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$40 pour of EC 18 - is this a good deal?


Dannabis
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I'm at a restaurant and they have EC18 pours for 40$. 

 

Is this a good price for this these days?

 

 

20220812_130624.jpg

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I think I'm gonna do it. Seems high but I am out of touch with the market.

 

It bests the prices at the Stanley by a mile.

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I would never blindly buy an 18yo so this is a nice and fun way to dip a toe in to the elder side of bourbon

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Another question - how big a pour.

Let us know if you liked it.

When it comes to "rare/allocated" bottles, on premise accounts get taken care of, and retail gets whatever is left over.  Then let the games begin.

So, indeed a bar pour is the way to go if you're not sure.

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1 hour ago, Dannabis said:

I'm at a restaurant and they have EC18 pours for 40$. 

 

Is this a good price for this these days?

 

 

20220812_130624.jpg

 

Sounds good to me. Although I'm just back from Las Vegas where they charged me a $16.00 “neat” fee on top of the $48.00 asking price for a 30mL (at best) pour of Lagavulin 16.

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Depends on whether you've had it before.  It's a $150+ bottle where I am and I wouldn't pay that for something I hadn't tried or wasn't recommended by someone highly trusted.  That said, I have tried it in a bar (for about that price per pour) and liked it but wouldn't pay $150 for a bottle.  So, I'm glad I tried it.  Looking at that list, I would go for the EH Taylor SiB and the Knob Creek 12 and have $6 change from my $40.  Let us know what you think of the EC18.. 

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58 minutes ago, Marekv8 said:

 

Sounds good to me. Although I'm just back from Las Vegas where they charged me a $16.00 “neat” fee on top of the $48.00 asking price for a 30mL (at best) pour of Lagavulin 16.

Don't you get the same amount regardless of it being neat or not?  If they didn't tell you about it beforehand, that's almost to the point of reporting the CC transaction as fraud.

 

For the EC18 - Most of those prices are terrible, so I imagine it's a bit overpriced.  Glad you got to try it though!  How was it?  It's definitely on my bucket list.

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It's a fair price given the cost of the bottle and typical bar/restaurant markup.  It's an easy albeit not entirely cost effective way to try something you're curious about but don't want to spend the money on a bottle blind or have difficulty finding.  I thought it was over oaked when it was $45/ bottle but we're all different.  I hope your purchase answered your questions.   

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I should have taken a photo but I was so stoked in the moment. It was a good finger height pour ~2oz in a shot glass though I asked for a rocks glass.

 

I was super happy. It was a nice tipple. Gorgeous fat slow legs on this bourbon.

 

I assume the EC18 is an 80 proofer and the burn was minimal and the flavors were surprisingly subtle. Good oak but not super woody, a bit of citrus, almost a slight tangerine rind, a good amount of the vanillas and brown sugar, not overly sweet. 

 

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I'd do EH Taylor SiB for $20. However, I am an EC fan.

Edited by yobber76
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5 hours ago, Marekv8 said:

 

Sounds good to me. Although I'm just back from Las Vegas where they charged me a $16.00 “neat” fee on top of the $48.00 asking price for a 30mL (at best) pour of Lagavulin 16.

 

4 hours ago, Cibsie said:

Don't you get the same amount regardless of it being neat or not?  If they didn't tell you about it beforehand, that's almost to the point of reporting the CC transaction as fraud.

 

For the EC18 - Most of those prices are terrible, so I imagine it's a bit overpriced.  Glad you got to try it though!  How was it?  It's definitely on my bucket list.

 

I've also been charged an upcharge at bars for ordering neat.  It's annoying for sure.

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That menu lists "Knob Creek" for $10 and "Knob Creek 9 Year" for $13.  What's up with that.  My curiosity would have gotten the best of me so my first pour would have been the KC for $10 and I'd pay attention to what bottle the bartender poured from.  Maybe the $10 pour was just the standard  KC Rye?  

