What should I buy when REALLY strapped for cash ?

[SixCats!]

Hi all,

IWC, "Whiskey, it's not just for Breakfast anymore" lol. IWC, again, I believe you are correct. If one really thinks about it, as Brain chemistry changes, so does the physical effect on one's body as well as mind/mood. Brettie, thanks for the warm welcome. You have listed some very good points. I am now "mixing it up" more often so as not to get too comfortable with any one dram.

Regards,
SixCats!

[brettie vedder]

Hi all,

IWC, "Whiskey, it's not just for Breakfast anymore" lol. IWC, again, I believe you are correct. If one really thinks about it, as Brain chemistry changes, so does the physical effect on one's body as well as mind/mood. Brettie, thanks for the warm welcome. You have listed some very good points. I am now "mixing it up" more often so as not to get too comfortable with any one dram.

Regards,
SixCats!

no problem. shame your all the way up in maine. i am moving back home to PA next week. let me know if you are ever in the area.

[SixCats!]

Hi Brettie,

Best of luck with your move to PA. On the whole, I like it here in Maine. After living sixteen years in Los Angeles, I couldn't get far enough away! Oooh, I think my next purchase is going to be the very reasonable priced
TEACHERS Highland Cream. I've read soooo many positive comments, I have got to give TEACHERS a try.
The fact that TEACHERS is priced under $20.00 (plus Maine tax) for a 750ml bottle makes it a must try!
Hummm, I wonder if TEACHERS might be a better buy than (on the on sale $34.00) bottle of "OLD PULTENEY 12"?


Regards,
SixCats!

[brettie vedder]

Hi Brettie,

Best of luck with your move to PA. On the whole, I like it here in Maine. After living sixteen years in Los Angeles, I couldn't get far enough away! Oooh, I think my next purchase is going to be the very reasonable priced
TEACHERS Highland Cream. I've read soooo many positive comments, I have got to give TEACHERS a try.
The fact that TEACHERS is priced under $20.00 (plus Maine tax) for a 750ml bottle makes it a must try!
Hummm, I wonder if TEACHERS might be a better buy than (on the on sale $34.00) bottle of "OLD PULTENEY 12"?


Regards,
SixCats!

cheers six cats. I would love to live up in maine or somewhere in new england. not really into the whole city life. i will be moving back to the suburbs, about 40 minutes outside philadelphia. its a nice area with lots of history from the revolutionary war. i am very close to washington crossing, pa which is where washington crossed to sneak attack the hessians. also im about 2 hours away from gettysburg. it will be nice to be back around friends and family again. i will miss ireland a lot, but its just the best thing for us right now.

the plan is possibly moving to canada in a few years, but one step at a time for now. i can't wait to get home and get some good deals on bourbons. also want to get into some nice rye canadian whiskies. i think i may have had teachers once. i used to live on scotch blends. johnny walker red, cutty sark, dewars white. you can't beat them when they are on sale. johnny walker black is nice, but i think its quite high priced for a blend. for some reason, that and black bush are $35 in PA. i dont quite understand it

[jcskinner]

If I came across a bottle of Scotch retailing for sixteen euro, that would make it a 'best not buy' in my book.
At that end of the scale, you get what you pay for and no more than that.
Having said that, Teachers is no worse than similarly youthful Scotch blends.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

I've always had a soft spot for Teachers especially down the pub as it seems to go well with a pint.

[SixCats!]

Hi JC,

Ummmm, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on TEACHERS HIGHLAND CREAM.
That is to say, especially considering it's price, I think it a fine blend. Sure, it's a bit "hot" tasting but, I think it decent/tasty enough. I may try adding a Teaspoon of Spring Water (to two oz. Scotch) and see how it taste.
JC, I guess you don't agree with RALFY's score (88 out of 100) on TEACHERS.

Regards,
SixCats!

[jcskinner]

Chacun a son gout, as the French lads say.
As I said, Teacher's is no worse than equivalent drams.
But no one ever accused Maggie Thatcher of suffering from an excess of taste and discernment, and it was her tipple of choice.
I'm all for thinking of the wallet when filling the jar, but it seems to me that perhaps cost is an overwhelming element of your personal decision-making process?
I'm more of a quality over quantity man myself.

[SixCats!]

Hi JC,

Oooh Heaven yes. $$$$$ plays a HUGH role in my deciding what to purchase. I can't afford to get over my head purchasing (especially) more costly Whiskies as I have waaaay too many Bills. Presently, I have "opened"
Black Bush, The Irishman Original Clan, The Famous Grouse Gold Reserve, Tamdhu 10, Teachers HLC
and Tito's Vodka. I do need to buy another Irish Whiskey to open (perhaps Powers or another Black Bush). If I find myself passing through the State of NH anytime soon, I'll buy another JAMESON 12 since it is $12.00 LESS expensive ($31.00) a bottle in NH than Maine's price. I have put aside (for Fall) (2) Redbreast 12 and a bottle of the following : Jameson 12, Ardbeg 10, and Highland Park 12. I plan to save my Pennies for something a bit more "higher end" like Lagavulin 16, MaCallan 12, Laphroaig QC, Ardbeg, Talisker, Aberlour A'Bundha, ? I am open to suggestions.

