5 Whiskeys Worth Overpaying For

[@Pinquotriot]

Waiting room for the many “I’m never paying for more than msrp!” Comments and the follow up of “back in my day we paid 50 dollars for pappy 23 on the shelf”! With that I agree on Stagg Jr, I have bought old Carter and four gates which I feel stagg jr competes with or beats, so I have dipped into the 150-200 range for stagg jr

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

It was definitely a different time. I totally get never paying over MSRP, but these days even MSRP is high.

[@RodneyHenderson357]

Prices are outta control. Have really been seeking great tasting juice under $100.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Agreed, there’s tons of whiskey under $100 out there that’s great tasting. $100 seems to be my point of diminishing return.

[@fileep131]

I paid 140 for my first Stagg, but I found a Baker's 13 for $130. Both bottles are great but if I find another is going to be 25% more than msrp at best.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Definitely not a bad price for Stagg, but I get not wanting to pay 2x MSRP again

[@jonathansantana6239]

Id overpay for Jack special releases, ECBPs, Stagg, and a bottle that may not be available in my area.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Those are all great choices. The JD releases can be hit or miss for me, but I’ve enjoyed them at MSRP.

[@adamboothby1725]

It's crazy..... all of the 14 series Octomores showed up in our area this year. Decent prices and they are still sitting on local on shelfs.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Just curious, what area are you in? 😂😂

[@adamboothby1725]

@@GentlemenandWhiskey North GA, Chattanooga, TN area.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

No way, I have family in that area. I’ll have to have them look for it. Thanks for the info!

[@ronvetovichjr.8073]

PA had it on their website (FWGS) recently. I picked up the 14.1 from there

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

@@ronvetovichjr.8073 WHAT

[@TJWranglerGuy]

Yeah Parker's MSRP is a little steep but a portion of the proceeds does go to the ALS Association. The last two Parker's releases have been 🔥

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

That’s fair, I forgot about that. Definitely not arguing they’re not good.

[@mrfuriouser]

Could you please clarify what you said about the two Parker's Heritage not having high age statements? The heavy char 11 year wheat is high, no? What is high, to you? More than 15?

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

It was more of a comparison to other products, and saying the age statements aren’t that high compared to the price. The wheat whiskey is a little bit more vague, because there’s not really a direct similarly age stated competitor. But in comparison to the Bernheim which is 7-9 year old wheat whiskey for $65, and Jouneyman’s Corset’s Whips and Whiskey for $70ish with a similar profile the price point feels high. The Rye is in direct comparison with Belle of Bedford Extra Aged at $110ish. They just feel high for the age statements not being particularly high. There definitely are 15-18 year old products out there that I would consider “ultra aged”.

[@CM-pc4xu]

Ive overpaid for 4 roses LE, Russels Rickhouse and yes even the EC C923 BP because they dont get to my area often. I have lots of good whiskey i drink often and some that are for special occasions. Ill pay what it takes to get the bottles i want

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

I think there’s a lot of people on both sides of of the spectrum. I’m actually surprised that ECBP C923 hasn’t gotten higher than it is. I think it’s right up there taste wise with Stagg, but it’s sitting around $100 on secondary in my area.

[@jaya2137]

I don’t think whiskey and bourbon prices are trending in the right direction at all for the average enthusiast ,we’re getting priced right out of these bottles from retail to secondary, feels like everything except the cheapest sub $30 stuff is getting more and more expensive and I live in a control state .allocation is a joke here ( Virginia) plus I’m seeing a growing trend with people just sitting on bottles , not drinking them, not selling either , just to show off I guess , it’s all became very weird and nonsensical ….i quit seriously hunting a while ago and just don’t worry about it to much and as things get more and more ridiculous I just buy a little less and enjoy what I have a little more ….spend your money however you want I’m not your wife or your banker , just know you are very much part of the problem if your buy over the MSRP

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

From a strictly MSRP perspective you’re correct: prices have only gone up. From a secondary perspective bottles are as cheap as they’ve been since 2019 when I got into bourbon. From what I’ve seen people have been collecting bottles since well before I got one the scene. As for buying over the MSRP being part of the problem, for secondary, I agree with you. But in the case of soaring MSRP’s everyone is part of the problem. Companies like Whistle Pig, Wild Turkey, Kentucky Owl, and many more are continually raising prices and or releasing ultra premium products at absurd prices. That is going to continue whether or not people buy bottles on secondary. Bourbon is now what scotch was in the 80s and 90s: rising prices because people will pay them. Scotch really hasn’t come down since then. That’s my basis for the current whiskey boom.

[@C_GOODIES]

I'm one of those msrp guys but I will go like $10 or $20 over msrp for some things. My new thing is just buying the great bottles that are always on shelves and letting everyone else hunt. I was getting too obsessive about checking stores once a week that I finally said enough is enough and stopped.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

I totally get that, and I respect you stepping back from the hunt. I will be the first to admit that I have massive FOMO, but I’m also definitely about setting boundaries of what something is worth to me. I’m taking the pokemon approach to whiskey: Gotta Try ‘Em All.

