Best & Cheapest Ways to Drink Whisk(e)y

• 

  Diji1 on 26/12/2016 - 19:25

  +7

  Do you have room for a still?

  • 

    supervigilante on 26/12/2016 - 19:40

    +9

    I can't even cook an egg.. let alone making whiskey!

    • 

      straphlinger on 27/12/2016 - 09:45

      +3

      You really need to look at a Still. It meets your criteria. The more you make, the more you'll have. And at less than $11 per bottle (assuming you start with neutral alcohol and use essences), you don't mind throwing out the ones you don't like. There is nothing like sitting back and drinking something you've made, that you've customised to your taste. I got tired of going to Dan Murphys and spending a lot only to find that I didn't like half of it or using an $80 bottle of Whiskey for cooking.

      • 

        supervigilante on 27/12/2016 - 11:13

        Thank you for your response. I'm really just after ways to get my hands on as many varieties of existing whiskies as possible without breaking the bank.

        I'll actually consider making my own beer though. =)

      • 

        lovepeoplenotmoney on 27/12/2016 - 12:34

        +2

        Not just a still, but also barrels to age the whisky too…

      • 

        lovepeoplenotmoney on 27/12/2016 - 12:40

        +3

        @supervigilante: normally just splash a little water to decrease the alcohol to 35%. First you swirl the whisky in a round bottom whisky glass. I smell the whisky to nose the spirit about three times with long deep breaths. Then splash a little with chilled water. Then nose three more times before taking a sip and slosh around the mouth and hold for 20secs to appreciate the taste before letting the whisky sit in the gut.

        A cheap way would be the reverse, to splash blended whisky into a mixer haha. I know friends that do that at parties haha

      • 

        decr on 27/12/2016 - 23:32

        +1

        @supervigilante: Make your own beer, you'll be amazed what even simple kit & kilo comes out at. I cringe every time I run out and go buy a carton of megaswill at the bottlo. That'll teach me to pay more attention to my brewing. My usual k&k costs me ~20 bucks for 23l, tastes way better too than the run of the mill crap you have to fork out 40-50 a carton too.

      • 

        supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 10:55

        @lovepeoplenotmoney: Thanks for the tips!

      • 

        supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 10:56

        @decr: I'll definitely look into making my own beer =)

      • 

        supnigs super skids on 28/12/2016 - 11:20

        +2

        huh?? wait,, its not illegal to make your own spirits??

      • 

        decr on 28/12/2016 - 12:19

        +1

        @supervigilante: Sorry forgot to say skip the sugar/dextrose, get a coopers kit of your choosing and with dry malt instead, and off you go. Then it's just a question of time and resources moving on from kits if that's your thing :)

        I might actually have a real ale right about now!

  • 

    Cluster on 27/12/2016 - 21:36

    +3

    It should be noted that using a still to make alcohol is illegal in Australia without a license from the ATO. It's legal for personal use in New Zealand.

    Having said that, 5L and smaller stills are freely available and as long as you use it for your own personal use and certainly don't sell the product, nobody cares.

    Brewing stores have flavour essences designed to mimic whiskeys like Johnnie Walker Black and Glenfiddich. I don't know if these are any good however.

    • 

      fookos on 28/12/2016 - 08:33

      +4

      It should also be noted if you don't separate off the nasty chemicals properly in the process you will go blind or die. Only takes a very small amount ingested to harm you. If you want to make home grog beer is safer (and legal).

      • 

        supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 09:20

        Yeah I don't think I'll make my own whisky at home. =)

      • 

        Cluster on 28/12/2016 - 20:50

        +1

        Yes, you have to discard the methanol, and if brewing whiskey a copper still is required. Distilling properly is easy and safe, but some people are either greedy or completely ignorant of the rules and can easily produce a dangerous product.

      • 

        Pyrock on 28/12/2016 - 22:26

        +1

        Interestingly enough ethanol(more alcohol) is the antidote to this methanol poisoning

      • 

        windrc on 30/12/2016 - 08:33

        +1

        Sounds risky

• 

  apple2016 on 26/12/2016 - 20:15

  +9

  Whisky expo's like whisky live , Whisky show are good value for money

  • 

    supervigilante on 26/12/2016 - 21:36

    Wow I didn't know it exists. Have you been there before?

