Is the Whisky Bubble Bursting? Bankruptcy & the New Whisky Lock!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Awesome video and great insights into the current state of things! Great watch.

[@JeffWhisky]

Jeff DeFranco dropping the hot takes on news! Be interesting to see it from a NV view. Cheers

[@LayKyle]

Liked your team up with other geoff. When are you and this Jeff getting together?

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

@@LayKyle did you watch our bottle design video we did?

[@LayKyle]

@@FirstPhilWhisky I did and waiting for part 2. Love your stuff x

[@elduderino3120]

The bigger crime with Diageo was that they cut-corners on production years back and destroyed the quality of their brands. The recent price hikes is the final nail, but I’d already stopped buying their juice.

[@JeffWhisky]

Feel like Diageo are the reason why nearly all whisky is described as "older releases are better". Set a standard across the board due to how wide spanning they are. I am lucky that I haven't tried the older stock so can live in ignorant bliss. Cheers for watching!

[@heatherharrison264]

I've had the same observation. Prices have become way too high for their overprocessed, mediocre products. There is potential for quality at their distilleries, but it is best to seek out independent bottlings. I was disappointed when Diageo bought Balcones. I fear that it is only a matter of time before the quality goes down. At present, there are still a lot of pre-Diageo bottles on shelves, and I have found excellent cask strength single barrel store picks of their single malt and their rum, but given Diageo's track record, such offerings are likely to dry up in the near future.

[@kirbyculp3449]

​@@heatherharrison264 Buy the old Balcones while available!

[@frankiehawkins3877]

Hi Jeff I just went into my favorite scotch store because they had springbank for sale, and they never have any springbank at all, I bought 2 bottles of 12year old cask strength, and 2 bottles of springbank 15 old, it's all I could afford, but as you know springbank is as rare as hens teeth, I asked my friend about the how much the store had in stock, and he told me 3 case's of each, I would have bought them all, but that would be unfair for the other customers, so I left a happy man, and look forward to having some nice whisky, what do think, is the bubble bursting on springbank or did I just get lucky, I can only speak for me, I love it if it is bursting, cheers !!!

[@Soldano999]

Same here the price isn't so much a problem but poor quality whisky is unforgivable. I've had some really mediocre Lagavulin and Talisker and i actively stay away from these brands now. For Some Reason Caol Ila seems to be pretty stable though both in price and quality.

[@WhiskyLock]

I am proud to be immortalised in your slapping endeavours😂 Crazy and sad news about Mackmyra. I thought a lot of their early releases were a bit forced but over the last couple of years they were really getting into their stride and making big improvements. I intended to buy a bottle soon but like you, and many others, didn't get around to it. I don't think they'll be the last bankruptcy by a long shot. Keeping my fingers crossed for the little guys producing the quality stuff.

[@JeffWhisky]

It would have been rude not to include you buddy! Once you do a bottle slap, I own your soul! Any other distilleries that are on your radar to be next? I can imagine the small Dartmoor distillery to be struggling soon. Cheers

[@welshtoro3256]

You whisky slap tart. Take a peak at my observation (semi-rant) comment.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Fantastic insights and great chat. Kanpai!

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks Mac. Kanpai!

[@whiskywhereabouts]

Great look at the big picture here, Jeff! Well done.

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks buddy, means alot! Cheers

[@SimonneNZ]

Some good insights Jeff! I think demand will slow down as prices increase, especially if quality is also reducing, which will probably result in some distillery closures. Cheers!

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks Simonne, when editing it I do wish I put more thoughts down instead of an off the cuff ramble but still think it works as a think piece. Will it all be a case of Buy Less but Buy Better? Cheers!

[@welshtoro3256]

The writing's on the wall.

[@SimonneNZ]

@@JeffWhisky In my case probably a bit of both, buying fewer bottles but will be looking for good value. Also, maybe buying more of other spirits like rum. Cheers!

[@machdon]

What a turn around Jeff. It was only announced a few hours ago! More Whisky News and hot takes please!

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks! Think it is the first time I have turned something around in just one evening! It is a little less polished than the others but was great fun to do. Cheers

[@NoteworthyWhisky]

Great take on the current situation. Cheers, Jeff!

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks for watching! All we can do now is watch... and drink along. Cheers!

[@peathead4450]

Great video Mr. Slapper. Entertaining and informative as usual. Thanks for sharing. Slàinte mhath

[@JeffWhisky]

Cheers for watching Peathead, glad you found it up to par! The streak continues! Slàinte mhath

[@murgh]

Watched for a second time. It's a nice summary of the outsider's perspective on the scene. So many important clues and factors are hidden behind the curtain, but the feeling isn't too gloomy on behalf of those actors who provide reasonably priced, decent quality while managing to find their audience. Much like yourself, SIr.

