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$15,000 Van Winkle whiskey and why it will sell


flahute
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Good article by Lew Bryson was published today on The Whiskey Wash:

https://thewhiskeywash.com/lifestyle/15000-van-winkle-whiskey-will-sell/

I started a new topic instead of putting this in the Van Winkle thread because it hits on the bourbon market in general and things we've discussed here. (If the mods see fit to move it, I of course do not object). 

 

Familiar themes: bargains are disappearing fast but are still present. Bourbon was underpriced and in many cases now reflects its true value. Too much of the high end bourbon never gets drunk and simply sits as an investment (following in Scotch's footsteps). But? We have more choices than we used to. And? There's a bunch of mid size players with whiskey in the ricks coming of age soon. 

 

What say you esteemed members of StraightBourbon? Are we in the silver age and are times still good?

 

My take: there are problems in bourbonia for sure, but there is still a ton of good whiskey out there. Lots of great everyday drinkers at a good price and in good quantity. And, if you know what you are doing, private barrels are really where it's at. If you are in a group that picks, you are golden. If not, find the private picks at your favorite stores and stock up on the good ones - they are out there.

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7 hours ago, flahute said:

My take: there are problems in bourbonia for sure, but there is still a ton of good whiskey out there. Lots of great everyday drinkers at a good price and in good quantity. And, if you know what you are doing, private barrels are really where it's at. If you are in a group that picks, you are golden. If not, find the private picks at your favorite stores and stock up on the good ones - they are out there.

 

^^^ All of this reflects my take on the current state of Bourbonia.

I'd add these thoughts......

I for one feel that 'speculation' is unfortunate for some of us that wish to experience the whiskey, rather than the investment potential of a bottle; but everyone has the right (duty even?) to invest his money where he feels comfortable with the risk/reward ratio.

Also, I wonder how much exceptional Bourbon is actually languishing awaiting monetary appreciation, rather than merely awaiting that really special occasion to be opened and enjoyed.     An open question, with no way to actually get an accurate answer, I'm sure.

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4 hours ago, Richnimrod said:

 

^^^

Also, I wonder how much exceptional Bourbon is actually languishing awaiting monetary appreciation, rather than merely awaiting that really special occasion to be opened and enjoyed.     An open question, with no way to actually get an accurate answer, I'm sure.

This^^

Over the years I amassed some pretty excellent LE's. Always waiting for that special occasion to open one.

It turns out, If/When you have a couple good friends or family that likes whiskey ; that is the time- Open that sucker!

Now you have your really special occasion! (remember  when we opened that bottle and man was it great -wowza!)

 

However, a 15K bottle would be tough. When is the right time?

Take it camping! :D (remember that time we went camping and he opened up a 15K bottle???!!!!) Wowza!

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The ORVW25 is such an outlier it cannot, and should not, be thought of as a limited edition in the traditional sense.  It's really just a collectors item.  Look at the stats - 700 bottles, extremely old bourbon, closed distillery and ostentatious packaging.  This is straight out of the collectible scotch playbook.  I applaud anyone who has the gravitas to open one of these up and drink it, but I also think it's fine that people will pay $15,000+ to own one in a collection or sit on it and let it appreciate in value.  IMO the MSRP should be raised 5-10x on a lot of the one-off specialty releases to reflect realities of the market.  Diageo did this with its yearly special releases and now I can walk into several Binny's and buy a Port Ellen if I want, but it'll cost me $3-4K.  

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^^^
Also, I wonder how much exceptional Bourbon is actually languishing awaiting monetary appreciation, rather than merely awaiting that really special occasion to be opened and enjoyed.   An open question, with no way to actually get an accurate answer, I'm sure.


I'm in this category too. I enjoyed Maker's and Eagle Rare almost exclusively before it occurred to me to start branching out, reading articles and hunting the LEs. Now that I have a few I'm sometimes overly hesitant to open them. Why?! Mostly because I've always had a collector mentality and the catch 22 of bourbon is you can't collect AND enjoy it.

I'm coming around to the idea that what you're collecting is experiences sharing a fine (or not so fine sometimes) bottle.

/shmaltz
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1 hour ago, KrispinD said:

I'm coming around to the idea that what you're collecting is experiences sharing a fine (or not so fine sometimes) bottle.


/shmaltz

 

 

KrispinD, you have hit upon a great truth (at least I find it to be so); the SHARING of great whiskey (or even pretty good; hell, even ordinary whiskey) is what makes those experiences worth remembering long after the whiskey tastes have been forgotten.    If the shared dram is something rare, or difficult to source, that just makes the sharing more special, and gives those memories a little deeper meaning.

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On 5/23/2017 at 0:33 AM, flahute said:

My take: there are problems in bourbonia for sure, but there is still a ton of good whiskey out there. Lots of great everyday drinkers at a good price and in good quantity. And, if you know what you are doing, private barrels are really where it's at. If you are in a group that picks, you are golden. If not, find the private picks at your favorite stores and stock up on the good ones - they are out there.

 

Very solid summation Steve!  It's funny - when I started out, I really despised private picks.  I'd go to a GBS meeting where someone would hand me a bottle they highly recommended I try, and if it was a private pick - I was less interested in most cases.  At that time, I was still trying to figure out what I liked from what was generally available.  And ironically enough - I didn't want to buy any for fear I'd love them and never get to buy more!  Since I've come around to the idea that it is better to have loved and lost than never loved at all.  I just did a quick check, and about 1/3 of all of my bottles are either private picks, or special single barrels (like an independent bottling of Scotch; not retail WTKS, Blantons, etc).  

 

I stopped by a store yesterday and felt relief to see some of what is still available (like Old Ezra 7yr 101 for $18 - screw that $10/yr nonsense!)  Am I disappointed that I have zero expectation of picking up any LEs anymore (at least for several years, or outside of plain dumb luck)?  Sure - but I can choose to let that overshadow what I've already got, or what great whiskey is still available out there for a fair price.  

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