    • 

      k-rokfm on 26/12/2016 - 21:46

      +2

      I went the year before last to the one in Canberra. Was really really good and highly recommend it.

      There was about 25-30 stalls all with 3-5 whiskys that they were providing tasters for free. A wide range of providers, local places as well as mass internationals so you can experience quite a few whiskys. They also had a expensive whisky bar where you could taste more boutique whiskys (although the cheapest one for a half nip was $50 lol).

      They put on really good food as well. I couldn't recommend it more definitely worth the money

      • 

        supervigilante on 26/12/2016 - 22:19

        Thanks for the info! For around the price of a bottle of good Scotch, I think that's definitely worth it. =)

    • 

      apple2016 on 26/12/2016 - 21:59

      +1

      Also there are a few Whisky groups in FB. You could join them to get news about tastings etc.

      • 

        supervigilante on 26/12/2016 - 22:27

        Ah why didn't I think of that. I have just joined a couple of groups so that I get notified about special events.

        Thank you!

• 

  mskeggs on 26/12/2016 - 22:02

  +5

  Dan Murphy has occasional premium whisky tasting where you pay an entry for a set amount of tastes. From memory (a little hazy, I wouldn't drive) it was $15 to try eight or ten.

  • 

    supervigilante on 26/12/2016 - 22:41

    Oh yeah, I have actually attended the one this year! It's $20 for the ticket but they gave me back as a $20 voucher. In the past it was free, but maybe they changed it to prevent no-shows.

    I got to learn how to appreciate 6 different whiskies - Teeling (Irish), Rollins (American), Canadian Club (Canadian), Glen Moray (Speyside), Bowmore (Islay) and Dewar's (Blended).

    For essentially free, I think it's a wonderful experience!

    • 

      EnALup on 29/12/2016 - 13:21

      +1

      No show or too many people for free drinks :)

• 

  dasher86 on 26/12/2016 - 22:06

  +1

  Travel international and try at the duty free places.

  • 

    supervigilante on 26/12/2016 - 22:43

    Have you been to any other duty free places in airport that do free tasting? The only one I know is Singapore Changi Airport, as mentioned above.

    • 

      Kangal on 28/12/2016 - 21:45

      +1

      Hey, what type of whiskey are you into?

      You can go from the smoothest Burbouns, to the hearty Rye, to the strongest Scotch. And everything in between.
      I will tell you what I'm into:
      - Wild Turkey: American Honey… is a very smooth bourbon that blends well with Cola
      - Bulleit bourbon, a great everyday bourbon after a hard day's work
      - JW Double Black, a sophisticated drink for parties and some companions
      - JW Blue… top shelf, great for graduation/weddings/or for just being Legen…Dary

      I can heartily recommend the above picks.

      To give you an idea of my palate, I don't like:
      - Any Red Wine
      - Any White Wine
      - ^really that stuff makes me wanna puke
      - Most beers
      - Vodka (has that filtered Ethanol aftertaste)

      But from my palate, I can tolerate/like:
      - Champagne is tolerable/soft-drink
      - Kraken Black Rum
      - Henessey VS Brandy is yummy
      - Pure Blonde is refreshing
      - Sol Mexican beer is good
      - Smirnoff Double Black is a acceptable choice in a Douf-Douf Nightclubs

      I guess you just have to experiment and see what you enjoy.

      PS I'm a heavy drinker, takes about >15+ standard drinks to induce tipsy, and I can tell you it sucks, being an expensive drunk and having to look after everyone as they paint the walls with their innards.

