I'm a big fan of The Glenlivet - especially the 15 year old. about $55.
anyone pull the trigger on this one yet? wondering how it is? $699. Costco. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Costco has marketed their Kirkland brand (they are based in Kirkland Washington, thus the name- it is not a distillery) for various spirits for awhile. Previously, they bottled whisky from name distilleries (they had a sub-labeled Macallan 17 last year) and also with generic descriptions such as "Speyside" with rumored big name distilleries doing the bottling privately for them. They did get a lot of press attention when they had a bottle of Lalique Macallan for $17,000 last year. That was the right price for that bottle, but the clientele who buy the Lalique line also usually have private jets and exotic cars to transport them around (hey, someone here must have some of this- I'll sample it for you to ensure it hasn't gone bad...). Perhaps the closest comparison to Kirkland is what Trader Joe's does re Charles Krug wines (e.g., two-buck Chuck). It is a pretty decent wine, but not something you'd lay down for years or save for a special occasion. Kirkland spirits have been similarly regarded for the most part. That doesn't mean that a bottle not directly from the distiller is a bad thing. There have always been independent bottlers for whisky, and distilleries have a history of selling some of their spirits to these bottlers to diversify their brand (and also make money up front while letting someone else store, bottle and market their whisky). Some of the independents produce fantastic Scotch, and are well-respected in their own right. Some of the Kirkland partners are the same distilleries, and they also have secondary bottlers who partner with various distilleries for their house brand. Sometimes these are for overruns, sometimes for batches that might have been intended for a special release, but then was redirected. People say they can get a Macallan for much cheaper this way, etc. I couldn't find any backstories to this Glenlivet 40, and would be interested to know why Glenlivet itself didn't want to bottle it. They are owned by Pernod Ricard, perhaps the biggest spirits mega-company (they own Absolut, Chivas, and 25 other spirits brands). Costco is the biggest seller of wine in the world, and they and PR undoubtedly do business together. This might be a result of that partnership or another venture. Re this bottle, I drink what I buy and don't "invest" so I tend not to go for anything so pricey. If I did, I'd want the Distiller's label, and to know its provenance (for the older and more expensive whiskies, it is not unusual to purchase a known cask number or specific series). The Kirkland brand has been known to sell relatively inexpensive sub-labeled name brands. These have been purchased by folks seeking a bargain on some very drinkable Scotch. Until recently, you'd refrain from purchasing a Kirkland Scotch if you were concerned with getting "the best" out there. Of course, if you like it and the cost-benefit is there for you, I also always tell people to buy what they like and not worry about snobs, critics or others who might want to tell you what to do. For info, Glenlivet does not have a 1972 release of a 40-year old. They had a great 1972 Cellar Edition (their limited release line) that was 36 years old (it sells for about $675 if you can find it). Their latest 40 was one casked in 1964. Berry Bros has an independently bottled Glenlivet 1973 38-year old, which is about $260-280 a bottle. 40's are usually pretty expensive (anywhere from $700-2,000 a bottle) so this would be an appropriate price for a quality 40. For my money, I'll stick with 15's, 18's and 25's at less than half the price and have a great bottle straight from the Scotsmen that made it.
I was at the Costco in Scottsdale when they had the Macallan 60 and I texted this photo to my (fellow scotch loving) brother-in-law. That bottle was for sale for quite a while, but then it was snapped up quickly once there was a news story about it. It probably would be an excellent investment, but rare scotch prices have gone up *A LOT* in the last few years so it's hard to know whether that will continue. Image Unavailable, Please Login
That might be the best one around. Have seen some good ones when I was at the S>F> location. But this one takes the cake.!
That's the one I was referring to in my last post- as obscene as it looks to the uninitiated, it is a good price for that bottle. Macallan's Lalique bottlings are legendary; the bottles themselves have a strong investment pull. They're far beyond my budget, but I'm glad to live in a country where someone can actually buy things like this. It is curious that Costco chose to market them, although they have gotten a good amount of free publicity as a result. Last year's Neiman Marcus ridiculous gifts catalog had a multi-million dollar gift consisting of flying to Lalique in Paris to design the bottles, and then going to Scotland to select from amongst 7 decades of Macallan barrels & bottlings to fill the Lalique. They topped it off with a custom spirits cabinet. They put this package together after their success in 2010 when they marketed a Macallan 64 in a custom Lalique bottle for $460,000. They also market a bottle of their 1824 Duty Free line in a custom box with a Lalique horse figurine for a cool $1,000. I've only seen them sold in Asia, and will be looking to see what the price will be on the secondary market...
Got my Christmas shopping for Dad and both brothers completed in one quick stop! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Have to agree with you on that. Today the damn liquor section ran all the way into the frozen section! Picked up some tequilla also for the gardeners. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Early Christmas presents for me! to add to the collection.... George is nice Image Unavailable, Please Login
I don't know if anyone's mentioned this before, but Caskers.com is a great website for finding rare and interesting whiskey, scotch, and bourbon. I've ordered from them a couple of times for gifts, good company (no affiliation). Your post reminded me of the website, those are all bottles that have been featured lately. Mark
Dude, thanks for that tip! I have not heard of them before. Will probably soon be spending more money than I should there....they have some neat stuff.
No problem. I sure hope you have some strong will power, they send out a daily email that makes me want to buy something every day! Mark
It was my Birthday last Saturday. My wife, who is the best partner an old boozer like me could hope for, gave me a bottle of Laphroaig 18, one of the best Whiskies out there. I cracked it open, and it is remarkably smooth, with cocoa & a hint of banana on the nose, peat anise and stone fruit (like a deep plum taste) on the palate. Very long finish, with spice and licorice that lasts quite awhile. It is as deep and rich with peat as their 12, but much smoother. If the 12 or cask strength is too harsh, this one won't be. About $100-125 a bottle, but worth it for a special occasion Scotch (sorry, came out sideways, although that will be its permanent position in a few months when I finish it, most likely). Image Unavailable, Please Login
George Dickel #12 Just as good if not better than much higher priced options for a whisky George Dickel - Whiskies
The standard Laphroaig is 10 years. I think this a rarher unpolished. If the 18 yrs is a cut diamond, the 10 yrs is a rough one.
Whatever scotch you prefer, you can't fully appreciate it unless you have a proper "Farrari" flask -----> Farrari 9 oz Stainless Steel Flask 6 1 2" Tall | eBay
Since we are on topic I am enjoying this today... Edit: damnit my subscription ran out and hasn't renewed I guess because it's a weekend. I'm enjoying a nice laphroaig 10 tonight,
