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Of all the spirits categories, it’s hard to think of one that marries regional history and geographical specificity with obsessive enthusiasm and international appeal quite like whiskey. Whether we’re talking Scotch, Irish, Japanese, or bourbon, the category is vast, diverse, and even a bit intimidating. One of the best ways to sort through all the hype and noise, however, is by signing up for a whiskey subscription. These curated services provide access to varied and unique whiskeys at regular intervals.
We researched the most prominent whiskey subscriptions out there and evaluated them based on criteria such as cost vs. value and the diversity of products before settling on the best options for all manner of whiskey buffs. Whether you’re a beginner looking to level up from that bottle you still have from college, or an expert who has a dedicated cabinet for your collection of tasting glasses, there’s a whiskey subscription that’s right for you.
Best Whiskey Subscriptions of 2023
- Best Overall: Flaviar
- Best for Irish Whiskey: Irishmalts
- Best for Full Bottles: Mash&Grape
- Best for Variety: PourMore
- Best for Rare: Shots Box
- Best Artisan: Craft Whisky Club
- Best for Learning About Whiskey: Taster’s Club
- Best for Single Cask: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
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Liquor.com / Mohamed Sadek
We researched 14 companies that ship and/or deliver whiskey via standard deliveries as well as through subscriptions. Our team collected 14 data points about each company, ranging from price and delivery area to offerings, what’s in each shipment, and avenues for reaching customer service.
Best Overall : Flaviar
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Flaviar
- Starting Price: $60 per month
- Free Shipping: Yes, for orders over $60
- Products per Delivery: 1, 2, or 8
A unique e-commerce destination with numerous member benefits, Flaviar’s monthly service makes it easy to explore a breadth of rare and hard-to-find whiskeys from the comfort of home.
Access to extensive online spirits community
Competitive pricing with other clubs, plus special pricing on rare bottles
Ability to try small samples of multiple spirits
Shipping fee for orders less than $60
Flaviar is a unique online spirits interface that boasts a long list of member benefits. These include reviews, product and distillery profiles, cocktail recipes, access to distillery tours and free events, and, of course, top-shelf spirits delivered right to your door. Flaviar subscribers get exclusive access to the site’s online store, which carries more than 15,000 different spirits, including Scotch, Irish whiskey, Japanese whisky, and bourbon. Members can also branch out into other spirits categories like rum, gin, or mezcal, as well.
Rather than a standard yearly membership, Flaviar's subscription is available in monthly, three-month, or 12-month increments. Each tier includes a specific number of "products" of your choice—either full-sized bottles of your chosen spirit or "Tasting Boxes," which include three small vials of different spirits that you can sample before committing to a whole bottle. Signing up for a monthly membership will get you one product, and a three-month membership will get you two. But for the best value, opt for the 12-month membership, which includes eight products that can be shipped to your door whenever you choose.
- Monthly Membership (one product): $60
- 3-Month Membership (two products): $110
- 12-Month Membership (eight products): $315
Best for Irish Whiskey : Irishmalts
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- Starting Price: $24.80 for Three Drams Box
- Free Shipping: No
- Products per Delivery: Varies
Irishmalts is a perfect way to start your journey into the vibrant, oft-overlooked world of Irish whiskeys.
Large selection of Irish whiskeys
Hard-to-find regional spirits
Easy to filter by distillery and distillation method
Orders of over nine items must be placed separately due to customs regulations
High delivery fees
If your experience of Irish whiskeys is limited to Jameson and Bushmills, Irishmalts can help you expand your horizons. The company specializes in Irish whiskeys you aren’t likely to find stateside, like offerings from Teeling’s Distillery, the first new distillery to open in Dublin in more than a century. Irishmalts also wants to prove that there is a thriving industry that goes well beyond whiskey, offering spirits like Irish-made gin and vodka, craft beers, and unique spirits like poitín (a traditional Irish spirit distilled in small pot stills, from which it gets its name).
