When are you ready?

[Delboyscap]

I am curious to know when you are ready to tackle the more complex malts. I know this is very subjective and will be different depending on the experience and malts already tried. However, having been drinking whisky for not that long relative to others, i often feel I am not 'ready'to tackle some malts that are known to be very complex and often put it off as I don't want to waste money or more importantly good malt.

I remember Ralfy saying that sometimes a really good malt raises the bar not just in your palate but in terms of creating a reference point. I feel this happened around 18 months ago with a Glendronach revivial 2015 to some degree. Perhaps I am over thinking it but I also must admit I certainly get more from the nose at the moment than the palate and at times struggle to discern the various nuances. Was there a time when you just felt ready?

[ralfy legend]

Only my own view but I took it fairly slow in my build up to better malts, it’s was over two years before I started to explore, also by running to quick you might just miss the good malts at 12 yr old,, I remember my very first malt I bought was aberlour 12 for Xmas in 2012, apart from a touch of sherry I struggled to get anything else, months later it was glenlivit 12, after 6 months I went back to aberlour 12 and what a difference, all the smoky ones all I got was smoke, things change for the better so enjoy the ride,

[TheWM]

10 years for me to start going through my back collection and opening some ‘special/expensive’ malts. I’m glad I spent the time really refining my palette and seeking out IBs and not so expensive malts (under £50). During Covid I’ve thought, what the hell and have opened some old bottlings from 90s and some more expensive malts. It’s been a real pleasure although I dare say I was ready 5 years ago, just been obsessed about collecting stuff

[BigShing]

One factor could be your income: If you can't afford to be regularly spending £40+ on whisky then give it a couple of years exploring all the sub £40 malts, because you'll find that a lot of the cheaper entry level sub £25 malts will start to taste much worse once you're regularly hitting quality malts at higher ABVs, so your cheapo go-to malts will definitely start to get more expensive. Johnnie Walker Black was a cheap Scotch I always enjoyed when I was first getting into whisky, but I can taste the cheap grain characteristics now and can't touch it. Other cheaper 12yr single malts like Highland Park 12yr and Talisker 10yr , which used to be my favourites when I first started out, now taste a bit boring, although I still can enjoy them!

[ralfy legend]

Agreed bigshing. Moving up to better is fantastic all the same.

[Delboyscap]

Great input guys.

Budget is not too much of an issue thankfully, although given what I put above i am still struggling to justify to myself some more impressive malts, partly due to price but possibly more the question that i have asked in 'am i ready'. What I mean is will I get all that i could get from a malt if i experience it now rather than wait a couple more years is my thinking.

I am possibly on the cusp in some ways, i get bored by simple malts and find myself not wanting to go to the open ones I have, and am more and more wanting to try something different or complex. I think the idea of the IB's is a good one and have recently been buying up a lot of IB's actually, particularly NSS and some Adelphi so possibly good to start with those and see how i go. Essentially my thinking is a combination of all the input in this thread, I don't want to waste money, but i do want to experience the more complex stuff. I guess I am also worried that with so many malts to try trying before my palette is fully developed i may miss the enjoyment of a particular malt and never come back to it having judged it through inexperienced eyes. Damn it's not easy.....

[TheWM]

Here’s an idea. Choose a distillery you really enjoy and do a vertical tasting. So, say take Talisker. Do a 10 yo, a storm, distillers edition, 57 north and perhaps an 18. It’s a good way to approach different notes of the same distillery and a way to gauge your pallet.

[ralfy legend]

All I can say is I’m glad I tried the softer malts and slowly moved on, I’m still nowhere to some , just the other day I tried the. Glengoyne 12 for the for time and I got a wow that’s nice,

[HJ]

[lincoln imp]

Some good points here, all valid.
There is no right or wrong way but I agree with others about trying the 12 year offerings before you get onto the aged stuff may be a good idea. The myth that older is better is blown out the water from the likes of Samaroli bottles of say 12 -18 years, at that age some of the best whiskies ever bottled are at that relatively tender age.
My advice is to not limit yourself in any way, try what you want, who says you can`t have a dufftown 8 year one day and a laphy 30 the next?
As others have said income is a factor but there are still bargains to be had, unfortunately they are beconing harder to find.
What you need to do is study people who may have a similar palate to yours, there are lots of bloggers around but some talk utter crap others like Ralphy in my view give a balanced assessment.
You never stop learning no matter how long you have been drinking the water of life, in the last few years I have focussed on old blends which not only has been an eduction but also sometimes a revalation, sadly even those bottles are going up rapidly at auction.
The fun is in the not knowing, whisky is an adventure
_________________
Pour me a glass please.

[ralfy legend]

Couldn’t agree more 🥃