$3000 Whiskey worth the Hype? | How to Drink

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I tasted a lot of great whiskeys in this episode, if you are interested in trying any of them yourself head over to Curiada where they have some of the bottles from this episode, bit.ly/HTDwhiskey
Is Pappy Van Winkle worth the hype...and the insane price? In this episode I set out to answer that question with a blind taste test where I put Pappy up against other notable wheaters. The resuts might shock you.
Whiskeys in order of taste test:
1. Weller Special Reserve
2. Garrison Brothers
3. Old Fitzgerald
4. Pappy Van Winkley 15 year
5. Makers 46
6. Weller 107
7. Larceny
8. Weller Blend - ""Poor Man's Pappy""
9. Wyoming Whiskey
10. Weller 12"
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Original Poor Man's Pappy - bourbonr.com/blog/poor-mans-pa...
Glencairn Whiskey Glasses - amzn.to/2XbP0Hv
Blind taste test and rank 10 vodkas - • Blind taste and rank 1...
Which hard seltzer isn't garbage? - • Which Hard Seltzer isn...
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[@howtodrink]

Click here helixsleep.com/howtodrink for up to $200 off your Helix Sleep mattress plus two free pillows! Since I got my mattress I have been sleeping like a log. Also, in this one you'll noticed one of the glasses has something I call the "Weller Blend", originally I explained what that was verbally, but this edit was too long and too slow and it got cut to make this thing watchable, but here's the explanation for what that is, it's supposed to be the closest thing to Pappy you can do on the relative cheap: bourbonr.com/blog/poor-mans-pappy/ Glencairn Whiskey Glasses - amzn.to/2XbP0Hv Blind taste test and rank 10 vodkas - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWbFcpqNjbGback Which hard seltzer isn't garbage? - kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3rSkmqie8yoiKc Twitch: bit.ly/2VsOi3d H2D2: bit.ly/YTH2D2 twitter: bit.ly/H2DTwit instagram: bit.ly/H2dIG Blog: bit.ly/H2DBlog Patreon: bit.ly/H2DPatreon Gear: amzn.to/2LeQCbW

[@jonathanjollimore7156]

It's better but not thousands of dollars better. This stuff is for people with more money then brains...

[@robinthrush9672]

Real question is: Will these whiskeys give you a huge hangover?

[@jonathanjollimore7156]

@@robinthrush9672 Hangover are for noobs :)

[@CouchCommander5000]

@@jonathanjollimore7156 I have been a professional alcoholic for decades and I disagree with your statement 🙃

[@robinthrush9672]

@@CouchCommander5000 Hangover: The headache of champions!

[@charliemop2799]

Great job editing this one, highlighting each glass as Greg talks about it and changing the order of glasses when he does. It would be really hard to follow otherwise.

[@howtodrink]

Feels good to be seen

[@DrewThePirate]

@@howtodrink highlighting the text for the one being discussed at the time is brilliant.

[@blingying]

It's funny how easy it is to take details like that for granted. I noticed the same effect, but I never once recollected upon how a person/people made that happen until I read your comment.

[@Greg-TC]

@@blingying And it’s something you’ll probably notice in a lot of videos you watch now

[@the3rdid485]

I really miss the tasting notes in the upper left though.

[@itsKelsen]

greg: i’m ready for all your hate for choosing badly at this whisky tasting comments: yeah, this was a great video and the expected outcome really

[@drewzombiez]

Since it was all bourbon, it would be whisk(e)y. When it's spelled without the "e," it usually refers to all other whiskies. Irish whiskey also uses the "e."

[@itsKelsen]

@@drewzombiez or, and hear me out, both are correct. E for america and ireland, NO E for scotland and canada and many other countries

[@drewzombiez]

@@itsKelsen Absolutely agree with that statement except for this specific instance. I hate knowing this shit sometimes but, it's like having tourette's for whiskey/ whisky language. Did way too much damn reach on it. Lol

[@toastiestmoth927]

@@drewzombiez no one cares, just drink

[@drewzombiez]

@@toastiestmoth927 I take it you're the type of person who just drinks to drink and doesn't appreciate something good. It's cool, go ahead and "just drink."

[@thelastcrazyperson2067]

I went in to this episode with no knowledge of Pappy. I came out of it with several recommendations for really good spirits that won't break the bank. I'd call that a solid 10/10 episode.

[@stanleymyrick4068]

same

[@craftedworkshop]

I’d LOVE to see some whiskey reviewers do this same test. The reason you didn’t guess the Pappy is that IT DOESN’T STAND OUT. Taste is subjective, anyone paying secondary prices for Pappy (or any other bourbons) are morons. There’s plenty of delicious fermented corn juice on the shelves.

[@thundertwonk1090]

I wouldn't say they're morons, they're just ignorant to how pricing works. 98% of people would just go "aww shiet pappy?! Gimme some, that's the BEST!" simply because it's worth the same as a used car. Marketing is definitely doing its job, making a middle-of-the-pack product worth 900% more than it should be.

[@greghaylett9269]

Check out the whiskey tribe!

[@Vortex1988]

I've been pretty deep in the whiskey game for about two years, and I've managed to accumulate over 100 bottles. I lost count around 90 about a year ago. I tried both Pappy 15 and Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond 9 at a bar a little while ago, and I really didn't like either of them. As far as wheaters go, I tend to prefer the higher proofed Maker's Mark products and Larceny Barrel Proof. Wyoming Whiskey is pretty decent too. I'm also a big fan of Whiskey Acres Bottled in Bond as well as their barrel picks (Whiskey Acres is a distillery local to me). I'd much rather have any of those over Pappy or Old Fitzgerald, and I don't have to go broke to do it either.

[@Nitidus]

@@thundertwonk1090Comments like yours make me glad I am just a "I like what I like" person and that's all

[@HylianPirate278]

Based on the MSRP being only $120, the producers of Pappy would probably agree that it's not worth the hype.

