Oh,Oh....better stock up...

[B.B. Babington]

...if bourbons and their components were made in China on assembly lines . . .

Wuliangye coming to a store near you. Could be real tasty.

[dSculptor]

When can anyone remember prices DROPPING? .....On Anything? (Other than short term fluctuations on commodities.)

Don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen is what I'd recommend.

Prices do drop occasionally... but your last statement is right on,(Don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen.....is what I'd recommend) you should use that as your signature!!!

[portwood]

When can anyone remember prices DROPPING? .....On Anything? (Other than short term fluctuations on commodities.)

Don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen is what I'd recommend.

PCs, then tablets, then phones. Of course, if bourbons and their components were made in China on assembly lines . . .

Prices typically drop on things that become obsolete (i.e. technology) where a new version is better (or more desirable) than the existing one. Whiskey is very different in that the production on store shelves is not obsolete or significantly different than new production.

The more likely scenario is not falling nominal prices but falling real prices: the price tag on the shelf remains unchanged for a period of time while inflation reduces the effective price.

[shoshani]

While I am glad that our favorite brands and producers are doing well right now, I'm also looking forward to demand dropping so the prices come back out of the stratosphere.

Someone needs to go start an internet-fueled blended scotch craze so people will leave our bourbon alone!

Scotch has kept up and surpassed bourbon on that front, I think. Today the buyer of single malt scotch will pay $50-$70 dollars, easily, for a bottle that would have cost $30-50 two decades ago; just off the top of my head I'd say that's gotta be more of an increase than bourbon has endured over the same time span. I'm talking about basic, backbone brands and expressions in both cases, of course, not special editions and new boutique brands.

Bourbon pricing has gone up, and we complain about it, but I don't think it's skyrocketed nearly the level that scotch has over the past 20 years.

[fozzy71]

Scotch has kept up and surpassed bourbon on that front, I think. Today the buyer of single malt scotch will pay $50-$70 dollars, easily, for a bottle that would have cost $30-50 two decades ago; just off the top of my head I'd say that's gotta be more of an increase than bourbon has endured over the same time span. I'm talking about basic, backbone brands and expressions in both cases, of course, not special editions and new boutique brands.

Bourbon pricing has gone up, and we complain about it, but I don't think it's skyrocketed nearly the level that scotch has over the past 20 years.

http://www.dollartimes.com/inflation/inflation.php?amount=50&year=1995

Calculate the value of $50 in 1995.

Value: $78.42

Annual Inflation: 2.28%

Total Inflation: 56.86%

[AaronWF]

as long as there's copper tubing there will never be a whiskey shortage

We don't need to rely on copper. Some mezcaleros distill using clay and bamboo.

[portwood]

Today the buyer of single malt scotch will pay $50-$70 dollars, easily, for a bottle that would have cost $30-50 two decades ago.

As fozzy pointed out ... inflation and compounding creeps up on ya!

We like to complain about prices going from $30 to $50 in two decades but think don't give a second thought if our incomes go from 30,000 to 50,000 in the same span of time ;-)

Also, a price increase on something we want to buy is thought of as a rip off but asking your boss for a raise is fair 'cause you deserve it and/or worked hard for it.

Edited April 12, 2015 by portwood