Expensive bottles that were a dissapointment

[TunnelTiger]

It's weird what changes happen as you age.

What weller tex said.

[dSculptor]

EC23 .... just not what I expected out of it, glad I tried someone else's bottle, but that could also be the problem -- need to try a different barrel to be sure. I suppose sooner or later I need to crack my own.

[El Vino]

Forged Oak +1. There is a reason why they don't make airline size bottles of this...

[TunnelTiger]

There is a reason why they don't make airline size bottles of this...

Love the reasoning!

[CorvallisCracker]

20yo A.H. Hirsch, purchased in 1995 for $60 ($92.41 in 2015 dollars). Opened it in 2008. It was good, but after having gone through five bottles of the 16yo (1995 price $40 = $61.61 in 2015 dollars) I was hoping for something really special, and didn't get it. I'd already had some warning that this would be the case, having seen a couple of posts here by those reporting that the 20yo lacked that special something that made the 16yo so distinctive.

Ended up using most of it in vatting experiments. A 50/50 with PVW 20 was probably the best.

[Flyfish]

I just can't handle mixed drinks anymore..just don't agree with me. It's weird what changes happen as you age.

Yep. I used to drink Manhattans until I recognized that what I really wanted was the bourbon not the vermouth. Have not had a mixed drink in years.

[unclebunk]

Can't say that I was knocked out by the WT Tradition at $100, good as it may be. In retrospect, there are many other things that I would have bought at that price point had I tasted it first.

[johnnyflake45]

Absolutely loving JW Black & Double Black, I was extremely disappointed with both JW Gold & JW Blue. Yes, they are extremely smooth, but they seem awfully light on the pallet and for me there were no distinct flavors.

[boneuphtoner]

I have only spent more than $50 on bourbon just a few times, and I've enjoyed all of them, some more than others of course. Onto a dissapointment....A few years ago Ralfy posted Glendronach 15 year old revival as his scotch of the year, and I was just starting to get into the non-peated scotches, so I ordered a bottle....it was $80. I haven't more than a couple of pours out of it...I thought it very bitter and mildly offensive. At that point I called it quits on scotch....I like Glenlivet 12 well enough, but I like JB white label about the same too, and it isn't $30+ on sale either. The Glenlivet Nadurra is excellent, but it isn't $60 excellent when I can get FR single barrel or KCSB for half the cost.

[elmossle]

I've only once paid more than $100 for a bottle - last year's GTS. Even then, it was a surprise jump in price at checkout after winning a lottery at Julio's. I've yet to open it to know whether it's a disappointment at that price. I doubt it though - BT mashbill #1 rarely disappoints me. Probably my biggest disappointment based on value was the Single Oak Project.

[SqueakScolari]

A few years ago Ralfy posted Glendronach 15 year old revival as his scotch of the year, and I was just starting to get into the non-peated scotches, so I ordered a bottle....it was $80. I haven't more than a couple of pours out of it...I thought it very bitter and mildly offensive.

Edited April 25, 2015 by SqueakScolari
new info

[mopgcw]

BMH bourbon and Rye; Colorado Gold; Lock Stock & Barrel, Steine's Bourbon...

[Jazz Nut]

Oh, that's distressing to hear because the Revival is next on my list of Scotches to buy. I'll probably still take the leap, because everyone's taste is different. Chacun à son goût!

EDITED: I just checked and Total has jacked it up from $77 to $88. Might reconsider.

I have a few bottles of Revival, and I enjoy it, but I enjoy sherried Scotch. It is a really good example of that style. So I would recommend it if you like sweeter, non-peated Scotch. Ralfy Mitchell has a review of it on YouTube.

[ebo]

I suppose to clarify a bit, I think anything over $50 is a premium bottle and I expect something of quality. If you are charging me over $100, I want to be blown away. Anything over $ 150 better be greatest of all time spectacular. I dont think the blue bad, but it was nowhere near $150+ GOAT. ( In all honesty, I am not likely to spend over $50 without trying first or having it recommended by someone I trust. Ive got kids to feed :-)

I agree 100%. The bottle I ponied up the money for without trying was Macallan 18. No where close to worth the money! In fact, I prefer the 12 over it.

