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Flaviar
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Summary
Flaviar offers a quarterly subscription program for rare and premium liquors from around the world and lets you sample a variety of flavors without committing to a full bottle. Overwhelmingly positive customer reviews indicate this subscription company really delivers.
Pros
- Extensive selection
- Occasionally offers better pricing for bottles than other suppliers
- Excellent customer reviews
- An easy subscription cancellation process
Cons
- Relatively expensive for the amount of alcohol you receive
- Some subscribers had shipping problems
- Not available in many US states
- You don’t have the option for complete customization with tasting boxes
Flaviar Review
By Lydia Noyes
Updated on: Jun 18, 2020
Flaviar is a premium tasting club for spirit enthusiasts. This service makes it possible to receive rare bourbons, gins, whiskeys, and more right at home for an educational, entertaining drinking experience.
You can sign up for quarterly deliveries of samples of specialty liquors or purchase your favorite types by the bottle. The brand also offers a range of accessories and merchandise related to craft alcohol to help you better embrace your hobby.
Does the company succeed in giving you access to premium liquors at acceptable pricing? Our analysis will help you decide if Flaviar’s club is worth joining.
How Does the Club Work?
Flaviar claims to curate a selection of more than 20,000 spirits, including whiskey, bourbon, brandy, gin, rum, absinthe, cognac, and more from across the planet.
The company’s goal is to make premium alcohol accessible to more people, no matter what’s in stock at your local liquor store.
All Flaviar liquors are guaranteed to be authentic, and the company strives to package every sample in ways that ensure the drinks will be the same quality and taste as full-size bottles.
Subscription
Besides receiving new liquors quarterly with your subscription, you will also gain entry to the greater Flaviar community. This includes invites to members-only events and access to community features like a Digital Home Bar, online Tasting Log, Flavor Match recommendations, and thousands of bottle reviews from other members.
Members also gain access to exclusive bottlings, free shipping, and a complimentary quarterly Spirits Delivery, which includes a Tasting Box and a full-sized (750ml) bottle of your choosing.
To sign up for a subscription, you’ll first specify whether you’re interested in monthly or quarterly deliveries. After sharing an email address, you’ll select which types of spirits you most enjoy from a list that includes bourbon, gin, rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, and whiskey (you can choose as many as desired).
Next, you’ll indicate which liquor brands you’ve tried before from a list of several dozen. From those selections, Flaviar will request you choose the one brand you wouldn’t want to survive without on a desert island.
From there, you will receive an orderly summary with pricing information. You can’t make your flavor selections until you process your first payment.
After this point, you can choose from any of the company’s available Tasting Boxes and full-size bottle options, both of which are updated quarterly. Within each box will be a selection of drinks along with flavor notes and tasting instructions.
You’ll also receive a collectible Flaviar concrete coaster.
Additional Buying Options
It’s also possible to purchase from Flaviar without signing up for a subscription. You can shop spirits by the bottle or purchase curated tasting boxes without a membership.
Each tasting box costs $41.99 and includes three 50ml samples of spirits based around a theme. Below are the three most popular boxes the company offers:
-
Flaviar Welcome Box: Includes Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey (43%), Copper Fox Rye Whiskey (45%), and Wolfburn Northland (46%).
-
Whiskey Gangs of New York: Includes Iron Smoke Straight Bourbon Whiskey (40%), Widow Jane 10-Year-Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey (45.5%), and Coppersea Excelsior Straight Bourbon Whiskey (48%).
-
Spirit of the American Revolution: Includes Van Brunt Stillhouse Due North Rum (40%), Albany Distilling Co Quackenbush Amber Rum (40%), and Stolen Overproof Rum (61.5%)
The company also sells a variety of merchandise designed for the home mixologist, including a Flaviar Bar (starting at $389), flasks ($39.90), whiskey glasses, and coasters (starting at $37), and more.
Pricing, Shipping, and Return Policy
Flaviar currently offers both a quarterly and annual subscription program:
- Quarterly: $95 per delivery
- Annual: $300 total ($75 per delivery)
With both plans, you’ll receive three 50-ml samples and a full-size 750ml bottle of your choice every three months. This comes to about 900ml of liquor per order or about 1.2 750-ml bottles.
You’ll also receive free shipping on any other purchase you make through Flaviar during your subscription time. All subscription plans will automatically renew unless you cancel beforehand through your online account.
Though the company ships throughout the European Union, the following states are exempt from delivery: AA, AE, AK, AL, AP, AR, DE, GU, HI, IA, ID, IL, KY, MD, MI, MN, MS, MT, OH, OK, PA, PR, SD, TX, VA, VT, WV, and WY.