Customers can choose deliveries from Three Drams, which offers a selection of three different single servings of whiskeys each month, or can choose from hundreds of bottles of Irish spirits. The website makes it easy to filter by distillery or style of whiskey, giving you access to brands that are hard to find outside of the Emerald Isle.
- Three Drams Box: $24.80
- Single Malts: from $28
- Single Pot Stills: from $33
- Single Grain: from $26
- Blended: from $17
- Shipping to the U.S. varies by quantity
Best for Full Bottles : Mash&Grape
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Mash&Grape
- Starting Price: $69/month
- Free Shipping: No
- Products per Delivery: 1
Drawing on its deep and highly curated selection of interesting whiskeys, Mash&Grape offers a simple, one-bottle-a-month delivery service for club members.
Diverse selection of unique whiskeys
Impressive curation and eclectic bottlings
Straightforward and easy-to-use
No discount for longer-duration membership
Does not ship to all states
Mash&Grape’s deep selection of unique, unexpected bottles has made the company popular among whiskey lovers. And their simple, affordable subscription club delivers one curated 750 ml bottle of whiskey to members each month. Eschewing the familiar labels you see in supermarkets or liquor stores, Mash&Grape’s whiskey club focuses on eclectic brands and small producers, with helpful tasting notes included with every shipment.
Choose from three-, six-, or 12-month whiskey subscription options, each with the reasonable price of $69 per month. There’s also a bourbon-only subscription with the same pricing, as well as a Scotch subscription with the slightly elevated price of $79 per month.
- Whiskey and Bourbon Clubs: $69 per month
- Scotch Club: $79 per month
Best for Variety : PourMore
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PourMore
- Starting Price: $49/month
- Free Shipping: No
- Products per Delivery: 1
PourMore’s three-tiered subscription service offers curated plans to whiskey lovers of all experience levels.
Multiple pricing plans
Ability to receive shipments monthly or bi-monthly
Reduced rate for pre-ordering multiple months
Does not ship to UT, MS, AL, MA, AK, or HI
PourMore features a deep selection of whiskeys from Scotland, Japan, the U.S., and beyond. And the company’s variety, particularly in the pricing department, sets it apart from other one-size-fits-all whiskey subscriptions. With pricing plans for enthusiasts of all levels, PourMore’s extensive whiskey collection can be accessed at a monthly or bi-monthly rate that perfectly fits your budget.
PourMore offers three tiers of subscriptions: Intro, Explorer, and Enthusiast. The Intro package, designed for beginner whiskey fans, goes for $49 per installment. The Explorer package, featuring higher-end bottles, costs $79 per delivery. Finally, the Enthusiast package boasts rare and hard-to-find bottles for $129 per shipment. Each subscription has an additional shipping fee that varies according to location, and billing occurs on a month-to-month basis. (However, you’ll save money if you pre-pay for a number of months in advance.)
- “Intro” club: $49/month (plus shipping)
- “Explorer” club: $79/month (plus shipping)
- “Enthusiast” club: $129/month (plus shipping)
Best for Rare : Shots Box
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Shots Box
- Starting Price: $299/half-year
- Free Shipping: Yes
- Products per Delivery: 1
With fun touches like an intro box of whiskey shots and free Glencairn glasses, Shots Box offers rare whiskies in an engaging format.
Customers pick which full-sized bottle they receive
First box includes complimentary tasting glasses
Specially curated selection of rare whiskeys
No monthly delivery
Subscription must be prepaid
A maverick in the whiskey subscription world, Shots Box does a number of things differently than its competitors. Rather than asking customers to let the company curate a selection each month, Shots Box sends its users a box of shots. The subscriber then tries them all and selects which they’d like to receive in full-bottle form. To enhance the tasting experience, Shots Box includes a pair of elegant Glencairn tasting glasses with the first delivery.
