The Rising Prices of Whisk(e)y

No. That is "no, you will not be the only one driven out by rising prices." Yes, price has been a big topic on Connosr, especially in the last three years. My position remains as it has been, viz. I bought maybe 250 bottles in the 2009-2012 period, and maybe another 125 since then. What I have on hand can last me 30 years. While I may choose to indulge in buying some more bottles at the current higher costs, I certainly won't need to buy any more to keep me supplied in a wide variety of whiskies which I very much like to drink.

Overall, price increases and premium product scarcity brought on by whisky popularity have made this hobby a lot less fun than it was 7-10 years ago. But it also remains true that there are still many very enjoyable reasonably priced products. What is missing is the practical financial reach to be able to "try everything".

@RianC, I've definitely seen prices increase.

But at the same time, I've become a much better shopper—I think—and I feel like I'm usually getting a better bang for my buck now than I was a few years ago. After identifying your favorites and knowing what a good price is for them, it becomes a lot easier to walk past poor values and to jump on the steals. (If you'd like, I can post a list of steals in the US market, but it'll be old news to other folks on here.)

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Like @Victor says, this is a perennial topic. It's fun to have at it again, but if you really want to dig in, we'd be remiss to ignore the many pages of digital ink that already been spilled upon it. Here are a couple memorable things that are worth a spin:

•The "Dollars and Sense" post on All Things Whisky (2017): www.allthingswhisky.com

•The "Are You Being Priced Out Too?" post on Dramming (2014!): dramming.com/2014/07/…

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And did you just say "jobbing malts"? I think I know a Ralfy watcher when I see one!

@Victor If only I could finish everything I have in 30 years.... an enviable position to be in indeed.

Here across the "Northern Border" the "Collection" of whiskies has increased in price by about as much as my salary has decreased...

@Victor 'But it also remains true that there are still many very enjoyable reasonably priced products'

I think therein lies the hope! As MSM says I think it's more about finding out what you like and getting good vfm; and doing your research before trying new ones out.

I've squirreled enough away to last me over a year and a half at current consumption . . . my mind boggles, in the best possible way, of what you must have tucked away!

@RianC , YES. And my cabinet is posted on Connosr.

@Nozinan - aint that the truth! ;)

@Nozinan, 30 years was an optimistic estimate.

So @RianC, you're in England, you look for values, and you have an 18-month stash. What are the best values there, and what are you stockpiling?

I'm guessing that Aberlour 12 is on your list? And I understand that Talisker 10 is typically a cheap "supermarket" malt in England—yes?

@MadSingleMalt - I'd be very interested to see that list, thanks! I am always envious of what prices you lot get bourbon at! We get some good deals here occasionally (a WT 101 for £25 on-line recently - lovely drop!) but a Stagg Jr would be £80+ Thanks for the links.

And, yes, I did indeed! He's fantastic, and have learned a lot from him as I guess many whisky fans have? To be fair, the phrase 'jobbing' is probably more popular, if that's the right word, in Britain than elsewhere. It would be used to describe anything kind of satisfactory.

It gets used, well were I'm from NW England, a lot to describe average footballers as in, 'What do you think of ------ player?' 'Ah he's all right, bit of a jobber.'

I feel I may be telling Grandma how to suck eggs a bit here though . . .

@Victor optimistic meaning meaning it might NOT last 30 years? or it might last 40+ years?

@Nozinan, the latter...much longer than 30 years.

@Victor somehow I thought that... so you are closer to my "problem" than you suggested.

@RianC , I'm not a bourbon fan. There are only two that I've bought in the last few years:

•Old Grand-Dad 114, $20

•Booker's, $50

I'm much more into Scotch, and some Irish. These are my best ongoing buys in the US:

•Ardbeg Ten, $45

•Ardbeg Oogie, $55

•Talisker 10, $50

•Talisker DE, $65

•Glenmo 12 Quinta Ruban, $38

•Te Bheag, $20

•Laphroaig 10 CS, $50-60

•Knappogue Castle 12, $30

@MadSingleMalt - I've bought a few, but drunk hic some, Benromach 10. £35 but got it for £30 last xmas! Kilkerran 12 is good value though I've not actually tried it yet at £35. There's a few around that price point or just over that aren't necessarily the cheapest options but I feel you get a good return. Springbank 10, though that's rising, any Glenfarclas really, any Arran and Ledaig 10 are a few others.

In the supermarkets it's a bit different as they tend to stock the same brands that usually retail around £35-£40 but then the folllowing are often for £25 and ones I'll pick up a lot: Old Pulteney 12, Highland Park 12, Laphroaig 10 and Aberlour 10/12. The last Pulteney I had was my best yet. Seriously good at that price.

I'm also partial, at £20, to the JD Master Distiller bottlings. Often cheaper than the No7 and is very palatable. Buffalo Trace (at 40%) and Bulleit sometimes go for around £20 as well.

Talisker has crept up a little and is never on sale but around £35 which isn't bad, really. used to be around 30 as did Caol Ila but that's disappeared off the shelves

@RianC Our bourbons lag in pricing behind scotch but still higher than in the US (when they are available).

Booker's $80 +/- OGD 114 - Not for love or money Stagg jr. $85

Canadian whiskies tend to be cheaper and the really good standard ones run between $45-80 .