[@JeffWhisky]

Cheers for the kind words Tobias and that extra view. The KZbin algorithm salutes you! Yeah, not all doom and gloom and tried to be positive at the end, the gold will always it to the top.

[@petevj]

There are many factors behind the price of a bottle of whisky, not least the fact that for every £1 the price goes up only 25p goes into the supply chain, the rest is tax and duty. The cost of all inputs have risen massively in the last 5 years. Poor yields of lower quality highly friable barley in northern England due to the weather over the last few years, cask prices tripling, energy costs, wage inflation and so on and so on. The smaller distilleries produce unique batches of products and have to rely on enthusiasts, the same enthusiasts who value that inconsistency but only buy the releases they like. It won't be Lagavulin, Talisker, Oban or Macallan that go the wall because a few thousand enthusiasts boycott them, it will be the small craft distilleries who produce £65 5yo whiskies that enthusiasts rave over but don't keep buying because they have moved on to the next thing.

[@welshtoro3256]

Yep, exactly. Have a look at my lengthy observation/rant.

[@danielvestergard219]

Nice video with good insight into whisky as a industry. I didn't knew about the price jumps on the the different brands, thats really wild.

[@welshtoro3256]

The main issue of whisky as an industry is that the real money is made from blends. Single malt whisky is tiny in comparison. We are that market but we exaggerate ourselves.

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks for watching Daniel and glad you enjoyed it. Sadly there has been some more wild price jumps announced too which is gutting. Hope you are having a brilliant whisky journey!

[@robertbrotherton2118]

Great show. Plenty of food for thought. Like to think some distillerys are becoming more aware that producing whisky for the online enthusiasts can not just be lucrative but a way to get their bottlings/ distillery talked about

[@JeffWhisky]

I agree and surprised more brands haven't tried to connect more with the enthusiasts. Look how well it has done with Ardnamurchan, Loch Lomond and Glasgow 1770. I think it will take a lot for the old dogs to learn new marketing tricks. Cheers

[@PrestigeLiquidsWW]

Excellent video mate. I really enjoyed this one

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks buddy, really grateful for the support. Slap on!

[@olivierbeltrami]

The telltale sign is that most recent Ardbeg special releases are available on all whisky online shops (they used to sellout on day 1)

[@welshtoro3256]

There's tons of unsold Ardbeg Day stuff on sale all over the place. Total rip-off.

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks Olivier, yeah it is a huge sign. With the Ardbeg 17 launch now getting a big backlash, I hope they do reflect quickly on the marketing road they are going down. Cheers!

[@welshtoro3256]

Great video prompting a old fashioned WT rant. We've yet to see how it all plays out but the writing has been on the wall for some years. First of all, there's just too much whisky out there. Dozens and dozens of new distilleries and independent bottlers have hit the scene in the past few years. We're spoiled for choice but that also dilutes levels of brand loyalty. That's not such a problem for the giant, corporate, whisky owners who make most of their money selling cheap blends all over the world but if you're one of those new kids on the block you're going to need deep pockets and very optimistic investors in the coming years. Far more whisky and so we have a cask crisis as there's clearly not enough good casks to go around. Stuff like wine casks, which were ridiculed ten years ago, are now a regular feature. The quality of sherry casks has crashed but what's left still costs a lot of money. Worst of all is the healthy allocation of decent bourbon casks which is why we see more and more whisky with virgin oak, re-charred and all the rest of it. The big whisky guns decided, in all their wisdom, to flog off all their old stock to the highest bidder during the whisky boom and now don't have enough to top-dress anything which is why the quality has gone down and the price has gone up. We hardly mention Macallan, Balvenie, Glendronach, Bowmore on channels like this any more. (There's a special place in hell for Dalmore.) Great distilleries which have plummeted in quality. I might as well mention Diageo because everything they sell has got worse and costs twice as much too. They don't care because they make a fortune with the blends. Unfortunately, that means that some old favourites, warts and all, are left off my shopping list and that includes Lagavulin, Talisker, Oban, Clynelish. They all cost too much for what's in the bottle and that is something that is common for 95% of malt whisky on the market today. Loads of new independents out there but it's either very expensive good stuff or overpriced gruel from unpopular distilleries with young age statements and rubbish casks. We used to get great value from the independents but not any more unless you're lucky. New distilleries that jumped on the bandwagon during the boom years face a completely different projection today compared to when they started their businesses. Covid was a disaster but we were headed for a global slump even without it. The cost of living has soared. Even nutters like us, who spend insane amounts of money on whisky, can't keep up. These companies are pricing themselves out of the market. I've said it for years: We have a legitimate right to complain about the price of overpriced whisky (and stop buying it) unless a distillery can give us a good reason why we should pay £50, or more, for average whisky. I want a reason why a NAS costs more than that or why I should pay more than £75 for 12 year whisky; £100 for 18, etc. Lagavulin 12 ticks all the right boxes for corporate rip-off. There's way too much whisky out there. The quality on offer has diminished in general. The prices have gone up. Anybody see a problem? I'm spending way less but I have been fortunate to be drinking whisky as long as Ralfy and have a healthy stash. Where are the future enthusiasts going to come from when they are asked to pay £50 (and the prices creeping up) for a 10 year old whisky on tight budgets. Honestly, far too many companies thought we would have bucket loads of disposable income and that was a disastrous miscalculation. The other miscalculation was imagining we would continue to spend large amounts of money on mediocre product. I'm done with it. Mackmyra have gone and I don't think they'll be the last. WT

