The advantages of age

There's been a rather terrifying hike in the price of most American whiskies just lately. Hard to say whether this is down to the decline of the dollar, or just to a bit of temporary price-gouging by the foreigner-oriented supermarkets like Jenny Lou's, taking advantage of the seasonal surge in demand.

Jack Daniel's - which could, occasionally, be got for as little as 120 RMB when I first came here six years ago, and which was still only 150 or 160 RMB a year or so ago - is now nearly 200 RMB in that store. Outrageous! Jim Beam, which always used to be one of the bargain bucket whiskies, has leapt, literally overnight, from 108 RMB to 145 RMB.

The one brand mysteriously overlooked thus far is Old Granddad, still available at a beguiling 93 RMB. I'm reasonably sure it's not fake. Perhaps it's just very old stock they've omitted to re-price. I'm wondering if I should buy a case of the stuff!

It's not a whiskey I particularly like - but it does the job. Economic exigencies dictate that it will be my Christmas nightcap for the next week or so.

I just hope the more boisterous younger members of his clan - Jack and Jim and their ilk, to say nothing of the overseas cousins Johnnie and Glen, and Paddy and.... - don't give the old fella too much of a ragging over this preferential treatment.