Vintage malts are for collectors rather than drinkers

[Deactivated Member]

Vintage malts are for collectors rather than drinkers

[Lawrence]

No! Whisky is for drinking!

[Admiral]

A vintage malt is just a unique expression of that distillery's whisky that may taste different to the regular bottling, or different to other vintages.

In no way does that suggest that it is more appropriate to collect rather than drink.

[Admiral]

A vintage malt is just a unique expression of that distillery's whisky that may taste different to the regular bottling, or different to other vintages.

In no way does that suggest that it is more appropriate to collect rather than drink.

[whiskyjack7]

WHISKY IS FOR DRINKING DRINK UP.
I try to get two bottles one for drinking now and one to drink later
but for drinking I paid for in I am going to drink in.

[Laphroaig]

Though over the years I have managed to build incomplete collections of many things, the only thing I truly collect is my pay check every two weeks!

Anyone who collects things but doesn't experience or fully enjoy what they are supposedly collecting, is sure to expire unsure of what they spent a portion of their life collecting

[Tom]

Whisky is the greatest drink on earth. Its a drink, drink it.
It drives me insane people collect botlles, sell them at 600% of the normal price, and have no clue whatsoever what they just sold. because of that, the true whiskyfans will never get to taste some of the finest bottlings around. On the other hand, collecting stuff has always been a hobby for people, and if they actually taste the bottles i have no problem with it, specially if it means someone else can buy the bottle years and years later and get to taste it after all.

[Aidan]

But if you buy something that you know is not very good, but is very expensive, why not sell it, make a profit and use the profit to buy another whisky you will drink and will like?

I don't really mind if people buy whiskies and don't drink them.

[Deactivated Member]

Whisky was meant for drinking - so drink it!

And coins were meant for spending, so use those sovereigns

And stamps were meant for sending letters, so stick those penny blacks on envelopes (NB - you need 77 of them to cover the 32p postage for a first class letter)

And vases were meant for putting things in, so put your flowers in the Ming

And books were meant for reading, so go to the British Library and ask to borrow Caxton's Bible

And castles were meant to be lived in, so turn them into flats

And roads were meant for horses, so bring back the 4mph speed limit

etc.

[Muskrat Portage]

"damn the collectors, full dram ahead!
(With apologies to John Paul Jones)
...and I reiterate:

Elli: The distillers art, to be truly appreciated, must be sampled. You do a great disservice to the labours of the unsung heroes of the distillery if you squirrel it away and never celebrate it.

M.P.

[Deactivated Member]

When someone buys a malt, whether vintage or not, it is their whisky and their choice what to do with it.

I personally like to drink some and to save some. Certainly the more collectible bottles go into my collection with a view to holding on to them.
Probably to sell at some point in the future.

That future price is dictated by the market - the buyers! Not the sellers who actually don't just ask high prices without knowing what they are selling.

If I do sell a bottle later and it is at a profit, then I have no problem with that. In fact I will be happy that it has probably been bought by someone else who will continue to enjoy it in their own way, whether by retaining it further or by drinking it.

In my experience, almost all whisky collectors are very knowledgeable people who are also whisky enthusiasts of the drinking type, not just speculators who buy blindly with no knowledge, as has been hinted elsewhere here.

[PuckJunkie]

"Vintage malts" sure covers a lot of ground to classify all of them as collectible or non-collectible. Surely the standard Glenrothes vintages can't be considered collector's items? And a lot of IBs regularly label their bottlings with vintage statements - I think virtually every Signatory I've bought has a vintage statement. And every Port Ellen IB... wait... bad example.

And of course, plenty of non-vintage whiskies (or at least whiskies without vintages printed on the label) become collector's items. Ardbeg Provenance doesn't have a vintage statement, does it? I can't remember.

Regardless, I can't agree with the idea that any whisky is for collectors and not for drinkers. Except maybe that Laotian snake whisky. Whisky is made for drinking - everything is for drinkers. Some of it is for collectors as well, but that doesn't mean it's not for drinkers too.

Puck

[Deactivated Member]

Drink and be merry for tomorrow we may surely die.
I have many bottles that are unopended purely because I have respect for my liver and general well-being - but I am not a collector. I pick them up when there is an offer on on because I like the stuff inside the bottle. I always fully intend to drink the contents

[whiskyjack]

yes drink-up
But you can save a great[unopenned] bottle for later, as the distllery
change the water of live.over time You will know what a great whisky should be like .enjoy now and later.

[hpulley]

One thing's for sure: the old ones are priced for collectors, though that doesn't stop the price from going up over time, short and long term.

Harry

[Deactivated Member]

Drink and be merry for tomorrow we may surely die.