[@WhiskyMystery]

Great rant Welsh. We are only drinking the stash. No need to buy anything new.

[@RebMordechaiReviews]

Welsh, Lagavulin 12 is a great example. Just look at all the online UK stores who still have almost every vintage in stock. Not surprising when they are selling them for between £120 and £300. Pre Covid prices were £80. Auction prices are more reflective of reality with bottles going for £100. Here in Israel, prices for both Vintages 2022 and 2023 vary wildly from 600 Shekels (£123) to 735 Shekels (£150). However, just 6 months ago (I kid you not), you could still pick up a bottle of Vintage 2015 or 2016 for 400 Shekels (£80). Sadly, all those bottles are gone and we are left with the 2022 and 2023 at prices guaranteed to ensure that bottles gather dust on the shelf. No ones buying them at those prices. I love Lagavulin liquid and thank G-d, you can buy the 8 Year Old for about 255 Shekels (£52), which gives you an almost identical tasting experience to the 12 Year Old.

[@JeffWhisky]

A solid rant Welsh, grateful to have your input. With brand loyalty, do you feel that is strong now as it once was? I know so many people my age are so disillusioned by many areas of consumption where it really only comes down to, what is the cheapest or can give the best value over staying with one brand. Fingers crossed the new kids who deserve to weather the storm have the backing they need. Cheers!

[@JeffWhisky]

@@WhiskyMystery and what a wonderful stash it is! I am trying to be the same where possible.

[@JeffWhisky]

@@RebMordechaiReviews Lagavulin as a whole is just a finical minefield with their pricing structure. Glad to hear the 8 is near identical, loved the 12 I have tried but beyond my means. Cheers for your input Reb

[@paulgibbs3624]

Going to have to correct you on something Jeff. 55 English whisky distilleries now, its crazy how quickly things have happened. Last week, the West Midlands Distillery bottled their first whisky, a first for our region. Just five minutes from me so I'll be popping in from time to time. All the best 👍

[@welshtoro3256]

I live in Birmingham but how many people are going to be drinking this stuff. Why do I want to spend quite a lot of money on something which is a long way behind Bruichladdich/Port Charlotte 10 (for example)?

[@paulgibbs3624]

@welshtoro3256 that wasn't the question Welsh. I would rather spend my money elsewhere to. But as English personnel, we must look closer to home sometimes😉

[@welshtoro3256]

@@paulgibbs3624 Thanks Paul, I understand where you're coming from. Over the years I've given Penderyn a fair share of my hard earned money. Let's face it we don't always go with what's best (whatever 'best' is) because we enjoy variety. I will support WMD 🤔if they bottle at 46%, etc, etc. My spirit is in Wales and Spain but I've spent half of my adult life in England; mostly in Handsworth Wood, Birmingham. I'm big on Brum and the Midlands. Sorry if my original reply sounded a bit grumpy. Honestly, I don't wish financial failure on anyone but there's simply far to much going on. WMD are going to have to make very good young whisky to keep me interested. I don't think anyone's been a harsher critic of Penderyn than me but that's because I want them to make great whisky, not just stuff they can shift in Cadw visitor centres because they put a dragon on the bottle. I actually think Penderyn have run their business extremely well and they always have Wales to fall back on and not only that. They opened their distillery a long time before the the Whisky Rush and have had time to become established. They sell in supermarkets and pubs. This rush of new distilleries are in such a crowded space amongst themselves and the well established big guns too. New distilleries are going to find it really tough unless they hit the ground running like Ardnamurchan, Bimber, Ardnahoe, Torabhaig and the others doing the right thing. If your first whisky is less than 46% you have a big problem. Even then, we expect those whiskies to come down in price after a few years. Will they? I'll not be buying any of those whiskies if they cost £80 when they reach 10 years old. Consumers have been gouged. Opening a distillery is expensive and you can't just dump your debt on customers. Phew. Another observation - not rant. Cheers. Welsh

[@lukashavel7690]

I bought only like three scotch bottles this year. In the previous years it was around ten or so. The main reason is pricing. And declining quality is the second reason.