 

 

Edited by Kepler
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Though I think it’s a good idea, personally I’m not one to regularly employ the “try at a bar before I buy” strategy.  But, if there was something I was mulling over to buy, my pour price at a bar could certainly be expanded.  So, $40 for EW18 (or anything in its bottle price zone) seems reasonable if that’s the intent.  $40 just to have it as my choice at the moment?  Nope.  I basically begin to choke at a pour price over $15.  

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Not to derail this thread, but this talk of a "neat" charge is confusing me.  Are you saying that they are charging to leave the ice out, or is there a corresponding "ice" fee that is 2x the "neat" fee?  I'm not sure I understand the business case for charging more for not using ice -- unless they assume people asking for a neat poor are simply more discerning and willing to pay extra.  

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The price might have been a little high for the pour, but you were also paying for the experience.  It sounds like you enjoyed both which is what counts.

Edited by mbroo5880i
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I believe the size of the pour is generally the same regardless of whether ordered neat or on the rocks. 

 

However,  I have found some restaurants or bars tend to pour what is perceivably more than the standard pour when ordered neat. It is probably more perception than fact. I have also been to restaurants or bars where a neat pour was so underwhelming that I wanted to pull out my ounce-o-meter. If allowed, I find I get better pours if I order directly from the bartender while visually checking out the whiskey selection 

 

I would certainly clarify the rationale for an up charge when ordering a neat pour.

Edited by mbroo5880i
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We had one bar here that decided to go with auto pourers. One ounce pours. Not a drop more, not a drop less. Reminded me of the tastings at Beam. You got a card that you swiped for two pours. Set your glass in the fixture, swipe your card, pick a bourbon. Half ounce pours IIRC. Not a drop more, not a drop less. 😏


Biba! Joe

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On 8/12/2022 at 2:57 PM, Marekv8 said:

 

Sounds good to me. Although I'm just back from Las Vegas where they charged me a $16.00 “neat” fee on top of the $48.00 asking price for a 30mL (at best) pour of Lagavulin 16.

Jesus Dave, for that I would be walking around with a Camelback full of Lagavulin 16.  A favorite dram of mine for sure but $64 for 30ml is nuts.

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1 hour ago, BigRich said:

Jesus Dave, for that I would be walking around with a Camelback full of Lagavulin 16.  A favorite dram of mine for sure but $64 for 30ml is nuts.


It was an absolute bargain. I’ll explain when we meet again. 
 

Regards, Dave

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1 hour ago, Marekv8 said:


It was an absolute bargain. I’ll explain when we meet again. 
 

Regards, Dave

 

It was Vegas so it also included a hooker?  Personal Elvis impersonation?  I am just kidding.

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18 hours ago, BigRich said:

Jesus Dave, for that I would be walking around with a Camelback full of Lagavulin 16.  A favorite dram of mine for sure but $64 for 30ml is nuts.

 

Now there's a "pro tip" right there!  😛

 

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20 hours ago, BigRich said:

Jesus Dave, for that I would be walking around with a Camelback full of Lagavulin 16.  A favorite dram of mine for sure but $64 for 30ml is nuts.

Still have an unopened Lag  16 I bought early 2022 for my wife for $80, down from $99 because the store was closing for good.  I’d have passed @ $48 but then I recently did a neat Blanton’s for $18.  Direct from the bartender did help get me slightly more than 2 oz.  plus, I was thirsty.

 

EC 18 at $40?  Nope, had it once at a Whisky Fest - too woody for me but glad I tried it so now I know.

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On 8/12/2022 at 4:13 PM, Dannabis said:

I should have taken a photo but I was so stoked in the moment. It was a good finger height pour ~2oz in a shot glass though I asked for a rocks glass.

 

I was super happy. It was a nice tipple. Gorgeous fat slow legs on this bourbon.

 

I assume the EC18 is an 80 proofer and the burn was minimal and the flavors were surprisingly subtle. Good oak but not super woody, a bit of citrus, almost a slight tangerine rind, a good amount of the vanillas and brown sugar, not overly sweet. 

 

EC18 is 90 proof. All that really matters is if spending $40 wasn’t painful for your budget and if you enjoyed the experience. The price doesn’t sound out of line to me. 
 

Cheers 

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