There have been a number of posts lately along the lines of "I've inherited my grandfather's whisky collection" or "I found these whiskies in the basement". These have me eyeing my 75 or so bottles and thinking that I don't want to leave them to anyone! Okay, if I get hit by a truck tomorrow, I hope Bob will come over and pick them up (and I'm sure he won't waste any time, because when you guys get the news, no doubt a horde of vultures will descend on Springfield), and split them up with Ron and Win. But on the day that I keel over at the age of 94 or so, I hope at least that the remaining bottles are all open and half empty. He who dies with the most full bottles loses.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

I voted no as all whisk(e)y is available to those who can buy it, and that is how it should be, the cost is determined by the market and not collectors. But who buys it is free to do so whether a collector or drinker. We have gone over all this before but some peopel can't see the point of collecting which is fair enough. however I collect for the love of whiskey and not to make money but I hope it is a worth while investment in the end too. I appreciate whiskey every much as people who don't collect as I have sampled virtually everything in my collection and most collectors I know are the same, if people think different they are fooling themselves. I like to try and use the 3 bottle rule, a bottle to keep a botttle to drink and a bottle to flog to buy me more whiskey. And I can guarentee you that I drink a whole pile more whiskey than some of you that complain about collectors. I have 20-30 bottles open at any one time and I rotate fairly quickly rarely leaving any open bottle reaching it's first birthday. My last bottle of Talisker 10 only lasted a fortnight Anyway long live us all as we all play our part in keeping the whisky industry going.

[MacLover]

My first take on this is I would say all whisky is for drinking, but when I think of bottles such as the Macallan Fine and Rare Series I have to think that they are priced for collectors. On second thought I am sure there is a large population of people who can afford to drink a $3000-$5000 bottle of whisky or pay $200 a dram .

[lbacha]

Unfortunatly alot of those people probably don't even appreciate the whisky they just want the most expensive thing on the shelf. I use to manage a bar and alot of time I would get people coming in saying it is a special occation or something and they want the most expensive dram we had. I don't think that is the best way to pick em but some people do.

Len

[irishwhiskeychaser]

My first take on this is I would say all whisky is for drinking, On second thought I am sure there is a large population of people who can afford to drink a $3000-$5000 bottle of whisky or pay $200 a dram .

Unfortunatly alot of those people probably don't even appreciate the whisky they just want the most expensive thing on the shelf. I don't think that is the best way to pick em but some people do.

Len

I agree with you guys but unfortunately (or fortunately) I will never pay that much for a bottle so good luckto them. It's a different league and fair play to these guys if they want to blow money on these whiskies just to show off. I really don't feel I'm missing out on anything as I have plent others to try. Further what we drink today may be worth these prices in years to come so it is all swings and round-abouts. And if I happen to hang onto a bottle long enough to reach that price I will be deffinately selling it

[lbacha]

[quote="irishwhiskeychaser] And if I happen to hang onto a bottle long enough to reach that price I will be deffinately selling it [/quote]

The hard part is going to be not drinking it first.

I think it would be hard being a whisky drinker and investor. I'd have to hope empty bottles were worth something.

Either that or buy alot more whisky than I can ever drink.

Len

[irishwhiskeychaser]

[

Your last statement is where I'm at but alot of my bottles will never be worth anything much. I am trying to collect to have a snap shot of Irish whiskey over a period with a few older ones thrown in. I feel I'm going to be providing a historical look at irish Whiskey in 10-20 years time.

[Deactivated Member]

IWC, I think that is as worthy a goal as anyone can have in collecting anything.

[Deactivated Member]

I use to manage a bar and alot of time I would get people coming in saying it is a special occation or something and they want the most expensive dram we had.

Did you kept a very rare bottle of Fettercairn 1824 (£20 a dram) just for those customers?

[irishwhiskeychaser]

IWC, I think that is as worthy a goal as anyone can have in collecting anything.

Cheers MrT. I keep telling my missus of the bottles that are appreciating but never mention that the majority are just run of the mill bottles. It keeps her happy I going to have to start winding down though at some stage in the near future.

I reckon my next project will have to be to create an Irish Islay

[lbacha]

I use to manage a bar and alot of time I would get people coming in saying it is a special occation or something and they want the most expensive dram we had.

Did you kept a very rare bottle of Fettercairn 1824 (£20 a dram) just for those customers?

Nope just a much overpriced dram of JW Blue Label, as well as some Louis the 13th for the ones that really wanted to impress someone.

Len

[Muskrat Portage]

...These have me eyeing my 75 or so bottles and thinking that I don't want to leave them to anyone! Okay, if I get hit by a truck tomorrow, I hope Bob will come over and pick them up ... and split them up with Ron and Win.

I have a deal with Joy, when I pass on, my friends are to come over and pick a bottle each and a model train each. The rest that are sealed will be sold, the open ones are for the wake. (I guess the same goes with Bob, Ron and Win, eh?)
Pete

[Lawrence]

Ha! I'm taking mine with me.