For most of us, the idea is to get value for your hard earned dollar. For some the value comes in the form of "I just want a buzz and I'm going to mix it anyway so why spend any more than absolutely necessary". For some the value is in the "prestige" of having a really nice bottle on the shelf and for others still they just want an enjoyable sip every once in a while. How much are you willing to pay for a bottle that you know you're going to drink? Are you willing to pay more for a bottle that you'll probably only share with friends and family? Would you drop even more money for a hard to find bottle or one you heard was outstanding if you ran across it?
Very little. If the cheap stuff disappears I'll drink tea. It's not THAT important. I enjoy $50 red wine when it's offered, but never actually buy it myself.
Sure, why not. We love shopping at Costco. However, most we know drink craft beer, especially our kids, so we always try to get them the beer they like. We, (meaning my husband and I), make our own wine, and it comes right from the fruit of our own labor, our vineyard. Before this though, of course, we spent plenty but to tell you the truth, we were never big spenders except when it came to getting the right tequilla in our margies. We'd always ask for top shelf and have them mixed to our liking. Used to be likers of the hard stuff, but things change as we age. We're pretty much drinking our own wine, and hubby likes a cold beer when it gets really hot. It's really, really hot today, and this was the first time in a long while he asked me to buy him some beer when I went to the grocery store. We used to have a FULL liquor cabinet, but we find that most people in CA. are wine drinkers or craft beer drinkers, so the stuff we do have stored is really well aged. I mean aged, Luther! I still have collector liquors, and whiskey decanters from Puerto Rico and St. Thomas from 40 years ago. Never opened. Our kids will inherit quite a collection someday.
The last bottle of scotch I bought cost more than $100. Since I only rarely drink it will last several years.
I have found that when I buy "the good stuff" it lasts a long time. I very much enjoy it but also know that it's a luxury to be savored, rather than exploited.
Trix, you might want to have a look at some of that stash. Last week I pulled a bottle off the shelf that I hadn't touched in a while. When I bought it I paid right around $100 and did so on a complete lark because I had never heard of it but it looked good (same way I shopped for record albums back in the day!). I hopped online to see if anyone had another bottle because that one was getting low and discovered that it was no longer available because it was an annual release and this was a 7 year old bottle. The new releases were going for around $300 so I looked at one of the after market sites and found two bottles available. One could be had for the low, low price of $2,495 and the other was over $3k. Don't get me wrong, I like my whisky but while this was good it was more like $80 good.
Thankfully, we have family and friends who are wine snobs .. so we're regularly offered a glass of the good stuff
When I found out the price recently jumped up from 24 to 28, that is making me question my purchasing habits. It will probably cause me to reduce my consumption by half, as well as maybe switch to something cheaper to make up some of the difference. There are high taxes where I live, so that is just the base price.
I used to drop $40-$50 for a bottle of mid-shelf scotch for the week. Then I started getting gout. Now I drink White Claw... I prolly still spend the same amount. But no more gout.
Apparently, I'm willing to spend $25 to $30, which is about what a bottle of Captain Morgan, Monte Alban Mezcal and Wild Turkey costs. Sometimes I'll spend less if I'm mixing it, but I never buy cheap booze.
If you're drinking Wild Turkey straight then bust out another $20 and get their Rare Breed. If you're mixing it then save some money and get Ancient Age.
Nothing. I am close to a tea totaler but I make an exception and put rum in my egg nog at christmas and will maybe drink a little alcohol once in four months to be sociaable.
As far as mass market bourbons go it's pretty good. Turkey also produces Russel's Reserve and their Single Barrel offering is also really good without breaking the bank but, at 110 proof, it's not the kind of thing most casual drinkers find an immediate appreciation for. -edit- Come to think of it, Rare Breed is also 100+ proof so you're going to get a little more alcohol "burn" when you sip it but that "burn" also opens your tongue a little more so you can taste more of the character of the bourbon.