[@JeffWhisky]

That is an impressive cut back! In terms of costs have the three you purchased been more expensive than previous years? Cheers for getting involved Lukáš

[@lukashavel7690]

@@JeffWhisky No, not really. Basic peat drams. Talisker 10, Ardbeg 10 and Port Charlotte 10. I stopped buying non-peated scotch and I just go for cheaper Irish (like Jameson Black Barrel). It is a hot year, so I also buy Jack Daniels Rye from time to time to mix it with soda etc. I also buy cheaper peated drams like Irish Connemara or local (Czech) Gold Cock Peated.

[@Koby616]

Interesting video. I have around 50 whiskey on my shelf already, I don't know how long it will take me to drink it all 😅 but I am always lurking for those good prices for whiskey, cause else it might be quite expensive.

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks Koby. Sounds like a solid shelf, I know for me it will take me well over a couple of years for that many but I am a pretty slow drinker! Cheers

[@richardkilley6838]

Bloody hell, Summerton have only just done a deal with Mackmyra to be their UK distributor.

[@JeffWhisky]

I know, I believe it can as a shock for Dan at Summerton too. I believe they are still going to be the UK distributor over this time though. Cheers!

[@Neverr3st]

To your point of the first 3 years being hard. In a strange way, I think many new distilleries have focused too much on bridging those first few years. Yes they are hard, but everyone knows that and have put things in place to sort that out. What seems to be forgotten is that the whisky doesn't magically sell once it's out the door.

[@JeffWhisky]

That is a really good point and think some of the newer distillery will come unstuck when they still have "first releases" sitting on shelves months later. Cheers for watching.

[@haroldgrey134]

The insane pricing thanks to everyone being locked in their homes, then sent stimmy cheques to spend on booze pricing has come down thankfully! Also global recession may also have a part to play in prices deflating.

[@JeffWhisky]

Yeah lockdowns certainly made their dent in all things pricing with most staying permanently at the new expense. Fingers crossed it will work it all out and will see a return to well priced great whisky in our hands. Cheers.

[@marty_sugar]

+1 for the hour long big branding video! ⬆️🥃

[@JeffWhisky]

Be careful what you wish for...

[@marty_sugar]

@@JeffWhisky”If it doesn’t hurt, you’re not doing it right” 😁

[@Chris_Whisky]

I felt there was something odd going on at Mackmyra when they started letting go a lot of their reps (especially here in Germany) and less and less bottles were becoming available. I guess we're slowly moving to a "more supply than demand" market...

[@JeffWhisky]

Yeah, I guess that was the first sign as same here in the UK however seemed to go pretty unnoticed. Fingers crossed any bubble will be a "leveling out" of the whisky world.

[@heatherharrison264]

The new whisky loch might not be limited to Scotland. Many people have observed signs of softening in the bourbon market as well. Over the last fifteen years or so, bourbon has exploded. Bottles that used to sit on shelves at reasonable prices have disappeared from stores amid the frenzy, and secondary market prices have gone through the roof. About a year and a half ago, I saw Eagle Rare 10-year, which should sell for around US$40, at a museum store marked at $200. Eagle Rare and others like it can still be hard to find at a reasonable price, but prices at the museums and on the secondary market have begun to come down. Some bottles (i.e. Henry McKenna 10-year) have become readily available again. Just recently, I found Booker's at the grocery store, of all places, and the price was reasonable, so I bought a bottle. For a long time, the only places I ever saw Booker's were bars and museums. I'm starting to wonder now if a shake-out in craft distilleries and independent bottlers/blenders in the United States is coming. These producers have exploded in number in the last decade, and there may now be a glut. How many brands do we really need for the same MGP distillate? How many craft distilleries can the local markets support? These questions will be answered in the coming years. At least in the United States, it seems like the energy is shifting over to agave spirits. The same pattern I saw early in the bourbon boom is starting to show up with tequila. Fortaleza has become allocated and difficult to find, and I fear that other high quality brands might follow. There has been an explosion of interest in all kinds of agave spirits - not just tequila. Mezcal, raicilla, and bacanora are booming as well. Agave plants take a long time to grow, many are harvested from the wild, and supplies are limited, so this boom likely isn't sustainable. If these spirits are also becoming popular in Europe and elsewhere, we could be in for a wild ride. People can only drink so much booze. If agave spirits are the next big thing, the whisky market is bound to suffer as the taters and flippers shift over to allocated tequila, the chasers after overrated luxury brands set their Macallan aside and guzzle their additive-laden Clase Azul instead, and the casual drinkers discard Glenfiddich and Basil Hayden in favor of Casamigos. I enjoy both agave spirits and whisky, so I'll be pleased as some favorite whiskies become more readily available, but I'll get frustrated as favorite agave spirits become allocated and disappear from store shelves. Maybe I should stock up on agave spirits while I still can.

