As someone who loves sipping fine bourbon and scotch, I was intrigued when I recently heard about Flaviar – an exclusive spirits tasting club. Bottles show up quarterly or monthly to expose you to rare, small-batch liquors from hidden distilleries across the globe.
It felt like Flaviar could expand my craft liquor journey beyond what my local store offers. But I still had hesitations before committing my money…
- Would the $95 quarterly or $300 annual fee truly unlock special access?
- Would Flaviar‘s palate recommendations really fit my tastes?
- Most importantly, would joining this premium club improve my overall drinking experience?
Well, friends, I took a leap of faith and signed up to experience Flaviar for myself over 3 months. And I‘m back to provide the unfiltered truth around what this membership entails.
Here‘s what I discovered first-hand about Flaviar‘s subscription model, curation process, featured bottles – and ultimately, whether ponying up the investment proved worthwhile…
What Exactly Does A Flaviar Membership Include?
In 2022, over 100,000 Instagram followers and partnerships with celebrity podcast host Joe Rogan signal Flaviar has formed a captivating brand identity as a spirits club worth joining.
But style over substance is a risk with any luxury product promising you access and education. I wanted to peek beneath the marketing to understand exactly what Flaviar delivers to paying members.
Here are the need-to-know highlights:
Tasting Boxes
Flaviar sends you physical boxes containing 5-7 glass sample-sized bottles of craft liquor (50mL each) to taste + review
Full Bottles
They also include 1 complimentary premium 750mL bottle in your shipment
Free Shipping
No delivery fee for what‘s included subscription boxes
Bonus Gifts
You may receive specialty barware tools, tasting mats, or branded merchandise
Club Access
Get access to Flaviar‘s online Private Client Hub full of spirits education
Tailored Guidance
Take a palate profile quiz so Flaviar can send products matched to your tastes
Members Events
Gain invitations to free virtual tastings and masterclasses
Shop Discounts
Take advantage of exclusive member pricing on full bottles
Flexible Plans
Choose to receive quarterly shipments or upgrade to an annual membership
Hassle-Free Cancellation
Pause or cancel anytime while active packages en route still ship
So in a nutshell – you pay an upfront fee for access to rare, curated craft liquors plus an engaging educational community.
Next came the exciting part – unpacking my first Flaviar box!
Unboxing My Inaugural Flaviar Tasting Package
A nondescript brown box showed up on my porch one weekday containing my first Flaviar samples. Inside I discovered:
- 5 x 50mL glass bottles of themed liquor samples
- 1 x 750mL "Surprise Awaits" complimentary bottle
- Info cards on each distillery + bottling
- Flaviar Member merchandise
- Invitation to an upcoming virtual tasting
They had tailored my tasting journey to start around "Smooth American Whiskeys" aligned to my palate notes. This first box featured:
Charbay R5 Hopped Whiskey with floral, piney flavors from cascade hops
The Woodsman Straight Bourbon – an oaky sweet sipper
Ironroot Harbinger Bourbon – packing a spicy rye & corn bite
Bib & Tucker Small Batch Bourbon – easy-going with butterscotch
My bonus free full bottle was the rare "Little Book Chapter 4" special release blended bourbon. Retail price: $125.
What a thrill opening my box felt like Christmas morning! I loved playing tasting roulette to identify flavors. The Charbay with hops intrigued me most.
Over the next 90 days I continued exploring new creative whiskey expressions thanks to my subscription. But an important question loomed…
Was the magic I felt those first days simply honeymoon phase? Or could the sparkling excitement last?
Time to analyze the ongoing pros + cons.
Flaviar Tasting Club Membership: Key Benefits
Exposure to Obscure Craft Spirits
The best part of joining Flaviar is sampling rare liquors I‘d never discover on liquor store shelves. Small distilleries you‘ve never heard of get showcased based on quality, not mass marketing budgets.
Each month I relished the joy of surprise – what distinctive new bourbon or scotch would arrive for me to sample next?
Over 3 months, I tasted exceptional craft spirits like:
-
Charbay Green Tea Whiskey – Refreshing flavor far from any whiskey I‘d tried before
-
Iron Fish Michigan Bourbon – Who knew Michigan produced such smooth bourbon?
-
Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey – Surprisingly tasty dessert-inspired spirit
I estimate at least 70% of my Flaviar shipments contained brands impossible to buy in my area. And it thrilled me to support the underdog distillers normally overshadowed by household names.
Exposure to these rare finds alone started justifying my membership fee.
Lower Cost Compared to Buying Retail
You might assume joining a premium spirits club with quarterly shipments means overspending on alcohol.
But I crunched the numbers – accounting for my free bottles + member discount prices on extra purchases – and found significant savings well over 40%.
