Beware the hipsters are coming!

@Wierdo, thanks for the link to a great article. This premiumization of whisky has been going on for quite a few years now. This is the price of one's hobby becoming very popular. It will be very interesting to see how all of this plays out over time. Whisky was a lot more fun and a lot less expensive when people looked at you funny because you said that you liked it. Previously one had to dig out unheralded gems for little money in a cubbyhole; now people congratulate you on your good taste...and charge you a fortune to own the product.

In my youth, I stopped listening to U2 the moment they became mainstream popular. Alas, in my older days - that's not an option I'm entertaining as regards my whisky! They should give a "seniors card" for rebate (non-age linked) to those of you, like Victor, who has years or decades to share. Though, I admit; I wouldn't qualify!

@Victor @RikS @Wierdo

After reading the article, there isn't much for me to say (with a scarcasm to my words) except for, "hip, hip, hooray!"

If this attitude bleeds, or has already bled, into the already well-established distilleries, then I am glad I am hoarding a stock of 16yo Nadurra and a few bottles of the "gems" I adore. Getting out-priced (maybe I am using the term incorrectly) of stuff I haven't even tried yet, is one thing;however, getting out-priced from stuff I adore is another. Shop around for reasonable prices and buying an extra bottle for the "rainy" season is the way I am going. Hence my posts about buying an extra bottle of the 21yo Redbreast in Tokyo, saving myself over 85 USD, compared to the prices in my hometown.

Great link @Wierdo!

I guess if folk are daft enough to pay for it (but who knows, if they make X amount of profit from selling it down the line I doubt they'd see it as daft at all!) producers will keep hiking up the prices.

I think the hipsters have been around for a while to be fair, what I'm seeing now is the over-premiumisation (is that even a word?) of most all whisky to the point where it's soon going to be pricing mere mortal folk out of the game completely.

I guess we have to hope that the rich get bored, the enthusiasm dips and producers lower prices and increase quality accordingly. I fear though that while there is perceived profit to be made this trend will only increase.

edit - Reading that back reminds me of a story a Welsh sailor once told me (I know, I know, lol). Back in the day the lords and ladies of Pembrokeshire way used to have their underlings and tenants provide them with all manner of supposed high class food, like pies, offal etc while the poor folk had to make do with fresh caught salmon and lobster . . .

Stay optimistic. Soon the fad will wear off, and distilleries - new and old - will have oversized stocks or all kinds of variety; new, young, NAS, experiments... that they'll have to flog off to those of us whose tastebuds remain with the whisky for plummeting prices. Octomore will go from £120 to £32.99 on sale in Tesco, and Amazon will have daily lightening deals where the difference between the Redbreast 12, 12CS or 21 will be down to a few quid...

... at least, we can fantasize about it! :D

Thanks for the excellent article. Through no fault of my own I've been forced to become part of the "I don't want to wait generation". Instant gratification is the theme now. Why wait 16 years for a whisky to mature. There is magic now! Let's figure out how to speed the process up. Come up with great marketing. Put it in an unique bottle (soccer shoe, glass skull, glass pistol, etc) Get it to market with an overvalued price. (Because we know that the new wave believes that the more you pay. The better it is) This is not just happening in the whisky industry. I visited a winery recently and from start of production to bottling was less than a year. The wine is made in steel vats. Nothing ages in steel vats. Put it in. Take it out. Repeat. I hope it is a passing fad. Unfortunately, I don't think it it. I have 3 30 something children and their philosophy is if you want it buy it. They have told me their expectation is they will live with debt forever. As for me! I'm still a traditionalist and won't be purchasing any magic bean 3 year old whisky

Maybe I should start promoting Macallan, Dalmore, and Auchentoshan. I’ll also tell people Springbank, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Glendronach are terrible. Yes folks, Macallan and Dalmore are totally worth the premium price tag. Also, they use THE in front of their name, so you know it’s LIT!!!

@OdysseusUnbound - I hear you! I feel the same way about Arran, Benromach and a few others. We're safe for now but how long before someone at the Director's table says, 'Hang on, why are we selling for peanuts and not cashing in like the other lot?'

Longer term integrity, I suppose, that and a modicum of respect for their customers - I pray it continues.

With these new distilleries, you can see why they are doing it (to a point, mind!) but like the author of the article, one look at the price and my eyes roll and I think, 'Tw£ts!' Instant loss of respect and an almost stubborn refusal to engage with that distillery from now on. Incidentally, there are a growing number of 'brand names' that I simply won't buy from now on.

That'll teach em, ha ha

I'm not worried we've ever reach a position where all distilleries are charging £200 for a bottle of 2 1/2 year old whisky and we're essentially all priced out of the market.

Because the rules of the market indicate where's there's a demand someone will supply it.

That London distillery are clearly just aiming to entice collectors prepared to pay a lot of money for what will be a rarity.

