KY distillery offers make-up gift for bogus bourbon advent calendar
Buffalo Trace fans thought they were buying something special for Christmas: an advent calendar of their favorite Kentucky bourbons.
Instead, they got the equivalent to a lump of coal. Or, rather, a lump of plastic: Tiny plastic “ornaments” of Weller, Elmer T. Lee, O.F.C, Eagle Rare, E.H. Taylor, Sazerac ... but not a drop of whiskey.
They were quick to vent their rage online in spaces like the Buffalo Trace Daily Facebook group. One wrote: “My husband ordered one years ago, and it was around $250, and it had actual liquor in it. He tried to order another one, and it was a tiny box with teeny tiny plastic flat bottles in it with gold string to put through the holes at the tops of the bottles. It’s party decor, not real bottles. It’s a scam, so be careful. He paid $75! For a box full of plastic!”
The complaints gained traction when they were picked up in online stories, including one that outed a product sold on Walmart.com that claimed to offer “24 days of spirit surprises” including “miniature bottles of whiskey, bourbon, tequila, or cocktail-themed spirits, turning your Christmas countdown into a culinary journey.”
Savvy bourbon fans should probably have been tipped off by the fact that this says it is a 250th anniversary advent calendar. ... Buffalo Trace hasn’t been around that long. The distillery even posted in its own online gift shop that the calendars “are not real.”
But Buffalo Trace Distillery heard their complaints and has delivered something of a Christmas miracle. The distillery announced on Instagram that those who can prove they bought the calendars before Dec. 10 will receive a $40 online credit at shop.buffalotracedistillery.com and a special guest invitation to a future Spirited Night event (this can be in 2025 or 2026.)
Susannah Hubler, at Buffalo Trace Distillery, said in a post to the company’s Instagram page that they decided to do something about the counterfeit advent calendars because, “We care deeply about our community and cannot stand the thought of someone’s Christmas being ruined by a few bad actors.”
So, Buffalo Trace decided to “offer a one-time make good for fans who were victims of this fraud.”
If you were a victim of the fraud, she said, email the distillery at ordersupport@buffalotrace.com and put “advent calendar support” in the subject line. You’ll need proof of purchase (a screenshot or photo of your order confirmation, receipt or payment record will do) along with proof that you reported the scam to the seller and/or your credit card company.
