Whisky Collecting

[ForresterModern]

I collect them not for pride or profit. but merely to have a constant variety available to quench my varied tastes. Although I did buy a couple bottles of rare whisky I found here and resold them to a collector on my recent Scotland golf trip for three times what I paid, that is a real rarity these days. Open bottles are not really worth much of their original value, and an open bottle, even years old will not likley rise in price. All but maybe one or two of my bottles are open and have at least been tried, most drunk from several times, and some near empty or emptied and replaced.

One thing I have learned is that on any given day any given whisky can taste differently from the same on a different day, so I think a lot of things are subjective. No doubt there are generalities of smokiness, peatiness, fruitiness, sweetness, bitterness, etc... but not all can be described adequately in words that is tasted.

My recommendation is to try a couple modestly priced bottles of commonly liked whiskies---Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Macallan, Aberlour, Dalwhinnie, Balvenie,, Talisker, Cragganmore, Oban, etc... Try them, and find what styles and general categories you like---Speysides, Highlands, Lowlands, Islays, etc.. Then move up a little in price, or maybe the same brand in an older vintage or different finishing wood. Keep doing this, a little at a time, never finishing a bottle unless you either plan on never drinking it again or immediately replacing it. Your collection will grow. Find friends who also like scotch single malt and enjoy each other's collections, using that to decide what to add to yours.
Actually, going to a bar and tasting around can get pretty expensive when you are paying $10-18 per drink, when you can buy a decent bottle for twice to three times that amount. Never pass up a duty free shop that carries stuff you want to try. A standard bottle in the UK is 700ml and typically costs about 1.3-1.5 times an identical vintage here in the US where we get 750ml for our money. But most duty-free shops sell their stuff for about the same US price but in 1000ml bottles, at least the more readily available stuff. Rarer, and typically more expensive, stuff will more likley be in 700 or 750ml.

If you want to get adventuresome look into special bottlings, cask strength bottlings, and some of the older vintages, but expect to pay a pretty penny for the privilege. Better yet, visit some of the better distillery tours, or a regional tasting, to get to try a variety at one sitting, often some pretty nice stuff.

One piece of advice I tell all newcomers to the scotch whisky tasting field: always take a first taste to awaken your tastebuds, but don't trust the taste until after the second mouthful, which will be much more full and flavorful. It seems the first swig, if it spends a moment or two on the mouth, can be a bit startling and off-putting to many, but the second taste will bring you back and get you a more earnest feel for the full flavor of the whisky. That is why it is sipping whisky. Each sip gets gradually better as you approach the bottom of your glass. Then do it again, with the same or try another. Repeat ad lib.

And by all means, do it all kilted as it seems to make any of it taste better. Enjoy. Cheers.


jeff