[@smikebacts]

​@@GentlemenandWhiskeywe have bottles of octo in Richmond VA. All at MSRP.

[@bourbonbill]

Good list I wouldn’t pay as much as you for Stagg jr but I always do enjoy it. For me it’s Hardins creek high ages, RR13 and JD special releases

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Russell’s 13 is pricing itself out of my range. MSRP is borderline what I’d pay for any of the batches after 3. Also this years JD release wasn’t even as good as the off the shelf rye to me.

[@louiejones4092]

I'm not a whiskey collector. I just like to drink it, so with that said, I don't think I've overpaid for anything whiskey, be it scotch ,bourbon, etc, etc. Now I, with that said, I do love old forster and have had almost all the whiskey roe series bottles because they are always available but would love to get my hands on a birthday bourbon but I just can not justify paying secondary price I can't do it so most likely I'll never get my hands on one and I'm OK with that but not OK with that lol.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Secondary on Old Forester Birthday bourbon is bonkers. I completely get the “okay with it but not okay with it”. Tons of FOMO. I hope you one day find one at a reasonable rate.

[@rgafni84]

My biggest pet peeve is the wait we give to MSRP . MSRP is generally pretty arbitrary. I know people who would crawl over hot coals to pay $250 for an inflated MSRP bottle from somw craft distillery or Wild Turkey but would cringe at the idea of spending $85 on Elijah Craig C923 because it's over msrp. I don't think it's a good starting point and it leads to distortions. It also ends up just incentivizing companies to increase the MSRP

[@rgafni84]

On the Elijah Craig note, you can also see this with the fact that people are spending $125 gladly (they view it as a bargain) to get a 10-year-old Forester at 100 proof and angry at Heaven Hill for pricing a 10-year 9 month 119 proof ECBP at $75. It's Topsy turvy. Never mind the 2 year aged Texas whiskeys going for more lol

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

I get what you’re saying, MSRP is kind of an uncivilized wasteland. But I’m viewing it as the lowest a whiskey is valued at by their company. MSRP on how the company values their product, whether or not it sells at that price. I have issue with this a lot when it comes to craft whiskey where it’s often low age statements (like you mentioned Garrison Bros) and high prices. ECBP is a weird one, and I think a lot of people (myself included) are out on their batch quality. The C923 was absolutely worth $100+ dollars, but I don’t think A123 or B523 were anywhere close. OF1924 MSRP of 115 is also nuts. That’s why I’m saying MSRP is also sometimes overpaying.

[@rgafni84]

@GentlemenandWhiskey just have to say, I found your channel recently and I think you're awesome. Recommending you to everyone. I take issue with something you said. You said that MSRP is connected to the companies value they place on their whiskey. As a business owner that has to set prices, I can tell you that it's not as connected as you think. I don't believe that Buffalo Trace thinks George T Stagg is worth a quarter of the value wild turkey sees in single Rickhouse and they both have huge scale unlike craft distilleries. There are so many variables that go into pricing for a business. In any case, you have a nuanced view so my frustration is definitely not with bourbon guys like you. But I think there are a lot of people who view it in a way that ends up really distorting the market.

[@rgafni84]

One last thing, this is a totally separate issue but I have to say it. I thought ecbp A123 was really really good. A little drying and tannic on the end but huge stone fruit and concentration of flavor on the front and mid pallet!

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Thank you for the kind words! I appreciate your inside information and for the most part I agree with you, MSRP is not as cut and dry as I make it out to be. I do understand that many factors do go into pricing, and I get that’s why craft is more expensive. Buffalo Trace is such a hard outlier in this case, because I think there’s enough evidence to say that they use their high end products like BTAC to push retailers to sell their lower end offerings, and at this point they barely even need to do that. Buffalo Trace is a hype machine, and has been for years. Because of that, I don’t think they’re making the margins on their high end like Wild Turkey is with theirs. And I think the same is true with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and other top end heaven hill products. I think these larger legacy distillery’s can afford to not make as much margin on a product since they do much more volume. My issue is the ones that are pushing crazy margin like Wild Turkey and Whistle Pig. There is absolutely no way the cost of Russell’s 13 production has gone up 100% over 2 years. Whistle Pig is sourcing Canadian Rye, and has been for years. That stuff is dirt cheap, and comparable products on the market reflect that. That’s my issue: companies whose MSRP is well above comparable products. I’ve definitely really enjoyed this conversation, and I appreciate your perspective. I do admit that I’m not on the inner workings of this industry, so I don’t have cold hard facts. This is simply what I see in the context around the whiskey landscape. As far as ECBP A123, there are definitely a lot of people that enjoyed it. I know a lot of people liked it, and a lot that a didn’t think it was that just okay. That’s where I’m at: it’s just okay. It was very simplistic to me and lacked depth. It’s not anywhere near as good as C923, but it’s better than 2021 and 2022’s releases.