[mrfat]

Angel's Envy Cask Strength @ $280 or even @$180

Elijah Craig BP @ $200

Weller 12 @$120

[meadeweber]

Angel's Envy Cask Strength @ $280 or even @$180

Elijah Craig BP @ $200

Weller 12 @$120

[garbanzobean]

Oh, that's distressing to hear because the Revival is next on my list of Scotches to buy. I'll probably still take the leap, because everyone's taste is different. Chacun à son goût!

EDITED: I just checked and Total has jacked it up from $77 to $88. Might reconsider.

[jfw]

I like AE. I've been drinking it since the first batch. But, all of the AE CS I have tried has been a real disappointment. It's port heavy and a real disappointment. A really unbalanced bourbon IMHO. (As a side note, I'm a port drinker so caveat emptor on the AE CS).

[flahute]

I like AE. I've been drinking it since the first batch. But, all of the AE CS I have tried has been a real disappointment. It's port heavy and a real disappointment. A really unbalanced bourbon IMHO. (As a side note, I'm a port drinker so caveat emptor on the AE CS).

Excellent timing for your post as I came here to say the same thing. I bought the '14 AECS on the basis of glowing reviews from numerous blogs who have steered me in the right direction in the past. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I can't even drink the stuff - can't get to the bottom of a pour due to port bomb that blows up in my mouth that coincides with some sort of unnatural funky taste on the finish.

[RyeNot]

McCallan 12 port barrel is not for me. Too sweet and not enough character. I will make it disappear be feeding it to friends who like it.

[amg]

Angel's Envy Cask Strength @ $280 or even @$180

Elijah Craig BP @ $200

Weller 12 @$120

Those prices are insane!

[Mr. Bourbon]

Bakers Bourbon - Didn't care for it too much, too fruity for me!

I respect it for what it is, but I'd prefer KC & KCSB over Bakers.

[mrfat]

Where are you buying your bourbon? Those are ridiculous prices. ECBP and Weller12 are great bourbons but at those prices almost anything would be disappointing.

Yeah, I won't buy any of them at those inflated prices but that's about the going rate here since they are all hard to acquire.

Excellent timing for your post as I came here to say the same thing. I bought the '14 AECS on the basis of glowing reviews from numerous blogs who have steered me in the right direction in the past. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I can't even drink the stuff - can't get to the bottom of a pour due to port bomb that blows up in my mouth that coincides with some sort of unnatural funky taste on the finish.

I have similar sentiments. This one is a disappointment as its just about undrinkable.

[B.B. Babington]

McCallan 12 port barrel is not for me..

I've not sampled variety of McCallen, but usually think a comparably priced bottle of most anything else is better value.

[GaryT]

At one point, I had a track record where the majority of bottles I had paid over $50 for (and had never tried) were ones I was disappointed in - like 7 of 10, although there were varying levels of disappointment. Not all were 'bad', but I definitely would not have shelled out the coin for them had I tried them first. This was earlier in my journey, although I still find bottles from time to time that fall into this bucket.

Some highlights from this group for me include:

WFER 25yr (gift shop): Paid $250 (second most expensive bottle I've bought to date!) and it is such an oak beast. I should have anticipated that with the age, but was spoiled by some similarly aged WFERs which were spectacular. Had I sampled it first (which wasn't an option - I asked!), I definitely would have passed

Berry's Longmorn 20yr UCF/cask strength: Paid $100 and was quite underwhelmed, although was really excited to find someone who thoroughly enjoyed it (so in the end it worked out well!)

Crown Royal Cask 16: I think this was a $90 bottle when I bought it, and was thoroughly disappointed. Still have the majority of it (as I've dumped bottles I didn't like before, but not at that price point!)

I almost bought a WT Diamond, and it would have fallen into this category. And Rhetoric is probably in this same bucket, although not as disappointing as the three called out above.