[@welshtoro3256]

Oh, man, don't get me started on bourbon. That is madness but it still has some oxygen compared to malt whisky. I have no idea what consumers in the U.S.A think they're buying when they blow their bucks on that stuff.

[@heatherharrison264]

@@welshtoro3256 The bourbon situation is ridiculous. Fortunately, there are plenty of great options outside of the allocated bottles that drive everybody nuts. I won't turn up my nose at a good allocated bottle if I can get it for a fair price and without hunting or waiting in lines, but I don't consider any of those hyped-up bottles to be essential. There is a lot of good bourbon that sits on shelves, and it is a bargain compared to malt whisky of comparable quality. In general, I find malt whisky to be a more interesting and varied category than bourbon, and I have more malt whisky in my collection than all other whisky categories combined, but sometimes my mood calls for a good bourbon. Thankfully, I don't have to participate in the crazy stuff that goes on in the world of bourbon.

[@welshtoro3256]

@@heatherharrison264 I love good bourbon and back in the day I was one of the few Brits that contributed to bourbon channels. Unfortunately we just can't buy all the good bottles available in the States.

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks for such a big deep dive on your thoughts with this Heather, really glad that this video started a conversation and sorry taken so long to get back. I kind of thought how the bubble could go in world whisky but didn't really take into account the possible Bourbon burst and think you may be right there a shake out is coming! Tequila and Mezcal really came to the forefront here in the UK a couple years back and massively dented the Gin trade so be interesting how that bleeds the bourbon market. Cheers and best of luck stockpiling your spirits before they dry up! Thanks.

[@Bonaboms]

As a swedish whisky and spirits enthusiast (who also produces gin) It is imo more a sign of how unfriendly Sweden is to small producers of alcoholic beverages 3rd highest in alcohol tax(far as i kmow) and lots of restrictions on where and how to sell

[@JeffWhisky]

That would be a real shame if it was Swedish bureaucracy that has taken down the most well know Swedish whisky brand. Fingers crossed things move forward. Cheers for watching Bonaboms!

[@Bonaboms]

@@JeffWhisky Thanks Jeff! Cheers and a bottleslap to you sir! Keep on doing great content

[@JeffWhisky]

@@Bonaboms Thanks, means a lot. Slap on!

[@welshtoro3256]

Good point and I agree. Mackmyra never really succeeded in pushing their brand outside the country either. A dram for the curious but you could always buy better stuff for the money.

[@chociskychocolateforwhisky3007]

I have friends into collecting individual bottles and are finding the gains they hoped for are turning into losses 🙁

[@leojudkins2040]

I have little (ie zero!) sympathy for people driving up the prices by buying-to-sell on the secondary market. Whisky should be for enjoying, not profiting...

[@WhooshFlyingHorse444]

Surely that depends on which bottles/brands are being collected or invested in? My little collection has at least doubled, some have tripled, a few have quadrupled and a couple have skyrocketed through the roof! Maybe more careful analysis of the product, the owner's policies, abilities of the workforce making the whisky alongside the talent of the Master Distiller should have been gone into more inorder to negate the results experienced by the person mentioned earlier.

[@WhooshFlyingHorse444]

​​​@@leojudkins2040 What twaddle! Who is anyone to say what to do with a straight up, bought for bottle of whisky? Of course people drink and really enjoy whisky, but others who see what's going on re all the price hikes might buy two bottles and put one away for another time, or buy it as a gift, or stash it away for a birthday, Christmas, New Year, etc ...get my drift? I know too there are profiteers out there who buy up cases of the good stuff, but hey, my money is just as good as their money...and there are more people about like me than there are speculators I assure you. So don't be disheartened my friend Let's each of us lift a dram and count our blessings we can still do this. Slainte

[@JeffWhisky]

yeah investing in anything is a dangerous game with nothing being certain. At least if the losses become too bad they may have a tasty whisky to drown their sorrows with? Cheers for watching!

