Some flak for whisky flipping

Whisky flipping.  It’s the ultimate physical response to that vexatious question, “How much is this whisky worth?”  Nevertheless, the answer to the question is pretty simple: A whisky is worth whatever someone is prepared to pay for it.

One of the most contentious and ire-inducing phenomena to appear in whisky circles in the last 15 years has been the rise of the whisky flipper.   Not familiar with the term? It’s applied to someone who obtains a whisky at retail price (typically when the product is first launched or made available) and then, within a short timeframe, re-sells it on the secondary market at a significantly higher price. More often than not, the re-selling occurs once the original retailer’s or supplier’s stock is sold out, thus cashing in on a product that is no longer available through the original channels.

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105 distilleries in 60 seconds

A bit of fun for all the distillery nerds out there, particularly the ones who like to play “Guess the distillery”.

This video features 105 Scotch whisky distilleries in 60 seconds.  Can you recognise and name them all?   They’re in alphabetical order, just to make it easy for you…..

For more video content by Whisky & Wisdom, you can check out our YouTube channel here

If you like whisky trivia and want to test your whisky knowledge, you might also like our Whisky Quiz

Cheers,
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Chivas ‘The Blend’ Experience

Have you ever tried your hand at blending? Think you’ve got what it takes to come up with a delicious whisky?   Would you like to be a Master Blender for a day? The Blend by Chivas is giving you that very opportunity!

Chivas ‘The Blend’ Experience is a fantastic event to not just learn a bit about Scotch whisky and the story behind one of Scotland’s most famous blends, but to also have a crack at blending and putting together your own blended Scotch. Best of all, you get to take home a 200ml bottle of your own creation at the end of the session!

Chivas ‘The Blend’ Experience is coming to four cities across Australia over the next five months and whisky drinkers are able to sign up and register for their own session. Full details on this a little lower below but, first of all, what’s involved?

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Glenfarclas 105 versus Aberlour a’Bunadh

Glenfarclas 105 versus Aberlour a’Bunadh. Do you have a favourite? Have you already decided on a winner? Did you actually taste the two back-to-back to arrive at your conclusion? Does any comparison of the two simply come down to brand loyalty, or is there something objective we can measure?

If there’s a rivalry amongst the whisky producers, it would best be described as “friendly”. While the likes of William Grant & Sons and Pernod Ricard duke it out for the biggest selling single malt in the world (i.e. Glenfiddich and Glenlivet respectively), both companies know that, firstly, sales need to be considered across their full portfolios, and that their blends (e.g. Grants, Chivas, and Ballantines) are where the real volume is. Secondly, that what’s good for the category is good for everyone in the category. In other words, as long as the rising tide is floating all boats, then things are pretty rosy.

If there are rivalries amongst the brands, they’re being driven by consumers and punters, and they have their origins in the chatter on social media and in whisky forums. And so, in the Speyside stakes, we have Glenfiddich 12 versus Glenlivet 12. Over on Islay, we have Lagavulin versus Laphroaig. And for those who love their cask-strength sherry monsters, we have Glenfarclas 105 versus Aberlour a’Bunadh.

Both whiskies are cask-strength; both are natural colour; both are heavily sherried; and – in Australia, at least – both carry the same price tag of $140. (Equates to US$96 / 87 Euros / £75).  That’s what they have in common, so let’s look in detail at how and where they differ….

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