Back on episode 397 we talked about whiskey being an investment but now we are reevaluating the current landscape and if collectible whiskey, namely bourbon, is on the decline. We consider changes in the bourbon market, including the increased interest from the high net worth community. There is a nostalgia for the past when information about whiskey was more accessible but we recognize that changes are happening. After all, there is the other notion about the legality of selling alcohol without a license and the penalties of investing in whiskey.
Show Notes:
- Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about celebrity whiskey
- Discussion on the decreasing pool of people buying rare bottles
- Scotch Drinkers Switch to Bourbon Due to High Prices
- New Buyers in the Bourbon Market
- High Net Worth Community’s Bourbon Value Proposition
- High-end Whiskeys: Investment Potential and NFTs
- Selling Rare Bottles and the Investment Game
- Sean Brock, Bourbon and Bigfoot
- Bourbon’s Future with Newbies and the Economy
- Pandemic Impact on Bourbon Market and the Glass Case
- Buying from the Glass Case
- The Investment Value of Glass Case Bourbons
- The Future of Whiskey as an Investment
- The Value of Rare Bottles as an Investment
- The Future of Rare Bottles as an Investment: Branding and Market Trends
- Effects of Interest Rates on Banking and Real Estate Industries
- Support this podcast on Patreon
2 thoughts on “417 – Is Collectible Whiskey on the Decline?”
I think collectible/allocated whiskey hoarding is on the decline, and I will tell you why.
I have spent the last four years drinking, and purchasing every allocated bottle of Bourbon I could get my hands on. From the big boys like Total Wine, Specs, and Goody Goody, to the mom and pop dives, and tucked away Pakistani strip center stores where republic and other distributors seemingly love to park rare bottles.
I have paid $800 for 2021 OF Birthday, $400 for a 17 yr. Old bottle of Wild Turkey BIB Masters keep, $3,200 for a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 20 yr. Etc., and I can tell you after all that lunacy I have drank plenty of under $100 bottles that blow all three of these out of the water. I think people are finally realizing after drinking these unicorns, that their truly is bourbons out there that are just as good for a fraction of the cost e.g.,many bardstown Bourbon co. iterations, Bookers, knob creeks, wild turkeys, willets, and others that I will not specifically mention. But ultimately my conclusion is this: I think after spending half of a decade of “FOMO” , bourbon connoisseurs finally do understand how overrated the bottles really are, simply put: The Fear of missing out is gone.
Justin,
Texas
Totally agree. I am very much of the school that after a certain point (in the $75-$125 range) bourbon is bourbon. And in my opinion most brown liquor does not even improve after about 15 years in the barrel.
Never mind that if you are even considering making a cocktail then there is NO reason to use something really rare.
FOMO is silly. Enjoy your bourbon. The madness of the last 10 years pricing wise looks a lot like a run on tulip bulbs in holland back in the day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania