I Put A $3,800 Whiskey On My Credit Card And Could Not Relax Near It

Barrelson Ascendant Reserve is a $3,800 whiskey. I put it on my credit card because I wanted to know whether a bottle that expensive could still feel like a drink.

It mostly feels like a responsibility.

The bottle is heavy. The box is heavy. The pour is small because every ounce feels like a decision. Before I tasted it, I had already spent several minutes checking the table, the glass, and my own hand placement.

The whiskey is very good. It smells like vanilla, oak, dried fruit, and smoke. It tastes smooth and rich, with caramel at first and a long smoky finish. I understand why serious whiskey people would like it.

I also could not relax.

Every sip made me think about the price and the interest. I did the math in my head, which is a terrible thing to do while drinking whiskey. I tried adding a drop of water because that is what you are supposed to do, but then I worried I had changed something I did not understand well enough to change.

I gave a friend a taste. He said, "That's nice." He was right, but also, "nice" is a hard thing to hear after spending $3,800.

That is the issue with a bottle like this. It can be excellent and still not be enjoyable in a normal way. A $60 whiskey can sit on the counter. A $3,800 whiskey makes you think about the counter.

Should you buy Barrelson Ascendant Reserve? If you collect rare whiskey and can pay for it without carrying a balance, maybe. If you want a drink after dinner, no. It is too expensive to be casual and not useful enough to be anything else.

I put it back in the box and had water.