[@JeffWhisky]

It is a valid point Leo and they are risking it like any investment. I am sure there are lots of whisky that are built to be invested in: Macallan and what not, and have seen some folk online fund their whisky buying by also reselling but agree whisky is better for enjoying the liquid that has been made to be enjoyed.

[@anthonysillett6678]

Just bought a Springbank 10 today, I could have got x4 but x1 is enough to go away for the future. There are tricks to getting Springbank though, ask if you want to know ! Oh I am in the UK and that helps !

[@JeffWhisky]

Well done on being reserved on your Springbank purchase. What are the tips or is it part of a secret cult? In truth I am not on the hunt for Springbank as very much team Kilkerran. Cheers Anthony!

[@anthonysillett6678]

@@JeffWhisky I managed to get a Kilkerran 16 this week too! The secret is to look lol No it's to register interest with loads of company's. Sign up to receive email notifications when they are in stock. Don't go for the huge companies it's always the little ones that not many people look at.

[@hugorodgerbrown]

2 years ago I paid £75 for a SB10 at auction as I couldn't find a bottle anywhere. Yesterday I bought two bottles at RRP (and I got a £10 "new customer " discount on the second one). Today I get this in my YT feed - feels like something is happening.

[@JeffWhisky]

That is a perfect example of how whisky is starting to shift. I hope it means we are able to get good bottles at RRP (or under) and prices become more balanced. Cheers for watching and getting involved 🥃

[@jammyjim69]

Just paid a visit to a newish distillery today. On the way to doing their first bottling next year. Tasted the 6.month old spirit and it wasn't bad . Tempted to stick my name on a bottle of first batch in a years time but it's the unknown of how good or bad it will be. Or even if they are still trading 🙄

[@JeffWhisky]

Cheers Jammy Jim! Yeah it certainly feels like a risk, I know there is folk who are currently unsure of what will happen with their Mackmyra caskshare. If it is something that you believe in, I would go for it.

[@jammyjim69]

I'd be more tempted if they were releasing the first batch a a 5yr old or older. At 3yr it's just a we bit early .. Plus the package was only to be limited to a 1000 and only on sale till Jan 2024... Here we are in Sept and they are still for sale!

[@whiskyforeveryone]

Good one Jeff. We have been waiting for someone to do a video like this since the Mackmyra news broke. But is it lock or loch? 😏🥃

[@JeffWhisky]

Thank you buddy, it has been really well received which made the very quick turn around and late night worth it. You are right with it being "Loch", I have kept the other spelling in the title as it seems to be a more common search term and seems to be helping people to find this video when searching for what is the Whisky "Lock". I am sure will update the title to match the thumbnail at one point though. Cheers

[@HostileButHonourable]

It seems anyone with a steel shed out back is starting a distillery. It's overbearing that there are so many new releases. The industry has lost the run of itself for such a long time that a correction is inevitable and necessary. And whisky will fall out of fashion to make way for the latest alcohol fad. Real whisky stalwarts will be fine regardless as long as they kept their heads through all this.

[@JeffWhisky]

Like most things, Whisky is circular and a bit of a reset could be a good thing. Fingers crossed that passionate small and independent distilleries are able to survive and thrive. Cheers for watching!

[@welshtoro3256]

Agreed. People jumped on the bandwagon but it's going to be tough for them in the current climate and it's going to get worse.

[@cantbendknee]

I still love lagavulin 8. Besides that this is the beginnings of the crash. Please do the branding video

[@JeffWhisky]

Lagavulin is stunning. A comforting replacement to the now overpriced 16. Be careful what you wish for with the branding video! Cheers

[@jbar6284]

Thanks for the excellent insights, Jeff, but where's the photo of Shane shaved of his beard and bereft of his beret?🙃 No, best leave that well alone. Graph(ic)s of real numbers can help tell a powerful story. You're becoming an investigative journalist.👍 I think vid(s) by you on marketing could be potentially very interesting. Break it down to small scale/pieces and see if the first one flies, rather than attempting that marathon? Yes, I know, some things can be/seem so entangled that break-downs become very painful--that's what the word means, after all--but that may be the only way forward? Off topic but in your last vid. you included the phrase "hands down" which cracked me up.🤣 Jeff's joyous jazz hands forevermore. Thunderhands are go!

