Hello to all of you From the nature of the people on this forum, I think I could get some very good advice on how to start getting into the world of good whiskies. I did my DD and got a few bottles recommended for beginners. What kind of whisky should I start with, and how to make it more enjoyable at first?
My father always pushed me towards it by I was more of vodka on the rocks guy
The best way to get into whiskey is to go start taking tours of your local distilleries. They will usually have a handful of things for you to try and learn more about. Don't have a distillery go to a local whiskey bar and usually they will have some recommendations for you to try. A single pour might be more expensive, but it is cheaper than a bad bottle you don't like.
I live in Frankfurt so destilliries ain't an option.
I will take your advice and mix my single malt tasting with some trips to a decent bar for some recommendations.
Problem with Frankfurt: most bars are either the crappy German shirhole bar like Moe’s or super top fancy bars to hang out after work, I am searching for middle points.
What bottles did you get? Any you liked or didn't like?
I'd pick a fancier bar or whatever bar has a decent selection and frequent that. Building a relationship will help in trying, getting tastes, etc. Frankfurt I'm not familiar with, but surprised there isn't at least a few places for you to go to.
My recommendation is to identify something you bought that you liked - and then when you go out, ask for recommendations similar to that. I'd also start with adding a few drops of water (that just helps generally to 'open it up') and use a cube, the dilution will help cut the alcohol making it a bit more palatable vs. neat.
I've heard Whisky is good too.
You are right, I was talking about Scotch so it is Whisky
Nice username haha
So I like scotch...you really can't go wrong with whatever is in your local liquor store in nyc.
Some favorites for the price point:
Bunnahabhain - 12 year
Glenfarclas - 12 year
Bowmore - 10 year
Glenfiddich - 12 year
If you really want to just dip your toe, start with Dewar's on the rocks...lots of ice.
Frankfurt not NYC (I pay less for liquor)
I got a Glenfiddich 12, Talisker 10 and JW Gold
sounds like you are rounding the bases on flvor profiles....
Suggest Glenfarclas and Bunnahabhain, although here in NY the latter went from ~$60 scotch to $80 in the past couple of years.
Squeeze some grapefruit in with the whiskey. The bitter / sweet will balance out and you’ll get used to whiskey by itself over time.
You can do small things like letting the whisky breathe or add couple drops of water to alter the profile a little. Just do a rotation of base offerings from distilleries which have good reputations across the regions. If you find one that works for your tastes, then branch out to another of that distillery's offering which a close profile and find suggestions from there.
I prefer peat, so Islays, Skyes, or some West Higlands like Oban.
Start small and niche so that you can get a baseline understanding of one area of whisky, then move onto other categories progressively. I recommend starting with scotch and trying 3-4 whiskies by region (highlands, islay, lowlands, speyside, and campbeltown) so that you can develop a decent palette. Most of all, have fun with it!
Since it hasn't been mentioned, I'm gonna say to try some Japanese stuff too from Suntory. Toki is a good light one and makes delicious whisky highballs. Hibiki is stronger. Yamazaki is their flagship single malt and is on the pricier end.
Bourbon is the way
Scotch my man…
I practically just got into whiskey a year ago so cant offer much help however my favorites right now are Angels Envy Rye, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, and Suntory Toki. Definitely suggest giving them a try!
Given it is in my name...
As someone suggested, go to a "fancy" bar, whatever that means. I do not recommend starting whiskey straight. Start with mixed drinks and you will eventually develop preferences.
Almost similar to wine, most can detect the common pineapple, cherry, whatever notes, but deeper appreciation takes years.
Don’t, it’s an expensive hobby
The best way to get into whiskey is to buy whiskey and drink it. The idea that there is some huge complex process to discovering what you like is a joke. Don't buy spirits as an investment. Odds are you won't get lucky, and even if you do there is a higher odds that you will improperly store it thus diminishing the perceived gains.
What’s the proper way to store whiskey?
There are a ton of factors that go into this. It is impossible to say for your situation. But some common ones are storage temps, sun light, etc. There are optimal storage situations for elevations, climate, etc.
You have to try this whisky.
Get fired lol
This is my type of thread… when I was a college kid, one of my dad’s friends had a second house for a man cave, and contributed his success to buying a new bottle of whiskey every week, he was in sales so the more sales he had, the nicer bottle he would buy…
But wild turkey 101 neat, it tastes good and you will get used to the proof. Once there, try difference bourbons and scotches at a bar unless you want to have bottles that collect dust because they don’t taste good to you. Eventually, you will know if you like scotch, finished bourbons, high types, etc. Have fun & if you couldn’t tell my user name is named after my favorite whiskey.
Yamasaki 12 Year Single Malt. Family friend of mind always has a bottle of this and offers it everytime I'm over. I've yet to say no to it. I like having it neat.
Glenfidditch 12 is a close second. I like it on the rocks.
Not a huge whiskey guy though. Only have it at holidays.
If you’re looking to dive into the world of whiskey, I’d say start with the basics. Begin with a few well-regarded brands to get a feel for different styles. I recommend trying out some single malts, bourbons, and maybe even an excellent rye to see what tickles your fancy. Many people find tasting events and whiskey clubs helpful for exploring different options and meeting fellow enthusiasts.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations from knowledgeable staff at liquor stores or bars. They often have great suggestions and can help you discover new favorites. For more info and reviews on a wide range of whiskeys, check out https://qkawine.com/ . Enjoy the journey—it’s all about finding what you like and savoring the flavors!
I personally have 2 casks of whiskey. In the UK all gains you make on selling casks are tax free. Tax is only incurred at the point where you bottle the cask and pay duty. Depending on the amount of capital available, you can buy new make casks (cheaper as they are legally not whiskey until being aged after 3 years), or you can buy casks that are 5yrs+ and sell at 10 yrs for example.
I think there's a difference between getting into whiskey as in building the palate for it and getting into whiskey as in knowing what you like and understanding the different flavors. I'll let others give specific recs on types of whiskey and flavors, but if you just want to get used to drinking with whiskey, start with bourbons. The corn is sweeter and makes it more palatable neat/rocks vs. jumping in with some peaty ahh scotch.
Also - just buy the better bottle. Plenty of good whiskeys at $30 a bottle, but there are great whiskeys at $60 a bottle
Rule #1 Jack Daniel's is for cooking not drinking
Rule #2 any bourbon enjoyed with good friends in celebration is good bourbon
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