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High End
By Daphne | December 7, 2007
I was looking at a story about higher end liquors that you may give to someone as a gift. This seems ok if you have a lot of money. But what I want to know is, do they taste better? Some do not. The prestige isn’t lost on the recipient: some items do not even get opened, they are just left for show. The wow factor for higher end liquor or any higher end gift is that you are paying for the prestige.
This quote from Marketwatch sums it up…
“There’s an illusion pushed that when you spend more, you get more quality,” said Tom Pirko, president of Bevmark. “But there is usually a plateau to quality in high-end goods. The difference between Hennessy’s XO cognac ($95) and Paradis ($350) has far more to do with other intangibles like greed, ego and vanity.”
Some things do not taste better or look better when they cost more. I have seen handmade items that did not cost as much and they have been much more valuable than expensive items.
I would rather have an item that I use than a more expensive premium item because you may want to save the item for a special occasion which may never come. The special label that you apply to the gift may have requirements that you never meet in your mind. You may say, “let’s open this bottle the next time we have a family occasion,” the occasion comes and you decide not to open it. Or you may just say crack it open and let’s get the party started… because life is a party. Either way… it is up to you but there is an illusion of quality that does come with the price.
I have tasted higher end liquors and if you are in the mood for a drink and do not want it to be an event but are discerning enough that you know what you like… you may not really like the higher end liquors.
If you are in the position to give someone a $500 bottle of liquor, make sure that the recipient will really like it and not just the price tag.
Topics: December 2007 |