[@tjh__]

What is impressive here is even hammered at the end, you can still track 10 different objects, that have been shuffled repeatedly, and also remember what you made of them in each pass. Dungeon Master confirmed.

[@gonewiththewynns]

🤣 We love that the most expensive bottles are at the end of your lineup. Now we’re off to the liquor store to pick up a bottle of Larceny.

[@paulsilagi4783]

Hey, I didn't know you watched HTD. Gregs mention of you is actually how I found your channel in the first place.

[@whitenoise509]

@@paulsilagi4783 Same here!

[@joshuabarnes3827]

@@paulsilagi4783 Same!

[@crabmansteve6844]

Larceny is great stuff, absolutely incredible for the price.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@paulsilagi4783 well not technically. Weller green label costs the second least out of these, they just bought one at a huge markup

[@MrKelsomatic]

The funniest thing to me is that the first two times he tasted Pappy he hunched over with a REALLY pensive look on his face, and inspected the glass. It was a unique reaction! I thought he’d pick it out, but then it kept slipping, haha

[@ADM-wt9cn]

Well the saying goes.... The drunker you get the better it tastes... Exactly what happened in this video. He put 1-4 on the back and 5-10 in the front haha each one got a little better!

[@RickardApps]

Might've done that with all of them. It's pretty edited.

[@thomasdoyle7382]

As you drink the others taste better

[@theoneandonlymichaelmccormick]

You could say that Larceny really…STOLE the show. You could also say that Weller performed…WELLER than the competition.

[@Orkel2]

Simply put, after a certain price point you're not paying for taste anymore, but the rarity/history/production methods/ingredients/prestige etc.

[@loke6664]

That is basically true, except for ageing. Not only do you need to pay to store the whiskey but there is also the angels share so that is really what you pay for once a whiskey pass a certain age. Anything else matters rather little in the cost, even making a whiskey as cheap as possible wont affect how much it cost to make a bottle of 30 year very much. Now, is i worth it? Well, there are some really nice Scotch that is older then 20 years and they are pretty easily to notice since they don't really have much of an aftertaste. I actually have a more expensive bottle (if it was unopened and not 2 fingers left in it now, a Port Ellen 1980 but I paid 50 quids for it in Edingburgh 1999 (or possibly 2000). That one is insanely expensive today. Is it worth it? It certainly was when I bought it but it isn't today. I admit to not tasted a Pappy but I am super critical that a 15 year old whiskey is worth more then $200 no matter what anyone done with it. Then again am I not a super fan of American Whisky, I basically have a bottle of Rittenhouse Rye, all my other bottles are Scottish, Irish, Japanese and a Swedish someone gave me. But if you pay that sum for a 15 year bottle you are way richer then I am or have very different priorities.

[@loke6664]

@@supaleetkillah No, I am pretty sure I said no 15 year whiskey is worth more then $200 and that certainly includes Dalwhinnie. And that is the super top, single barrel, cask strength, limited numbers and whatever. I do agree that I probably am generous with $200 and yeah, if I decided to buy a $200+ whiskey I would buy something older then 15 years, my local store have a nice bottle of 25 year old Glen Keith for just that sum which is acceptable.

[@Mrmjc1423]

@@loke6664 exactly for $200 youre certainly getting something older than 15 years. I mean a Lagavulin 16 is only $100. And agreed as an avid Scotch drinker (I much prefer it over Bourbon and I'm a yankee), once you go over $200 it's simply not worth it.

[@loke6664]

@@Mrmjc1423 Well, there might be a few bottles but certainly not a 15 year for many times more no matter how legendary it is supposed to be. I think poor Greg got ripped off here, and seriously so since he actually thought the 40 bucks bottle tasted better in the blind test. The oldest Whiskey I ever tasted was a Caol Ila 1969 but then I bought 2 fingers at a bar and I swear the entire bottle still would have been cheaper then Pappy.. And yeah, it was really good, 2 fingers cost something like 50 bucks and it is normally far too pricey for my taste but you got to treat yourself now and then. But there is plenty of overpriced stuff from cars to phones so it isn't really strange. If people want to pay $3000 for a bottle of Whiskey I can't blame the seller for that, it is basic capitalism. Find the price that will maximize earnings is the law of capitalism after all, some sell it really cheap and earn by selling a lot, others sell few bottles to people who have too much money and make it out like bandits.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@Mrmjc1423 tbf the difference between a 15 yr bourbon and 15 yr scotch is significant

[@RhettShull]

A few years ago my dad and I shared a flight of pappy at a bar in Columbia SC, and after tasting all the different Pappy's I can confirm its good...but not that special.

[@kingoftheshadowland]

whats a flight? a unit of measurement? I've never heard the expression before

[@timothyauld6676]

@@kingoftheshadowland a row of small samples like what's in front of Greg. But probably 3 or 4 glasses

[@1dudecrush]

@@kingoftheshadowland it’s like a round of several taster sized portions of alcohol. I’ve never had a flight of whiskey but I’ve had flights of beer before from breweries.

[@Cerberus98]

Literally my experience as well. For friend's birthday, we ordered a flight that actually included the 20 year. I don't know how they even got away with selling it. But our conclusion was 1) the 15 year was the best and 2) none of it was remotely worth the price.

[@EJ_7715]

Hey, I just watched your video, now here you are. Stop following me!

