I might pay $10-$12 for something good, but not much higher. Every birthday I have a friend who usually offers to buy the best scotch in the house at the best place we go to that night, but considering the types of places we go to that's usually not that expensive for him. Generally if I'm feeling my oats it's Laophraig or Lagavulin. There's a departmental Xmas dinner coming up that basically no limits; buy what you want on my work's tab. The place we're going to had a 16-year Lagavulin that I'm looking forward to ordering again this year. ;)