Interesting Scotch Information

[smokinjoe]

The economy? Competition? Finances?

I hope this isn't a trend that spreads to other whiskies.

http://www.packagingdigest.com/articleXML/LN952159262.html

[funknik]

Fortnight? Who talks like that? :grin:

[OscarV]

The economy? Competition? Finances?

I hope this isn't a trend that spreads to other whiskies.

[Megawatt]

Something smells like horsesh*t. Demand for Scotch has skyrocketed in India, China, and Russia in recent years and has driven up the price up practically all Diageo products in Canada. Some distilleries (Lagavulin) can hardly keep up with demand. If Chivas is halting production I'm inclined to think of it as a product specific to them and not the industry as a whole.

[sku]

Something smells like horsesh*t. Demand for Scotch has skyrocketed in India, China, and Russia in recent years and has driven up the price up practically all Diageo products in Canada. Some distilleries (Lagavulin) can hardly keep up with demand. If Chivas is halting production I'm inclined to think of it as a product specific to them and not the industry as a whole.

I don't know about that. Springbank recently cut back on production hours. It wouldn't be surprising if they were getting negative forecasts. It's true that prices are still high, but the Lagavulin consumer is a different beast than the Chivas consumer.

[funknik]

Fortnight? Who talks like that? :grin:

[sku]

Ironically, my Google word of the day today was "Fortnight" . . . apparently someone thinks I need a little education!

I agree with Oscar about getting some well aged product out there, specifically Wild Turkey -- even their 10yr Russell's Reserve tastes suspiciously young.

As for Scotch, I'm not much of a fan, but it chaps my ass that the State of Maine boasts about having 75 single malt scotches and they offer less than 20 varieties of bourbon.

[funknik]

Ouch. And 75 Scotches isn't really all that much to brag about, given that there are around 135 distilleries, plus blends and independent bottlers.

[Squash]

Fortnight? Who talks like that? :grin:

The English.....

[Lost Pollito]

Alright, I exaggerated . . . I went back and counted and got exactly 30 kinds (not including the dusties I sometimes find). Still, it sucks . . . most are mid-shelf or lower. Lots of Beam & WT.

Well I'm spoiled. 700 different single malts on the shelf at Binnys. Perhaps the chivas announcement signals the end of whisky boom, and the start of whisky bust? Not sure what that'll do to prices, but I'm guessing nothing in the short term. The boys are getting loads of cash for young whisky right now. Octomore is 5 years old and retails for 190, pc7--140, and the new tobermory 15 is clocking in at 120. I'll snag a dram here and there, but I stick to buying bourbon based solely on price at the moment. Most expensive scotch...ardbeg double barrel for 20,000. Most expensive retail bourbon...William Heavenhill...500.

[sku]

Well I'm spoiled. 700 different single malts on the shelf at Binnys. Perhaps the chivas announcement signals the end of whisky boom, and the start of whisky bust? Not sure what that'll do to prices, but I'm guessing nothing in the short term. The boys are getting loads of cash for young whisky right now. Octomore is 5 years old and retails for 190, pc7--140, and the new tobermory 15 is clocking in at 120. I'll snag a dram here and there, but I stick to buying bourbon based solely on price at the moment. Most expensive scotch...ardbeg double barrel for 20,000. Most expensive retail bourbon...William Heavenhill...500.

Ardbeg Double Barrel is two bottles, plus glasses and a gun case, so it probably only comes to $9,950 per bottle...what a bargain. :skep:

The most expensive Scotch on the retail market by volume is probably the Macallan Lalique, which goes for $12,000 per bottle. The most expensive American whiskey may be Triple Eight's single malt Notch which goes for $888 per bottle.

[Lost Pollito]

Ardbeg Double Barrel is two bottles, plus glasses and a gun case, so it probably only comes to $9,950 per bottle...what a bargain. :skep:

The most expensive Scotch on the retail market by volume is probably the Macallan Lalique, which goes for $12,000 per bottle. The most expensive American whiskey may be Triple Eight's single malt Notch which goes for $888 per bottle.

Nice. I forgot the Lalique and its fancy leather case and decanter. The ardbeg even has leather bound books to register your tasting notes on. fancy.

[funknik]

The ardbeg even has leather bound books to register your tasting notes on. fancy.

excerpt from my leatherbound tasting book:

This scotch tastes incredibly expensive . . . I can practically feel my bank account being emptied with every subsequent dram . . . note the rich character . . . he is now a poor character. . .

[Lost Pollito]

excerpt from my leatherbound tasting book:

This scotch tastes incredibly expensive . . . I can practically feel my bank account being emptied with every subsequent dram . . . note the rich character . . . he is now a poor character. . .

I admit that I've tasted double barrel, and it was really good. There are / were a total of 3 shipped to the U.S. for retail, so it is strictly collectable material. Haven't had the Lalique Mac, but I hear the Ardbeg is better. I liked the William Heavenhill more than Ardbeg.

[AVB]

The Balvenie 1964 Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Bottled exclusively for duty free retailer Sky Connection and now available at Hong Kong International Airport, each bottle is priced at HK$108,000 (£7,100 GBP / US$14,200).

[DeanSheen]

I'm just imagining getting drunk on a 14k bottle of Scotch.

I think the stage in my mind is in Vegas with a couple of rented ladies. That would seem to be a setting that would partially justify the excess.

[boss302]

I'm just imagining getting drunk on a 14k bottle of Scotch.

I think the stage in my mind is in Vegas with a couple of rented ladies. That would seem to be a setting that would partially justify the excess.

... the ones that cost 5 digits an hour, I take it? :grin:

[DeanSheen]

"... the ones that cost 5 digits an hour, I take it?"

Naturally my dear Watson, naturally!

[AVB]

It was that bottle that stopped me collecting Balvenie. I was only missing 2, the 1951 Vintage Cask (93 bottles, 45yo) that I had a line on. The 1952 (50 yo 83 bottles) which I doubt I could afford at any time since it was $8K although I do know a place where I can get it for about $7K. $14K however, is never gonna happen so that ended it right there. In fact, $14K is more then the value of my entire collection at this point. Not much more but still......

[pepcycle]

I think that luxury spending is down all over the world in the last 6 months.

Even if I had the notion, I won't be spending $200/bottle for anything.

I'm tightening my belt.

BTW: Who was buying all that $$$$$ Scotch. Financial folk. Yes, the ones that were spending their 6 figure bonuses on cigars, cars, liquor etc.

PS: Interesting Scotch Information is an Oxymoron

[AVB]

It was interesting enough for you to read and comment on eh?

PS: Interesting Scotch Information is an Oxymoron

[pepcycle]

Exactly!!!

:skep: :skep: :skep: :skep:

[Stu]

If any of you are "Friends of Laphroaig" you know that they are discontinuing the 10 yr old and the 15 yr old. They're going to replace them with some of Robert's creations (i.e. various batches of whatever mood he's in) and an 18 yr old which I bet will be very pricey. I think Jim Beam is trying to make the finest single malt into the Old Crow of single malts! As to Chivas, I think the snob factor of Chivas is disappearing with the single malt boom. I use to have a friend who drank nothing but Chivas and coke. When my Chivas bottle ran out I filled it with a decent bulk scotch blend. He never knew the difference. (I hope you're not on this site.)

[OscarV]

John Hansell has reported that Laphroig is coming out with a 25yo and a cask strength.

Both sound sound good, but @ $500.00 for a bottle of the 25yo I doubt I'll get a taste.

[AVB]

The 25 yo cask strength has been available in the UK for some time now at about £225. Far less then $500 but then it is only a 700cl bottle.