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks jbar, investigative journalist is certainly a stretch but had a good stab at it. Done a branding video with First Phil on his channel which unfortunately underperformed for him so will have to have another shot at it. Cheers!

[@franks4973]

It’s a question of quality, everyone is producing a product to sell as quickly as possible. I had the benefit of drinking a bottle of Johnny walker red from 1982, it was amazingly great and I am not a blended drinker. This bottle was better than current JW platinum or any other current JW product by leaps and bounds. The quality of the whiskeys they could use for blending back then really highlights the issue. The quality is plummeting while prices are very high.

[@JeffWhisky]

Cheers for joining in the conversation Franks and sorry it has taken so long for a reply! Sadly I think you are bang on the money, quality standards for the casks, the spirits even the corks has started dropping to squeeze in an extra bit of profit. While it is not for every bottle out there, the big companies with Johnnie Walker taking the charge. Love to hear if you have any bottles that are you go to now that you feel still hit that high quality good value level? Cheers.

[@ironmantran]

"Loch" (H) = downturn or "Lock" as in loch-down . . .? it started 2020 . . . imo. If so, the 1990 offer THE BEST PRICES

[@JeffWhisky]

Cheers for watching. Lockdown to Loch down. Yeah think they are still recovering from it all and the massive boom in alcohol sales with people at home. What has been your best bargain so far in whisky? Cheers

[@ironmantran]

@@JeffWhisky 1980 downturn leads to late 1990 dip : best ever = Blair Athol -28 United Distillers Rare Malts (black box) for 56$CA ~ 40 quids/UKP in 2004 ! !

[@christinecamley]

Choose well, buy less and savour delicious scotch drams. Prices will continue to rise - IMO.

[@JeffWhisky]

Completely with you there. Buy less but buy better. It has certainly been my motto over the last couple of years, however I am glad to have my own stash to fall back on if the prices do go wild. Cheers!

[@slippygimbo]

What’s with the hands?

[@JeffWhisky]

I have looked back and the jazz hands certainly were more active than normal in this one. Can only assume I was excited, but will try control them in the next one

[@mohagget]

If the bubble bursts, lets hope it is the investors who get hit the hardest with the stock piles of macallan!

[@JeffWhisky]

Hopefully if it does happen is just helps to balance out all the whisky madness that happened over the last few years! Think Macallan will always have a buyer and that is fine. More good stuff for us! Cheers.

[@b.benjamineriksson6030]

You talk way too much with your hands but please continue, I like it. Good talk.

[@JeffWhisky]

Thanks, I genuinely feel like my hands was on overdrive for this one... and possibly the next one too. It shall continue as I am not sure I can restrain them though. Cheers for getting involved!

[@WhiskeyNovice]

Whisky is currently...."whelmed"

[@JeffWhisky]

Lets hope it is a time for Whisky to thrive instead of just survive. Cheers Jim

[@stewartwallwork6505]

Whisky so yesterday gin and vodka taking over.

[@JeffWhisky]

That is interesting, I felt that gin has started to really slow up with mezcal and tequila becoming the hot spirts on the scene. Any vodkas worth looking out for? cheers!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Oups, missed the Premiere....regarding Mackmyra, which I know for more than a decade & tried a lot of their whiskies in the past, I'm afraid they're paying there some questionable choices regarding both production choices (especially maturation choices imho) & prices of some ranges, 2 things that lost me as a customer, plus the fact that another Swedish distillery was starting to sell more valuable bottlings with competitive prices, so I don't know you, but maybe I was not the only one looking at my wallet & making decisions in which (passed the 3 bottlings I have from them) Mackmyra was no longer on my yearly wishlists ? That said I wish them the best to find a solution to revive the brand, with a more reasonable policy hopefully, and that other distilleries around the world (including in France, I have names !) will "learn the lesson", otherwise we're indeed going to enter in a whisky loch...

[@JeffWhisky]

Fingers crossed it leads to a shake up of releases and Mackmyra come out stronger. Cheers Greg!

