Just weeks after Beam Suntory announced that it would increase the price of Booker’s Bourbon in 2017, the company has pumped the brakes on that plan.
The new plan is to ease in the higher price. The original intention was for the whiskey to increase in suggested retail price from about $59 to $99.99, beginning in 2017.
In a statement released by Beam Suntory, the company did reiterate its decision to reduce the number of annual releases of Booker’s from six to four. This statement, as reported by drinks writer Fred Minnick, read:
“As we’ve previously shared, Booker’s Bourbon will experience supply constraints starting next year. As a result, we must reduce our batch releases to four per year. We apologize to anyone who is unable to locate the product in the future. Because of the rarity and high quality of this liquid, and our need to maintain our supply without sacrificing any production standards, we have decided to increase the price of Booker’s. We’ll be implementing the previously announced price increase over time, and in 2017 you can expect to see Booker’s on shelf for $69.99-$74.99.”
The announced price hike for Booker’s was met with much criticism and protest on social media and whiskey media sites.
[…] The downside to this? Companies will undoubtedly continue to escalate prices on their Scotch and bourbon products. […]