Ardbeg 10 @ $45 . . . That is good. One supermarket here occasional puts it at £37 but they get snapped up lightening quick!

Some excellent deals there.

@Nozinan - Yeah my ex was from Montreal and, even though I wasn't really into whisky back then, I still remember her dad complaining about the price of Scotch ;)

@RianC Ardbeg 10 here is $100. Luckily, Ardbeg is an afterthought malt for me.

@RianC Well, in Quebec it was probably worse than here...

All this recent talk of new distilleries charging over £200 for not much more than new make has got this topic firmly at the forefront of my mind (again). I read the odd whisky blog here and there and it's becoming evident that a lot of fellow enthusiasts are becoming more than a little jaded by it all and starting to look elsewhere - principally the tequila and rum markets.

We all know there are still some gems that offer excellent value for money, and distilleries that seem to want to actually retain knowledgeable customers whilst building a strong reputation for the future, but I reckon I wouldn't need more fingers than I have to count them all. I'm straining to remain polite with all this but, as an e.g., A'bunadhs recent 100% price hike is a sad reflection of this trend and, frankly, I feel as if it's a huge middle finger to customers.

I guess I can't help thinking, how long can this go on without the industry doing some permanent damage to its reputation? Or, perhaps worse (for us drinkers), is this the end game? i.e. to make whisky what it was 40+ or so years ago - a luxury for the rich/upper middle class?

I know I sound like an old moaning fart, and businesses need to capitalise etc etc but I'm losing respect big time. I think 2019 may be the year my buying is massively reduced and may not ever pick up to current levels if this pricing doesn't sort itself out and come in line with the 'real world'. £35 for some 10 year old distilled malt spirit is still a lot to ask, in my opinion, and that's the lower end. Alarmingly, that's still at least 30% higher than it was just a few years back. (take a look, if you need to, at prices v inflation in the last five years - it's quite jaw dropping!)

Where's my pirate costume and sombrero?

@RianC I think the counter-point to your argument is that the rules of supply and demand dictate that where there's a market someone will look to supply that market.

Not everyone who's into whisky has a large disposable income. I know a few whisky fans in the UK amongst my family and mates who are on similarish incomes to myself. I work in the publuc sector so I earn a comfortable living but I'm certainly not raking it in.

I have money to spend on whisky. Certainly not £200 A bottle. But certainly £30-50 and the occasional £70-80 bottle. I've spent £100 twice in the last 6 years on a 'special' bottle. Someone will want my money and will be happy to make a whisky for me to spend it on.

In the 11 years I've been a serious malt head. I've seen the likes of Highland Park, Macallan and now (sadly) Old Pulteney price themselves out of relevance. But I've also seen (amongst others) the likes of Benromach, Arran and Glendronach become more prominent. Selling good whisky at reasonable prices.

Another upshot of the increasing interest in whisky is the increase in online reviewers and forums like this which means we can keep up to date on who's making good whisky at a reasonable price to enable informed decision making on purchases.

@Wierdo - All valid points and I get the supply demand thing. I'm also public sector but have been temping for the last couple of years as it fits in with child care. I have less expendable than I did but I'd say I'm still looking in the same price bracket as you.

I have a pretty good picture of what I like now and know which distilleries I'll be looking to buy from from now on.

Thing is, and I mean this, if I won the bloody Euro millions tomorrow I still don't think I'd part with over £200 for 2 year old whisky or £70 for a Macallan @40% for that matter! (I may splurge on a few older bottles though - but I'd wince as I did it ha ha! I am northern, mind, and have a reputation to uphold )

@RianC if there's a cultural-finance aspect to this, Mr. Northener, shouldn't the "Scottish malt" be cheap also!?

If I won the lottery I would buy a bunch of expensive whiskies. I would snap up Octomores, Staggs, Amrut and Booker's Rye, things I knew or expected to be high quality.

I would lose the guilt around having too many bottles and I would buy things I like in a quantity sure to last a lifetime.

Oh yes, I and my friends would drink very well...

@Nozinan Yup. If I won lots of money, I’d seek out bottles distilled in 1979, my birth year, just because I could. I’d also buy an expensive Macallan Sherry Oak (25 or 30 Year) just to see what the fuss is about. But I’d also seek out and stock up on lots of less expensive stuff that I happen to love, such as:

• Wiser’s Legacy
• Wiser’s Dissertation
• OGD 114
• Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength
• Lagavulin 12 CS
• Laphroaig Triple Wood
• Highwood Ninety Decades of Richness

And so on.

@OdysseusUnbound And maybe you'd visit us in Toronto for a tasting...

If I won the Tennessee mega lotto (currently around $300mil I believe) I would be buying whole distilleries.

@Nozinan Maybe....

@casualtorture Well if we’re dreaming big...I’d love to buy the Lagavulin and Laphroaig distilleries, ban the use of E150a in my distilleries, stop chill-filtering, insist that nothing be released below 48% ABV, and go all Bruichladdich-like with full disclosure about every expression my distilleries released.

@RikS - Mr Northener lol

Well, perhaps given that most Scottish distilleries aren't owned by Scots anymore my point stands ha!

Thinking about it, the family and Scottish owned distilleries tend to be the ones offering best value for money . . .