Uploaded December 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Everywhere we look in our bubble of whisky enjoyment or whisky friends, we read, watch or hear stories of ever-increasing and difficult to understand pricing. Statements of "I've had enough" and "Well, I'm out" in exasperated tones seem to be commonplace. It's easy to see why. I'm often one of those voices.
Many producers are opportunistic, it's true. The more cynical players will see a present demand and they feel like they can charge higher prices while it's there. Who can blame them? They run businesses after all. Some get it right and make lucrative margins while their stock sells fast, while others stumble and fumble. When it's done badly, decent decent liquid is left languishing on shelves due to over-estimation of demand, poor positioning or perhaps a consumer perception of just straight out greed. But there are other factors at play here.
There are current forces driving costs higher for everyone. Challenges such as material shortages, rising material costs, energy costs, higher wages required to attract or retain vital staff, increased taxes, tariffs or duty and of course straight up inflation. It's obvious everywhere, not just in whisky. We hear these claims from producers regularly these days and they’re very real. Often they're used to explain a rise in the costs of the whisky. But, in the end, how does that affect us as whisky botherers? Can we still enjoy things as we once did? Are we about to be priced out? Are we already?
To understand what's happening and to what extent, I decided to delve back into the vPub archive, back to the 'good old days' when things weren't nearly as crazy as they are in 2023. I'll take examples from back then and apply them to today. I’ll consider things from the perspective of a typical whisky botherer and how they might forge forward today - and at what cost.
Together, we can check to see where we are and - as much as possible - compare apples for apples.
For those worried about this being all moaning and drudgery - have faith. It's the vPub and it's December. Let's keep it light, pragmatic and - as always - find the positives. Because, believe it or not, they are there.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Opening
2:40 - Intro to topic
11:44 - Fundraiser in memory of Big Al
13:36 - Welcoming in the lounge
23:40 - Price vs cost of whisky in 2023
28:50 - Recent years in the Whiskyverse
36:20 - A beginners six for £250 - 2020
41:39 - £250 in 2023
48:36 - An overview of the original six
57:25 - Updates for 2023?
1:02:00 - Adapt to save in 2023
1:13:12 - Jarring examples of price hikes
1:29:42 - Anticipating the effects of The Glass Loch
1:43:35 - Quiz at the End
Fundraiser link in memory of Whisky Straight Al / Big Al alanmcveigh.muchloved.com
Everywhere we look in our bubble of whisky enjoyment or whisky friends, we read, watch or hear stories of ever-increasing and difficult to understand pricing. Statements of "I've had enough" and "Well, I'm out" in exasperated tones seem to be commonplace. It's easy to see why. I'm often one of those voices.
Many producers are opportunistic, it's true. The more cynical players will see a present demand and they feel like they can charge higher prices while it's there. Who can blame them? They run businesses after all. Some get it right and make lucrative margins while their stock sells fast, while others stumble and fumble. When it's done badly, decent decent liquid is left languishing on shelves due to over-estimation of demand, poor positioning or perhaps a consumer perception of just straight out greed. But there are other factors at play here.
There are current forces driving costs higher for everyone. Challenges such as material shortages, rising material costs, energy costs, higher wages required to attract or retain vital staff, increased taxes, tariffs or duty and of course straight up inflation. It's obvious everywhere, not just in whisky. We hear these claims from producers regularly these days and they’re very real. Often they're used to explain a rise in the costs of the whisky. But, in the end, how does that affect us as whisky botherers? Can we still enjoy things as we once did? Are we about to be priced out? Are we already?
To understand what's happening and to what extent, I decided to delve back into the vPub archive, back to the 'good old days' when things weren't nearly as crazy as they are in 2023. I'll take examples from back then and apply them to today. I’ll consider things from the perspective of a typical whisky botherer and how they might forge forward today - and at what cost.
Together, we can check to see where we are and - as much as possible - compare apples for apples.
For those worried about this being all moaning and drudgery - have faith. It's the vPub and it's December. Let's keep it light, pragmatic and - as always - find the positives. Because, believe it or not, they are there.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Opening
2:40 - Intro to topic
11:44 - Fundraiser in memory of Big Al
13:36 - Welcoming in the lounge
23:40 - Price vs cost of whisky in 2023
28:50 - Recent years in the Whiskyverse
36:20 - A beginners six for £250 - 2020
41:39 - £250 in 2023
48:36 - An overview of the original six
57:25 - Updates for 2023?
1:02:00 - Adapt to save in 2023
1:13:12 - Jarring examples of price hikes
1:29:42 - Anticipating the effects of The Glass Loch
1:43:35 - Quiz at the End
Fundraiser link in memory of Whisky Straight Al / Big Al alanmcveigh.muchloved.com
