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Taster’s Club Subscription Box Review – October 2016

Lindsey Morse
ByLindsey MorseOct 16, 2016 | 2 comments

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Taster's Club Whiskey of the Month Club
1 overall rating
1 Ratings | 1 Reviews

Taster's Club is a subscription that sends a new bottle of “must have” liquor to your door every month.

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When you sign up for a subscription, you decide what kind of alcohol you’d like to receive.

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The following clubs are available: Whisky, Bourbon, Scotch, Scotch Pro, Rum, Tequila, and Tequila Pro. 

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My Subscription Addiction pays for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

This review is of the Scotch Club, $79 a month, box.

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The Subscription Box: Taster's Club

The Cost: $79 per month + shipping for the Scotch Club (Shipping to DC was an additional $15.) Note that the price differs between clubs.

The Products: A different bottle of liquor every month. (My shipments feature Scotch because I joined the “Scotch Club.”)

A note about shipping: Taster's Club does not list the US states to which they ship on their website. Most alcohol subscription companies are unable to ship to all 50 states due to alcohol shipping restrictions, so I’m uncertain whether Taster's Club is able to ship nationwide or not.

Check out all of our Taster's Club reviews and other boozy boxes in the Alcohol Subscription Box Directory!

Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription box list or wishlist!

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Taster’s Club shipments are accompanied by supplemental information that’s sent out via email. I usually receive it within a few days of my monthly shipment.

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Craigellachie 13 Year Old Single Malt (750 ml.)- $44.54 (MSRP is $69.99)

I know a little bit about Scotch, but I’ve never heard of Craigellachie before. After doing some research, it seems I’m not alone. The Craigellachie Distillery was built in 1891, but throughout its long history whisky has rarely been released under the Craigellachie name.

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The distillery has changed hands several times over the years, and in 1998 it was purchased by John Dewar & Sons (the maker of Dewar’s whisky). Shortly thereafter, Dewar’s began using Craigellachie’s product in their blended whiskies. Then in 2014, and seemingly out of the blue, a line of single malts was released under the Craigellachie name. I think it’s really interesting that Taster’s Club decided to feature a single malt from a distillery that doesn’t have a history of official bottlings!

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Craigellachie still uses traditional “worm tubs” for cooling (very few distilleries still use them), and they claim that this classic technique gives their whisky a distinctive meaty flavor.

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I can’t say that I find this to be a “meaty” Scotch, but I do pick up on a little smokiness.

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The flavor is bold and fruity, and it has a savory quality that I find robust and satisfying. I really like this whisky, and I definitely think it’s good enough to stand on its own outside of a blend. The flavor is complex and interesting, but I also find it to be really accessible. I like it a lot.

Verdict: I’m really excited that this month’s Taster's Club introduced me to a new distillery! It was a lot of fun discovering Craigellachie, and I’m definitely a fan of their 13 Year Old Single Malt. Unfortunately, I have to point out that this is yet another month where the value comes in pretty significantly below the cost of the subscription. In my experience so far, Taster’s Club is not a high value (or even a break even) subscription. That said, I do think it’s a fun way to discover new whiskies, and I think it would be a welcome gift for a whisky-loving friend.

What do you think of Taster's Club? Have you tried Craigellachie Single Malts before?

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"The Taster’s Club Team have worked hard to curate a list of 'must have', whiskeys, focusing on fabulous Scotch Whiskeys and Bourbons. Each month, you can expect a new 750ml bottle of fantastic whiskey at your door that you wont forget. Part of what makes our clubs great is the surprise of getting a... read more.
Lindsey Morse
Lindsey Morse
Lindsey is a professional baker, cold brew coffee addict, and rosé aficionado who loves writing about food and wine. When she’s not sharing her love of subscription boxes with the world, you’ll find her in the podcasting studio, perfecting her cake decorating techniques, or cursing her way through the New York Times daily crossword puzzle.

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2 comments

Erin

This is the perfect subscription to read a review on every month, then if you’re interested just buy the item. That’s an easy $30 savings just this month. That makes way more sense than subscribing. They should add an interesting lower cost accessory like some kind of ice mold or an interesting glass to the package to make it more enticing to actually subscribe. Otherwise, it just doesn’t make sense.

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monah

Good ideas! I may read some reviews and come up with something different for my brother!

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