Flaviar won’t deliver to PO boxes. An adult over 21 must be present to sign for all deliveries. For this reason, you might want to direct your order to the workplace to guarantee you are around to sign for it.
Sales are final on alcohol purchases unless your samples were damaged during shipment or you receive the wrong ones.
You can cancel your membership account within three days of signing up for a full refund. Canceling after this time will prevent your membership from renewing, but you will still be charged for that quarter and receive your scheduled delivery.
Some items from the online store are considered nonrefundable, including personalized items, anything from the “Vault” store, all special collaborations, and unique pre-sale products.
Are Flaviar Prices a Good Deal?
To find out whether you’re getting a good deal with Flaviar, we compared the pricing for a variety of liquors to what you would pay at other notable retailers.
| Flaviar | ReserveBar | Liquorama | CW Spirits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez, 750ml | $42.99 | $50 | $39.99 | $39.99 |
| Don Julio 1942 Anejo Tequila, 750ml | $135.99 | $154 | $149.99 | $139 |
| Johnnie Walker The White Walker Edition, 750ml | $24.99 | $39 | $34.99 | $39.99 |
| Wild Turkey 101, 750ml | $24.99 | $29 | $24.99 | $24.99 |
| Hendrick’s Gin, 750ml | $27.99 | $41 | $32.99 | $44.99 |
ReserveBar tends to offer the highest prices. This company brands itself as a premium gift-giving site and lets you pay for custom engraving on many bottles so that you can leave a personal message.
However, ReserveBar tends to have the smallest selection of liquors available of these four companies, and the choice is slated more towards high-end offerings. There’s no option to sign up for a subscription or receive smaller samples.
The other two companies, Liquorama and CW Spirits, are more standard e-commerce stores. In some instances, their pricing beats out Flaviar. We found that both companies offer a wide variety of liquor options and offer the same selections as Flaviar in most cases.
This makes either supplier a viable alternative for anyone not interested in signing up for a subscription and who knows that they want to purchase full-sized bottles immediately.
If trying lots of new liquors appeals to you, then Flaviar offers a unique service not matched by other sellers. For many people, that will be worth potentially paying more per serving.
Analysis of Customer Reviews
More than 500 Flaviar customers have left reviews for Flaviar on our site, for a combined rating of 4.3-stars out of five. Over 80% of these customers say they would recommend the service to a friend.
Common Compliments:
- Excellent customer support and guidance
- Consistent quality service for long-term customers
- Great way to get exposed to new styles of alcohol
- Makes an excellent gift for alcohol lovers
- Good deals with the customer referral program
Common Complaints:
- Some customers hated the flavors they received
- Slow shipment times for some users, missing bottles on delivery
- A few customers never received their orders, struggled to get a refund
The Bottom Line
We are impressed with the company’s broad selection and found many spirits sold by Flaviar that were difficult to find elsewhere.
Flaviar offers a unique service in the subscription world—the opportunity to taste premium spirits at home without committing to purchasing the whole bottle.
This is an excellent service for both adventurous and timid drinkers, as it allows you to sample a variety of styles without feeling like you’re wasting product if you don’t like one.
Customer reviews indicate that the majority of subscribers love Flaviar.
Lastly, it’s a mistake to think that signing up for Flaviar will save you money. Though purchasing the company’s full-size bottles may lead to slight cost savings compared to other supplies, buying Flaviar tasting boxes can be more expensive than paying for shots at your favorite bar.
Customer Reviews
Posted on Dec 12, 2022
Advent calendar still NOT SHIPPED (4th of December)
I ordered the 2022 advent calendar in September. The company charged me at that time for the full amount. They informed me on the 30th of November that they "hope" to ship them by December 6th. Ship — not deliver. They offered a $50 credit towards a future purchase. I also got an incredibly stupid email from their support saying that they hope to receive it in mid-December and it that still works for me. It does not.
In the apology letter from the CEO, they correctly noted that they had "one job" to get this in customers' hands by December 1st. Not even close and terrible customer service. I don't need to give you my patience — that's why I paid you in September! There is zero excuse.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros and Cons
No “pros” were specified in this review
Can't deliver an advent calendar, paid two months in advance.
Passive aggressive customer service.
Company Response from Flaviar Ltd.
Dec 13, 2022
Dear Dennis,
We sincerely apologize for the level of service you received. The feedback you have provided is one of the only ways we can improve.