[@TheMezzomorto]

I’ve spent the last 11 years in the liquor trade, was a sommelier, have tasted literally thousands of wines and spirits. Tasted all the pappys at one time or another, the 10, the 12, the 15, the 20, and the 23, and they’re all great whiskies sure. However they’re barely worth the msrp, let alone thousands a bottle, with all the other excellent bourbons out there. You don’t really get much more for your dollar beyond a hundred or so. There is no such thing as the best in the world,

[@malloryg4251]

Thank you for mentioning all that. At the end of the day, taste is subjective and consuming a $3,000 bottle of whiskey seems like a complete and utter waste to me. I'd rather save that money to buy a house : )

[@sandmaniac3]

Revisiting this comment, I would add that the $100 rule can get a little fuzzy when looking at highly aged whiskeys. You can argue the subjective flavor issues all you want, but when you’re drinking a 50+ year old whiskey, you’re paying for the time, the proper storage, and the significantly reduced yield. There are huge additional costs for those bottles than can be justified objectively. And if you want that flavor, you have to pay for it. Personally, I’m not out buying $10,000+ bottles and wouldn’t if I could. But having been privileged enough to taste some, I can say that they are both delicious and nothing else yields quite the same results as proper long term aging.

[@KenS1267]

You have to pay a lot for any spirit aged in wood for 2 decades. That's just the way it works. However there are much better choices if you want that than pappy and much cheaper ones. I truly have no idea why anyone would pay $3k for a 15 year old American whiskey when you can get 20+ year old Irish whiskey's and Scotch for around $1k which are actually amazing.

[@thirteenthandy]

It's the Smirnoff effect. The most accessible booze gets the highest rating in most blind taste tests with the general public. If it makes you feel better, I did a brown bag beer tasting event with some incredibly knowledgeable and experienced beer folks including brewers and *none* of us liked Pliny The Elder, to the shock of most people there. That's one of the most raved-about beers out there.

[@jgalt99]

Pliny is mostly nostalgia; it was one of the first really good IPAs before that type of beer became ubiquitous and saturated the market. Not many people had tasted an IPA at that point and Pliny was one of the better ones so it became revered. Nowadays there are tons of good IPAs and the style has flooded the market so much it's almost passé. If I'm in a really good brewery I'm probably not ever ordering their IPA, I'd rather find an interesting pils, lager or stout. If I'm in a restaurant or dive bar that's not known for its beer I'm probably getting an IPA since it's pretty hard to make a really bad-tasting one.

[@DaveYogs]

This is really good insight as to reputation outgrowing its memory

[@AlexHartery]

There are some great bar books like Mehans that talk about it with quote a few drinks "flavour can't be improved with a nicer liquor" and it just makes sense. Like Pina colada using Bacardi. Using 12 year appelton estate won't cut through the flavour.

[@MileHighGrowler]

I'd be really intrigued to find out what else was in your IPA comparison. Pliny is not my favorite of all time, but I do think it's still a solid west coast IPA and holds up (the same way Sierra Nevada remains a standard as an American Pale).

[@thirteenthandy]

@@MileHighGrowler I don't have a list unfortunately.

[@jasoncoates1835]

Don't feel bad... Pappy never seems to blow other wheaters away in blind tastings. For, you know, whatever reason. It's gone totally off the rails at this point. It's a trophy, not a beverage. Don't fall for it.

[@MMAteenager]

And it's not even the distillers fault in this case. It's rumors and confirmation bias jacking the price up on the market to insane levels.

[@jayleno2192]

Personally I just don't really like wheated bourbon in general. I had Pappy once, and it is very good but I'd kind of rather have Wild Turkey Rare Breed.

[@Vortex1988]

@@jayleno2192 I definitely agree with you. I've tried both Pappy 15 and Larceny BIB 9 Year, and I thought both were swill. I'd much rather drink anything from Wild Turkey.

[@technomancermagus8357]

@@jayleno2192 After trying a bunch of Bourbons, Wild Turkey ends up being my go to. 81 is my preference, but I don't have the chops yet for the higher strengths.

[@chrisfranklin4061]

I'd roll with Wild Turkey Rare Breed, or even Old Grandad 114 any day of the week!

[@NickDevXT]

According to Daniel and Rex, the best kind of whiskey is the kind you like to drink, and the best way to drink is how you like to drink it.

[@heikkiremes5661]

Absolutely agree, snobbery is bullshit.

[@smspain09]

This works for me for almost every matter of taste.

[@WhayYay]

I sip southern comfort out of an incandescent lightbulb from my grandpa's basement.

[@b3dubbs72]

Here's to fighting, stealing, and drinking If you fight, may you fight for a friend If you steal, may you steal a lover's heart And if you drink, may you drink with us

[@matts.6234]

Yeah snobbery sucks and all, but Daniel and Rex pay for their distillery by scamming whiskey noobies into taking their $3,000 workshop courses where they teach them nothing. The magnificent bastards or the tribe runs itself like a cult, and they feed into that and profit off of it.

[@snoozer0101]

the part where you mention how you're a normal person is what makes your content good because very few people have the palate of a professional taster which makes the opinions you have much more valid than a pro.

[@OgichiGame]

Fun fact, so called "pro tasters" also don't have a special palate. What they are is professional bullshit artist

[@AubriGryphon]

When it comes to whiskey and wine, I don't necessarily WANT to develop a super refined palate. I'm happy with a decent, inexpensive whiskey, and learning to identify all the things that make a high-dollar bottle better can only bring me pain. It was probably a bigger deal in the past when the science was less well understood so there was a bigger gap between the cheap and the expensive, but nowadays anybody can put together a halfway decent distillery and produce something perfectly acceptable.

[@nevadanate4957]

Mmmm it's a challenge to create new good bourbon especially since age is a major factor. Part of why most "new" bourbon brands are using MGP whiskey. I think what's more valid and useful is to just identify what things you like about whiskey and find the more economic options that offer that, instead of trying to understand why people pay 5k for stuff that doesn't hold up to a blind taste test. For instance I like spicy rye heavy bourbon and discovered Old Grand-Dad 114 for 25-27 bucks.

[@caldyer8000]

can't wait for a Greg homebrew. Both in dnd and his own line of alcohol.

