a barren landscape of expenses, into a promised land where whiskey flows like something that’s super-flowy...
Is it cheap? Nope. Is it worth it? Hell yes. Every bit of unsolicited feedback we’ve received has been glowing. Apparently, when you ask 12 master distillers to choose a unique single barrel that they’re proud of - your glass meets some amazing whiskeys.
Beyond that, there’s going to be a Whiskey Tribe LIVESTREAM on March 19th at 1pm CST. On that Saturday, Rex and Daniel will host a joint tasting of The 12 days of Texas Whiskey on the Whiskey Tribe channel. All the Magnificent Bastards who grab a box are invited to join them on a pour-for-pour exploration of 12 unique single barrels.
Growing pains are real. But they’re usually not this tasty.
~ The Magnificent Bastard
YOU MEME THE WORLD TO ME
THE VAULT OF TRIBES
Check Out This Past Week's Videos From Our YouTube Channels Whiskey Tribe and Whiskey Vault.
In this video, Rex and Daniel talk about The Whiskey Tribe - a big, salty and ridiculous community of whisk(e)y loving MB's. They've raised a whiskey freak-flag...
Is your inner bastard Magnificent enough to salute?
Ian Piggott is our whiskey article curator - he gives us a glimpse of what’s happening with whiskey (and our whiskey brethren and sistren) around the world.
[+] Why Is Unicorn Whiskey So Expensive?
Perhaps leading the charge in most expensive unicorn whiskies is Michter's 25-year-old Straight Rye, which was auctioned off for a whopping $21,000 December 2021, according to Whisky Advocate.