      • 

        lovepeoplenotmoney on 02/01/2017 - 15:15

        Wow heavy drinker but refined and delicate enough to drink American honey! I just recently tasted American honey. Super delicious! Thinking of trying to mix other blended whiskies to get similar taste. But American honey or good single malts are a good way to meet women who love whisky too

• 

  mskeggs on 26/12/2016 - 22:19

  +9

  My real advice as a very amateur whisky drinker is to pay the money for a drop based on reviews. Savour it over the extended period it is in your cabinet (for me it lasts some months, usually till a sympathetic friend visits for the evening) and make a few notes, just a line or two to jog your memory, like sweet, smoky, drier than x, more aromatic than y etc. and use these to understand what you like.
  I, for example, have a favourite drink alone on a cold winter night (talisker) that isn't very popular with my friends who like something less smokey.
  But I would never choose a talisker on a hot night with soda and ice. For example.
  Similarly, I often give the glen' scotches as gifts as I think they are good intros for people who might be new to scotch without mixers. They are recognisably premium to a blended scotch, but on the same wavelength.

  And you can always buy the tourist style mix packs if your patience gets the better of you for a handful of 50ml samples. But I find the mood and circumstances I try a scotch makes nearly as much difference as the distillery, so having a big bottle to try over a period is helpful.

  I'm trying not to sound wanky, because ultimately, it is just whiskey, but you will definitely develop preferences as you try some. That said, if somebody offers me a johnny red or a single malt I will always choose the latter!

  Edit: I should also say it is a bit like red wine. There is no right or wrong, but over years and years I have found that my tastes have grown to align more with the people who write reviews. Is this me being susceptible to what is fashionable or my own tastes developing to understand more nuance? I actually think more about fashion is the answer, but if it results in happiness, why not?

  • 

    supervigilante on 26/12/2016 - 23:07

    Thank you for your detailed response mskeggs!

    I bought my first two single malt Scotch from duty free based on reviews - Glenmorangie 10 and Glenfiddich 15. I tried drinking them while reading tasting notes from other people. It's frustrating that I can't identify the individual flavour profiles. They both taste like "normal" whisky to me. I mean I like them and I can drink them. But at what stage should I be able to say "it smells like ripe peach/freshly cut grass/yeast?

    Should I focus on these two until I "get it" before I spend more money on other whiskies, or should I explore more weird whiskies like Islay to widen my range and come back to appreciate those "normal" whiskies?

    • 

      ozbjunkie on 27/12/2016 - 12:27

      +3

      As an Islay drinker you should try a nip of ardbeg 10 or lagavulin 16 at some point - if Islay's are your thing you will quickly leave behind the majority of other whiskeys.

      However, if Islay's are not your thing, the world of unpeated whiskeys is somewhat more difficult to navigate because they are so numerous, and so similar.

      Reddit actually has a decent whiskey review section. Ralphy on YouTube is pretty enlightening. Whirlpool also has a phat whiskey thread.

      The best way to try a bottle is to have a few friends who enjoy whiskey. 2-4 ways in a bottle cuts the expense, and you can compare thoughts, which is half the fun.

      In terms of flavour profiles, thing more broadly at first - do you taste fruit? Is is a light fruit like grapes, or a dark fruit like plum? Do you taste fresh grass, dry grass ie hay, or sodden swampy grass ie seaweed like Islay malts. All this is comparative. Sometimes it helps to have 2 whiskeys in 2 glasses and jump between them to note differences.

      Think in terms of pallate (how it tastes) and finish (a lingering aftertaste). My preference is for a longer finish which is complex in that it comes in waves, changing over time.

      Lastly, keep to age statement bottlings. There is a market trend to package no age statement whiskey at a premium price, and it is simply not as good.

      • 

        supervigilante on 27/12/2016 - 14:04

        I had my first tast of Islay at DM - Bowmore and Laproaig Quarter Cask. First impression? Vile! But after a few more tastes, they became more acceptable. I know it's an acquired taste, so I made it my mission to force myself to like Islay. So I bought a bottle of Laproaig PX from Changi and now I love it so so much.

        That's why I need to expose myself to more options and have an open mind.

        Everytime I watch Ralfy, I want to try what he's having because he made the whiskies sound so damn delicious! I am looking forward to be able to identify the subtle flavours in whiskies.

      • 

        ozbjunkie on 27/12/2016 - 15:00

        +2

        @supervigilante:

        I recommend the Laphroaig 10, even though the QC gets better reviews, I see the taste as less refined with more of an ethanol bite. Haven't tried the Px.

