Highland Park 15?????

[lohssanami]

What is up with HP15?

I have seen the 12 everywhere, from the old bottle to the new, and even gift packs from $28.99 to $39.99.

I have seen the 18 everywhere from the old bottle to the new from $59.99 to $89.99.

The 15, however, seems to be as low as $49.99, but usually in the $50+ area no matter where I look, and most of the stores are no less than $55. Am I missing something? Do they just not bottle much of the 15?

Help a brother out here!

[Di Blasi]

I thought the 15y is for the Duty Free market, but maybe that's the 16y? We don't have either here in Norway, (surprise surprise!), and I don't see it much in European shops either. Not really sure about it.

[Deactivated Member]

In the UK, the 16 was for duty free and the 15 was an exclusive for a particular supermarket (Sainsburys). At least, that was the position a couple of years ago. Perhaps it has changed now.

[r900p]

I was looking for a 15, if i remember correctly the distillery also has it in their shop.

Rob

[Newbie]

I sure the 15 year old is now widely available, I remember seeing it on a few online shops such as TWE and getwhisky.com (the last one has the best price around £28).

Getwhisky.com has some fantastic prices and in my experience is an extremely good shop to deal with.

[Deactivated Member]

What's the question?

[Willie JJ]

I think it's:

There doesn't seem to be as much HP15 as there is 12, or 18. Why is that?

That's my guess anyway.

Cheers

[Gov]

I have a liquor store by me selling the 15 year. I have never seen it anywhere else around. I think they have it for $59 or so

[r900p]

Oops the idiot in me is out again i thought it was where is the 15.

As to the real question why is there not a lot of 15 - is it becuase we have drunk it all.

Rob

[Deactivated Member]

It might be it seems that way because you see both old and new 12 and old and new 18, but only new 15.

[lohssanami]

What's the question?

Haha...I knew I could get something good out of you!

It just seems like the HP 15 is close if not the same price as the 18 and not as widespread, so my question would be twofold.

Why is the 15 not as readily available as the rest?

Why is the price so close to the 18?

I have looked at alot of places, and it's not my misconception of the new vs. old bottle as I've seen old and new of the 15 too.

I thought someone might have some insight, which is why I posed (errr...failed to pose) the question.

[Di Blasi]

Most of us understood your question and curiosity lohssanami, hopefully it helped a bit. Or maybe a side by side tasting of the 15y and the 18y are in line in order to decide!!

[Bob O.]

Well here is my take. I haven't tried the 15, so take it for what its worth. It seems to me the 12 and 18 get a lot of love while the 15 doesn't seem to get discussed much. Since the 18 is a fantastic dram, its worth paying the $10 more to jump from the 15 to the 18. Possibly sales reflect this so many shops will only carry the 12 and 18. Just sort of thinking out loud here. Maybe there is some truth to my logic?

[Di Blasi]

Sounds good to me Bob O. Good reasoning there. Reminds me of why the 12y Lagavulin wasn't available in Norway when it was available in other markets. Cause they didn't want it to compete with the Lagavulin 16y, a big seller. And when they finally did import it for release in Norway, not only did it sell well, but the 16y increased sales!!

[Jobi]

I asked a similar question not oo long ago, as I saw the 15 at a higher price than the 18 at a couple places. Lately though it seems to be more reasonabley priced relative to the 18. Maybe distribution was limited and is now ramping up?

[lohssanami]

I think Bob may be on to something regarding the price being so close. Kind of like the middle child...no attention due to the baby and the first born.

[Reggaeblues]

15 costing more than the 18????!!?@?£?$?%?!

But nowhere NEAR as good as the 18 IMO...even prefer the 12 by a fair margin.

I was given a bottle that cost £15!! It doesn't exactly make me want to rush back for more...

[Jobi]

I actually really like the 15 yr. and replaced my last bottle as soon as it was finished. I haven't had the 18 in a while but it's on my list.

[Willie JJ]

Well here is my take. I haven't tried the 15, so take it for what its worth. It seems to me the 12 and 18 get a lot of love while the 15 doesn't seem to get discussed much. Since the 18 is a fantastic dram, its worth paying the $10 more to jump from the 15 to the 18. Possibly sales reflect this so many shops will only carry the 12 and 18. Just sort of thinking out loud here. Maybe there is some truth to my logic?

Bob, I think that the love that drams get here is a reflection of how many people are familiar with them. The majority have experience with the long standing and widely available bottlings of the 12 & 18, while fewer have tried the 15.

[Di Blasi]

I'll have to try the 15y the first opportunity that presents itself, and the 16y for that matter!

[Bob O.]

Well here is my take. I haven't tried the 15, so take it for what its worth. It seems to me the 12 and 18 get a lot of love while the 15 doesn't seem to get discussed much. Since the 18 is a fantastic dram, its worth paying the $10 more to jump from the 15 to the 18. Possibly sales reflect this so many shops will only carry the 12 and 18. Just sort of thinking out loud here. Maybe there is some truth to my logic?