Instead of monthly billing, Shots Box offers subscriptions on either a six-month basis (which includes three shipments) for $299, or a full-year basis (with six shipments) for $499. The full-year subscription includes one extra 750 ml bottle of top-selling whiskey, bringing the yearly total to seven bottles. Both the six-month and full-year subscriptions offer free shipping, which adds even more value to the membership.
- $299 for 6-month subscription (3 shipments)
- $499 for full-year subscription (6 shipments, plus extra bottle)
Best Artisan : Craft Whisky Club
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Craft Whisky Club
- Starting Price: $110 every 2 months
- Free Shipping: Yes
- Products per Delivery: 1
If you’re looking for new adventures in the world of whisky, Craft Whisky Club is for you. This Caskshare brand delivers hard-to-find, small-batch whiskeys from innovative distillers—with food pairings, to boot.
Membership supports small-scale distilleries
Access to member-exclusive products
Shipments also include a food pairing
User cannot choose own bottles
Only available in 44 U.S. states
Craft Whisky Club was formed in the UK (hence the spelling of “whisky” without an “e”) with the intention of helping new distilleries get a foothold in a crowded marketplace. The company sources compelling whiskeys from across the globe, seeking out small, emerging brands whenever they can. And, unlike any other subscription we reviewed, the Craft Whisky Club also includes regional food pairings with every shipment.
As far as pricing, members will be billed every month, but they’ll only receive a shipment once every two months. Users can choose to receive one bottle in that bi-monthly delivery, which costs $55 monthly (or $110 per shipment) or two bottles at $95 monthly (or $190 per shipment). When factoring in the food pairing, plus occasional bonus gifts from distilleries, it works out to be a solid value. Plus, can you really put a price on supporting up-and-coming whiskey producers? We think not.
- $55/month for 1 bottle, shipped bimonthly
- $95/month for 2 bottles, shipped bimonthly
Best for Learning About Whiskey : Taster’s Club
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Taster’s Club
- Starting Price: $69.99/month
- Free Shipping: No
- Products per Delivery: 1
With its exclusive bottlings and substantial supplementary material included with shipments, there’s no better option for aspiring whiskey savants than Taster’s Club.
Affordable pricing
Extensive supplementary materials
Access to club-exclusive bottlings
No discount for longer-duration membership
Does not ship to all states
The whiskey subscription from Taster’s Club is a great way to access offerings from some of the world’s most unique distilleries. Expect to see plenty of American whiskeys (including bourbon, rye, malt whiskey, and Tennessee whiskey), as well as eclectic offerings from Japan, Ireland, and Scotland. Cask-strength and single-barrel bottles aren’t uncommon, and certain distilleries will offer bottlings exclusive to Taster’s Club, so you’ll get to taste whiskeys you truly can’t source anywhere else.
Best of all, the Taster’s Club whiskey subscription offers additional value through its monthly “Digital 101” materials. This includes information regarding the whiskey’s production, images of the distillery and its unique story, expert tasting notes, and cocktail recipes. These extra details make Taster’s Club the ideal choice for whiskey fans who want to go on an educational journey.
- Whiskey and Bourbon: $69.99/month, plus taxes and shipping
- Scotch: $79.99/month, plus taxes and shipping
Best for Single Cask : Scotch Malt Whisky Society
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The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
- Starting Price: $99/year
- Free Shipping: No
- Products per Delivery: Varies
Want to gain access to award-winning single-cask whiskies that are available only to a select group of people? If so, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society is the perfect choice.
Access to exclusive single-cask whiskies
In-person and virtual member events
Private Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London
No recurring monthly whisky shipments
Basic-level membership doesn’t include a bottle of whisky
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has been on a quest to deliver exclusive single-cask Scotch to its members since its founding in 1983. Every month, the Society releases 20 to 30 single-cask whiskies from distilleries all over Scotland, hand-picked by their Tasting Panel.