        Age statements are not a guide between distilleries, but within a distillery it's a decent guide.

• 

  ramboando on 27/12/2016 - 01:00

  +1

  If you really want to know what almost every premium whisky tastes like without trying a single sip (although some may argue where is the fun in that!) get Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2016. Over 4,600 whiskies tasted, evaluated, and rated in that book. It's a great book to thumb through while sipping your favourite dram by the fire.

  • 

    supervigilante on 27/12/2016 - 08:29

    Where's the fun in that! It's much much better to experience them on my own. =D

    But still thank you for your suggestion! The bible would be useful for me to find out what else is out there for me to try. =)

    • 

      ozbjunkie on 27/12/2016 - 12:30

      +1

      I sometimes agree with Jim, and sometimes not. What I do find useful is that a particularly low score is accurate, telling you what to avoid.

      However the bulk of high scores indicate that a whiskey is good at being what it is trying to be. So a 90 for Johnny red doesn't mean it's actually better than a 89 for an ardbeg limited release.

• 

  sam567 on 27/12/2016 - 08:49

  +2

  A good place to start is the World Whiskey Awards. Although the award winners may be expensive or in short supply, you can try lesser versions of the same whisky.

  As a beginner, it's good to start with limited number of whiskies and drink them over a period of time. Try them neat, a few drops of water, ice and see how you prefer to drink them. Some whiskies open up with a little water, others are better neat or with ice. As your palate develops, you may go back to a whisky and find that it has more to offer than you originally had appreciated.

  I like to try different ages of the same whisky. I find a whisky I like and purchase different age releases of the same whisky.

  • 

    supervigilante on 27/12/2016 - 11:33

    Thanks for your response.

    I want to expose myself to more whiskies, to develop my palate. That's why I'm after ways to get my hands on as many variety as possible. So far people here have provided me with wonderful suggestions like joining facebook group to get news about special events and attending Whisky Live.

    Your suggestion of trying different age from the same range is great if only I have more money to blow on 18yo, 25yo whiskies. Thanks again for your input. =)

• 

  [Deactivated] on 27/12/2016 - 09:21

  Buy high quality miniatures
  https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_859351/royal-salute…

  • 

    supervigilante on 27/12/2016 - 11:38

    -1

    I feel like the pricing of miniatures took "collectability" into consideration. They cost similar or higher than getting a glass in a bar. Thanks anyway for your input. =)

    • 

      johnno07 on 29/12/2016 - 00:40

      +3

      Surely Royal Salute is more than $15 in a bar? Johnny Red is nearly bloody $10 a drink these days. This miniature bottle is 50mL too, rather than your usual 30mL standard.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 29/12/2016 - 10:15

      +1

      You must drink in some very expensive bars!

• 

  Pumpkin_rrr on 27/12/2016 - 10:27

  +2

  I have a group of friends now part of my Whisky Appreciation group. About every 4-6 weeks we gather at one of our homes, have simple dinner ( whisky food) and everyone bring a bottle. The tasting starts before dinner and it's fun. It took me a while to unearth these people and to convert them. Eg hubby wasn't a whisky person before, but now he thinks he's a whisky enthusiast:-)). We now have 6 families.
  The group doesn't need to be big. I fact we like it small so sorry,membership is closed now~smile~

  • 

    supervigilante on 27/12/2016 - 11:44

    I wish I have more friends who are into whisky-appreciation. I'm actively trying to get them to like whisky but they are just not into spirits, even though they like beer and wine. Maybe they expects whisky to be as "drinkable" as beer/wine?

    Anyway, thank you for your wonderful story!

    • 

      ozbjunkie on 27/12/2016 - 12:35

      +1

      If you're keen, there are meet-up style groups, and private tastings held by private clubs.

      Also, some whiskey oriented bars hold tastings. Shirt bar, Baxter inn, grain, and stitch, are a few places that come to mind which might hold regular tasting nights.

      • 

        supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 07:07

        Thanks for the list of whisky bars. I have since followed their facebook pages.

