I just purchased my first Springbank for a price I’m not proud of, but at least I have a frame of reference for the quality. That said, its true value is somewhere in the $80 range. I’d happily pay that for this whisky.
Absolutely spot-on with Tamdhu as a Macallan substitute. I’d also suggest Ben Nevis as a Springbank substitute. From the splash image for this vid I thought you were going to be ragging on Sanaig - phew 😅 that didn’t happen.
Here in Sweden the Macallan 12 and Tamdu 12 are the same price (59€) . Also for some reason Ardbegs Uigeadail just dropped in price here last week and is currently 58€ while Lagavulin 16 increased and is currently 75€
I remember getting the Lagavulin 16 for 40 € on discount 2 years ago. Now it's like 120€. Way too overpriced but good to hear it's not only an issue on my local market😅
MacAllan is a weird one, I’ve tried quite a few now at bars and restaurants and it is nice, the 12, 15, double oak and some of the limited ones are all good. They’re just really expensive for what they are. In the UK basic macallan 12 is around £70ish a bottle, which is a lot, you can get some exceptional stuff for that money
I purchased my first bottle of Lagavulin 16 back in 1988. I believe for about $25 US. I hated it until I started to love it. Sadly, I haven’t purchased a bottle in a long while as I moved on to the 12 UO but I do love that stuff.
I agree to every single statement. I bought my first Springbank last summer in a Viennese restaurant. One (better: half of a) bottle of those really rare “local barley” bottlings. It cost me 120€. Worth every cent. It’s just amazing 👌
Price on the Lagavulin 16 is saddening. It's been bread and butter for a couple of decades. Triggering fond memories of visiting my dad at work, importer of sundry maritime hardware like tar impregnated hemp ropes and the like, but going up by more than 50% over a couple of years. I'll still buy, but ther won't always be a bottle.
As an American, I have absolutely no idea what bourbon costs on the export market, but I highly recommend Redemption High Rye Bourbon. They also make a more traditional bourbon and a traditional rye, all of which were under $40 USD last time I checked. That was about 8 months ago, so it shouldn’t have jumped much, if at all. As is always the case, the price will eventually increase. Whether it’s from the distiller raising prices or closing the doors, it’s an inevitability. Might as well enjoy it while it’s affordable.
I’m a big fan of rye, but it’s hard to find in the UK and ridiculously expensive when you do. Redemption is £72 or almost $100. Jim Beam is $40. Most people I know have never tried rye as a result.
Haven't had any springbanks, doubt i will any time soon. Haven't seen any in shops, and i don't buy too expensive whiskey's. Maccalan is nice, but it's too expensive for what it is. Other whiskeys can cost half of what they ask
The tactic for #3 is all too common these days. So many whiskeys becoming scarce out of nowhere and doubling in price. I remember back when I could find Buffalo Trace at any liquor or grocery store for $20-$25. Now it is only select places and running $40-$50 in some places. At that price point I can get way higher quality or two bottles of something just as good for a few bucks extra.
Hi @firstphilwhisky want to ask a question. In lieue of the decline of the glendronach series what would you recommend for sherry bombs as what glendronach used to offer at such an insane price point
@CristiNeagu ah ok. I personally prefer the Laphroaig 10 CS to the Lag 16 as well. I prefer the Lag 8 to the Lag 16 as well. The Lag 16 is much lower abv and it's sherried. An overall much milder experience than the Laphroaig 10 CS. I'm guessing a lot of fans of the Lag 16 might not be fans of the Laph 10 CS.
@@xiamengbaby I agree. The Lagavulin is nice, it's smooth, and I enjoy drinking it. But the Laphroaig is an experience. There's a lot of things going on in that one dram.
At $70 I thought Macallan 12 was a great purchase. But I’m new to the whiskey game so I don’t have a memory for it being cheaper. Maybe that’s their strategy? It’s not uncommon to see 12 year whiskeys in that price range.
I don't know I find like lagavulin 16 at around $90 pretty regularly around me, like I can literally go to the store right now and buy it for that every day of the week. That's a very reasonable price for a major distillery 16-year delicious whiskey.
I agree on all of these except Lag16 which has only seen steady rises in price. In my area of mid-Atlantic USA: 13 years ago Lag16 was $69USD, 5 years ago $79, and today I can find it for $89. In my area, If you tracked Lag16 over the last 15 years against CPI inflation figures for the same period the price of Lag16 is probably fairly priced in my area.
Completely agree with every pick. Springbank makes me sad. I can get 2 bunna 12’s or 2.5 arran 10’s for 1 springbank 10. I have a bottle now but I will not replace it when it’s gone The part where you say they can’t help the price, I would argue they can. Many luxury goods manufacturers tell their retailers what the maximum price is they can ask. We need to normalise this in scotch. Absurd profits for shops should not be a thing for regular new releases All Springbank has to do is tell the specific countries distributor ‘you and your customers cannot sell this bottle to consumers for more than X else we will give the contract to somebody else.’ They have all the power right now
Lagavulin 16 is 105 dollars sans tax here in Raleigh North Carolina. It’s one of the best Islay Single Malts ever and for the price it’s still damn good for a 16 year. Oh and in my parts of the world kilchoman is super rare.
I'm fine with 10 year. The finest Speyside I've ever had has no advertised age. It's better than any 18 year old highland I've had. Springbank is wonderful.
Weird comparing the Lagavulin 16 with a NAS. I don't think they're similar either. The Sanaig is much darker, it kind reminds me of the Uigeadail, just not as punchy. To be fair I can't think of any similar alternatives to the Laga 16.
You should just change it to 95% of single malts that are 10 years or older. Single Malt prices are going up significantly faster than the rate of inflation compared other whiskies like American and Irish. Only Single Malts that present decent value still are NAS or Age Statements 8 years and under. Because of the increased demand of age statements distilleries are harvesting more and more of their aged casks. Meaning NAS and young young age statements are the only things that can keep up with demand ALSO since these whiskies contain younger whisky distilleries have to be more creative in order to add uniquess and flavour to young age statements and NAS. Also if you like peated whiskies NAS and younger whiskies are actually stronger in peat. Peated mellows out with age. (Which is why I don't really like old peated whiskies)
Sanaig is also overrated, mainly due to it being part of the current groupthink. I'm not saying it's bad, just pretty ordinary. Port Charlotte 10 smashes it to bits as does Benromach Peat Smoke Sherry.
Macallen is over priced I used to drink a lot, prices are almost +50% in 4 or 5 years, and I dont buy it no more I used to love it now I don't even look at it 😅
Lagavulin is overpriced, not overrated few years ago I got them at 7000￥ now its 12500￥ IF you can find any. Too expensive, but not overrated because it's still the best whiskey ever made and will always be my favorite