[@RebMordechaiReviews]

What a depressing video. Not very entertaining at all. (I still gave it a thumbs up through). One distillery going bankrupt doth not make a trend. However, market investors are a fickle lot and if they get jittery, might well start pulling investments and then we'll have a domino effect of distilleries unable to survive due to having their backers pulling the floor from under them. Let's hope that doesn't happen. Now, regarding recent Diageo price hikes, many KZbin whisky channels are not seeing the full picture due to them being based mostly in the UK and US. British based outlets are selling Talisker 18 for almost £200, yet around the world (including here in Israel), you can still easily pick up a Talisker 18 for about £100. These price hikes are artificial. What many don't realise is that IMO, the prices you see in the UK are contrived by marketing who will raise RRPs of products in certain markets in order to try and create a perception that their products are competing with other rival products at the same price. However, in other markets around the world, prices will be considerably lower. I always bring a classic example from the 1980s HIFI world. The Scottish company Linn, famous for their Linn Sondek LP12 turntable also had a range of cartridges, like the Basik, K9, Karma and Troika at eye watering prices. Their main rivals were Japan's Audio Technica which had a similar range, OC-AT3, 5, 7 and At-OC9. In the UK each cartridge in the range was marked up just below the price of each of its rival Linn products. However, in Asia, you could purchase the same Audio Technica product for a quarter of the UK price as this was its actual value. Obviously there were many grey imports available if you knew where to go. It was the same story with SLR cameras with prices varying around the world so much that it was worth buying a ticket to bring a few home in your luggage. I want to make it clear that I am not in anyway condoning illegal smuggling and people trying to avoid Customs charges, but at the same time I condemn marketing guys artificially manipulating prices. However, history has shown that whenever legislation has been brought in to try and stop price gouging, it has been an unmitigated disaster. Yes, I have noticed that auction prices have recently been going down, no doubt due to too many trying to sell the same "rare" bottles online at the same time. These bottles may have disappeared on the shelves but are readily available at all the auction houses today. There were bottles of the discontinued Scapa 16 which were selling for £200 last year and now can be picked up for less than £100. However, being optimistic, I think that in the long run this will be a good thing as it's pruning out those bottles which are not necessarily good whisky but bottles designed by marketing for the investment market.

[@welshtoro3256]

I'm afraid I just left a rather depressing summary of my observations. I'm not surprised Mackmyra has gone and I think there will be others. Hope you are well. Got a personal email coming your way.

[@JeffWhisky]

I did aim to leave the video on a lighter note at the end. Doom and gloom is certainly not my channel but felt such an interesting topic I couldn't resist getting a bit meaty. Fingers crossed that the "pruning" will all work out better for us whisky enthusiasts. Cheers Reb

[@WhooshFlyingHorse444]

Hi Jeff, I stumbled upon your site today....and a) Yes, I like whisky and b) I like your shirt...(not so sure about your shades though)....kidding! Question?...If someone were to tie up your hands behind your back would you still be able to speak? I realise it may your 'thing', but I am sure that I am not the only one who finds all this hand and arm waving somewhat distracting from what you present and discuss. Have you ever thought of doing a stage show version? Think that might work better and entertain much more effectively...and allow you to move your legs and feet more too. We could then see what your style in shoes is. Anyway, this is all in gest. Best wishes to you buddy. Slainte

[@jbar6284]

"I am sure that I am not the only one who finds all this hand and arm waving somewhat distracting from what you present and discuss." At first I thought that but now I just laugh and delight. Jeff's jazz hands are part of the show.👍 No handcuffs, please.

[@JeffWhisky]

Whoosh Flying Horse, thank you for your awesome comment and sorry it has taken me so long to respond, my hands were too tired to type from all the jazz-ing. Glad you are a fan of whisky and shirts, I do at times wish I could be shade-less but it is not as pretty a site for the viewer 🤣. I will try the hands behind my back but feel sipping whisky could get a bit more messy being fully hands free, not that the arm waving helps with that. On reflection my hands were on top form in this one and I am not quite sure why, hopefully they are more subdued in the latest two videos since... Grateful for you watching and hope to see you in the comments again soon, Cheers!

[@FlyingEriksen]

I prefer looking in peoples eyes when they try to tell or educate... This is not for me...

[@JeffWhisky]

Not a problem, as mentioned a few times on my channel, following having bells palsy it is a lot more comfortable for me to wear sunglasses and avoid straining from the lights. Hope you are able to enjoy "podcast" mode or find the content you are looking for. Cheers FlyingEriksen.

[@mhdkam2288]

Remove the skitt at your eyes

[@williamdriessen667]

yes please. And keep your hands to yourself. SO annoying.

[@JeffWhisky]

Hey mhdkam, not sure I understand your comment?

[@JeffWhisky]

Don't worry William my hands are always kept to myself. Though they were especially active in this one. Can only just assume I was excited about this topic. Will try weigh them down next time 😂

[@beng6062]

The fact you’ve spelt it ‘lock’ is so village

[@JeffWhisky]

The fact that I am based in a small village meant I had to look up what it meant I have kept the title as Whisky Lock as it seems it is term lots of people search when trying to find out what the Whisky Loch is. Sure will update it at one point, but for now it seems to be doing more help than harm. Cheers.