Regards,
SixCats!

[brettie vedder]

i enjoy cheaper whiskeys 10x more than expensive ones, just because i don't feel guilty if i drink to excess and "waste" them so to say. i usually only crack good whiskeys on special occasions. even if i was rich, i would do the same thing. but thats just me.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

I plan to save my Pennies for something a bit more "higher end" like Lagavulin 16, MaCallan 12, Laphroaig QC, Ardbeg, Talisker, Aberlour A'Bundha, ? I am open to suggestions.

For me out of that bunch the Laphroaig QC has to be the winner from a price quality ratio ... a taste bud sensation

Laga 16yo is a great whiskey too but is a step up again over here and much more expensive but I'm not sure what the price differential would be on your side.

Macallan 12yo is a whisley that I find over rated for it's price and basically is priced more because of the Premium Macallan name than anything else. Give me a Bushmills any day. However who is to say I'm right.

Ardbeg is another I don't get but million do so ignore me on tha one

Talisker is cracking whiskey and the pepper spice kick is a wonderful and unique character.

Abunadh is another great value for money dram. A heavily sherried cask strength whiskey which beats Macallan on all points for me also.

I think your covered for Irish so these are a few distilleries I regularly go back so here's some scotch to read up on and look out for ...

Auchentoshan (Auck in Tow shan) the gentle scotch in the vein of Bushmills. The 3 wood is a great substitute for a Bush 16yo.

Bowmore: Smooth smokiness over smooth lush sherried whiskey can sometimes get a bit of salt in there too.

Coal Ila: a cracking rich oily whisley with a medium heavy peaty smokiness to it with a nice bit sweetness through the driness.

Dalwhinnie: may be an interesting buy but not rated by many. A very easy drinker with Honey sweetness with a light peaty heather smokiness.

Glenrothes: rich fruit cake charachteristics spice and sometimes with a liquorice twist which is amazing

Glendronach: Big big sherry with a touch of smoke.

Port Ellen: Probably everything is way over priced at this stage as the distillery is closed but another amazing islay.

Scapa: Toffe ish with a spice kick in the end. (Usually good value for money)

Springbank: spicy, with ginger and salt ... some also say coconut but I never get it

Have a chew on that lot and see where it takes you

[SixCats!]

Hi IWC,

Thanks for the nice list and the "heads up" on Macallan. I have written them all down and have/will be doing some more research on these (and others) Whiskies. I'm trying to hold off and wait until there is a good sale.
Old Pulteney 12 is on sale this month in Maine for $34.00 a 750ml. However, since I just bought the budget TEACHERS HLC ($20.09) I'm thinking I should go for one of the better SM Scotch. LAPHROAIG 10 cost $46.00 (including tax) this month in Maine. Ummmm, Bummer, no really good deals in Maine this month
(other than Laphroaig 10). I still can't "wrap my head" around the fact that Jameson 12 cost $12.00 LESS in NH than Maine. Damn Maine taxes! Yea, I kind of got Irish covered (other than buying more).
If there is a better value than BLACK BUSH, I'd sure like to know what it is. Currently BB is my second favorite dram after Redbreast, however, considering it's price, BB is a much better value.
BB cost $31.00 (no tax) in NH and $32.00 (plus tax) in Maine. Redbreast cost $43.00 in NH (no tax) and
$49.00 (plus tax) in Maine. Me thinks I'll be drinking a LOT more BLACK BUSH.
Oooh, LAGAVULIN 16 sells for $65.00 (no tax) a 750ml in The State of New Hampshire. I'm not sure what it cost in Maine except that it will be MORE expensive.

Regards,
SixCats!

[jcskinner]

I'm not sure how this thread became a running scoreline of whiskey costs in the North-East of the United States.
Certainly those prices are of slim or no relevance to the vast majority of people on the site.
Furthermore, we have a bargain buy thread where people are able to post value purchases they've spotted.

[brettie vedder]

I'm not sure how this thread became a running scoreline of whiskey costs in the North-East of the United States.
Certainly those prices are of slim or no relevance to the vast majority of people on the site.
Furthermore, we have a bargain buy thread where people are able to post value purchases they've spotted.

we aren't all gifted enough to be able to afford top end whiskey's on a daily basis. there is nothing wrong with finding good bargains out there jc. i wait for things to be on sale when i buy them. and i always keep an eye out for good deals. i think your just being rude now. six cats is merely trying to learn. and if you lived in america, you would know taxes differ from state to state and sometimes its worth it to travel a bit to get a better deal. like people from pennsylvania travel a lot to new jersey for better deals. i think if this thread is bothering you so much, you should just not look at it. thats my 2 cents anyway.

