Of Beer and Scotch by Dan H. Lycombe Hello Bob and all his readers. I want to share my joy with all of you in finally removing a stain on my frugal beer hunting life. Yes, I admit being dumb enough to once pay $125 for a single bottle of beer made in 1946. Of course it was almost undrinkable, though I did persevere. The bottle in question was a Ballantine Burton Ale, at one time considered the Holy Grail for historic beer collectors, well at least for those of average means. I rarely tell anyone since it's hard for some to fathom such an expenditure. "You're crazy" was the most common thing I heard from those who knew. Well, now I feel so much less crazy thanks to Scotch. No, I haven't drank any; I've just heard about some who just spent $38,000 for a single bottle of the stuff. My measly $125 purchase now looks most sane. The Scotch in question is a Balvenie 50 single-malt, and the proud owner will be the Stage Left restaurant in New Brunswick, NJ. Only 15 bottles of Balvenie 50 are heading to the United States; 131 will be available worldwide. Many will end up in the hands of collectors, who will hold on to the whiskey, wait for it to appreciate even higher in value, then sell it. And yes, I did think of doing that with my Burton Ale but hey, it was only $125 so why not drink the 'cheap' stuff. It seems that the owners of Stage Left are going to drink it too, but in a decidedly different way. They intend to sell it to their customers for a bargain price - only $1,800 for a one-ounce pour. That's almost giving it away. There are 24 ounces in each bottle; if they pre-sell 17 portions by December 19, they'll bring in the bottle. Given the upscale clientele that frequent their restaurant they just might pull it off. So far they've announced that three people have signed up for that big one ounce and that's only from word of mouth advertising. Just wait until their marketing machine goes into gear. If all goes according to plan, the bottle will be opened next January 10. If you like Balvenie 50 Scotch with food you're in luck. On that historic night a special dinner will be held. Cost is $2,015 per person. Of course that includes THE Scotch. And as a bonus you get to take home a bottle of Balvenie 21-year PortWood, single-malt Scotch at no extra charge! If you however prefer to dine without the Scotch (can't imagine anyone who would) you will be allowed to reserve a seat at the dinner, for just $299. I'm guess you're wondering what does a $38,000 scotch taste like? Well, " it's matured in an European oak sherry hogshead rarely used in whiskey making, Balvenie 50 is a wonderful fragrant and floral whisky, velvety sweet with a beautifully balanced combination of sweet citrus notes and gentle hints of honey, spice and oak,'' according to the distiller. Ah, almost sounds like my Ballantine Burton Ale. One last note to anyone who is thinking of purchasing a full bottle of the stuff. Just think, for that $38,000 we could team up and buy nearly 375 bottles of Burton Ale and sell tastes of it, oh say, a generous 6 ounce pour for only $180. What a deal - 6 times the amount for one tenth of the price. Sam Walton would be proud of us. So there you have it Bob. If anyone contacts you about the deal let me know. I'm in! ----------- Hey Dan, loved your article. Fun stuff for sure. Hope you can send me another one. As for your offer, well, I'm in for one bottle of the B bottles. Right, the Ballantine, not the Balvenie. I'd like to invite everyone to send me their own columns about anything related to beer just as Dan did. I select the best and publish them here.So join in and get writing! Cheers! Bob |
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