[@FyreDrac]

Same here!

[@marcelmiranda1348]

Greg would be a Bardbarian, no doubt.

[@caldyer8000]

@@marcelmiranda1348 obviously

[@kippie8200]

Barbarian artificer. Why artificer you ask? Alchemist of course. Brewer of concoctions, warrior of the bar.

[@Stephen-yk5ik]

Pappy is a great whiskey, at MSRP. For the "market price" it is no where near worth it. You will not get 100x the amount of enjoyment vs a $30-50 bottle.

[@jamesblackwell6600]

Exactly!

[@joeb4294]

Right, as I understand it, the price is so high because of limited demand. The only way to get a bottle at MSRP is by winning a lottery to purchase it.

[@Stephen-yk5ik]

@@joeb4294 popular demand through synthetic hype. For years there was a coordinated media effort to make it out as the greatest thing ever. Then all the other products followed. I used to get Weller Green label for $15 a bottle in college, havent seen it for less than $30 in years.

[@Vortex1988]

I've tried it, and I wouldn't even buy it at msrp, lol.

[@arcticfox5118]

I picked one up for $35 without even knowing there was hype behind it. Just wanted something new. Stuff was to my pallet at least just undrinkable and made me a bit ill i didn't even like it when used to cook instead of drink and gave the bottle to a friend who went apeshit about how it was a $3000 whisky. I said enjoy and went right back to wild turkey

[@thejoshman4883]

What i have learned in life is there is a upper limit buffer, up to a certain point more expensive means better incrememtally, but once you get into that upper echelon of anything more expensive means smaller diffrence. Papy is a perfect storm of quality, hype, and availability,

[@cole4783]

I love how consistent you are in these style of videos. This is a huge boon to cocktail enjoyers

[@SDGolfGuy]

I love this - as someone who watches other whiskey people do this I think blind tasting is some of the best content on youtube. I've done this with my 40+ bottles at home and found 30-50$ bottles are just as good as $1000 bottles, no doubt that's saved me a ton of money.

[@noahdoyle6780]

I don't have 40 bottles of anything, but in my somewhat limited experience, that $30-50 price point is where diminishing returns start to fall off a cliff for just about every drink.

[@samuelfawell9159]

@@noahdoyle6780 anything more and your really just being a victim of marketing, price doesn’t equal “good” it just equals “expensive”

[@harryparmley1193]

My daddy taught me a drinking lesson from the perspective of an average joe... Buy the top of the line you can afford for the first/maybe second drink... then drink well for the rest of the night...

[@LeatherDaddy97]

There are very very few bourbons that cost $1000 and they are never worth it.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@noahdoyle6780 id say 60-80. 30-40 is still budget low proof territory

[@cade5400]

Taste is so subjective I didn't really find this surprising. I've never had pappy, but everything I've read in whiskey circles basically agrees with Greg -- it's good, but not worth an exorbitant mark up. After $100 a bottle, returns start to diminish.

[@dave011679]

I was going to say the same exact thing about diminishing returns. I've never had Pappy but I've had $4-500 bottles before and the difference between them and a lot of stuff in the $100 range is almost nothing. I think most people buy super high end bourbon today just to brag about owning a bottle.

[@SDGolfGuy]

The diminishing return happens at about $60-70 a bottle, and at about 8 years of age. of all the blind tasting I've done I've only once selected an expensive whiskey over a cheap whiskey. Out of 5 whiskies in the blind, Stagg $800 came first, Michter's Kentucky Straight ($40) was second, the next 3 bottles were $50-$500

[@jamesblackwell6600]

I had pappy 10, 15, and 23. I paid the retail price and never paid nor will pay a scalper. They are worth their retail price, but they are not worth the up charge scalpers push. I love whiskey, and bourbons, but I do not want to support resellers. Edit: there are plenty of awesome whiskeys out there and I don’t need nor want to chase a trophy. Whiskeys are to be enjoyed and shared with friends.

[@Mrmjc1423]

Facts I drink whiskey all the time, from bourbon to rye to Scotch, I've had Pappy, Blanton's, etc. I've had 40 dollar bottles that are just as good if not better than Pappy. Pappy is good, if not great, don't get me wrong. But when you can find Whiskey at a fraction of the price that tastes just as good, it's simply not worth it

[@cade5400]

@@jamesblackwell6600 I think your spot on. I’d even be willing to pay a modest retail markup but it’s just not worth much more than that

[@00DUCK]

I've never seen a blind tasting that included Pappy have Pappy come out on top. But I do really enjoy the top 3 you picked out. 6 and 10 seem just as difficult to come by in my area but luckily I do have a bottle of each I've been working on. I've never had 2,3 or 9 but now I wonder if I should? haha! Great video Greg!

[@user-me8hc3bs7i]

Label editing is fantastic on this one. Unbelievably helpful and it’s done so well I didn’t even think about all the extra work it was to add that while watching. Great editing isn’t noticed, but good job.

[@Mpresley83]

I worked for a large liquor retail store as a night job for years. One of my most rage inducing moments was 1 dude, showed up on delivery day, and bought all 9 bottles (3 cases), of Pappy. I literally pulled it from the truck, put it in his cart, and helped him put it in his car. All the while bragging how it was going to flip it. I may or may not dropped the last case on purpose, accidentally after he told me that. Dont care if you wanna buy it all for your personal consumption- but buying it to make a profit on a illegal 2nd hand market, aka scalping, is gross. I had a snifter of it once- great bourbon! Not worth the cost. Get eagle rare- comparative in taste and body.

[@polk-e-dot8177]

Yeaaaah scalpers got their own special place in hell

[@joeldykman7591]

Oh, boy. I've had eagle rare. Its only marginally better than its younger brother buffalo trace. Basically just buffalo trace with a bit more time in the casket.

