Diminishing Returns

[Desafinado]

Since getting into liquor of all types I've started to notice how I get diminishing returns as I move up the price scale.

My most experimented tipple is Single Malt Scotch, and I've had some pretty stunning whiskies in and around the 80-110 Canadian range, however I usually don't find whiskies at this price point so good that they're worth paying the difference to drink more regularly, and at a certain point just aren't worth it at all.

On the other hand I have a few bourbon go-to's that hover around 30-45 dollars a bottle, are a nice drink, and which I really don't mind downing 3-4 glasses of in a sitting. When I drink, if I'm honest, that's what I want, and not some over-priced drink that's marginally better.

So a few questions for others:

1) Do you find a sweet spot with Scotch where you find you're getting good value?

2) At what point does the price point become less about quality, and more about status?

[opelfruit]

I'm with you on this one.

I find my sweet spot at around £60. There are many good whiskies under this price point in the UK (and I mean, many seriously good ones).

Once you get over this I find I'm paying £10-20 more for some whiskies that are only as good as ones at around £60 and once you get over £100 a bottle....well, mainly you're paying for"exclusivity" or a certain age. I've had some bottles over (well over) £100 that were stunning, but I've had many more under this price that were equally as good.

.....I suppose more accurately it's a measure of disappointment levels rather than enjoyment levels; I've been more disappointed with purchases over £100 than I have been with bottles under £100, and rarely do I find myself disappointed with purchases under £60.

So for me I guess it's about value for money. I'll go up to £60 for my daily drinkers, up to £100 for those bottles that I really just want to have and very rarely do I go over £100 any more as I don't feel I'm getting any more value from those expensive bottles (in terms of the experience to me) than I do from cheaper ones...
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"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[James T]

There are quite a few exceptions but I would say in general Scotch malt whisky peaks at around 18 to 21 years give or take a few years, above that you will be paying more for the rarity of the whisky rather than additional quality.

[Keith]

[Samson]

I would say quality/price varies from distillery to distillery and this will also be affected by your own personal taste. I recommend Jim Murrays Whisky Bible or Williams reviews on here when choosing a whisky, I honestly can say whatever they have declared as very good has been very good. Tastes vary but a high score on any whisky from Jim or William will usually mean you will be buying a good whisky.