There seems to be three ways to make money in whisky low volume/high price or high volume/low price and then medium volume/medium price.

The trouble with the low volume/high price is it's not really sustainable long term unless you've got a serious reputation behind you built up over years and are seen as a luxury product like Macallan.

I think distilleries like Arran, Springbank, Benromach, Balblair, Glenfarclas have got the right long term plan. Don't alienate the customers who were here before the latest whisky fad and will be here after it's gone. There's still decent profits to be made without ripping off customers.

In 10 years or whatever that London distillery will most likely be nothing but a memory. They're probably backed by big city investors after a quick profit. Whilst the likes ofMacallan, Highland Park and now (sighs) Old Pulteney will be trying to get their old customers back they abandoned to chase the luxury money.

At that point the goodwill the decent distilleries like Arran have built up over the years mean that the likes of Macallan will have a hard job getting their old customers back.

@Wierdo I don't think Macallan will ever have trouble selling anything they market. If the do at some point leave their own little world and start marketing good whisky at reasonable prices, there will be no end of buyers.

@PeterG7 I'm in total agreement -- and I don't know if it's because I live/work in a very tech-centered city, but the idea of "worth the wait" just sails past a lot of people here -- I say that whether it's a conversation in social settings or with work colleagues (admittedly they are a tad younger but still...), but there is very much a I want it now, so I'm getting it right now mentality. I went to a couple of tastings on two different occasions at a "hipster" bottle shop located right in the financial district/CBD recently, and the whiskies on pour were vile -- neither had been aged for more than a year or two, both sourced from MGP (I asked pointed questions and got honest replies, but I also got dirty looks from the "ambassadors"), and quite honestly, everyone else there was more interested in the label design or "cute" bottle than the whiskey itself...and no one hesitated to fork over the $65 or so. No thanks. I'll skip the cute bottles, labels, or whatever is so chic and attractive for something with substance...and delicious.

@Nozinan - Be interesting to see if the new distillery does anything to shake up Macallan's profile a bit.

@Nozinan I'm not entirely sure that's true.

I've been a serious whisky enthusiast for 11 years now. I've never had a good Macallan in that time. I've tried maybe 6 and they've ranged from 'Ok to poor'.

I remember being baffled in my early whisky enthusiast days when I brought a bottle of Macallan at wondering why they were so highly rated? As the whisky I had was bland. My experience of Macallan since is they're either bland or sulphur-bombs.

I have 5 different people (mates and relatives) who I've managed to get interested in whisky due to my own enthusiasm. I share whisky with them and they come to me for advice on purchases. I always tell them to avoid Macallan. If you want a sherry bomb or a Speysider go for Glenfarclas or Benromach. When they have tried Macallan they've told me they weren't impressed.

These are the whisky customers of today and tomorrow and they're building up brand loyalty with different brands.

A few years ago Nokia was the ONLY mobile phone maker. But they got arrogant, rested on their superiority and now they're a non-entity.

Another 10 years of producing poor whisky will see Macallan head the same way imo.

@Wierdo I'm going out on a limb here and taking a guess that you weren't the successful bidder of the Macallan Valedrio Adami that just sold for 1.1 million.:). For the record, I agree with you about Macallan.

@Wierdo Yet there is a large contingent of Macallan acolytes on social media. If you dare criticize THE Macallan, they will throw a hissy fit and screech that you’re just poor and jealous.

@Wierdo, you've obviously been trying the wrong Macallan.

Lol PeterG7. You guessed correct!

@paddockjudge I've tried both of the 10s that are now discontinued. The Fine Oak 12. The gold a couple of times.

Essentially most of the Macallans that don't require a mortgage to buy. Not been impressed by any of them.

When I see not impressed not that they were all terrible whiskies. Just didn't find anything to justify the hype or the premium price.

Not tried the 12 Sherry Oak which I've heard is the best of the affordable Macallans. But I'm not inclined to seeing as I've not been bowled over by the other Macallans I've had. Further more it's close to twice the price of all the other 12 year olds on the market and that at 40% abv and chill-filtered.

Macallan have got it arse about face. A distilleries core range is their most important whisky not the older more expensive exclusive ones.

If the 10 year old or 12 year old is of good quality and at a reasonable price then that entices customers in and gives them the confidence to spend more on the older expressions where the profit margins are greater.

My experience with Macallans core range has been uninspiring because imo they don't put the love into it so I'll be damned if I'm enticed into spending more cash on their more expensive bottles.

I agree with OdyseeusUnbound. I think a lot of the rabid following of Macallan online is to do with how good the whisky used to be. That and its what James Bond drinks.

@Wierdo, I understand what you are saying, but once you get a taste of the 12 sherry oak and the cask strength (10 YO or NAS) or perhaps the 18 YO Sherry cask, you will understand. Macallan Cask Strength is my favourite single malt. I've not tasted sulfur in these three iterations of Sherried Macallan; I am hyper sensitive to sulphur. The 12 YO Macallan Double Oak carries a sulfur note, truly a disappointment.