[@sj4iy]

In our state rare bourbons are only sold via lottery and one per person (restaurants have their own lottery to win 2 bottles). As much as I hate state run liquor stores, I appreciate the chance at getting rare alcohol for MSRP.

[@zwussow]

For what it's worth I agree that Larceny is criminally underrated, but if that means I can keep getting it for cheap I won't complain!

[@CorvusCorone68]

"Larceny" "criminally" pun intended?

[@eightfooticeman]

Don't tip our hand! I like buying Larceny dirt cheap!

[@CorvusCorone68]

​@@eightfooticeman dirty deeds, done dirt cheap

[@singincowboy]

I've had Pappy, and frankly it's good, not great, but good. Larceny is my favorite wheated bourbon hands down. I think the proof threw you, looking for best flavor, as it has the most flavor of the options. I think the Larceny has the benefit of being a multi-year blend, as it's a blend of 6 year and 12 year Old Fitz. The older stock makes it complex, while the younger whiskey keeps it exciting. I think it tastes great in the glass and isn't so expensive that I feel guilty about making a really tasty old fashioned with it.

[@dplunk13]

I've had the 15 year Pappy and while very good there's no way I'm paying anything close to aftermarket price. It's nowhere close to worth it. You can sometimes find the Weller special reserve for like $30 and value-wise that's much better. Glad you did this test. The bourbon market is just insane.

[@huntermiller5694]

This is the conclusion I wanted to see, because its all about perspective and one man's $3000 whiskey is another man's $30 whiskey or vice versa.

[@WhoTookPlockrock]

As a liquor store worker, I can tell you this about basically any allocated bourbon: it is worth it if you've got a bottle sitting right there in front of you, and it's not getting marked up to double the price. 40, 50 bucks for a rare whiskey you happened to spot? Perfect, nab it if you want it that bad. But it is not, and never will be, worth the hunt to actually find the stuff.

[@SilvaDreams]

Honestly I think a lot of those 3,000$ bottles are all about the dick swinging just to say you own a bottle of it, kind of like the people who own really rare or expensive cars but they just sit in a garage all day and never let it see the light of the sun.

[@michaelc3694]

I VERY much appreciate the honesty of this video. No editing, just you and your honest, real opinions. I have done this same tasting but on a smaller scale, and have also come up with a very different order of preference than pricing

[@bohottie]

There are so many amazing bourbons in the $40-$50 dollar range and even below. Honestly, one of my favorite bourbons I’ve ever had is a store pick Ezra Brooks barrel strength that was like $32. I actually had a 2020 Old Forester Birthday last week, and I honestly prefer my $32 EB.

[@Ajbarili]

This just validates me buying Larceny all the time, so I still trust you. Confirmation bias, you know?

[@shawnboisclair3696]

its on sale her for $18.99 750ml

[@TheoHiggins]

@@shawnboisclair3696 £46 in the UK :((( But I read the other day that UK bourbon prices being so high are the result of Trump slapping tariffs on European aluminium and we responded by tariffing whisky. Those are due to expire in June so bourbon might become a bit more affordable :D

[@christiaanlommen8522]

Rule #1 of the whiskey tribe. The best whiskey is the one you like the way you like to drink it

[@howtodrink]

100%

[@LeatherDaddy97]

Yes but that has nothing to do with what the bottle should cost.

[@dawnjackson5773]

WELL SAID FELLOW MB CHEERS!

[@Face_Meat]

@@LeatherDaddy97 That’s the beautiful part. My favorite bourbon happens to cost about $50/750mL. If that price happened to skyrocket to nearly 30 times its retail price, there’s plenty of other solid choices out there for me to enjoy.

[@antiseth3964]

Hell yes. If you like it, go for it. Much as expensive drinks are a sort of status symbol, the practical truth is that liking what you drink is more important than the cultural/monetary value of that drink.

[@JeffWhisky]

Solid editing on this beast of a battle. Wanting to get more into Bourbon and great to see non break the bank bottles doing well. Sold me on Larceny, cheers!

[@CRAETION_]

Larceny is a fav of mine! Super great to drink neat or especially on ice.

[@tehHighwayman]

Only just started this episode. Love the presentation, graphics, and editing work. Amazing. You were already one of the best shot shows on KZbin this is just showing off now. Super cool.

[@antiseth3964]

I get that the price of some whiskeys can be inflated for logical reasons (like cost of maintenance during long aging periods), but pappy probably started out as a good whiskey that became hard to find. Depending on the social and economic circumstances, almost any bottle could turn into a Pappy.

[@bradbeneski8391]

It’s tough to not fuss too much but initial gut feelings are invaluable.

[@bclear]

Exactly. He was on the money on initial impressions.

[@tjwright]

This is always fun to do. I did this at home with what I had on hand and landed on Buffalo Trace as my favorite. I decided there's no reason to keep 10 or 12 bottles around when I can just keep a cheap bottle of BT on the shelf and enjoy it.

[@RobertARohm]

I have tasted most of those, including Pappy 15, and I'm with Greg on this one. In my experience with spirits, price rarely translates to enjoyment in blind tastings. I recommend that anybody who wants to know what they actually like do this.

[@TruckerJoe]

Everyone has their own tastes. I haven’t tasted a whole lot but I’ll sip a Knob Creek or Woodford Reserve all day!

[@alucard3600]

I have a bottle of Knob creek small batch rye in my collection just for that purpose.

[@charlestoncooper5265]

woodford is great if you want something that would be similar to to these but still kinda near woodford i’d go with their wheated whiskey or makers 46

[@TraceyAllen]

Taste is so subjective. Then there is a psychological effect knowing that it so expensive. Personally I’m more of a scotch guy, but I do like a Makers mark every once in a while.

[@Urotsukidoji1]

Merideth sneaking the drink is everything :)

[@sull6976]

Incredible editing! So funny that you noticed 4 was special right away. Might have to try some of this Larceny stuff now...

