The Whiskey Value Conundrum
Hello, Sippers! Hope you are doing well and enjoying nothing but exceptional pours.
While reading my dad’s Whiskey Availability and Marketing series, a couple of thoughts came to mind, and I thought this post would be a nice followup to his series, adding an additional wrinkle or two to your whiskey enjoyment.
What does value mean when it comes to whiskey?
AND maybe more importantly, how can one define a personal sense of value when making purchases?
Of course, there’s the straightforward answer regarding supply and demand, which was covered in Dad’s three-part discussion. And it certainly all makes sense! Stores, chains, states and even countries are relegated to limited allocations of certain brands and products, making them readily available or perhaps more of the unicorn variety.
All of the above is well and good, but what about you, the consumer? This is what I call the “Whiskey Value Conundrum.” Just because something is readily available does not always translate to being a good pour or lessen its value. Even some of the whiskeys you can find on the upper shelves have their pitfalls and may not be worth a purchase.
Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash
So, how do you know you’re getting a good value? Or rather, how do you learn? (Un)fortunately, there is a bit of necessary trial and error involved here to discern your own tastes and what you like. And admittedly, I think defining value is always going to be a subjective enterprise.
Regardless, you’ll still find hundreds of articles, with the “Top 10 Best Value” or something of the like on the internet. There are a few regulars on such lists, (e.g. Eagle Rare Ten Year, Elijah Craig Small Batch, Basil Hayden’s Straight Kentucky Bourbon, etc.), and they all hover at around the same price point $20-$40 USD (in Idaho). These are also readily available in Idaho as well, but to me, this still doesn’t solve this Whiskey Value Conundrum.
We know the “$” sign is the most basic unit of value, so if I am picking up a $20-30 product, I have to ask, “What am I expecting from this bottle?” not, “Will this be a diamond in the rough?” Temper expectations when buying an inexpensive whiskey, but don’t be afraid to create a standard when you’re dishing out more coin.
Deriving Value from Price: $20-30
Using the $20-30 bottle as an example, here’s some of what I, personally, anticipate and expect:
▪ At least one major flavor profile (e.g. fruit, spice, bread, oak, etc.) to come through as the hero. … I do like more complex whiskeys, but I don’t expect such complexity in a pour at this price point. You wouldn’t expect a kindergartner to know middle school math, right?
▪ A low proof of between 80 and 90. … $20-30 bottles are meant – more often than not – to be readily available. To have enough product, the distillery might not age the whiskey much longer than the minimum requirements (in the case of bourbon, a minimum of two years). It will likely be watered down, lowering the proof, significantly lower than the Barrel Entry Proof.
▪ Straight/Blended. … Meaning, I’m not expecting “Small Batch” or “Single Barrel” material here. I’ll take the general blend of a rickhouse at this price without complaint.
▪ Sourced. … If this is a blend of whiskeys from across the country or is sourced, I’m not bothered at all at a $20-30 price. Again, remember, availability is the crux of the products at this price, so if this is the best way to guarantee product to the consumer, so be it.
▪ General mellowness. … Not just in the flavor profiles or with the alcohol heat, but even in the finish.
▪ An easy sipper! … This one may be the most important and discerning factor to me specifically. $20-30 bottles are ones that I’ll most often have at a gathering where I don’t have to focus too much on picking and poking at complexity. This also means that I don’t want to find a flavor that sticks out like a sore thumb, and makes me look for a glass of water to cleanse my palate.
I can and do seek out $20-30 bottles from time to time, and can find excellent value in them! If I find one with more complexity or 90+ proof, then its value increases for me because it exceeds my expectations. Just as long as the product meets my basic requirements, I’m not upset at the price and can often be convinced to purchase again, because they do offer their own unique value as my easy sippers.
That being said, and if you’re curious…
Eagle Rare Ten Year, Elijah Craig Small Batch, Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whisky, Maker’s Mark, and Tincup American Whiskey are a few which either meet or exceed my expectations for this category. Notice the increased age in the Eagle Rare, and the Small Batch classification in the Elijah Craig. That doesn’t mean that the standard Maker’s, blended Tincup, or heavily advertised Gentleman Jack don’t carry their weight and impart their own value.
Deriving Value from Price: $60-80
But what about when I’m splurging? What if, say, I want to spend $60-80? What am I expecting in a pour from one of these bottles?
▪ Complex flavor profile. … Continuing with the earlier analogy, we’re in not in kindergarten anymore. I’d say we’re at high school – if not college – level now. I want to smell and taste a set of diverse aromas and flavors in the whiskey I’m sipping. The blend here is key.
