One of the most important things you need for your whisky tasting club is right in the name—whisky! Depending on the size of your club, buying enough bottles may prove to be quit the feat, especially when those bottles are on the more expensive side. Luckily, there are some tips you can follow to easily purchase whiskies to use for tastings with your club.
Designate a Point Person
Have a knowledgeable and accessible member of the club authorize strategic purchases. This is the person club members contact when they spot an opportunistic buy.
Maintain a Wish List
Create a shared document that includes whiskies unavailable in your local market, like distillery-only and international releases, highly allocated bottles, and Travel Retail whiskies so club members can hunt while traveling.
Pay Up
Use club membership fees or dues to purchase higher-priced whiskies. If you can buy bottles for your club to taste for less than the price of a restaurant pour, that’s a win.
Declutter the Closet
If your club has been fortunate enough to acquire multiple bottles of some unusual whiskies, consider selling them at auction or raffle within your ranks to fund new purchases.
Increase Your Chances
When liquor stores hold lotteries, notify members and ask everyone to enter. Consider making a pact that if a club member wins a bottle, everyone reaps the proceeds.
Carry a Card
Brand ambassadors and distillers are often eager to address whisky clubs, and may offer a tasting of their products. Be prepared with contact information for the club program director and a compelling pitch for why they should pay a visit.
Buy in Bulk
Get to know your local whisky retailers. Let them know that club members intend to be regular customers. They might consider putting aside rare and allocated bottles as part of a package along with more common whiskies the club buys.
Want to learn more about whisky clubs? Pick up our Whisky Clubs Special Issue, on newsstands March 3!