[DavidH]

Keep going, SixCats! This has been a very interesting discussion and if you attract a few more American whiskey drinkers to hang out here then I'll be thrilled

[SixCats!]

Hi all,

Thank you DavidH and Brettie for your support. It is much appreciated. I must admit however, JC does have a point. Perhaps I have gone a little "over the top" with listing prices. Now, that is not to say I am going to stop posting regarding "on sale" Whiskie. As you mentioned Brettie, JC does NOT have to read the tread. I will however try to keep price listing to a minimum as not to offend my Irish Cousins. Here's the thing. I am trying to put together a nice collection of Irish Whiskey and Scotch Whisky, and the amount of money I have available to spend on Spirits is a major issue in my case. I am employed as "Direct Support Specialist" (working with "Special Needs"adults) in the State of Maine. As much as I love my line of work, I will NEVER be rich (money wise) in this line of work. Unfortunately, I have "Champagne taste and Beer money". This is the reason why I seek THE best bargain Whiskey/Whisky I can find on sale. I think it more cost effective when I buy (for example) a bottle of BLACK BUSH and a bottle of TEACHERS HLC and spend $52.00 as opposed to buying ONE bottle of LAGAVULIN 16 at $70.00 a bottle. Sure, perhaps the one is considered better than the other two but, I'll have TWICE as many drams! You can rest assure that I WILL make a few SPECIAL Irish & Scotch purchases. I look forward to the day NH has LAGAVULIN 16 on sale!

[brettie vedder]

Hi all,

Thank you DavidH and Brettie for your support. It is much appreciated. I must admit however, JC does have a point. Perhaps I have gone a little "over the top" with listing prices. Now, that is not to say I am going to stop posting regarding "on sale" Whiskie. As you mentioned Brettie, JC does NOT have to read the tread. I will however try to keep price listing to a minimum as not to offend my Irish Cousins. Here's the thing. I am trying to put together a nice collection of Irish Whiskey and Scotch Whisky, and the amount of money I have available to spend on Spirits is a major issue in my case. I am employed as "Direct Support Specialist" (working with "Special Needs"adults) in the State of Maine. As much as I love my line of work, I will NEVER be rich (money wise) in this line of work. Unfortunately, I have "Champagne taste and Beer money". This is the reason why I seek THE best bargain Whiskey/Whisky I can find on sale. I think it more cost effective when I buy (for example) a bottle of BLACK BUSH and a bottle of TEACHERS HLC and spend $52.00 as opposed to buying ONE bottle of LAGAVULIN 16 at $70.00 a bottle. Sure, perhaps the one is considered better than the other two but, I'll have TWICE as many drams! You can rest assure that I WILL make a few SPECIAL Irish & Scotch purchases. I look forward to the day NH has LAGAVULIN 16 on sale!

no six cats, you keep going and posting. that is how you learn and how you find good deals. don't pay attention to the negativity. just because a whiskey is $50, doesn't mean you will like it. the name of this forum is the irish whiskey society. that to me means that people from all over the world can discuss irish whiskey on this forum. this isn't the whiskey forum of IRELAND, where only people living in ireland can discuss things.

i agree with you completely. when trying to "build up" a collection, you want quantity at first. but that doesn't mean that quality will be lacking if you find the right deals. there are tons of lovely scotch/irish blends out there. i always say "if it was good enough for my grandfathers, its damn good enough for me." i love top end whisk(e)y but i think i appreciate the bog standards a lot more. these are all the brands that started the legacies.

[SixCats!]

Hi Brettie,

Thank you my friend for your kind words of support. I very much appreciate your kind words and the positive attitude you show a newbie. Your a good man! Well sir, since money is an issue, my next purchase is going to be a REPEAT buy (something both IWC, JC and others have often recommended). I only have but a few drams remaining in my bottle of BLACK BUSH and since I've grown to (rather quickly) become a BIG fan BB, I think it's a no Brainer (all around best value/tasting) Irish Whiskey purchase. If REALLY strapped for cash (which is often in my case) I can save $12.00 (or so) by buying Powers Gold Label. That being said, man, there is really "something" I'm digging about BLACK BUSH. Ummmm....I should plan to "store away" at least a few more bottles before they raise the price on BB as they did on Redbreast. I'm glad I did "prior planning" and bought two bottles of Redbreast (stored away) before the five dollar increase per bottle. I wonder how JAMESON 12 might fair against BLACK BUSH ? Ummmm.....

Regards,
SixCats!

