Salem man spends $27,000 on alcohol - just 1 bottle
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Some people spend $27,000 on a car or the down payment for a house. A retired Salem businessman spent it all on a bottle of alcohol.
KPTV reports that Lyle Shellenberg bought the limited edition bottle of Glenfiddich Scotch whisky on Friday at a liquor store in Portland, becoming one of six people in the country to own a 50-year-old bottle produced in quantities of 50 each year.
Shellenberg says he could have bought a car but he liked the brand and wanted to own something no one in the state would have.
He says his ties to Glenfiddich go back 40 years, when he toured the distillery in Scotland with his grandfather, who loved the brand.
Shellenberg says he plans to drink it next year with his family.
KPTV reports that Lyle Shellenberg bought the limited edition bottle of Glenfiddich Scotch whisky on Friday at a liquor store in Portland, becoming one of six people in the country to own a 50-year-old bottle produced in quantities of 50 each year.
Shellenberg says he could have bought a car but he liked the brand and wanted to own something no one in the state would have.
He says his ties to Glenfiddich go back 40 years, when he toured the distillery in Scotland with his grandfather, who loved the brand.
Shellenberg says he plans to drink it next year with his family.
A fine wine or an aged whisky is something of a status symbol, how a person spends their money is up to the individual. I prefer to travel and like the wine or whisky all I have are the memories. I am in Mazatlan for a month and over Christmas we donated $500.00 worth of toys to a Mazatlan Orphanage......I have the memories.
 @whitewings2003 Feeling rather pompous are you ?Â
Maybe he should have sent all the money to congress. They know how to spend money the right way! ha ha ha
He earned it, he gets to spend it! I'm just sad it wasn't here in Washington so we can get the taxes from it! I wonder if you can really tell the difference of really old whiskey. So far, I've not been impressed by the older wine I've drunk.
Meanwhile, approximately 17 million children go to bed hungry every night in the US. Enjoy your scotch, Lyle.
 @Steve98028 if you can't afford your own children then don't have them.  Stop looking to the government to solve your problems. Ever here of self responsibility ? Or being accountable for one's actions ?Â
 @Steve98028 How much of YOUR extra money to donate to starving kids? But of course it isn't the parents of those children who should be held responsible for the children's condition should it? While that may should "Scrooge" like, it is his money to decide what to do with it, not the Government or some other people who had nothing to do with his production of income.
 @Steve98028Â
After spending trillions on welfare programs over the decades, today there is at least as much poverty as in the past. Â That tax money could have benefited the economy through buying real estate, fine art and antiques, jewelry, etc., even 50-year-old Scotch whisky. Â
@Steve98028
What has this to do with hungry children? Are you saying he should give each one a shot of scotch?  The story is about a man who bought an extremely rare item, which in this case is a bottle of scotch, and you are talking about hungry children. Do you go off on someone who buys a painting? Your post has no point.  Â
 @Steve98028 What have you given to hungry children?
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 @Nic Stevens  @Steve98028 Doesn't matter, he's the kind of person who thinks everyone else should be doing something. Basically he's a snob.
 @Steve98028 Yeah. Let Communism rule! Make those who are successful pay for those who make poor decisions time and time again. I know it is not the kids fault, but it is their parents. The kids are hungry, but their parents enjoy their booze, drugs and whatever else they want while the state picks up the tab.
 @K00lGuy I am far from being a communist, and I am not implying that anyone (especially the government) should take the money from him.. However, I could not spend $27,000 on a single bottle of scotch knowing people around me are starving. I guess we just have different levels of personal ethics.
 @Steve98028 Perhaps you should cancel your internet and sell your computer and stop trolling. You put trolling over the starving kids....you should be ashamed! haha what a d.bag
 @Steve98028  @K00lGuy Not sure how much money you EARN. But I am sure around you there are others less fortunate ,how much have YOU given to them ? It does not even have to be $$$ ,have you volunteered to help ? Or sat on the couch watching the Seahawks or mariners? Â
At least you can get SOME of your money back from a Mercedes...drinking away $29,000? I don't care how rich you are, you need your sanity checked.
 @Steve98028  @K00lGuy funny, just had the same conversation with wife... I am quite certain this guy gives to charity, hopefully more than this bottle of scotch... The starving people argument can go pretty far though. You might just give up any non essential consumptionsÂ
 @Steve98028  @K00lGuy Personal ethics? Are you kidding me? The next time you want to spend a dime on yourself, think of the starving children, and then remind yourself you're an a**hole.
 @Steve98028  @K00lGuy Your argument relates to expensive luxury purchases.  The fact you can't see the parallel is odd. Don't need to re-read it
 @yeahguy  @K00lGuy This story is not about a guy buying a Mercedes. Perhaps you need to re-read it.
 @Steve98028  @K00lGuy How about the guy who spends $100k on a Mercedes when he could be an Accord? Why not vilify him?