Bob, I think that the love that drams get here is a reflection of how many people are familiar with them. The majority have experience with the long standing and widely available bottlings of the 12 & 18, while fewer have tried the 15.

Makes sense to me, Willie. I should really rectify that...I might be missing out. Now the OB 15 or Beltramos 15 year 1990 107.2 proof offering...

[Ryguy]

What is the consensus here? It doesn't seem like many people have tried the Highland Park 15 OB. Can anyone compare it to the 12 or 18? It just became available here for $59.99, so I'm going to order one anyway. But I was just curious, as there isn't alot said about this bottle on the forum here.

[lohssanami]

This is downright crazy?

Crazy price!

[Ryguy]

Whoa, how does that make any sense at all??

Regular price $108.99, but on sale for only $101.99.
HUH?

That being said, have you tried this Tim?

[Reggaeblues]

"Can anyone compare it to the 12 or 18?" asks Ryguy,

All I can say is, It doesn't !(IMHO)

[lohssanami]

Whoa, how does that make any sense at all??

Regular price $108.99, but on sale for only $101.99.
HUH?

That being said, have you tried this Tim?

I have not tried it as I always avoided buying it at almost the same price as the 18. The consensus, as Reggaeblues mentions, is that it is not as good as the 18, and definitely not good enough to garner attention at that price.

Could this be more marketing hype to sell the existing stock? Where are the market debaters in this thread? JG...any comments?

[jimidrammer]

I've compared the three and like them all. The 12 seemed to get more ordinary after a couple months, but the 15 was consistently good over the eight months the first bottle lasted. The 18 has always been a favorite, but the 50ml mini that came with my last 12 was a little weak and bland. I don't currently have any of them open, but I will do a proper H2H soon. The price points here are:

12yo-$36-$46US
15yo-$47-$52US
18yo-was in the mid 60's, but now varies from $77-$90!
And the 25yo which used to go for $167-$189 is now $213-$249!!

[lohssanami]

Can't wait to hear the H2H.

Prices here (South SF Bay, CA) are:

12- $29-$39.
15- $59-$69.
18- $59-$89.

[Bruichladdict]

Oh boo-hoo to all this bellyaching over the price difference. Why don't you move to Ontario where the Liquor Control Board of Ontario will charge you 52$ for 12, 79$ for 15, and 118$ for 18 yo!

If I were you I'd buy a bottle of each and settle your little problem once and for all. It sounds to me that they are undervaluing the 18 rather than overvaluing the 15 so enjoy a sweet dram in you damned accursed California sun.

The Winter Grouch

[Mr Fjeld]

lol we pay $ 128,- for the Highland Park 18 ......and that's not even considered very expensive here.....
and the 12 goes for $ 81,- which is considered very cheap for a single malt.

[OKDiver1]

Oh boo-hoo to all this bellyaching over the price difference. Why don't you move to Ontario where the Liquor Control Board of Ontario will charge you 52$ for 12, 79$ for 15, and 118$ for 18 yo!
The Winter Grouch

Yes, but the ice is cheap and plentiful!

[lohssanami]

Oh boo-hoo to all this bellyaching over the price difference. Why don't you move to Ontario where the Liquor Control Board of Ontario will charge you 52$ for 12, 79$ for 15, and 118$ for 18 yo!

If I were you I'd buy a bottle of each and settle your little problem once and for all. It sounds to me that they are undervaluing the 18 rather than overvaluing the 15 so enjoy a sweet dram in you damned accursed California sun.

The Winter Grouch

LOL...I still pass up 18's I see at liquor stores for $59. Now I think I'll cry about the value of the Canadian Dollar to ours...sob...sob.

[Bruichladdict]

Yes, that is my only consolation...now my wife gets suspicious every time I suggest a jaunt over to Syracuse...

Well, we Canadians took it like men for many a year, watching you Americans buy everything cheaper. I'm actually thinking about buying a property in the US, renting and holding for a few years until the storm is over. It seems Canadian is the new American.

Anyway, I'm off topic.

[Ryguy]

Only the Highland Park 12 was available here for the longest time. But until just this past week, they have introduced the 15, 18, and 25.

12 - $39.99
15 - $59.99
18 - $99.99
25 - $229.99

I ordered a bottle of the 15, but I"ll wait to grab an 18 until my next trip to Mass (only $67.99).

[Laphroaig]

This may have been covered but it could be the fact that there isn't as heavy an infiltration (as the 12 & 18) that causes the price to be similar to the lower asking end of the 18.

Duplication reduces cost - right? Just speaking abstractly, If you print a magazine that has a target audience of 10 customers and that magazine costs 50K to put together, well, you can imagine , you'll want to ask a minimum of $5,000 per copy. Whereas a similar magazine, with same operating cost, that has a 1 million person audience can afford to sell their magazines for 0.10¢ and still walk away with a 100% profit (I think - not using a calculator here but hopefully you get my point whether or not my "gu-estimate is completely accurate).

In other words, volume-wise, the 15 year old's scarcity as you describe it, could play a part in it's cost.