How Do I Know What to Buy? Some Advice...

Now that it's time to start releasing our long list of single malt casks for pre-order, I'll usually wake up to about four or five emails each morning from customers and readers who feel overwhelmed by the selection we're offering. What if they wait on a particular whisky to see what will be available later, only to have it sell out by the time they've made a decision? I know some of you won't believe me, but I actually hate the pressure we're putting on people to buy things faster. That might seem contradictory considering I put statements like "only 300 available, buy it quickly" in my emails, but that's not to speed up the process!  It's literally because we've been selling spirits like crack as of late.  There's no amount we can buy to satiate the appetite of America right now. I have to warn people about the limited availability of certain items because there's nothing worse than when a customer drives to the store for a bottle that sold out days ago (and that's happened every day this week!). If anything, David and I have been trying to dilute the pool with multiple casks at once so that they take longer to sell, thereby giving those of you who want to think about things some time to actually deliberate. I want these whiskies to last! I want to have them on the shelf for Christmas time!

So how do you know what to buy and when? Honestly, I don't think there will be more than one or two casks that will sell out pre-arrival. If you followed the blog while we were in Scotland (jump back to May if you need to catch up), then you should have a good idea of what's coming. There are definitely some fun little secrets from unknown sources, but I think the most lucrative casks will be distillery-direct. There was a certain whisky we thought tasted like old, peated Brora. There was another whisky that was only being released for the Islay festival until we convinced them to sell the rest to us. Barrels like that tend to get people excited and sell quickly. The Laphroaig we released yesterday, however, isn't going anywhere. It will be here this Fall (albeit for $150 or more) and you'll definitely have the chance to taste it then. The biggest hits from 2012 weren't the big names.  The most popular casks were mostly overlooked by the general public (Bladnoch and Glendronach were probably the most beloved, although the Littlemill is really getting some love right now for some reason).

Remember, however, that we're excited about every one of these whiskies. Each of them wouldn't be making its way across the sea if we didn't think very highly of their value. Would I personally buy each and every one of them? No. That's not because I don't want to, however, it's because I simply can't. I can't afford it and I can't drink that much whisky. Please feel free to ask questions. If something interests you, then email David ([email protected]) or myself ([email protected]) and ask us about it. We're more than willing to help you understand each whisky in depth should you have the interest. Talking to us is a great way to save some money because I'll usually talk people out of buying whisky, rather than into it. It's not about the sale for me, it's about making sure each bottle goes to the right person.  There are many bottles on their way and some are not for everyone. 

That's where we're at right now. With thousands of people reading this blog everyday and another thousand+ on the insider email list, we can't buy casks for everyone anymore.  We need options, variety, depth, and breadth – whiskies for everyday, for special occasions, for the geeks, for the newly-converted.  We're here to help, so call us when you need us.

-David Driscoll