• 

  meowbert on 27/12/2016 - 18:01

  +2

  Here are some things that helped me along…

  • When/if you're in Japan buy whiskey there. This may seem a stupid suggestion but! the taxes on alcohol are rock bottom and the whiskey they turn out (Hibiki, yamazaki, nikka (some)) are amongst the best in the world. A bottle of Hibiki 17yr would set you back ~$300 in Aus but is less than 10000Y (~120aud) in Japan.
  • Get a membership with the Whiskey stores around your area, it helps reduce the cost of the exotic bottles and most have tastings like Dan Murphys
  • Mix it up with lowest cost stuff to get a feel for what you like. This is probably best done once you've had the pricier stuff and know what good quality tastes like. I have found some perfectly passable bottles for ~$50. JD Double Black comes to mind.

  Cheers and good luck!

  • 

    Cheaplikethebird on 27/12/2016 - 18:11

    +2

    Yeah I picked up a bottle of Hibiki 12yr while in Japan for around $35 AUD back in 2014. This was before they discontinued their age guarunteed lines, now bottles of it go for around $250AUD on ebay. Still have it sitting in the closet.

    • 

      supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 10:54

      Wow A$35 hibiki 12! What a great buy!

      • 

        Cheaplikethebird on 28/12/2016 - 15:42

        +1

        I also picked up a bottle of Laphroaig Quarter Cask for about the same. Whiskey really is cheap there.

  • 

    meowbert on 27/12/2016 - 21:12

    +1

    Edit: I meant Johnnie Walker double black :)

  • 

    tik tok on 27/12/2016 - 22:27

    +1

    A lot of Japanese whisky is sweeter than their scottish counterparts (IMO). If you develop an addiction for Japanese whiskey, goodluck - I have never seen them go on sale at local woolies or coles. May be once. I like them though.

    • 

      supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 10:53

      Yeah I think Japanese whisky is made to the local's palate.

  • 

    supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 07:13

    I've just realised that First Choice is doing free tasting too, not just DM. Thanks for the heads up about Japan too! Japanese whisky is very expensive/hard to find here.

  • 

    SaberX on 28/12/2016 - 13:53

    +1

    no way would a bottle of hibiki 17 cost 10000 Y now. i went march 16 and even if you could find a bottle i am pretty sure that pricing would be hibiki harmony (no age) or the 12 yrs. i cant recall but surely 20000Y if not more for 17 years

    funnily enough i found a bottle of various ages whiskies in Takayama (city near the mountain area north west of tokyo) and one of the burger bar cafes where i got for about $10 AUD glasses of ages whiskies to try. 12 year, 18 year japanese whiskies. some were sold out but the quality was great. In comparison to you can get 500ml bottles from the convenience store of the no aged variety: nikka taketsuru, and the typical miyagikyo, chinta and yamazaki. There's another one iwth a green label that evades me currently.

    These were pretty good too BTW… i am not a huge drinker but i have tried a few here and there and the no age tastes good, the aged even better. It was about $30-35 aud equivalent for these no aged and easily found in all the convenience stores.

    That said the 21 year old Glendronach they served at that burger bar blew the aged japanese whiskies out in terms of flavour, even though i had a fair few and was losing my palatte /senses by then - so that's saying something!! It isn't Japanese, but it's just as hard to find Glendronach anyway :(

    • 

      meowbert on 28/12/2016 - 16:06

      +1

      Fair enough, I was there mid last year so it's entirely likely that the price has gone up since then.

      I found all alcohols were generally cheaper and more available.

• 

  tik tok on 27/12/2016 - 22:25

  +1

  Where in Changi is this tasting station ? I am kicking my self now.
  How about you buy miniatures to work out a taste ? A lot of single malts are an acquired taste.

  • 

    supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 07:31

    Their main duty free shop at Terminal 3 if I remember correctly. It's the one nearest to the passport/Xray check area. It has 3 tasting sections - cocktail, whisky (mainly scotch) and brandy. However, the whisky is served in a tiny plastic cup, not sure if that bothers you.

