I was just thinking of this. I lurk around r/scotch quite a bit. It seems that there is a huge hatred of blended malts there rather than single malts. Given the way the scotch market has exploded, I figure that single malts are popular for a reason.

I love scotch but I also like keeping my money. So when I realized that bourbon had similar flavor profiles to my favorite scotches, I realized that I could get something that was a half or 2/3 cheaper and in some cases...superior. Much chagrin to that of the master distiller. But I was changed. Turns out I love blended and small batch whiskey's. Sure, you don't get much individual character of a particular barrel, but you get consistency. Blending is just as much an art as selecting a barrel for release. So I wonder, why the hate for blended whiskey? IMO, the comparison between blended bourbon and single barrel bourbon is really the price. While they do taste different, and may offer a little bit more proof, I don't exactly see how they can be justified. In fact, if I was going to spend scotch prices on a single barrel bourbon, I might as well spend that money on a scotch.

To me, it seems, that the single barrel whiskey movement was a direct cause of the niche single malt market and their hate for blended whiskey's and bourbon distilleries are trying their best to capture that market. But to me, bourbon just doesn't (no, shouldn't) work that way. I don't want the single barrels to disappear, of course - I see them as a treat like any other...could I be wrong? I would definitely like to see single barrel bourbons much cheaper.