Liquor Control Board Tries Lottery System To Sell Coveted, Limited Release Wine And Spirits
By Tony Romeo and Kristen Johanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is trying something new in selling high-demand, limited-release wines and spirits: a lottery.
Liquor Control Board spokeswoman Elizabeth Brassell says attempts in the past to sell limited-quantity products via the agency's online store have resulted in products selling out in a few minutes, and other problems.
"Handling all of the traffic and all of the interest of these products, Pappy Van Winkle was one last year," says Brassell. "When we offered it for general sale through our website, it was just more interest than we could handle."
So now the LCB is selling 24 bottles of Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection through a lottery process.
"It's an effort to more equitably distribute highly sought after, limited-quantity wines and spirits to those who are interested in them, across the state.
She says each bottle is $48.49, and lottery winners can only buy one.
A fourth of the bottles will be sold to LCB licensees, the rest to individuals. Pennsylvania residents may opt in to the lottery through 11pm Saturday by going to the LCB's website, FineWineandGoodSpirits.com.