3 ms·

Shouldn't this be pretty easily testable with a blind taste test?

lmm 4y ago
Suppose you make a whisky that is indistinguishable from "The Macallan" in blind taste tests. Who cares? Who's going to buy it?
- nerdponx 4y ago
  Me, if it's cheaper!
  - asciimike 4y ago
    Same. I keep a bottle of Blue Label that I refill with Green/Gold/Platinum (depending on how generous I'm feeling) that gets served to guests who visit my home bar and ask for Blue Label because they know nothing about scotch except that it's expensive. I actually think those colors are better than Blue, but that's neither here nor there... My personal trend over the past few years has been to buy from independent bottlers, of which Costco/TJ usually carry (e.g. Alexander Murray). I've also switched to other beverages: armagnac, mezcal, rum; all of which have lower brand recognition and interest here. Overall it means I can get more variety (and value) at a better price, which is a win.
- asciimike 4y ago
  You can't sell to people buying Macallan 12, you have to sell to people who _don't_ currently buy Macallan 12 because $REASONS (significant price difference, ESG angles like lower carbon footprint, they can't get it in their location, etc.).
asciimike 4y ago
Short answer is likely "yes" though I think there's a surprising amount of variation even there. Longer answer is that I'm not sure the direct comparison ever really happens because in a spirits tasting competition where there would be double blind testings, it's never pitted against the whiskies it's being "marketed against" (e.g. a "real" bourbon or scotch). Sip 2021 puts it in "other whiskies" in which it gets the lowest awarded medal: https://sipawards.com/content/results/sipawards2021results.pdf https://sipawards.com/content/results/sipawards2021results.p... (though interestingly in 2022, Spice, their "scotch" blend, won double gold in the same category: https://sipawards.com/content/results/sipawards2022results.pdf https://sipawards.com/content/results/sipawards2022results.p...). Obviously you could host your own with a few friends and give it a go (e.g. https://www.keacher.com/1334/scotch/ https://www.keacher.com/1334/scotch/)

lmm 4y ago

Suppose you make a whisky that is indistinguishable from "The Macallan" in blind taste tests. Who cares? Who's going to buy it?

nerdponx 4y ago
Me, if it's cheaper!
- asciimike 4y ago
  Same. I keep a bottle of Blue Label that I refill with Green/Gold/Platinum (depending on how generous I'm feeling) that gets served to guests who visit my home bar and ask for Blue Label because they know nothing about scotch except that it's expensive. I actually think those colors are better than Blue, but that's neither here nor there... My personal trend over the past few years has been to buy from independent bottlers, of which Costco/TJ usually carry (e.g. Alexander Murray). I've also switched to other beverages: armagnac, mezcal, rum; all of which have lower brand recognition and interest here. Overall it means I can get more variety (and value) at a better price, which is a win.
asciimike 4y ago
You can't sell to people buying Macallan 12, you have to sell to people who _don't_ currently buy Macallan 12 because $REASONS (significant price difference, ESG angles like lower carbon footprint, they can't get it in their location, etc.).

asciimike 4y ago

Short answer is likely "yes" though I think there's a surprising amount of variation even there. Longer answer is that I'm not sure the direct comparison ever really happens because in a spirits tasting competition where there would be double blind testings, it's never pitted against the whiskies it's being "marketed against" (e.g. a "real" bourbon or scotch). Sip 2021 puts it in "other whiskies" in which it gets the lowest awarded medal: https://sipawards.com/content/results/sipawards2021results.pdf https://sipawards.com/content/results/sipawards2021results.p... (though interestingly in 2022, Spice, their "scotch" blend, won double gold in the same category: https://sipawards.com/content/results/sipawards2022results.pdf https://sipawards.com/content/results/sipawards2022results.p...). Obviously you could host your own with a few friends and give it a go (e.g. https://www.keacher.com/1334/scotch/ https://www.keacher.com/1334/scotch/)