Will your favourite dram cost much more in a few years?

[CountDramcula]

Evening All,

After partaking of a dram this winters eve, I'm pondering what the future holds for the pricing of more standard (non limited edition) bottles and the trajectory that any price increases may take.

I always stock up when there is an online or supermarket deal but whats interesting is that for some bottles, such as the Lagavulin 16, Bunnahabhain 12 and Deanston 18, when you look at the online price graphs from 2 or 3 years back, there seems to have been very little fluctuation, even when considering special offers.

It's obviously all about supply and demand and I imagine they've found what they believe to be a sustainable price that the market can bear whilst allowing for decent profits, but given inflation and the supposedly ever increasing demand for Scotch, do you feel that prices will hold firm for a while or should we brace for some demand/inflation driven Aberlour Abunadah level price increases?

Would be interested to know your thoughts.

[DillyT]

Well one of the big ones that I used to drink lots of in the late 90's early 2000's is the Ardbeg 1977 and it was of the top of my head about £30 a bottle now look at where the price is

[CountDramcula]

[Blackadder]

Limited releases are always going to increase in price over the years but it is difficult nowadays to predict what the prices of even the entry level whiskies from your favourite distilleries will be in 10 or 20 years.

[TheWM]

Prices are going up and quality isn’t. I do stock up occasionally but more so I can compare bottlings of standard releases through the years.

But I don’t worry that much. I used to. I’m more interested in finding quality over quantity (I.e. decent independent bottles at say £60 rather than 2 bottles of *insert deal of the day here*)

Which is why leading to my original point I don’t have many ‘standard’ bottles open. Or as much whisky either, coming to think about it.

Long gone are the days that you can dram on older stuff without paying a premium. But doesn’t mean that value doesn’t exist, last years Talisker 8, for example. Just mix up what you consider to be ‘standard’ drams.

[Fergie]

I still feel that the standard core range prices on most brands are creeping up with many 10 to 12 year olds now breaking through the £40 price mark now which I would have never believed 10 years ago and I don't think prices have peaked yet.

[CountDramcula]

[DillyT]

From what I remember about the 1977 was that everyone was drinking it as it was not a limited release and a very good price for it, but then almost over night it they said there was no more.
So I think the only bottles that where saved where the ones that where the ones left in the shops...
I know a friend that went into Oddbins (As was) and was chatting to one of the guys there who told him that they where running out and brought all 9 bottles they had and I think he still has 7 one of which is open

So I think the ones that will increase in price are the popular normal bottlings that become discontinued as well as the limited bottlings but there is no way to tell which will give the best return.
But as everyone says only buy whisky you would be happy to drink that way you will always have a choice of bottles.