LSD rant, spoiler alert, and TL/DR: LSD is a crotchety, frugal person who strongly dislikes the idea of No-Age-Statement whisky for more than $15/750ml. I just listened to the WhiskyCast episode from November 16, 2025 (20th anniversary episode). Tamdhu distillery manager Sandy McIntyre discussed the batch strength No-Age-Statement whisky and stated his immense frustration that consumers don't explore No-Age-Statement whiskies because consumers are put off when they don't see an age statement. He opined that consumers need to get past that because it's not about color, it's not about age, instead it's about flavors. Said like a true producer with no finger on the pulse. To me, it's about cost and about information. If I have two bottles in front of me for purchase and one has an age statement and one doesn't have an age statement, the one with an age statement is providing more information. Sandy says it's about flavor??? How do I know what the contents taste like?! I'm in the whisky store comparing bottles - I'm not going to a bar to find this whisky to pay a premium for a sample just to taste it to decide if I am going to buy the bottle. Second, "it's about flavor" defies supply and demand and cost of production. I don't care how good it tastes; if it costs you two cents to produce it, I'm not paying $100 for it no matter the taste. For example, of the Glenlivet and Glenfiddich line ups, my favorites are the 15 year olds from both distilleries. Does that mean I should pay more for them than the 18 or 21 years olds because it tastes better to me? No, because it costs them less to produce it, therefore they charge less. As a consumer, No-Age-Statement is a way for producers to make more money with contents that cost less to produce or a way to keep the lights on with less than ideal inventory. The No-Age-Statement issue can be solved by providing ALL the information on the label. Sandy, provide on the label the percentages and ages of the contents that make up the 'vatted' malt. Then let me as the consumer decide if I want to spend that much. Contents consist of 99% 30 year old and 1% 3 year old, which doesn't permit you to put an age statement older than 3 years on the label? Ok, I will pay more for that No-Age-Statement than one that is 70% 8 year old, 29% 18 year old, and 1% 50 year old. Sandy, like you, I am frustrated - frustrated at producers who don't pay for their whisky and are therefore tone-deaf of the costs we pay to drink your product.

Posted by lawschooldrnk at 2025-11-26 15:30:44 UTC