The Cult Whisk(e)y Phenomenon

If you were to look up “cult wine,” you would find the likes of Screaming Eagle, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Vega Sicilia, Penfolds Grange and many more. What these world-renowned icons have in common is that they have each built a reputation for being ephemeral and produce very little of their product, so demand far exceeds the supply. Having been in the wine business for almost 20 years now, we’d like to say we know a thing or two about those kinds of goods. We’ve recently seen this phenomenon reach beyond wine and into another liquid arena, whisky. Dedicated whisky enthusiasts are on a quest like Indiana Jones to the ends of the earth for micro production, special-bottling, and long lost Holy Grail spirits. Everyday we receive inquiries for whiskys such as Pappy Van Winkle, A.H. Hirsch, Port Ellen, Ardbeg Committee, and Octomore to name a few. More and more often these highly-coveted gems have earned a name for quality well above the status quo and are becoming more and more rare. Like junkies, we’re chasing the dragon for that magical unicorn that we’ve only heard of in whispers. Every so often we strike gold, however, more often than not we find the well is dry, which only makes us thirst for more.

As the taste for Whisk(e)y grows ever more popular, broaching all kinds of cultural divides, it’s following grows. And, as purveyors of great stuff, we’ve become acquainted with the major players (movers and shakers as it were) of the spirits world. In addition to our constant search for rarity, pedigree and certainty, we’re always looking for (and tasting) what’s coming next from the veritable “Who’s Who” of cult producers and who has the “next best thing” that will be all the rage and damn near impossible to get in a few months. Simply put, you’d have a better chance of being hit by lightning than finding this stuff in your local store, let alone in your friend’s stash… but no worries, we’ve got you covered. Check in with your Wine Scout to see what’s hot right now and make sure you are on “the list” for these rare treats, because once we get them, they’re already gone.

To view our full lineup of spirits, please visit our website.

Stefan Matulich
Sales Director/Spirits Buyer