Picking a Whiskey
Knowing how to pick a whiskey, whether it is your first or your hundredth comes with a lot of decisions, and it can be difficult to always know how to pick the right one. Sometimes you know what you’re looking for and go straight to it, or maybe you peruse your store and browse. Either way, the goal is to find the best bottle to enjoy or stow away in your own stash.
When I’m in the liquor store, I watch other people as they go about picking a whiskey. While there are those who know what they’re buying or know what they have been told to purchase, I often witness novice hesitation.
It is easy to sense the confusion – after all, we have all been in this situation at one time or another in our journey. And many of us are still likely pause every now and then as we decide who gets to come home to the bunker.
“… approach the selection process methodically.”
BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
Regardless of our experience, it seems certain questions still hang there:
– What was it my friends shared last weekend?
– These bottles all look the same, but which one of these three variations should I get?
– What am I after?
– Which one am I supposed to ask for?
– What should I do?
Not so long ago that person was me (or maybe it’s you now). I had no idea what makes a $40 bottle better than a $20 one, let alone why another was $60 or more. I wasn’t willing to fork out $40 on a whiskey I might not like.
Then it dawned on me … approach the selection process methodically.
STEP 1: WHISKEY STYLES, PROOFS, PROFILES AND PACKAGING
The staff at a good liquor store can guide you to quality whiskeys in a variety of whiskey styles: Scotch whiskey from Scotland, Canadian whiskey, Japanese whiskey, and American ryes and bourbons. Each will have offerings in a variety of alcohol by volume (ABV) or proof. For example, 90 proof whiskey has a 45% ABV and some may exceed 140 proof (70% ABV)! Luckily, every bottle has its proof and ABV written clearly somewhere on the label, removing confusion as you decide the alcohol level you prefer.
Each style has its own profile. Scotch’s, for instance, have the widest array: delicate, earthy, fruity, salty, and smoky. Some say Japanese whiskeys are similar as many borrow scotch distilling techniques. Canadian whiskeys have their own traits and are highly favored by many and American ryes can run spicy and bourbons sweet.
Bottles can be found on the shelf in varying sizes: 375 ml and 750 ml being the most common. There are dozens and dozens of brands, but to begin, consider selecting bottles from common distillers. Many common distillers offer 375 ml and smaller bottlings. Again, let the staff guide you.
STEP 2: HOW WILL YOU BE ENJOYING YOUR WHISKEY?
It has been said enjoying whiskey is like hitting life’s pause button. There are so many ways to enjoy a dram or two as you sit back and discuss the day’s or week’s events with friends:
– Will you mixing your spirit with a cola or using whiskey as a mixer? If so, you may not want to invest in a higher priced offering.
– Will you be enjoying your whiskey cold over ice (on-the-rocks)? Be sure to select one that can stand up to a little water as the cubes melt.
– Will you be sipping your pour neat or with water? Often the subtleties of a fine whiskey can be detected best with minimal additions.
STEP 3: WHISKEY BUDGET
Only you know how much you can spend. Very few of us like to experiment with our hard earned cash, even on something we intend to enjoy.
Before entering the store, set a spending limit. You might be comfortable with $25-30 and there are plenty of good whiskeys in this range. If a bottle under $25 fits better into the initial budget, there may be fewer gems in this range, but a good liquor store staff member can guide you.
If you are fortunate and your budget is a bit more flexible, say $30-$45, there are dozens of fine whiskeys from which to choose. If you can spend even more, there are many premium options to choose from. Keep in mind, good whiskeys from outside the country may cost a bit more, so plan accordingly.
STEP 4: ASK AN EXPERT
Now, perhaps most importantly: ASK SOMEONE! … Ask the store or liquor department manager. Ask the staff. At the very least, ask the patron standing next to you. They might be in the same bad way you are.
Or maybe, the person standing next to you knows a little bit. We whiskey drinkers are a strange lot; we love talking about our favorite spirit, but will seldom speak first.
Way back when, I simply asked my local liquor store manager, Adam. He asked what I was looking for … scotch, bourbon? Fruity? Sweet? Oaky? What about smoky? Adam pointed out examples, helping narrow down my options, even though he acknowledged he had yet to try all the bourbons on the shelf. To this day, he is still my go-to guy for whiskey information.
SUMMARY
So when picking a whiskey, approach the selection process methodically …
STEP 1: Style, Proof and Profile. Do you want a big smoky scotch?
STEP 2: How are you enjoying your whiskey? On the rocks? Neat?
STEP 3: Budget. Do you want to buy bottles in smaller sizes first?
STEP 4: Ask an expert!
The staff should be able to help narrow down which fit the criteria you give them. They will help narrow choices from hundreds to maybe ten at the most. Not so scary then! And maybe the staff will have a recommendation from those ten to make it even easier.
APPLICATION
For my first whiskeys, I wanted bourbons with lower proofs so they wouldn’t burn me (Step 1), ones I could enjoy neat (Step 2), and priced in the $25-$30 range so they wouldn’t break the bank (Step 3). With my expert, Adam, (Step 4), I settled on two 350 ml bottles, (spending only a bit more than my $30 budget). In the end I was able to begin comparing. I gave the whiskeys I selected a fair chance to impress, refraining from the higher proof or price offerings; I knew I wasn’t ready, though these would come by refining my answers to the steps the longer I practiced the method.
Today, in the three or four other liquor stores I frequent, the managers and staff – my experts – recognize me and know my profile and are quick to point out a potential product they feel I might enjoy, which I often do!
Next time you find yourself staring at the shelves, ask around before deciding how to pick a whiskey at the liquor store. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the newly recommended bottle … And if not, you’ve just discovered a bottle or distiller to be more wary of in the future.
To know how I rate the whiskeys included in my bunker, click here!
Let me know your thoughts … To leave a comment or share how you go about picking a whiskey, click the “Leave a Reply” button below. Cheers!
Written by Brian Dawson
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Featured Photos by Adam Wilson, Javier Allegue Barros, and Andrew Seaman on Unsplash