While it’s not a recurring subscription, per se, a $99 annual fee grants you access to purchase bottles of Scotch whisky that are available only to members of the Society. Additional perks include in-person tasting events, guided virtual tastings, and access to private Members’ Rooms in the UK.
You can also purchase a tasting kit—which includes three 100 ml bottles of whisky, two snifter glasses, a pitcher, a water dropper, and a notebook—along with the membership for a total of $195. Furthermore, you can select a one-year membership plus a full bottle of whisky for a price ranging from $160 to $260, depending on the cask selection.
- Membership only: $99/year
- Membership and tasting kit: $195/year
- Membership and bottle: $160/year to $260/year
Our Unboxing Process
The fun part about putting together this roundup was opening each delivery box and checking out some whiskeys. We captured the unboxing process to help you decide which whiskey subscription might be best for you. We paid attention to:
- The outside packaging: How sturdy was the box?
- The inside packaging: How were the contents secured inside the delivery box?
- Extras: What else besides the actual products were in the box? We wanted to know if the companies included any literature or freebies such as glasses, tasting notes, etc.
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Liquor.com / Mohamed Sadek
Final Verdict
Whiskey of the month clubs are a great way to explore new whiskeys and dig deeper into the craft, history, and taste behind your favorite drink. Our top pick is Flaviar because the service curates a huge selection of rare and hard-to-find whiskeys for its subscribers. Plus, membership to Flaviar comes with added perks like virtual tastings, discounted prices on à la carte purchases, and free shipping.
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Liquor.com / Mohamed Sadek
Compare the Best Whiskey Subscriptions
Company | Starting Price | Free Shipping | Products per Delivery | Delivery Area | Gift Option? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flaviar Best Overall | $60/month | Yes, for orders over $60 | 1, 2, or 8 | 42 states | Yes |
Irishmalts Best for Irish Whiskey | $24.80/month | No | Varies | 50 states | Yes |
Mash&Grape Best for Full Bottles | $69/month | No | 2–4 | 39 states | Yes |
PourMore Best for Variety | $49/shipment | No | 3, 6, or 12 | 44 states | Yes |
Shots Box Best for Rare | $299/half- year | Yes | Varies | 41 states | Yes |
Craft Whisky Club Best Artisan | $55/month | Yes | 1–2 | 41 states | Yes |
Taster’s Club Best for Learning About Whiskey | $44/month | No | 2 | 44 states | Yes |
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Best for Single Cask | $99/year | No | Varies | Not disclosed | Yes |
How Does a Whiskey Subscription Work?
Whiskey subscriptions come in all shapes and sizes, and they’re geared toward enthusiasts of all levels of experience. Some whiskey subscriptions allow users to choose their own bottles, while others surprise you with their selections. Some subscriptions deliver monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly, while some are entirely à la carte. Long story short: If you’re interested in delving deeper into whiskey, there’s a subscription out there for you.
How Much Do Whiskey Subscriptions Cost?
Just as whiskey subscriptions vary in orientation and frequency of delivery, they also vary in price. The whiskey subscriptions we reviewed range in price from $44 to $499, depending on membership tier, products included, and various other factors. Our top choice, Flaviar, starts at $60 per month.
What Are the Perks of a Whiskey Subscription?
Joining a whiskey subscription offers a range of perks to the lucky user. It grants access to a wide range of whiskeys, potentially including some that aren’t available anywhere else. It may offer admission to a community of whiskey enthusiasts, whether online or offline. Best of all, it provides a timeline (e.g., one bottle a month, two bottles a quarter) by which the aspiring whiskey buff can plan to grow their collection.
Methodology
We researched several clubs’ offerings and consulted industry experts to select our favorites. In addition, we spoke to both seasoned whiskey drinkers and relative novices about the considerations that would pique their interest in a whiskey subscription. Overall, we looked at the diversity of offerings, curating philosophies, cost and value, frequency of shipments, accompanying literature, and growth of membership when choosing these companies.
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