[brettie vedder]

Hi Brettie,

Thank you my friend for your kind words of support. I very much appreciate your kind words and the positive attitude you show a newbie. Your a good man! Well sir, since money is an issue, my next purchase is going to be a REPEAT buy (something both IWC, JC and others have often recommended). I only have but a few drams remaining in my bottle of BLACK BUSH and since I've grown to (rather quickly) become a BIG fan BB, I think it's a no Brainer (all around best value/tasting) Irish Whiskey purchase. If REALLY strapped for cash (which is often in my case) I can save $12.00 (or so) by buying Powers Gold Label. That being said, man, there is really "something" I'm digging about BLACK BUSH. Ummmm....I should plan to "store away" at least a few more bottles before they raise the price on BB as they did on Redbreast. I'm glad I did "prior planning" and bought two bottles of Redbreast (stored away) before the five dollar increase per bottle. I wonder how JAMESON 12 might fair against BLACK BUSH ? Ummmm.....

Regards,
SixCats!

no problem six cats. we all were at one time "newbies." this forum was created to help people and foster an appreciation for irish whiskey. not to be negative towards people and nitpick over things.

i agree with you about blackbush. it is an amazing whiskey for the money. you can get it as low as €19.99 when on sale here in ireland. for some reason blackbush is around $35 in pennsylvania. as much as i like it, i dont think i will be buying it when i can get 2 bottles of powers gold or tullamore dew for $35 when on sale.

in my opinion jameson 12 is even better than black bush. i get loads of sherry, nuts and the classic woody pure pot still taste like you get from redbreast....and i also get a nice vanilla/honey sweetness that comes through. not sure how much more jameson 12 costs than BB, but it is very worth it. also, keep an eye out for powers 12....i read an article that said it was going to be sold in the states sometime this year. a great dram and more complex than standard powers gold. i think my first purchase when i get home will be a tullamore dew 12yo or the 10yo single malt.

[jcskinner]

We have a bargain alert thread dedicated to sharing information on whiskey bargains.
Silly me for thinking that bargain price discussions should go in there.
Clearly, forensic discussions about relative pricing in some states in the North-East of the US is what this thread is about, rather than its given title: "What do you buy when REALLY strapped for cash?"
In that light, perhaps the title could be amended to properly reflect what this thread is about.
Since it's not actually about what people buy when they're strapped for cash, but is instead a discussion of whiskey pricing in a distant part of the world to me, I'm out of this thread.
Have fun, y'all.

[JohnM]

Hi IWC,

Thanks for the nice list and the "heads up" on Macallan. I have written them all down and have/will be doing some more research on these (and others) Whiskies. I'm trying to hold off and wait until there is a good sale.
Old Pulteney 12 is on sale this month in Maine for $34.00 a 750ml. However, since I just bought the budget TEACHERS HLC ($20.09) I'm thinking I should go for one of the better SM Scotch. LAPHROAIG 10 cost $46.00 (including tax) this month in Maine. Ummmm, Bummer, no really good deals in Maine this month
(other than Laphroaig 10). I still can't "wrap my head" around the fact that Jameson 12 cost $12.00 LESS in NH than Maine. Damn Maine taxes! Yea, I kind of got Irish covered (other than buying more).
If there is a better value than BLACK BUSH, I'd sure like to know what it is. Currently BB is my second favorite dram after Redbreast, however, considering it's price, BB is a much better value.
BB cost $31.00 (no tax) in NH and $32.00 (plus tax) in Maine. Redbreast cost $43.00 in NH (no tax) and
$49.00 (plus tax) in Maine. Me thinks I'll be drinking a LOT more BLACK BUSH.
Oooh, LAGAVULIN 16 sells for $65.00 (no tax) a 750ml in The State of New Hampshire. I'm not sure what it cost in Maine except that it will be MORE expensive.

Regards,
SixCats!

A few years ago I came across a website that listed all the Erin Go Bragh available in Maine, for some strange reason. Anyway, I can't find the website now, but there seemed to be lots of stores there with it at the original price. It's not the best whiskey in the world, but it would be well worth trying if you came across it on your travels.

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

[JohnM]

By the way, here's a good website for researching best prices in your area...

http://www.wine-searcher.com/

It's called winsearcher, but it covers whisky.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Hi all,

So, in a "nut shell" is there a better dram to be had in Maine/NH than POWERS ($22.00 plus tax) or Bushmills Original (NH price of $19.00) ? Kilbeggan anyone ?

Regards,
SixCats!

This is the end of the original post by SixCats so as the creator of the thread he is actually directly referring to prices local to him and as such it is a Maine based conversation. At the end of the day Sixcats is talking about what he possibly should buy when he is REALLY strapped for cash so no off topic talk from his part. Anyway you can't blame a guy from talking from his perspective. However I will amend the topic slightly.

So come on lads ... no more handbag stuff or I'll start deleting comments ...

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Thanks moderator, things seem to be getting a little hot around here

[John]

+1
J.