As I mentioned in my last blog post, how many bottles are too many bottles, I wanted to write about the topic of how much is too much, to spend on a bottle of bourbon? Now I know this will be a controversial topic as most will say no more than MSRP and if you spend more than MSRP you are contributing to the issues of the secondary market. Now I do agree with this statement, but please be realistic, come down off your high horse, and join the real world. There is not a single one of us that participates in this journey, hobby, or lifestyle that has not seen a bottle of bourbon on the shelf in our local liquor store and paid above MSRP for a bottle we wanted; and if you say you have not, quit lying to yourself!

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s truly dive into the subject of how much is too much. I believe the easiest answer to this question is however much your budget allows for. This is a true factor and one I have written about in the past; disclaimer incoming. Please always remember that this is an expensive adventure and no single bottle of bourbon, whisk(e)y, or scotch is worth putting your financial security at risk. But with that said, I want to get more in-depth into this subject and not just mention this typical monetary statement. Instead, I want to examine the top three factors that should be considered when deciding how much money is too much for a bottle of bourbon?

Before looking at these factors, let’s talk about the elephant in the room that most of us, including myself, have partaken in. We all need to come to terms with the fact that at one time or another we have probably purchased an expensive bottle of bourbon because we either hopped on the brand-specific hype train or we let ourselves fall into the jealousy trap of watching or seeing someone else post about the next best bottle of bourbon that was just released. Now although FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is a real thing, it should not be a reason to purchase a bottle of bourbon, let alone an expensive bottle of bourbon! So instead, how about we look at the top three factors I believe someone should consider before purchasing an expensive bottle of bourbon.

The first factor I typically consider before purchasing an expensive bottle of bourbon is researching whether it even matches my taste preferences. Now maybe you are a unique individual and you love the taste of all bourbon, scotch, and whisk(e)y, then this factor will not matter to you. Unfortunately, I, like probably most, do have a definite preference for flavors when sipping on a dram of bourbon. So I ask, way even consider spending too much on a bottle of bourbon if you will not enjoy the taste if it?

The second factor to consider before purchasing an expensive bottle of bourbon, is how long has the bourbon been aged in the barrel before bottling? Now before everyone screams at me that this does not matter, I will be blunt and say yes it actually does. This does not mean a young bourbon will not or does not taste great, I have had some that certainly do, but I am saying you should not spend a significant amount of money on a young bourbon. In my opinion, anything less than eight (8) to ten (10) years of age should not be priced over $60. Now many factors go into the pricing of a bottle, perhaps this is a subject for another blog post, but the aging of a bottle is my most important. I might sound like a “bourbon snob,” but going back to the first factor, my taste preferences do correlate with the age of bourbon and the depth of the tasting profile that develops over time. As bourbon ages, particularly between 10 and 18 years for my palate, the true characteristics of that bourbon seem to shine and become ever so more enjoyable to consume. So again, are you willing to spend “too much” money on a bottle of young bourbon?

Last but not least, the third factor I consider when purchasing an expensive bottle of bourbon is whether a bottle of bourbon is distilled by the producer or if it is a non-distiller produced (NDP) product. Although not always as important as the above factors, it is something I consider when purchasing an expensive bottle of bourbon. Now that must be said with a caveat, as I am a super fan of Bardstown Discovery Series which is currently an NDP bourbon averaging at a price of about $150; such an excellent blended bourbon sourced from other distilleries. But when priced next to a bottle of Michter’s 10 Year Bourbon for the same cost, I will always go for the Michter’s as it is a superior product produced by them.

Wrapping up this article, I wanted to end with an asterisk (or fourth factor) of please do not forget about the ABV (Alcohol by Volume). I am a strong believer that a true bourbon should be at or near cask strength to indulge in it’s true characteristics. If a distiller has chosen to lower the ABV by adding water to their bourbon, which also allows for more bottle distribution, then this diluting should lower the overall price of the bottle too.

So I assume by now if you have spent the time to read this entire article you are probably disappointed that I have not stated a true cost on how much money is too much for a bottle of bourbon; and unfortunately, I will not be. However, I will mention that over the past year of hunting bourbon my threshold has decreased and I am now only willing to pay about $30 to $50, depending on the circumstances, over MSRP for a bottle of bourbon. While researching for this article I concluded that the answer to how much is too much, to spend on a bottle of bourbon has to be a personal decision. I can provide factors to consider when purchasing an expensive bottle, but you as a consumer must be educated enough in the situation to decide for yourself, how much is too much, to spend on a bottle of bourbon?

Please remember, drinking bourbon is a personal adventure, so do not be afraid to drink it neat, with ice, or add some water. It’s your bourbon, you bought it, and you should enjoy it how you want to enjoy it!

Cheers! Prost! Sláinte!

Bourbon Bossman