Cocktail ingredients Utah update – January 2012

When Utahans walk into the Utah DABC State Liquor Stores this month, they may think that they have walked out of the land of plenty and into the desert.  Special Price Adjustments (SPAs) originate with the distributors of the products, not the UDABC (only Clearance item price reduction come from the UDABC).  Last month the distributors were generous to promote holiday giving and holiday celebrations.  This month they are, let us say, penurious as the number of items on SPA drops from over 500 to barely over 200.  Cocktailians in search of ingredients will wish they had stocked up in December.  If this post seems short, you now know why.

There isn’t much excitement in the Rum shelves this month.  Liter bottles of Bacardi® Gold and Superior are both marked down around 16% to $15.49.  Appleton Estates® White Rum (CS# 042116) is on clearance for $10 a bottle.  The price has been dropping slowly on this one, so it should go cheaper next month (if there’s any left). 

Tequila lovers will be greeted by a lack of SPA tags on the Tequila shelves, there are almost no Tequila SPAs (three!).  Your best bets for Tequila deals this month are a pair of El Jimadors®: the Reposado and the Blanco are both marked down from $20 to $18.  Regular readers will know that a good Silver (or Plata or Blanco) is an essential ingredient in the ever popular Margarita, but this Reposado also makes outstanding cocktails.  For those who love Vodka Martinis, one liter bottles of Ketel One® are marked down.  There is also the usual large number of flavored Vodkas on SPA.

If you’re into Bourbons, Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey® (CS# 017086) is available for $23 ($2 off) and makes a great BLT, and there are a few other Bourbons marked down.  There is only one Scotch Whisky (a blend) marked down this month: Johnnie Walker® Red is marked down $2 to $24, so if you’re looking for something to put into your Bobby Burns give it a try.  As usual, the number of Rye Whiskies on SPA this month is low: zero.  If you need some liqueurs, Kahlua® and Tuaca® have been marked down a little over 10% this month.