1970's JD shortage?

Talk about Tennessee, American and Rye Whiskey here.

Moderator: Squire

1970's JD shortage?

Unread postby angelshare » Sun Feb 20, 2005 7:18 pm

While chatting with my dad yesterday, he said he vaguely remembered a JD shortage 25-30 years ago. He guessed that, sometime between 1976-1979, VA ABC stores, at least locally, had few if any bottles on the shelf and store personnel were saying that the future availability was uncertain. He couldn't remember a specific explanation. Obviously, whatever the issue was got resolved, to say the least.

Anybody know of/remember such a phenomenon? Was there ever a time in the last 50 years that JD was in peril somehow?
Dave & Tina
angelshare
Registered User
 
Posts: 531
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 9:09 pm
Location: Luray, VA

Unread postby cowdery » Sun Feb 20, 2005 8:57 pm

His memory is correct, though it was earlier than he recalls, more like the 50s and 60s. The Motlow family didn't have enough capital to expand enough to meet demand, which led eventually to the sale to Brown-Forman. Demand was outstripping supply and they were on allocation, much as Maker's Mark is now, but I believe the situation for Daniel's was worse. The problem was simply the production cycle. Even when they were able to expand capacity, it still takes a minimum of four years to get additional bottles into the pipeline.

One solution was the creation of the Tennessee Squires. The strategy was to keep consumers loyal to the brand even if they were having trouble getting it, so they started this "club," with regular mailings and various free trinkets.
- Chuck Cowdery

Author of Bourbon, Straight
User avatar
cowdery
Registered User
 
Posts: 1586
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 1:07 pm
Location: Chicago

Unread postby cowdery » Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:08 pm

Some interesting information about the Squires:

http://www.packworld.com/articles/Features/14226.html
- Chuck Cowdery

Author of Bourbon, Straight
User avatar
cowdery
Registered User
 
Posts: 1586
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 1:07 pm
Location: Chicago


Return to Non-Bourbon Whiskey

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 30 guests