whisky lovers

[GiGi]

Would be no situation with flippers if people just stopped buying from people trying to pocket a markup. I'll certainly never line someone else's pockets for hoarding bottles just to rip off the people that want to drink it.

[HeartsOfficialMoaner]

8 minutes ago, GiGi said:

Would be no situation with flippers if people just stopped buying from people trying to pocket a markup. I'll certainly never line someone else's pockets for hoarding bottles just to rip off the people that want to drink it.

Yep. I think the problem starts when the bottles go to auction sites which are open world wide. 

I was reading this last week.

https://malt-review.com/2020/11/12/a-royal-mile-whiskies-tomatin-port-charlotte/

I don't think SMWS are doing enough/anything to stop this going on. 

 

 

[invergowrie arab]

SMWS cancel your membership if you flip bottles. A lot of the popular bottles are 1 per member too now. Not sure what more they can do.

I have my eyes on a couple tomorrow but still have 3 unopened from last outturn so might struggle to justify it.

[HeartsOfficialMoaner]

9 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

SMWS cancel your membership if you flip bottles. A lot of the popular bottles are 1 per member too now. Not sure what more they can do.

I have my eyes on a couple tomorrow but still have 3 unopened from last outturn so might struggle to justify it.

There are auction houses with multiple accounts buying up all the bottles. It's big business. It gives the SMWS high profile. 

I

[V.Aye.R]

I think the auction sites have their place. There is a bad culture of profiteering on certain distilleries and releases but in general if you have a bottle you've bought along the way and now it'll go for silly money, who's not going to be tempted to cash in.

How long does the SMWS flipper ban apply for? You can't sell anything ever or just not right away? I don't have a membership nor have tried anything from them.

[invergowrie arab]

9 hours ago, HeartsOfficialMoaner said:

There are auction houses with multiple accounts buying up all the bottles. It's big business. It gives the SMWS high profile. 

I

It doesn't really matter how high profile the SMWS is if members leave because they can't buy bottles. I think they have latterly (in the last 6 months) realised this.

They also seem to be holding a lot more back now having realised that if people want to pay serious dough they should get it, some of the latest releases have less than half of their bottles available.

Just on the SMWS I was almost done with them. At the sub 100 quid price point almost everything was under 8 up and harsh as anything. Last 6 months has been superb though I have had about 8 bottles and all excellent.

[V.Aye.R]

I don't see the attraction of SMWS personally. £60 membership for a chance to buy what I feel is quite pricey whisky.

Indy bottlers have been a safe haven for me of late but the prices are going up.

I generally don't like buying blind, tastings are a great way of finding that one favourite out of 5 or 6.

[BigTidy]

As far as I understand it, if SMWS know that you're flipping then it's a lifetime ban. However, obviously you can get another account with a different email address etc and people can have multiple accounts.

SMWS has really blown up in the last couple of years. Around the start of the 2010s you could get any bottle you wanted without a rush but now they're all gone two minutes after going on sale. If you live in Edinburgh, or now Glasgow, then there's the advantage of going to the members rooms so it's not just about being able to buy bottles. The vaults in Leith is a great wee bar, although I have been paying £5 a month this year for the privilege of getting in and haven't been once. Normally I'd pop in a few times though.

SMWS tastings have been a decent zoom whisky chat during lockdown although the quality of the drams is a bit hit or miss that can all add to the experience. 

Plenty of other indie bottlers out there though. 

On another note, me and my pals have started a couple of social media whisky accounts, basically taking all our whisky chat from whatsapp and sticking it online. If anyone is interested 

Insta: @thewhiskymachine

Twitter: @whiskymachine

[Guest bernardblack]

Fairly new to whisky here.

Recently enjoyed a laphroig and a talisker 10...enjoyed the latter more.

Any recommendations from the esteemed group?

Budget is probably £30 tops

[invergowrie arab]

Is 60 quid for SMWS 'value"?

Probably not for whisky, you can get single cask independent bottling without paying a membership fee,  but it's definitely 60 quid worth of fun.

Cadenheads is 50 for a lifetime membership but I would pay 60 a year just to visit the member rooms which in normal times I would do about 4-6 times a year. Make that 10 with the Bath St rooms if I ever get to go again.

The outturn nights are great fun too but TBF you do only get 2 quid off being a member.

The virtual tasting over lockdown have been good fun too I hope they continue them as the outturn nights only make it to Dundee once a year.

 

[V.Aye.R]

Fairly new to whisky here.

Recently enjoyed a laphroig and a talisker 10...enjoyed the latter more.

Any recommendations from the esteemed group?

Budget is probably £30 tops

Glen Scotia Double Cask might be one to try.
Sweet with a wee hint of smoke. A Campbeltown distillery which have their own unique style.

[BigTidy]

1 hour ago, bernardblack said:

Fairly new to whisky here.

Recently enjoyed a laphroig and a talisker 10...enjoyed the latter more.

Any recommendations from the esteemed group?

Budget is probably £30 tops

Sadly the price hikes in whisky in the last couple of years mean that £30 is probably the minimum you'll pay for a single malt these days, with a couple of exceptions.

Ardmore legacy is one of those bottles constantly on offer in Tesco etc so keep an eye out for that when it's available around £20.

Laphroaig Select or Quarter Cask can also be found for around £25-30 when on offer in supermarkets. One I'd recommend that's just over your budget at the moment is Kilkerran 12, normally around £35-40, but based on your preferences above it seems like a good fit. Glen Scotia Double cask is also in that price range. There's also Glen Scotia Campbeltown Harbour which has been on the go for £25 when it was first released, might be on offer somewhere. 

There's plenty of Islay ones I could suggest but you wouldn't normally see them under £40. However, it's also coming up for Black Friday and Christmas shopping time which generally sees a lot of offers so definitely worth looking out for some deals in the next couple of weeks. 

[Hamish's Passenger]

Fairly new to whisky here.

Recently enjoyed a laphroig and a talisker 10...enjoyed the latter more.

Any recommendations from the esteemed group?

Budget is probably £30 tops

Tamnavulin Red Wine cask has been available in coop for £22 for a while now. My favourite budget whisky at present.

[Guest bernardblack]

Thanks all for the recommendations

[Brummie Clyde]

Amazon doing 70cl bottle of Jura, plus 2 glasses for just over £20, for Black Friday.

Can't stand whisky myself, but sounds a good deal.

[GiGi]

Making some use of my Auchentoshan American Oak with a large Manhattan. Very good if I say so myself.

[jimbaxters]

8 hours ago, GiGi said:

Making some use of my Auchentoshan American Oak with a large Manhattan. Very good if I say so myself.

Is that not technically a Rob Roy? Even though it's American Oak.

[jimbaxters]

Monkey Shoulder is scrummy.

[8MileBU]

1 minute ago, jimbaxters said:

Monkey Shoulder is scrummy.

True story.

[GiGi]

3 hours ago, jimbaxters said:

Is that not technically a Rob Roy? Even though it's American Oak.

Dunno. It was very tasty either way and American Oak would make a better bourbon than a whisky anyway.