For the record, Bond drinks Canadian Club.

newswire.ca/news-releases/…

@OdysseusUnbound @paddockjudge You both have burst another bubble for me. Here, I thought 007 was a stirred not shaken kind of guy. Is nothing scared anymore?

Actually... thespruceeats.com/james-bond-drinks-760178…

@RikS I took a look at the link. With such a wide range of cocktails, etc. I'm surprised he had the time to defeat all those nasty villains :)

@PeterG7 I’ve always shuddered when Bond orders a vodka martini...”shaken, not stirred”.

Not only is he using the wrong hooch (Martinis are made with GIN dammit!), but he’s ordering his Martini watered-down.

I have to say that I generally trust @paddockjudge ‘s recommendations and judgment, but I haven’t ever found any of the Macallan whiskies he recommends near me. I have tried the Mac 12 Brimstone Cask, er Double Cask, and in fairness, only one of the three bottles I’ve tasted from has been sulphured...but it was very prominent. That said, Mac 12 Double Cask sells for $100 here and I’m not rolling the dice on something that was very “meh” at best, badly sulphured at worst. There are a lot of whiskies I like for $100 or less, such as:

• Laphroaig Triple Wood
• Laphroaig Quarter Cask
• Laphroaig 10 (43%)
• Ardbeg Ten
• Lagavulin 8
• Glenfarclas 105
• Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban
• Aberlour A’Bunadh
• Glendronach 12

You get the idea.

@OdysseusUnbound, while we are being fair, I will mention the discovery of sulfur in many, many iterations of Glenfarclas (I'm wondering if this is a function of the distillation process or cask procurement process or both) Aberlour, and Glendronach, with this occurring in expressions much more expensive than those on your list.

@paddockjudge I’ve heard that about some Glenfarclas and Glenmorangie expressions, but I’m surprised by a sulphured Glendronach or Aberlour. That’s the first I’m hearing of this, but it isn’t surprising given the reliance on Sherry-Seasoned casks.

@PeterG7 you are thinking about it the wrong way. His consumption is the essential component of defeating the villains - by being perpetually semi drunk, his mind identifies innovative strategies that no sober person would think of. He is able to sustain injury with higher threshold, and his wounds are never infected due to the constant ABV levels in his blood. And, actually the many women he bedded were below / just average; it's a cases of permanent beer-goggles (but essential to his sense of self worth and "can do!" attitude.

@paddockjudge to some extent you've kind of confirmed what I've said. 2 out of the 3 Macallans you suggest I try, they no longer produce and haven't for some time. The 12 Sherry Oak I am tempted by. But it is vastly overpriced. It's just under £70 a bottle in the UK. Most other distilleries sell their 12s for £30-40 a bottle. Macallan have their 12 at a price point where it is close to competing with other distilleries 18 year olds. Fair enough if they bottled it at cask strength. But it's at 40%. They'd need to knock about £20 off the price before I'd be tempted.

I missed the glory days of Macallan but enough people who's opinion I respect assure me that they used to make great whisky for me to believe that it's true. But their current offerings aren't great at all imo.

To be fair I don't blame Macallan. I'm sure the people who run the distillery have integrity and are frustrated by the lack of quality in their current offerings.

I blame Edrington Group. They only seem to interested in fleecing customers and making as much money as possible. Driving prices up and standards down.

They own Highland Park too and they're doing exactly the same to them.

@Wierdo, you will get no resistance from me with your argument; however, it is unfortunate that you have never experienced a good Macallan.

@paddockjudge - Had I the spare cash I'd fork out just to try the 18 from a few years back and the 10/12 sherry ones. I'm with @Wierdo though in that being asked to pay £70 for a 40% CF'd whisky is about as appealing as a come on from the woman in room 237

@paddockjudge Full disclosure: I was pleasantly surprised by the Macallan Sienna and Rare Cask. However, both are/were priced at about twice what I’d pay for them. Sienna was sold at an absurd $190 (I’d fork over $90-$100 for it...it was pretty good), and Rare Cask is still sold at an astounding $400/bottle. I liked it a lot, it is a lovely whisky, but I haven’t crossed the $170 mark on any whisky yet, not am I likely to any time soon.

@OdysseusUnbound

When you can still get high quality whiskies for under $100, from most of the major regions in the world, I can't justify spending so much on a single bottle (unless it's the result of a trade-in and I'm not really paying).

Of course someone recently commented, given my overabundance of stock, what If you bought fewer bottles but paid more for each of them? I could see that. But the fact is, I LIKE OGD 114, I LIKE A'Bunadh. Nothing at the higher price range, with a few exceptions, excites me. And even in those extreme cases, for the most part I'm willing to "let it go..."