    Oh by the way, while typing this, I found out that Changi has opened a new Whisky House. Check it out!

    https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/latest-news/10339/whisky-h…

• 

  thegazette on 27/12/2016 - 23:56

  +1

  my suggestion to most people I come across who are looking to get into whisky is to put aside 20 bucks a week. At the end of the month you've got $80 to spend on a decent single malt. 12 bottles a year makes for a good starting collection.

  edit: btw if you're in the eastern suburbs of melb we can have a dram together

  • 

    supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 07:40

    I don't mind buying whisky, but I'd just like to know more hidden secrets of getting a free taste before deciding what to buy.

    • 

      thegazette on 28/12/2016 - 11:00

      +1

      whisky reviews, 1001 whiskies to try before you die, is a good starter. try getting 6 different islay/isles whiskies and 3 each from the highland, lowland and speyside each produced from different distilleries. That will be able to give you a rough idea what you're in for based on the different regions and the signature flavour of each distillery.

      My suggestion:

      Islay/Isles:
      Bowmore 15 Darkest/Bowmore Black Rock
      Ardbeg 10
      Talisker 10/Talisker Storm
      Bruichladdich 10/Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Heavily Peated
      Lagavulin 16
      Laphroaig Cuan An Mor/Laphroaig 10

      Highland:
      Dalwhinnie 15
      Glenmorangie Nectar D'or 12
      The Singleton of Glen Ord 12
      Oban 14

      Lowland:
      Auchentoshan 12
      Glenkinchie 12

      Speyside:
      Balvanie Single Barrel 15/Balvanie Double Wood 12
      Benromach Organic
      Cragganmore 12
      The Macallan 12 Fine Oak/Sherry Oak

      Those should be a good starting point for you to reference flavours and characteristics of individual distilleries before you go on to explore other expressions. I own most of these so if you need a rundown or actually want to taste any of them PM me.

      edit:
      also keep an eye out for distillery sponsored events. I went to two this year. 1 from Glenmorangie at the Rupert on Rupert bar. Order any Glenmorangie cocktail and receive an invite. There was 2 free cocktails p.p. + a dram of the new Milsean expression.
      the other was by Dewars at the Grace Darling Hotel. Free sign-up with a +1. Free dewars while you wait to get in and 2 free drinks (cocktails or their blends) upon entry. They also had tasting paddles of the single malts that go into the Dewars Blends. Make friends with the MC and he'd bring around a dram of the single malt for free to taste.

      • 

        supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 21:11

        Thanks for your detailed comment and generous offer. I'm happy to share my humble collection with you too. =)

        Also how did you get notification about distillery sponsored events? This is exactly what I want to find out. Thanks!

      • 

        thegazette on 29/12/2016 - 00:12

        +1

        @supervigilante: happened to see it in my facebook feed. or timeout.com/melbourne also has a lot of events going on

• 

  SaberX on 28/12/2016 - 13:54

  +1

  i think the idea of a whisky appreciation club or meetup group would work? THe only problem is you have to find a good group. i doubt they would be much appreciative of you going there and drinking all their fine drops and contributing nil. So in the end you're going to need to still get a good bottle or two to bring along, but at least it allows you to 'try' different things.

  If a bar doesn't work for you at best you could do the more expensive whiskey flights, at least you get to try 5 or 6 for example different whiskies. IT's still going to be bar pricing, but albeit you try more stuff and then can just buy what you like retail wise after.

  • 

    supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 21:05

    The OzBargain in me is trying to attend free tasting as much as possible to build my palate. Thanks to some of the comments here.. I have followed the facebook page of various local bar and signed up for membership/newsletter from liquor stores for special events.

    • 

      SaberX on 03/01/2017 - 17:02

      yeah, especially the dan murphys one. our local boutique style retailer near my workplace in the CBD (west perth) does Friday night tastings. usually wine but sometimes there are beer, whiskey etc.

• 

  Sestrooper on 28/12/2016 - 16:09

  +1

  Beware once you start you can't stop collecting!

  I recently went through Brisbane domestic airport at 0600 to new Zealand. They now have a whiskey tasting bar. Even though it was 0600 I couldn't turn down free whiskey! Got to try a few 15 and 21 year bottles which was grand!

  I would start off with single malts and work your way to Islay. I've been drinking whiskey for a year and I first fell in love with Japanese whiskey and then moved to the scotch. I only just got into peat and man I don't know if I can go back!