▪ 90+ proof. … I want to know this is a special whiskey. Show me this by not cutting it down, or by letting it age longer. And on that note…
▪ Age statement. … I want to see how much energy and time was put into this bottle. Specifically, I’d like to know that it’s had plenty of time in the barrel to become the best version of itself as possible. If there isn’t an age statement, then I’d like to at least see a darker color in the whiskey itself, especially in bourbon, to show off its age a little.
▪ Small Batch/Single Barrel Designation. … Again, this is supposed to be special and maybe even have a little bit of mystery about it, like when you choose a “Name Brand” product over “Generic.” If it’s “Straight” or “Blended,” then why is this unique enough to be priced at $60-80 (or more)? When I hear “Straight” or “Blended,” I think “Generic,” even when it’s not sourced. I’m wanting the metaphorical “Name Brand” here.
▪ One distiller. … Unless this is a unique collaboration of well-known distilleries, I want one name to take accountability and responsibility of the product. This is their pride and joy, the whiskey they alone raised to maturation. Own it.
▪ Frills. … What do I mean by this? Well, this could be anything from a fluffy back story and/or fancy packaging or bottling. Note – this doesn’t mean anything about the quality of the whiskey, which is where the value truly is. But at $60-80, again – this is the pride and joy; it’s okay to be dressed up a little bit for graduation. But this is not and should never be a deal breaker. Frills are something to anticipate, not demand.
▪ Warmth! … For me, this is the most important part of whiskeys in this price range. I’m not looking for an easy sipper anymore. Now, I want to feel something special. I want that pause button that you hear my dad and I talk so much about. If I can’t enjoy this with peace and quiet or maybe with one or two people, it’s not worth it. Plain and simple.
Exceeding my expectations is trickier when we hit this price category; however, it can be done. Most often, it is where the proof is concerned. If I’m tasting something that is high proof (115+), and the alcohol burn is surprisingly subtle, I’m more impressed with the whiskey, and its value increases. Likewise, sometimes the blends are just out of this world, or the overall warmth or vibe is just a bit stronger than others.
As you can see, there’s a bit more subjectivity when it comes to exceeding expectations in this category, so that’s where you, the consumer, can really ask what’s most important to you and play around with it a little.
Thankfully, in this price range, there are still options which can either meet or exceed my lofty expectations. Again, if you’re curious…
Blanton’s Single Barrel, Booker’s Country Ham Small Batch (or any Booker’s really), Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch, Old Forester 1920, and Stagg Jr. Batch #12 are just some of my favorites. Notice the frills on the Blanton’s and Booker’s bottles, and the back story for the Booker’s, Old Forester and Colonel Taylor. But also recognize the simplicity of the Stagg Jr. in its packaging and presentation. It’s not all in the look!
You’ll notice that I skipped a couple of price ranges here: $30-60 and $80+. I did this purposefully.
I think that in the $30-60 range, where we as customers (notice I didn’t say consumers here), are willing to bend our wallets a bit. We can get talked into things in this range, so the Whiskey Value Conundrum is even more confusing. I would argue subjectivity is strongest in this category, and even I bend a bit on occasion.
So, what’s a sipper to do? My recommendation: pick two or three expectations (not anticipations) from the $20-30 category and another two or three non-contradicting expectations from the $60-80 category. Make sure they are the most important ones for you, not for anyone else. If you’re being talked into trying something, make sure you stick to your value points.
At anything more expensive than $80, acknowledge that you are going to be paying in part for the name on the bottle and in part for limited availability or rarity. Check reviews from people who have similar tastes or values to you. Do your research: what is supposed to make this particular bottle not just special, but EXTRA special.
And recognize that it’s okay, and even expected, to change your values for a whiskey at any price. Those new values can be incredibly subjective to your own unique whiskey experience, hence why I am not going into my expectations here. (Though, if you ask me, paying more than $80 for a whiskey is unnecessary as I can personally find all of my value needs met in lower price brackets, but I’m not here to judge you.)
And thus, the Whiskey Value Conundrum.
Spend some time defining your values for certain price brackets; they don’t even have to be the same brackets that I created here. You’ll notice our Whiskey by Price page actually has different brackets all together for the simple reason that price does not always equal value and vice versa.
Whiskey is and has always been a subjective enterprise, and if your experience isn’t enjoyable, then what’s the point?
These are just a few of the values I have for my whiskeys which you can mix, match, use, or throw out the window. If they help you in your Whiskey Value Conundrum, wonderful! If not, well, maybe they can assist you in thinking about what value means to you and give you a springboard to create or understand your own values a bit better.
What are your Whiskey Values? Let us know in the comment field below!
Written by Hannah Dawson
WhiskeyfortheAges.com editor
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