Poll On The Macallan

[mitchshrader]

considering some claims that flavor and quality are sliding..?

It's been the benchmark for literally generations, 'The' Sherried Scotch Whisky, and the 18 year old has been an award winner so many times they quit letting it compete..

BUT.. is ANY off the shelf ordinary commercial vatted scotch worth the market price of 5 quid a shot? at 43%? BY THE BOTTLE?

Sheeze, and it's CHEAP here compared to some places. For guys who buy a bottle and stretch it, The Macallan has become arguably unaffordable, and it BITES to buy lesser booze.. ;(

so, yay or nay? Worth it and glad to get it? or Turn Up Your Nose and buy quite nice booze for 1/3 the money?

Pick a corner!

 

[Jan Primus]

How much does it go for in the USA? Here in Canada, it's $280 cdn...I'm guessing you're price is way less than that.

 

[Gonz]

I think last time I looked it was around $115. But there's a small chance I'm confusing it with something else.

Personally, and I may not know what I'm talking about, I'd rather spend the extra $$ on the 25 year instead.

What you need to do is book a vacation somewhere and buy it duty free!

 

[AVB]

It is the Macallan 25 that is the ultimat Macallan award winner but the 18 is 95% of the 25 IMO. I can still get it for $125 or less while the 25 is well over $300 even $350 now. So I have to say the 18 is still worth it but the 25 is getting out of the range of affordability.

 

[Gonz]

I'm glad AVB clarified that, since I didn't realize it was such big jump in price, and you really aren't getting much more.

 

[schenker]

Whereas I'm perfectly happy to slum it with the 12 year.

 

[Jan Primus]

Why does Macallan get so expensive everytime you go up in age, compared to other brands? Here in Canada the 18 is nearly 2.5 x the price of the 15 yr.

 

[AVB]

In a word......marketing

Single malt in general is on a surge of popularity. Prices have gone up 15% in the last year and for aged stuff even more so. Macallan rides the name brand and adds that above and beyond the supply VS demand increase. Famouse Grouse 18, which is a pretty good malt is only $50 here. Why? a large stock and low brand name recognition. They are trying to get market share and not lead the market. Just my thoughts on the subject.

Why does Macallan get so expensive everytime you go up in age, compared to other brands? Here in Canada the 18 is nearly 2.5 x the price of the 15 yr.

 

[mitchshrader]

I'll agree Macallan is taking full advantage of their reputation, and from a retailers point of view, admirably.

I do, after all, continue to pay for it.

The main reason they've been forced to raise their price, AND that the quality slipped a good bit, (due to caramel coloring added, and weak flavors from over-used sherry casks).. is that they at one point had a glut, and now have sold that, and are selling lesser whisky on their reputation. The whole problem is the casks. Good sherry casks are 8x the price of bourbon casks, and make a significant difference in the bottom line the year you must BUY them. so, if whisky sells poorly, you have lots left in the warehouse, and new casks are a ton of money, and the strong temptation is, re-use old casks for free. They did. Now we have to drink it.

When the whisky business has a downturn, as scotch did in the 70's & 80s, the (average available) quality goes UP.. and the whisky that's being MADE gets thinner and sloppier, but that's a long time becoming obvious..

The trade off is, if you can find good vintage bottles from the old stuff, you're assured of a premium supply and a guaranteed investment. 'They ain't making any more' (at those prices)

While no doubt there'll be at some point a market shift, and folks will start drinking cognac or canadian, there are too many educated consumers now, who'll drink a good single malt every chance they get. The scotch market has become entirely international, and china is just beginning to consume it..

I really do hope they hate the stuff.. ???