This year we helped tens of thousands of Members gift a truly unique experience—the Advent Calendar. Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite predict the sheer volume of orders amassed, which overwhelmed our fulfillment partner network, resulting in unexpected delays.
This isn't an attempt to justify or shift the blame—only to help explain the complexity of our logistics.
At the time you wrote this review you were still in contact with our customer service and our concierge provided assistance and clarification regarding this unfortunate situation and late delivery date, as well as further help with your cancelation request.
I hope you agree that what sets a company apart from other companies is not necessarily the number of issues, but how the company handles them.
If you need any other assistance, kindly write to us at support@flaviar.com again we’ll be happy to help.
Posted on Dec 4, 2022
Don’t trust Flaviar
We PRE-ORDERED over $1000 worth of advent calendars for our whiskey club in mid-October. December is only a couple of days away and they still have not shipped, and the only way to contact them is via email and waiting a couple of days for a reply. The last email stated that we “might” receive them in the second week of December. What’s the point? It’s an advent calendar that starts December 1st, not halfway through December! Members who did not pre-order have already received their calendars, but our large order still has not been shipped and still does not have a ship date. Beware of Flaviar, especially with time-sensitive products!
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros and Cons
No “pros” were specified in this review
Bad communication
Does not care about customer
Shipping
Company Response from Flaviar Ltd.
Dec 6, 2022
Hi Michael,
We sincerely apologize for the level of service you received. The feedback you have provided is one of the only ways we can improve.
This year we helped tens of thousands of Members gift a truly unique experience—the Advent Calendar. Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite predict the sheer volume of orders amassed, of which overwhelmed our fulfillment partner network, resulting in unexpected delays.
This isn't an attempt to justify or shift the blame—only to help explain the complexity of our logistics.
At the time you wrote this review you were still in contact with our customer service. Looks like your order has been canceled and fully refunded, and compensation has been provided. We are still waiting on your reply to resolve the matter to our mutual satisfaction. Our concierge service is also available if you need help with anything else.
If you need any other assistance, kindly write to us at support@flaviar.com again we’ll be happy to help.
Posted on Nov 30, 2022
Don’t buy.
Soo, I don’t recommend buying from Flaviar for the simple reason that they advertise things and they can’t commit to it. I make an order on October 18th for a Whiskey Calendar that was supposed to be here before December 1st. Guess what? Like many other people which I already had read, by this date, November 25th, never even got a confirmation or either a tracking number or even a SHIPPED status. So I had to cancel the order because they couldn’t commit to what they advertised.
Don’t buy.
The surprise I had is ruined.
Thanks for nothing.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Company Response from Flaviar Ltd.
Dec 2, 2022
Hi Letyamil,
We apologize for not serving you better.
This year we helped tens of thousands of Members gift a truly unique experience—the Advent Calendar. Unfortunately, your order has been delayed due to the unexpected issues we informed you of.
We’re well-equipped to handle concerns tied to the spirits industry, without our members ever noticing a disruption in the quality of service. This is what members expect of us by now, and it’s the standard we aim for. Recently, though, we’ve experienced several concurrent issues, which has made resolving them in a timely manner much more difficult. This led to some shipping delays, longer transit times, or tracking issues. We're terribly sorry you were among the affected!
Please write to us at support@flaviar.com if there is still any confusion or if you need our assistance, we promise to get back to you as soon as possible!
Posted on Apr 6, 2022
Stay away!
This is the worst whiskey club in existence. I paid $350 for their top-tier service for the year. That is $87.50/quarter. The way I figure it is the samples would be $27.50 and I should get a bottle worth around $60 each quarter. That seems fair to me.
The reason I joined this club is to find new and rare spirits. Not to select from $20 bottles I can get from the local liquor store for $16 when it is time for my quarterly selection. Apparently, instead of my money going towards a nice bottle of spirits it goes to them making videos of some guy drinking the samples you pick and giving his opinions about them. Who cares what some random guy thinks? I want to experience an excellent spirit I have never tried on my own. That’s where I want my money to go.
For my most recent order, I picked my sample pack and then chose my bottle. I did a lot of side research before I made my choice. I finally decided on a nice single malt whiskey. I figured I would get a normal 750 ml-sized bottle considering the price I paid for my membership. The bottle on other sites averaged around $60. When I received my order the bottle was half the size! It was only a 375 ml bottle! Who does this?
When I emailed them asking why I didn’t get a full-sized bottle, I received some sort of standard template they apparently use repeatedly:
“Spirits can be produced in different volumes, depending on the distiller's choice. The majority of bottles are 25.4 oz (750 ml), but they can range anywhere from 12.5 oz (375 ml) to 95 oz (1.75 L). All of these are considered full-size.