[@mad_coja]

That edit work is on point. Small details but it worked well with what you were doing. Good video!

[@calebee4205]

Larceny is my favorite bourbon and it’s incredibly budget friendly

[@EdibleRockingChair]

I hope anyone reading this is having a wonderful day, especially Greg

[@joeb4294]

wait... are you a rocking chair made of milk chocolate?

[@EdibleRockingChair]

@@joeb4294 Yes lol, you can find the actual cake topper on treasured birthdays for like two bucks

[@markluongo2854]

These are awesome videos!! Love to watch the process and how the order comes out. I find so many bottles a re more expensive then they should be when compared blind. Keep them coming!!! So many whisk(e)y to sort!!

[@jeckart3d]

@howtodrink, you didn’t fail. One of the reasons I started watching you years ago is because of what you’d say in your into. Something like “if at the end of the day the drink you like is in the glass, that’s all that matters.” And with bourbon, like all spirits, there are different strokes for different folks. I love Pappy 15-I once drank so much of the bottle at a local restaurant over the course of a few visits that the owner gave me the dead soldier after I finally ordered the last pour, but my favorite? It’s not even made anymore; Jefferson’s Groth Reserve. I bought up the few bottles I’ve been able to find and THAT is my “Pappy” I only drink it on special occasions because I know I will never be able to get it again.

[@Zylophila]

I would love to see you taste test rum! I didn't like rum until my husband bought several different rums, not stocked in your bar, and some are so smooth and easy on the tongue! It would get fun to see you taste rum from different Caribbean Island rums.

[@beachesandcream27]

Seconded! I’d love to learn more about rums made to drink straight

[@msrlapin99]

Rum is way, WAY more diverse than bourbon. There's no way on Earth you could mistake a Jamaican rum for a Barbados rum.

[@misterdoodle3447]

One of the more privileged moments of my life was drinking pappy 21 when I was only 20. It was doubtlessly the best whiskey I had ever tasted. Worth the 300 it cost at the time, but I couldn't call any whiskey worth 3000.

[@thomasmichael6509]

You mean Pappy 23?

[@misterdoodle3447]

@@thomasmichael6509 Given that 21 apparently doesn't exist, probably lol. The memory is old and clouded by whiskey.

[@LiveFreeOrDieDH]

I'm not a whiskey drinker. Tried many over the years. Scotch. Bourbon. Single malts. Blends. Old, young, whatever. Never really enjoyed any of them. Except one. Pappy 20. A friend of mine was working as as liquor dept manager at a grocery store, and they got a shipment of Pappy. They were selling at MSRP. He set one bottle aside for another friend of ours, who bought it, and loved it, and gave us each a taste. Outstanding. I don't know what that says about me, or about Pappy, or about whiskey. Maybe nothing, who knows? 🙃

[@TyPTew]

These are def my favorite versions of your episodes by far. Its very scientific and fun! But I think maybe your sample size is either too big, OR, you need to find a way to keep your palate clean/prevent you from getting heavily buzzed lol. I love everything about your channel, and cant wait for the next one!

[@djGLCKR]

This episode is the prime example that, subjectively speaking, "all whiskey is good whiskey".

[@CorvinTheSwasian]

"If the drink you like is in the glass, you did it right"

[@reudevad]

There’s really not a stinker in the bunch. I’d be pretty happy with any of them

[@nickschuman4652]

I heard it said “the best whisk(e)y is the whisk(e)y that you like to drink and how you like to drink it”

[@benlittlechilds1192]

I do this every time I'm in the liquor store ready to spend $80 on a bottle, then I see the $30 Buffalo Trace...always go back to my old faithful.

[@bendemolina]

Hard same. It's just such a perfect bourbon, it's hard to beat.

[@wesleyhargis5115]

I haven't found a bourbon like I like better. Even the ancient age isn't bad. And the eagle rare 12 is a dream, especially for its price

[@LeatherDaddy97]

Dont like buffalo trace much, but that stuff is incredibly hard to find here anyway

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@bendemolina i think its extremely average and boring but everybody is different. Theres whiskey in its price range that i like more.

[@benlittlechilds1192]

@@LeatherDaddy97 Please elaborate. I've never heard anyone say BT was boring lol. I find Woodford, Makers and Bulliet over-rated myself. I like Elijah and Turkey 101 in the same price bracket.

[@879PC]

Man... The amount of impatience I had waiting for another dose of Greg this week... And it's this? Amazing! Especially considering I've just made the decision to taste just about every bottling of my favourite Scotch

[@jm71681]

Having sipped Pappy, I'm so glad to see the outcome of this video because it didn't amaze me by a long ways. I would have Weller 12 over Pappy ANY day of the week. Can't find Weller 12 either, but for the money, and difficulty of the hunt? No contest.

[@wellsb973]

There is a lot of absolutely great bourbons that are not expensive. However, a lot of great bourbons have been made expensive and rare (McKenna, Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond, Eagle Rare) and some okay bourbons have been made elusive and expensive (Blanton’s).

[@sandwhich1050]

All this shows is that for the average person, price may not be an indicator of what they're going to like. Someone with a more refined palate may find subtleties that they like in a more expensive product but at the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if some of these experts, if they aren't being snobbish, are just as fond of less expensive spirits as they are of more expensive ones. Plus, unless you've got the money to be drinking these expensive spirits on a relatively regular basis, you're going to want to save them for special occasions.

[@AMScott-nr8sf]

This made me soo happy, my favorite's laid out right there!

[@greghaylett9269]

Love the selection you put together!