  Some recommendations
  1) drinking more expensive whiskey is easier than cheap. If you are trying to get into it, then drink a decent $70 bottle. For example a glenfiddoch 12-15yr or even a blended green label for around $60.
  2) nikka from the barrel is gorgeous.
  3) ardberg is a good peat to try

  I would try and get a few mates together to share a bottle if you are concerned about money! Whiskey isn't exactly a cheap mans drink however! (Unless you drink the $30 bottles with a mixer)

  I'll be honest I can't tell whether there is berry or chocolate or sea salt tones. Maybe it comes with experience but if it leaves a good aftertaste, then I'm hooked.

  • 

    daanish on 28/12/2016 - 19:50

    +1

    I'm heading through Brisbane International in a couple of months. Where is this tasting bar? I'm quite interested.

    • 

      Sestrooper on 28/12/2016 - 23:02

      +2

      Literally in the middle of the spirits section. If you miss it, you probably shouldn't be drinking 😂

  • 

    supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 21:01

    The addiction is real! I actually went out and bought a Talisker 10 from First Choice ($62) after reading some of the comments here!

    • 

      thegazette on 29/12/2016 - 00:14

      +1

      strong peppery finish on that one. it's a good drop to start on

• 

  KaTst3R on 28/12/2016 - 21:05

  +1

  Just FYI that Changi Airport does not offer tasting for Japanese whiskey.

  • 

    supervigilante on 28/12/2016 - 21:07

    That's right. I don't think they stock Japanese whiskey either. Mainly just Scotch. I think Japanese whiskey is getting too rare/valuable to offer for free to random flyers.

    • 

      KaTst3R on 29/12/2016 - 12:47

      +1

      They do stock the Hibiki and another green bottle I can't remember the name but Yamazakis are out of stock the last time i was there. But as you say, Japanese whiskey supplies are hard to come by these days so it could be why they don't offer tasting.

      I just returned from a trip to Japan. The whiskey there is so cheap (30 to 50% cheaper) and easily available even in 7-11 but the guaranteed aged ones like the 12 year Hibikis are very rare unless you find a large specialty alcohol shop.

• 

  lainey13 on 29/12/2016 - 00:58

  +1

  Run a whiskey party. You tell invitees which whiskeys to bring. Everyone tries a bit of everyone else's whiskey. You keep any remaining whiskey as reward for organising. Repeat again and again until you have a stockpile of almost finished by not quite whiskey. I call this the whiskey pyramid scheme.

  • 

    supervigilante on 30/12/2016 - 13:02

    That's a brilliant idea! I can increase the attendance by saying "if you bring 4 friends then I will reward you with a bottle".

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  colossus on 29/12/2016 - 10:11

  +1

  Attend a few whisky tastings. I attend an annual tasting which is around $50 and sample 10 1/2 shots. They usually come with a booklet where you write your notes and score. At the one I attend, it's followed by the MC reading a guide entry with its score.

  After a few you build your own lists of whiskies you like and ones you are happy to spend the money on a full bottle.

  As taste in whisky is a very personal thing, this is a good way to evaluate many cheaply and also record how your appreciation of different whiskies changes over time.

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  Que on 29/12/2016 - 11:10

  +1

  Go and have a read of my mates blog, he's starting out with a no BS approach to whisk(e)y without all the usual snobbery that goes with it.
  He's got a genuine passion for Tasmanian whisky and whisky in general.

  http://whiskydadblog.blogspot.com.au/

• 

  cyrax83 on 29/12/2016 - 12:18

  -2

  Wow - you are one hell of a cheapskate. Just buy a bottle. Good god.

  "3. Friends' collection. Unfortunately I don't have many friends who are into whisk(e)y."

  Seriously? I'm surprised you have any friends at all

  • 

    supervigilante on 29/12/2016 - 12:52

    Same here =) I'm glad I can make you feel better about yourself.

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  OzzyOzbourne on 29/12/2016 - 22:00

  +1

  Whisky and tap water is probably the cheapest, especially if you use someone's garden tap or even the tap in the McDonald's toilet.