The coming shortage on Scotch Whisky

[Tobus]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2...-asia-shortage

The article is probably too long to copy-paste here. In short, it looks like the rising Asian market will cause the price of Scotch whisky to rise (as well as create shortages in supply, since it takes many years for production to ramp up to match demand).

I suppose this is a good thing for the whisky industry, but it really sucks for we the consumers.

Oddly enough, we're having a similar 'crisis' here in Texas with pecans. Apparently the Chinese have discovered that they love pecans, and they're buying them like crazy. So the price of pecans has skyrocketed to the point where it is currently about $9 per pound here. And people have started resorting to well-organized theft of pecan harvests from orchards. I hope we don't see anything like that with the whisky industry!

[ForresterModern]

I think with my current collection/supply I should be good for at least a few months, maybe even a year. Price will come back down eventually.

[Tobus]

I think with my current collection/supply I should be good for at least a few months, maybe even a year. Price will come back down eventually.

Well, even the cheap stuff takes three years to make, so I doubt prices will stabilize any time soon. Especially for the better grade whisky. In fact, it could get MUCH worse in the next ten years, even if the distillers leaped into action today to maximize their production.

[mookien]

Well, look on the bright side. Moonshine is easy to make. Add a few drops of carbolic acid, age it for a couple of weeks in oak chips, and you have a "peat monster". I think you can make up to 150 quarts, or something like that, for personal consumption only, of course. That would last a few weeks.

[ForresterModern]

At a dear friends post funeral memorial two weeks ago I poured out a lovely bottle of El Major extra anejo tequila that had been aged 5 years in sherry casks just like many scotch whiskies. About 25 people toasted my friend with me, and several of them I guess did not know it was tequila as they came up to me afterward saying it was the smoothest scotch they had ever tasted.

When the 80+ bottles I currently have, and any more I add in the future, run dry, I guess I might have to switch to extra anejo tequila. But I figure that may take me at least a few weeks to work my way though my current stock. That is, unless I invite my friends over to share as the stocks dwindle--I am that kind of guy.

[piperdbh]

Or you could subscribe to Mookien's line of thinking. There's bound to be a few practitioners of the old art around where you are, Jeff, and corn's easy to grow.

[Tobus]

I wouldn't plan on switching from Scotch to tequila just yet. Tequila's future doesn't look too rosy either.

[ForresterModern]

I wouldn't plan on switching from Scotch to tequila just yet. Tequila's future doesn't look too rosy either.

So I guess you are saying I should start stocking up right now? Okay, both scotch AND tequila.

[artificer]

So I guess you are saying I should start stocking up right now? Okay, both scotch AND tequila.

Here is logic I can find NO fault with. Well done.

ith:

[EagleJCS]

I just heard a news report on TV that there was an alcohol spill at the Heaven Hill distillery yesterday. Found an article here: Alcohol spill

Looks like bourbon's going to be a little more expensive as well.