Trader Joe's Scotches - Macallan, Glenlivet...etc

[godfather]

I've seen Trader Joe's selling scotches under their name, but the bottle also states which distillery it actually came from.

Such as:

Macallan 12, 10, 18 year old.
Glenlivet 18
...etc

What is the difference between these scotches branded under the "Trader Joe's" name v.s. the real brands?

Thanks in advance for any insight!

 

[mu mike]

I have seen this question posted before with regard to a Kirkland 19yr whisky at Costo. Here's the story straight from Macallan (posted on a whisky forum regarding the Costco Kirkland, I assume the same would likely apply to the Trader Joe's bottling):

"This is not an official Macallan bottling. In the last decade, we were still producing more liquid than we could sell so when we had filled enough casks for our own uses, we sold the surplus new make spirit to independent bottlers to store and bottle in their own time under their own label. This is a case in point.

Once the casks are sold to the third party, we have no control over the storage conditions or the quality of the final bottled liquid. The only connection to The Macallan is that we produced the new make spirit but in this case, that spirit was not monitored by The Macallan Whisky Maker like the whisky that we bottle is.

We have not tasted it as it is not available in this country so are not in a position to give a comparison to The Macallan 18 years old.

I hope this clarifies.

Patricia Lee
Marketing Assistant"

 

[billbixby]

I have seen this question posted before with regard to a Kirkland 19yr whisky at Costo. Here's the story straight from Macallan (posted on a whisky forum regarding the Costco Kirkland, I assume the same would likely apply to the Trader Joe's bottling):

"This is not an official Macallan bottling. In the last decade, we were still producing more liquid than we could sell so when we had filled enough casks for our own uses, we sold the surplus new make spirit to independent bottlers to store and bottle in their own time under their own label. This is a case in point.

Once the casks are sold to the third party, we have no control over the storage conditions or the quality of the final bottled liquid. The only connection to The Macallan is that we produced the new make spirit but in this case, that spirit was not monitored by The Macallan Whisky Maker like the whisky that we bottle is.

We have not tasted it as it is not available in this country so are not in a position to give a comparison to The Macallan 18 years old.

I hope this clarifies.

Patricia Lee
Marketing Assistant"

Interesting - this is the first I've heard of this.

 

[godfather]

Interesting! Thanks for posting this mu mike, that definitely makes sense.

 

[audilicious]

bump!

I've found some reviews for and against the TJ's single malt's.

The Bowmore 18 is calling my name.

Thought I'd dust off this thread and see if anyone's has any new experiences with these.

 

[botl43]

bump!

I've found some reviews for and against the TJ's single malt's.

The Bowmore 18 is calling my name.

Thought I'd dust off this thread and see if anyone's has any new experiences with these.

Was down at my local Trader Joes last week and they seemed to be out of there TJ brand scotches. Guy looked at the book and said they might be discontinuing them? Not sure but they had them before the new year I know that..

 

[cabaiguan juan]

This blows my mind! In DC and VA you can get beer and wine at the supermarket. Liquor though?!?! I guess CA does have some perks. How are the prices?

 

[botl43]

This blows my mind! In DC and VA you can get beer and wine at the supermarket. Liquor though?!?! I guess CA does have some perks. How are the prices?

Prices seem pretty standard. Little better then Bevmo actually, specially right before Christmas. There house brand Scotch was $23 to $29 per if I remember correctly.

 

[Fyodor]

This blows my mind! In DC and VA you can get beer and wine at the supermarket. Liquor though?!?! I guess CA does have some perks. How are the prices?

Wow, you cant buy hard liquor in DC at supermarkets? Here in Chicago you can get it almost anywhere, 7-11, every type of grocery store. Hell at my local Jewel they sell $150 Cognac.

 

[audilicious]

yeah in socal you can get pretty much anything within a few blocks, legal or not.

I think I'm going to pass on the TJ's until I stumble on it at a party or something to sample, there's too many good for sures out there for me to spend the $ on.