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What's up with the price of Plymouth gin?

My local store doesn't stock it, so I may pick up a bottle now and then when I see it on the shelf, but the price tends to fluctuate more than any other booze I've bought lately. I've seen 750ml bottles priced anywhere from $15 to $20, etc. until last weekend, the store I was in was selling it for $31.99! What is the deal here? Is it growing hype? The price set by individual distributors? FYI, the same store was selling regular old Gordon's for $10.99, so I said hell, and bought that instead.

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  1. I would suspect a number of causes. first, the exchange rate keeps falling, causing the price of all imports to increase. ( not to get on a rant, but that's what happens when the government insists on financing a war by borrowing from foreign entities and cutting taxes at the same time) Second, Plymouth has been doing a bit of marketing in the US and has had some success with it. Third, because it is a good product, demand has increased as more people find out about it and as is almost always the case, when demand goes up, so does the price. Now, some places have also been pricing b greed, so I'm not sure about that $32 a bottle. I'm still able to get it here for $20.59 per. You might just check and see if the bottle you saw was a liter instead of a 750 ml. That would explain the difference, and they look so similar, you just about need to see them side by side to notice the difference.

    2 Replies
    1. re: chazzerking

      Yep, it was a 750. I had to check because I was so surprised by the price. It was also on the top shelf with pricier type stuff.

      1. re: wontonton

        I've noticed the same thing in the Boston area. I know that there's the possibility that the lower priced shops may be distributors or just trying to match their competitor's prices, but yeah, the climb to as much as $34.99 in the burbs seems pretty extreme. Thankfully it seems to be $16-$22 a bottle through most of town!

    2. Plymouth smelled the money being made in the super-premium gin category by Hendrick's and Tanq Ten and their ilk, redesigned its packaging, and repriced itself upwards to appeal to free-spending dolts who equate price with value, the same suckers who shell out for Grey Goose and other brands of water-diluted ethanol in arty containers.

      A shame, really. I still buy Plymouth for its uniquely mild, mixable character, but that 60% premium over what it cost a year ago really stings, especially since the product itself is exactly the same -- only now we're contributing to higher margiins, shinier marketing campaigns, and a slightly sleeker label. Humbug!

      1. I have notice the same thing too. I used to be able to find Plymouth by me: ~$15.50 for a 700ML bottle (old packaging). Now it seems that at most stores the lowest price you can find it for is ~$27.00 for the same amount (in the new Packaging). This is only over the past month or two. Unfortunately I expect the price will go up even more... but lets hope not :(

        4 Replies
        1. re: Faune

          Oh, how I miss that attractive former packaging. I'm not fond of the drab new label. I don't know what they were thinking, except "upscale vodka".

          1. re: Up With Olives

            my thoughts exactly. It dismayed me so much I even took the time to send them an email with those same thoughts.

            But I guess the new label and press are working. You can definitely order Plymouth in more places than you could 2-3 years ago

            1. re: Up With Olives

              Yeah, I know! it reminds me of Smirnoff or something. I liked the old bottle and bottle cap much better.

              1. re: Faune

                i actually like the new bottle design better. stylish elegance, minimal... i like

          2. The original comment has been removed
            1. Got Plymouth 750ml for $17 plus tax at winemarket in New Hyde Park earlier this month. They have other specials that you can print.