Let me break down the math:
Over 3 months I received 15 liquor samples. If purchased separately at liquor stores, that‘s easily $300 worth of craft spirits.
I also took home 3 free bottles valued around $115 retail price each – so another $345 there.
That‘s already $645 worth of top-shelf liquor acquired through Flaviar while only paying their $95 quarterly fee.
And I haven‘t even factored exclusive member pricing on other bottles ordered via their online shop!
If you‘re someone striving to elevate your home bar with premium pours beyond Jameson and Jack, Flaviar makes the process much more affordable.
Tailored Tasting Experience
What sets Flaviar apart from simply getting random sample packs delivered is how customized the selection becomes based on your flavor preferences.
Upon signup, I took a palate profile quiz indicating types of liquor I enjoy – along with flavors and sensory details that appeal most.
Flaviar used this data to curate aligned tasting journeys for me. And I continued rating bottles received so algorithms refined recommendations further.
The result? Over 90% of products shipped aligned beautifully with flavors I know I love. Smoky scotches, sweet bourbons, vanilla custard dessert sippers – it was all spot on.
And whenever something slightly missed the mark flavor-wise, I simply logged that in my Tasting Notes to further adapt future boxes.
If you invest time upfront guiding your palate path and regularly share feedback, unboxing each delivery feels like opening birthday presents chosen just for you!
Room for Improvement: Potential Flaviar Drawbacks
While my overall experience as a Flaviar member proved positive, no service is flawless. A few critiques I have:
Steep Upfront Cost
Paying 3 months subscription fee plus taxes upfront is no small spend. For more casual drinkers on a budget, it‘s likely cost-prohibitive.
Shipping Restrictions
Flaviar doesn‘t deliver to 9 US states currently limiting accessibility. Expanding eligible regions would widen their audience.
Whiskey-Heavy Focus
So far, their boxes center heavily around whiskey variants (bourbon, rye, scotch). I‘d love to see more diversity into tequila, rum, vodka, gin, and brandy in rotations.
Inconsistent Customer Service
While 24/7 chat and email support exists, representatives seem stretched thin at times based on reviews. More staff to ensure prompt, helpful replies is an opportunity.
However, compared to the many glowing elements of Flaviar far outweighing any flaws – I believe these are minor hiccups rather than dealbreakers.
Especially as the service manages rapid growth, early growing pains wouldn‘t surprise me. I plan to watch if they evolve based on user feedback over the next year.
Next question you may ask…
How Does Flaviar Compare to Other Liquor Subscription Services?
Given boozy monthly boxes grow increasingly popular, adequate alternatives to Flaviar exist if you‘re still unsure about joining.
SaloonBox also offers craft whiskey samples but with a more mainstream focus than Flaviar at only $45/month.
Craft Cellars provides monthly wine shipments starting at $49 rather than liquor.
Sourced Craft Cocktails sends pre-made canned cocktails if you‘d rather skip mixology.
Competitors may beat Flaviar on price. However, they fall short on helping you discover rare, high-quality spirits outside the ordinary.
If your primary goal is affordable, convenient alcohol delivery, those may suffice your needs.
But for expanding obscure liquor knowledge, accessing esteemed yet undiscovered distilleries, while connecting with fellow spirits fans? Flaviar stands alone.
Flaviar Tasting Club Review: My Final Verdict
When I first stumbled upon Flaviar, I wondered whether this elite spirits society could live up to its luxe branding and lofty promises.
Or would unrealistic expectations simply leave me disappointed?
Well, I‘m thrilled to report after 3 months experiencing Flaviar as a brand new member – the actual perks provided outweigh any minor flaws.
For hardcore liquor aficionados with some budget to allocate towards premium craft pours – yes, Flaviar more than delivers.
You gain insider access to coveted bottles rarely spotted in regular liquor stores. The tailoring algorithms personalize monthly shipments catered to your distinct palate.
Online tasting events and spirits education materials immerse you into feeling part of an exclusive club. Unboxing each artfully packaged delivery makes evenings more joyful.
And rather than overspending as I‘d feared – carefully tracking costs showed Flaviar saves money relative to buying such high-quality bottles individually.
Could customer service speed and consistency improve a bit? Sure. Would I love to see Flaviar expand shipping nationwide plus showcase wider liquor varieties over time? Absolutely.
But compared to the many glowing elements far outweighing any current flaws – I wholeheartedly endorse Flaviar to fellow spirits enthusiasts open to this elevated tasting adventure.
If you approach membership with reasonable expectations around the premium cost and whiskey-forward focus – passion for liquor will have you grinning ear to ear the moment each new shipment lands.
Hope this transparent peek behind the curtain of unboxing my first packages, analyzing pricing models, and assessing pros + cons helps you determine if Flaviar is the right fit!
Let me know if any other questions around the experience I didn‘t cover. Happy sipping!