The membership selection is curated based on quality first, then price. Bottle volume is not something that affects our curation process. If a 375 ml bottle is available for selection, then the spirit is of a higher quality but of comparable price to the other spirits in the lineup.”
At the price of the membership, a half-sized bottle should never be offered! Then when I asked them to make it right they flat out refused! Said there was nothing they could do.
All of the spirits they offer for the quarterly pick are low-quality choices you can find at your local store for much cheaper. I am very disappointed. I was planning on being a lifetime member with them as well as gifting top-tier memberships to family and friends for the holidays. Their service is a terrible disappointment and I am a very unhappy customer.
Stay away from this company. Take the money you were going to give them and spend it locally. Terrible. Terrible.
Length of Use: 3–6 months
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros and Cons
No “pros” were specified in this review
Rip off
$350 membership for bottom shelf spirits
Misrepresentation
Bait and switch
Bad customer service
Expensive
Company Response from Flaviar Ltd.
Apr 11, 2022
Dear Craig,
Thank you for sharing your concerns. Constructive feedback is always appreciated and helps us improve further.
We are sorry for your disappointment regarding the club and your latest claimed benefits.
The club shipments, which you seem to value above all else, are just one of the perks. For example, the unlimited free shipping credits alone can be worth hundreds of dollars each quarter, so it depends on what you want to use the membership for. As a Member, in addition to the guided tasting sessions, you also get access to free live and virtual events, distillery tours, discounted tasting boxes, access to rare spirits in the Vault, and much more.
We want to keep the membership fee as low as possible and include something tangible in it, and then you can tailor the rest of the experience yourself. As our customer care agent explained, full bottles come in different volumes, depending on the distillery, and while most bottles are 750 ml, different volumes are still considered full-size, and it foremost depends on the spirit quality.
We understand the source of your disappointment and we take all complaints seriously. I'm sure we can reach an agreement, though, as we hate to see disappointed members. Please check your inbox, one of our concierges will reach out to you with a proposed solution.
Thank you for understanding.
Posted on Apr 24, 2021
Absolutely terrible
My wife gave me this as a gift for Xmas. She thought it was a great gift until we tried ordering. Lots of times they were out of stock. Then as time went on as a military family we had to move. Well as it turns out they don’t ship to Texas. We tried to resolve this by asking for a refund and the emails eventually would get a response of "we'll just send it to someone in a state we can ship to". Ummmm, I don’t want to do that, I would prefer to just have the remaining monies refunded, to which they simply ignored the multiple emails. If I could give them less than one star I would. Do not use this service, it’s not worth it, go support your local liquor store.
Length of Use: 3–6 months
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Company Response from Flaviar Ltd.
Apr 25, 2021
Hey there,
This certainly isn’t the experience we want you to have and we apologize for the inconvenience caused.
We're so sorry to hear that you moved to a state we're not able to ship to. Despite the unfortunate circumstance, we're always happy to assist and ensure you don't lose out on your benefits or any money spent on your membership.
After reviewing your case, I see your Flavor concierge kindly offered you the opportunity to ship your remaining quarterly benefits as a gift to a recipient residing in a state we're able to ship to. You were also offered the option to receive a refund for the final quarter of your membership instead if you'd prefer.
We are still waiting on your reply to resolve the matter to your full satisfaction. We have full faith that your issue will be resolved promptly and cordially. Our concierge service is also available if you need help with anything else.
Helpful Review?
1 Person Has Voted
Posted on Jan 4, 2021
Not a good value
My wife purchased an annual membership at $95 per quarter, or ~$400 a year. I checked in over the course of the year to redeem my credits and get gift boxes, and at the end of the calendar year to make sure I had used up my credits.
In all, I received 2 sample boxes, and alcohol worth $162.97. Flaviar charged for another quarter on my Gift account, which I stopped, and they fully canceled my account.
When I asked about the remaining unused value in my account, they apologized for the "inconvenience".
This is a very opaque, heavily hyped product/service which ultimately creates very little value, particularly for the loved ones who think they are buying something special.
This leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.
Length of Use: 1–2 years
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros and Cons
Variety
Business ethics
Pricing structure
Membership opacity
Company Response from Flaviar Ltd.
Jan 25, 2022
Hey Chang,
This certainly isn’t the experience we want you to have and we apologize for the inconvenience caused.
We’re so sorry if there was any miscommunication around the time your membership was canceled. All unclaimed membership benefits expire along with the membership, but we give members the opportunity to claim outstanding benefits following the cancelation.