[@bw5260]

No hate should be given to you for this, Greg. This is why I'm at the point now where I exclusively use bourbon for mixing, not for sipping neat. When I want a sipping whisk(e)y, I go with the more exciting, complex and imaginative whisky: Scotch. Obviously bourbon's relatively narrow spectrum of differences in taste is by design though, as it's probably the whiskey with the mash, distillation and aging processes that is most constrained by law. As someone who has tried every bourbon in this video, I've become rather disenchanted with bourbon. My own conclusion is that they are all just a bit too sweet (thanks, corn) and not meaningfully unique whiskeys to be sipped neat. And I am firmly in the camp that none of the expensive (read: scarce) bourbons are worth the money.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

Im of the opposite opinion. I think you typically get so much more for your money with bourbon, and while scotch is more diverse in flavor (for the time being) those flavors tend to be far less rich or enjoyable. Elijah craig barrel proof is everywhere for 60 bucks and its 12 yrs, unfiltered and cask strength.

[@stux101ksb4]

When you start getting over the 12 year mark with bourbon you start losing some of the nice sweet, dessert, fruit notes and begin getting a forefront of leather, tobacco and oak. IMO 6-12 years in the ideal aging period of bourbon. 15+ and you stop adding flavor and just start losing bourbon.

[@kzoohardyboy]

I agreed. 10 years seems to be the "perfect" amount of aging for my palate. I acutally prefer the Old Rip Van Winkle to the Pappy 15 year.

[@thequeensthief5593]

Thank you! This is helpful, I have been collecting whiskey for a while now and I am glad I haven't pulled the trigger. Not a huge Larceny fan, but found this super helpful. I would love your notes on Old Forester Birthday bourbon.

[@critusodem9908]

I am going to test out Larceny because of your choices and presentation. Danke for your efforts and those behind the scenes. So far, all of your content has been worth experiencing from a laypersons perspective ;)

[@GeneralEcstasy]

I wasn't expecting this. Hopefully we get a "is Blanton's worth it!?" Because it's so damn hard to find. ☠

[@howtodrink]

That dollar bar is a helluva lot lower on Blantons, last time I bought it was barely over 100$ so, yeah it's fine.

[@georgepickle2871]

@@howtodrink unless you live somewhere other than Kentucky/Tennessee. Otherwise the price is "Good F'n luck finding a bottle for sale"

[@westwrd82]

@@howtodrink i got blantons in LA for $13 a pour at a chain restaurant

[@georgepickle2871]

@@westwrd82 $18 a pour at a Japanese steak/sushi house in NE Houston for me.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@howtodrink blantons is 60 msrp and 60 is the most its worth.

[@reudevad]

The Wellers are getting ridiculously expensive at this point for what they are. You can get a great bottle of bourbon for $40-50, and larceny is a steal at its price point ($25ish here in south jersey)

[@schlammie446]

This is why some control states are blessings sometimes. The green bottle of Weller is only $25 bucks here. It's still tough to find, though. I've been lucky more than anything. I also would not pay $100 like the HTD team did for it.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

Yeah get a rare breed instead

[@georgepickle2871]

Agreed, I can get a 1.75L bottle of Weller for about $50-$60, and get more than my money's worth out of it.

[@ryans4230]

Hey Greg, been watching a long time and love these taste test videos. I was wondering if you post your tasting notes anywhere? I'm sure a lot gets cut out for the video but I'd like to look at what notes you have for each of these whiskeys and other liquors you test.

[@the3rdid485]

I love this so much. THIS is how tastes tests should be done. Plus it makes me feel so much better about myself lol

[@rogercameron6912]

Dalmore 18 was previously my splurge liquor, now it's Glenmorangie Signet. Don't feel *any* guilt, Greg -- tastebuds vary from person to person (as you can tell from tasting notes) and "prestige" mark-up is a known practice.

[@thor498]

Try a springbank. If you like this you will love springbank

[@greatcanadianbacon]

The only super rare bourbon that I can say lived up to the hype was the William LaRue Weller. That stuff was amazing

[@bupegasus]

GTS for me, though I did think WLW was pretty great. GTS was the one that blew my mind

[@orthotechford4630]

I think your own personal taste makes you prone to pick the one you like! Especially since your memory has a strong relation to fragrance! Great episode!

[@jeffherald8542]

I also like Larceny. This episode was well edited, and I appreciate the on-screen cues as to which one you were talking about at any given moment.

[@nathanr5825]

There is a reason Greg had such a hard time. There is only so much flavor difference you can get out of corn, wheat, rye and barley sitting in a charred oak barrel for 10+ years. They are basically all the same for regular folk.

[@steveniemyer9288]

First, He destroyed his palate tasting 10 bourbons, that is why he had such a hard time. Second, you are obviously not a bourbon guy😉

[@Shane-un8pe]

this is wayyyyy too many for a blind tasting.

[@bupegasus]

@@steveniemyer9288 my thoughts exactly lol, both points

[@thor498]

No they are not Whiskey can vary enormously but you can't really tell the cost

[@majorzipf8947]

This was really interesting. So many things that are marketed at top price as the best of the best, just aren’t. Thanks for being willing to take the heat for an honest review.

[@Zatticzattic]

I really appreciate your take on this. Most people aren't professional whiskey/burbon tasters and don't even know the right way to spell burbon let alone what things to look for to make it expensive. Not only did i learn your honest first impession of an expensive whiskey, i also learned that I should maybe check out Larseny (the brand not the criminal act). Good on ya

[@jonathanperrotto]

The sheer joy of successful creation is one of the big draws to this show. This was so much fun to watch.

[@dtorrey867]

Greg over here putting into words why I've never been able to get into Scotch. It's that candy banana flavor, just not for me. Thanks for putting in the work!

