I’ve shared some thoughts on how to guestimate if you might like something that you’ve never tried before, and admitted there that the only foolproof method IS to try it. But – trying doesn’t means you have to run out and buy an entire bottle.
If you’re just starting out on your whiskey journey, the good news is that you can find a lot of brands offered in “mini” bottles (50 mL; the size you get on an airplane). Some stores have a pretty wide selection, others not so much. Now you’re paying a premium when buying a smaller size, but I’d much rather spend $4 on a 50 mL of something and discover I don’t like it than spend $25 on a 750 mL of the same with the same results. The availability varies based on location, so I’ll focus here on bourbon to illustrate.
Between Georgia and Kentucky (the two states where I’ve made the majority of my whiskey purchases), I’ve seen the following offered in 50 mL mini bottles – typically for $4 or less:
Jim Beam white label, Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey 101, Evan Williams black label, Maker’s Mark, Jack Daniel’s (spare me the ‘not a bourbon’ emails please), Buffalo Trace, Larceny, Old Forester, and Bulleit bourbon.
Some larger retailers (especially in Kentucky) carry a selection of some higher-end labels in 50 mL minis, which may run $5-$10, but again – same logic applies. Examples I’ve seen include:
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Baker’s, Booker’s, Four Roses Single Barrel, Knob Creek, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, and Blanton’s.
Most premium whiskies (which for this definition I’ll say are $90 or more for a 700/750 mL bottle) unfortunately aren’t offered in “mini” bottles. Hell, most aren’t offered in any size other than the standard bottle (700/750 mL), although sometimes you’re pleasantly surprised. Switching styles to scotch – there is a Johnnie Walker sampler pack with 4 200 mL bottles, including Johnnie Walker Blue Label (locally, this runs about $100). I looked for that as I wanted to try Johnnie Walker Blue, but didn’t want to spend on a full price bottle (and while paying a premium, the chance to have several visits across their lineup was a lot of fun, and well worth it).
Now you can also try something at a bar or restaurant (also known as “on-premise”) before buying a whole bottle, but have you done the math for what that premium cost? It isn’t an exact science (and there are different strategies involved, wholesale pricing, etc) – and this isn’t a complaint about on-premise mark-up either (they’ve got labor costs involved, insurance, etc). But typically the product component is running 20-30% of the price you pay. For example – one local bar pours 2 oz of Buffalo Trace for $10 (so $5/oz). A full bottle (25 oz+) runs around $25 – so the retail cost is about $1/oz. Now sometimes as the product cost increases, the mark-up decreases since the labor costs are really the same (again, NOT in the on-premise business; understand there are all sorts of strategies, market demand, etc). I’ve seen Johnnie Walker Blue poured for $50 (and $75). That’s a lot of coin, but again – if I hadn’t ever tried it, even $75 is a lot less than $200-$250 for a bottle (especially if I’m underwhelmed). So that’s another option to try something before you buy – although personally I reserve that for the more premium offerings.
While most high-end labels aren’t available in the smaller sizes, I recently came across an exception: Peerless Rye 24 month. Now while I enjoyed the whiskey, the price (offered around $125, then discounted to $99, and now in some areas down to $69) I think is absurd. Yes, it is an interesting whiskey to try if you’re a whiskey geek, but an expensive proposition. So I was floored when browsing a local retailer and I saw they were offering 200 mL bottles of Peerless Rye 24 month for $28. If I hadn’t tried that before, I absolutely would have bought one just to satisfy my curiosity.
“Wait . . . $28 for a 200 mL? Seriously?”
Absolutely. Hear me out – the premium you pay for a 200 mL size is typically 35% to 75%. For example – Maker’s Mark goes for $10 for a 200 mL while a 750 mL is $22.50; a 67% premium when you calculate the price per mL. The Peerless Rye 24 month has been going for $100 for a 750 mL. At the 200 mL pricing, there is barely any premium (5%). Even when they drop the price to $70; the premium you’re paying is 50%, which isn’t out of the norm.
Now I haven’t gone searching for Peerless Rye at local bars, but if I found it there, and their pricing is based on the new reduced rate of $70, depending upon how they set their price (which is a whole other thing; I get it) I can reasonably expect to pay $20-$25 for a 2 oz pour. If I’m going to spend $20-$25 for 2 oz (just shut of 60 mL), why wouldn’t I spend $28 and get more than three times that amount? Not only is it a better price, but with 200 mL I can revisit it multiple times, and better control my tasting environment. Hell, I could test it in several cocktails, neat, etc.
The Peerless Rye example is an exception to be sure, but a great example of where buying small can save you some money – especially when you’re trying to figure out what you like or don’t like. I made the mistake when starting out of buying a lot of bottles, only to discover I wasn’t crazy about some – and was stuck with 90% of a bottle. Yeah, you can mix it in cocktails or cook with it – but life’s too short to have to find ways to get rid of whiskey you just don’t enjoy.
Some other alternatives to consider based on your situation:
- Find a whiskey society/club in your area! These vary greatly in terms of how they work, what they do and don’t do. I’ve attended function for one where you pay a reasonable fee for some snacks (sometimes a meal) and a tasting of 4-6 various pours (typically a 1/3 oz, but again – this can vary). I belong to one where it is quite informal, and fellow enthusiasts gather together and share what they care to. The generosity of this type of group can be (and still is to this day) humbling, and some of the most fun you can have legally and dressed.
- Split a bottle with friends! Maybe you don’t have a club or society, but if you’ve got a couple of friends who are just as keenly interested as you are, but everyone is gun shy about buying a whole bottle “just to find out” – figure out some arrangement to split the cost. Hell – a $120 bottle split three ways is only $40 for 8 oz (which is likely what you’d pay for a shot in a bar – so splurge and have the opportunity to try it in various settings, neat or on the rocks, in a cocktail, etc.)
- Amazon wish-list. Ok – I’ll admit I’ve done this before when there was something I was interested in, but too cheap to spring for. Granted – most of my family would rather not buy me another bottle of whiskey for a birthday or Christmas present, so I’d put this at the bottom of my list – but it has worked (although keep in mind pricing expectations and effort; don’t put something down that isn’t fairly easily attainable, and is in whatever price range you’d spend on them!)
Cheers!
Gary