We have sent a message to your inbox addressing your concerns and offering redress.
If you need help with anything else, let us know. We’re easy to reach if you write to us at support@flaviar.com.
Posted on Dec 17, 2020
Over a week, and nothing
I placed an order 9 days ago. There was no email confirmation of the order. After waiting several days without any updates, I emailed them (since they have no other contact mechanism) asking what was going on. About 24 hours later, I received a response claiming that my order would ship within 5 business days of ordering, and I should expect a confirmation email once it ships.
Five business days came and went, and still nothing shipped. On the website, there is still no status update on this order.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros and Cons
No “pros” were specified in this review
Bad communications
Bad customer service
Misleading
Company Response from Flaviar Ltd.
Feb 8, 2021
Hey there,
This certainly isn’t the experience we want you to have and we apologize for the inconvenience caused.
Allow us to provide some insight. Shipping alcohol is an extremely complex process. By now, we are well versed at handling unexpected delivery issues and fluctuations in state laws so there is no disruption in the quality of our service. During the festive season, though, we experienced several such issues at the same time, which has made resolving them efficiently a lot trickier. This, in turn, caused shipping delays, longer transit times, and issues with order tracking. We're terribly sorry you were among the affected!
At the time you wrote this review you were still in contact with our customer support. Your order was canceled as per your request and a full refund was issued.
If you believe your issue wasn’t resolved to your full satisfaction or if you need help with anything else, let us know. We’re easy to reach if you write to us at support@flaviar.com
We wish you all the best!
Posted on Nov 19, 2020
Sold me something they didn't have
Bought a $550 bottle of Bruichladdich Black Art from Flaviar. After waiting several weeks for delivery I contacted them. They said it was on the way and they would try to get more detail. The next week they let me know that their supplier didn't have it in stock. Through the conversation I became aware that they source their bottles after they sell them. Super unethical, I won't trade with them again.
Length of Use: 2+ years
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros and Cons
No “pros” were specified in this review
High prices
Unethical practices
Company Response from Flaviar Ltd.
Dec 10, 2020
Hi there,
Thank you for sharing your concerns. Constructive feedback is always appreciated and helps us improve further.
Allow us to provide some insight. Shipping alcohol is an extremely complex process. We do our best to minimize delays, shipping inconsistencies, and inventory errors, but there are rare, and unfortunate, cases such as your own where an order is delayed.
There are several outside factors that we are not able to control directly - from distribution to retailers and the courier service tasked with delivering your order. We rely on the diligence of our partners and hope you can understand that we are constantly working on improving the delivery experience.
At the time you wrote this review you were still in contact with our customer support. Your issue has since been resolved in a timely manner and to your full satisfaction. You received your order.
If you believe your issue wasn’t resolved to your full satisfaction or if you need help with anything else, let us know. We’re easy to reach if you write to us at support@flaviar.com
We wish you all the best!
Posted on Aug 26, 2020
Highly recommend!
The packaging alone is amazing! I ordered this for my husband as a birthday present and he absolutely loved it. Super smooth whiskey and the tasting cards really add to the experience.
Length of Use: Less than 3 months
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Pros and Cons
Great selection of spirits
Fun and creative packaging
Fast shipping
No “cons” were specified in this review
Posted on Aug 9, 2020
Wonderful service
I received a membership as a birthday gift. I'd been seeing ads for months but I'm usually wary of any ads. I am happy to report that Flaviar is the real deal. The selection is great, the layout of the website, information available, I could go on. I ordered a couple of bottles outside of the free membership perks, because they also have free shipping each month for members, and got them delivered within a couple of days. I contacted customer service with a simple question and they responded within a minute. I'm definitely recommending this to anyone who will listen.
Length of Use: Less than 3 months
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Pros and Cons
Good selection
Great presentation
Excellent customer service
No “cons” were specified in this review
Posted on Aug 7, 2020
Better than I thought
If you're looking to just subscribe and save money on your quarterly bottle and tasters, then this isn’t for you. You're probably paying £10-£20 extra, but for that, you have access to some bottles sold out and cheaper than retail, you are managed to buy 2x bottles and save that £20, and also get a lot of credit for a friend joining. I’ll save even more as the months go on and I’ll get to try a lot of tasters which will save me spending a fortune on bottles. Personally, I’d say get the year subscription and if it works out well, even better if you use a referral for a £50 bonus.
Length of Use: Less than 3 months
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Pros and Cons
Fun
Price of bottles
Offers
Subscription price a little high
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