[@glfrjack]

The takeaway for me: I'll keep doing what I'm doing and not fall for labelling and hype. The first time I tried Pappy, I wasn't blown away by it. Sure its good, but at $3k a bottle? Nah. Tons more enjoyment can be had with that kind of money.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

Technically its like 150-300 a bottle

[@glfrjack]

​@@LeatherDaddy97 Technically, it's free. It's only people who put a price on things. But in this case, the price is $3,000.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@glfrjack its not technically free. The msrp and store price is 150-300. A $20 microwave doesnt change to an $800 microwave because somebody sold it for that online, when its still 20 in stores. Thats not how any of this works. Blantons is $60. Weller green label is $25 not $100.

[@glfrjack]

@@LeatherDaddy97 whatever you say dude. He payed $3.000 for the bottle because that was the market price for it. If you can show me that I can buy a bottle of it TODAY for 150-300 at a retail vendor, then I'll take down my comment. Otherwise, you're just being argumentative and missing the point of my comment.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@glfrjack whether or not you can get it today doesnt change my point. Its still 150-300. Im not being argumentative, im stating a fact. The market price is 150-300. The SECONDARY market price is 3000. Very different things.

[@Jasurplus1776]

Greg, I love watching your How to drink series on KZbin! Excellent content with very helpful & informative tutorials. I am hooked! My question is regarding Orgeat, do I really need this or what can I use as a close substitute if any? And where can I get a good ginger syrup recipe? Thanks again sir. Keep the episodes coming man! Oh, and when doing a blond bourbon /whiskey tasting, Maybe not going over 5 at once and MAYBE even just 4 at a time.

[@kevinsmith7024]

I love Larceny. I'm glad it ranks so high with you, too. Makes me feel good about buying "cheap" whiskey.

[@vortex_master]

Short Answer: Yes. Long Answer: It is the best bourbon i have personally ever tasted, and one of the first thanks to my grandfather. It is a blessing and a curse to have such a benchmark by which to compare all others. However, I would never pay for it outside of Kentucky. The further away you get, the more ludicrous the price. Also I'd stick to the 15 year.

[@boarderking133]

Sounds pretty biased then

[@WhispyWoods.]

Have you ever done a blind tasting? Just sipped it without associating the label or your financial investment?

[@vortex_master]

@@WhispyWoods. Didn't even know it was meant to be high end shit when I first tasted it. I wasn't told.

[@fabe61]

This doesn't show that Greg lacks a 'sophisticated' pallete. It shows that taste is subjective. Who would've guessed?

[@Tacotruck007]

I love you. The fact that Larceny is my favorite whiskey made me jump out of my seat!! I will have to give Weller 107 a try tho!

[@dachandewuffsteiger]

I also love Larceny it's a good all around bourbon. My all time fav though has to be Blanton's but it's near impossible to find in town. A couple liquor stores get it but jack the price up to 180$ a bottle which is absurd. Long story short, never dismiss a 25$ whiskey, some of them are fantastic. Like Buffalo Trace, always a delight.

[@SilencedForgotten]

OLD FITZ "POOR MANS PAPPY" TAKE IT BACK!

[@vakuzar]

It's funny cuz his strongest reaction was without a doubt the pappy!

[@howtodrink]

That’s true! But also at the end of the day… idunno

[@vakuzar]

@@howtodrink haha I think people just really like vanilla XD

[@JadeRaven13]

You already sold me this mattress brand. I absolutely love it! I didn't realize how much easier sleep could be! *chef's kiss*

[@RonaldOlszewski]

Major props to you for not cheating and for giving your honest opinion, much respect. There's a reason I watch your videos despite having celiac disease and not being able to drink most of this stuff, you give honest reviews and are interesting and funny. Respect!

[@MrFurious176]

That's funny. I actually hated my bottle of Larceny and poured it down the drain.

[@djcsdy2]

This video just confirms what every sane person already knows, which is that moderately expensive things are better than cheap things, but VERY expensive things are worse than cheap things. It's not you Greg. It's rich people who are wrong.

[@bobbiemcalister5693]

I've enjoyed watching your segment! Very entertaining! The only thought that comes to my mind is that when you selected the MM 46 it certainly took me in another direction; as you also recognized during your test. Of all of the makers Mark lines, the 101 seems to be the closest to Pappy Van Winkle (the one I tasted) in my blind experience. Actually, I preferred the MM 101 over PVW (Don't shoot me). Larceny seemed to catch my attention too! One final thought: AMADOR blended sets in this group and I can spend the money I save on my wife, lol! Thanks again!

[@shelbycartwright]

I love these types of tests and the drink matrix episodes. I'm not sure if it has been suggested before, but a mai tai matrix with different rums would be really interesting

[@loganclemons4961]

Even though he came back around and said his favorite was the larceny, his initial gut reaction by far was the strongest and most positive with his first sip of the pappy! Trust your palate Greg!!!

[@CouchCommander5000]

Anything over $100 is just stupidity to drink if you don't have $10 million in the bank. So many good whiskeys even under $100. And who's kidding who, after two does it really matter.

[@howtodrink]

I think you'll enjoy the outcome on this one. And I agree.

[@CouchCommander5000]

@@howtodrink ok. I wasn't going to but now I feel like I kind of have to haha.

[@danmoline9073]

I was able to try a pour of Pappy 15 once, and my number one tasting note was "vanilla". I'm glad this video showed what going in blind was like, but Pappy does have a fairly distinct taste even though it's massively overpriced on secondary for what you're actually getting.

[@Binks191]

Only having recently gotten into whiskey, can 100% confirm expectation vs reality. And I think this is just a great way of showing, that just because something is expensive/old, doesn't mean that its gonna be the best thing you've ever tried. But now let's see Greg try some Islay's!

[@reviewsbyyou7231]

Makers is a favorite after dumbly doing shots in college it became my favorite end of a long day bourbon as I matured. Much love Greg 😎

[@codytucker13]

Lol why am I nervous for you during this!? This is so enjoyable!

[@earle0024]

I pulled larceny off the shelf on a whim and freaking loved it, great whiskey, and amazing for the price