[@customer9845]

I have close to 25 different releases of Octomore and have visited the distillery. I stopped buying it after release 11 because it started costing too much. I open a bottle every 6 months or so.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Sounds like you’ve got quite the collection. Whiskey/whisky prices have definitely skyrocketed. Out of what you have, which are your favorites?

[@customer9845]

Octomore 6.3 is my all time favorite and 4.2 is a close 2nd. I never owned 1.1 or 2.2, both are considered the best in the series but cost way too much if you can find them. I have had both the 1.1 and 2.2 at bars in Scotland but sill like 6.3 the best. I also have 5 different releases of Port Charlotte.@@GentlemenandWhiskey

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

That’s awesome! I’ll definitely give them a try if I get a chance!

[@williamkulp4190]

Great vid.I would over pay 4 the 1x a year fall release of 4 roses

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Four roses is one I haven’t really been able to get into, but i know people love it! Thanks for sharing!

[@williamharvey124]

I have never seen a Stagg Jr on the shelf, i want one, until i see one, i dont know what price i would find acceptable. In my mind, i would have a difficult time paying over 150 for anything, but my inner dialogue would be interesting if i saw one priced at 175. Ultimately, it would come down to whether i thought i could logically explain it to my wife.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

That’s probably the best point anyone has made so far😂😂

[@bradweissguy]

i just saw one for $175 and passed.

[@ajbabinsack2021]

Great video!! Love to see that you can get some good bourbons n here in pa it’s been kind of defeating since I’ve gotten into bourbon a couple months a go

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Thank you! It’s definitely not easy to get allocated anywhere, and PA is no exception. Best advice I can give is join a group like PA Bourbon Squad on Facebook, and pay attention to what happened at your local stores and when. Doesn’t really help if you have an inflexible work schedule, but you can often find goodies online.

[@ajbabinsack2021]

@@GentlemenandWhiskey thanks for the advice!! My work kind of kills me with the local drops but driving out of state I’ve been able to find some cool stuff! I’m not sure what area of pa your from but I was wondering if you had any good experience with areas out of state to check out?

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

We’re from the Lancaster area. Saubel’s in Maryland is one we frequent, also Bourbon Street in New Jersey. What part of the state are you in, we can throw some recommendations your way.

[@deanarmstrong8185]

Deep! Subscribed!

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Appreciate it!

[@brandonb6327]

Good video! I like your honest approach to this crazy whiskey game. I too am willing to overpay(within reason) for some highly sought after bottles. I just paid $200 for EHT BP batch 12 and I I have no regrets. haha Subbed!

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Thanks for the kind words and the sub! 200 for EHTBP is definitely not bad!

[@SR-Jensen]

2 hours of work is how much i would pay for a whiskey

[@jonathansantana6239]

?? Are you a lawyer or a janitor? Two hours of work could potentially get you a unicorn or a bottom shelf bottle.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Everyone’s got their rules on it, I’ve definitely paid more than two hours of work for a bottle.

[@MarcusBenz76]

Great vid! I agree that pricing in general is getting out of control, especially WT/RR. The sucky part is that WT flavor profile is my absolute favorite, so I’ve bitten the bullet on their hikes. Is SiRickhouse CN-F worth the cost….not sure, but I found it at $20 over MSRP & pulled the trigger. I DO NOT regret it what so ever….delicious. At the end of the day, you are the one that has to make the decision & try not to get divorced or homeless 😂

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Thanks for the compliment! Yeah I have a few friends who bought the Single Rickhouse and love it. I’ve tried it and I like RR13 much more. But different strokes for folks and you do definitely need to balance budget.

[@jeremywarren5748]

MSRP Guy in every comments section. Only pays MSRP and always finds unicorns for 20 bucks somehow.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

True. I… I got a unicorn for 20 buck under MSRP tho. It was due to my state choosing to sell Parker’s Rye on Black Friday when they had a 10% off deal tho so 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ThaPABproductions]

I’ll pay 300 for Evan Williams bottle in bond. I don’t give a fuck. Money means nothing to me

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

Heaven Hill thanks you for your service🫡

[@ThaPABproductions]

@@GentlemenandWhiskey😘😘😘

[@clydekimsey7503]

😮

[@pwrbomb1970]

No whiskey is worth over paying for. None.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

I appreciate the comment, and I respect your opinion even if I don’t share it.

[@pwrbomb1970]

@@GentlemenandWhiskey sure enough. Great thing about our favorite brown water is folks can disagree but be civil about it. Not the end of the world or is there a need for drama.

[@GentlemenandWhiskey]

@@pwrbomb1970 agreed, we’re adults enjoying an adult beverage. No need to be immature about it.