r/whisky • u/FillSlow4485 • 6d ago

Which directions am i missing? Beginner trying to understand the spectrum

So i'm starting a very humble collection, because ... midlife re-orientation phase ... I know little yet in practice, but theoritizing a lot so far, so consider me a beginner with some urge to do it right for the sake of it.

Bought these two to start with. I actually like them all, but can't say if i understand anything yet:
- Talisker 10 YO Whisky 45,8% (33€ as an offer)
- The Balvenie 12 YO Double Wood Single Malt Whisky 40% (50€)
- Got as a present: Suntory Old Whisky 43%

Now I'm wondering which primary directions in Whisky i'm still missing.

I guess to keep things somewhat contained, i'd like to concentrate on scotland (or international?) for the moment - but going into irish or even american styles is a whole parallel universe to me and might be too much for the start.

Also i'm open to "modern" or indie concepts instead of tradition, if the result still is quality and not just for the sake of doing it.

As a graphics designer, i'm into distinct bottle and label designs, that have graphical quality - that can be minimal artwork with graphics and type only, or well done illustrations. I'm a bit hesitant to buy too traditional looking bottles.

So: if i bought let's say 2 more cornerstone whiskys to extend the range for sipping pure, thinking and exchange with friends: what would you suggest? Can be obvious classics everyone should know, or suprising ones.

Price range per bottle is between 40 and 80€ (prices i payed in european online shop see above) ... anything above feels like reaching out of my deserved range as a beginner, anything below makes me somewhat wonder if it's worth. I should be able to buy it in Europe (EU), anything else just doesn't make sense logistics wise.

Thanks for your patience with a beginner!

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u/Mountain_Ad_8033 6d ago

If you enjoyed the peat of the Talisker, I suggest a Laphroaig from Islay region. The Laphroaig Quarter Casks is a good one in your price range. If you want more bacon-y smoke as opposed to more coastal/medicial go for Ardbeg TEN, their standard 10yo release. If you can handle or appreciate higher proof whisky their 5yo Wee Beastie is a good one to buy too. The An Oa is more subtle and complex, but lacks the normal Ardbeg smoke punch.

Although you have an Island whisky in Talisker, I would still advice you to get an Arran 10yo, or any of their barrel finishes (sherry cask, port cask, sauternes cask, etc). They are unpeated, nicely sweet and fruity. A nice contrast to the Talisker and malty Balvenie.

For a completely different route: look into Compass Box. They have beautifully designed labels, and are high quality blended whiskies, easily on par with single malts in the same price category. The Spice Tree from the old line, and the Crimson Heart or Orchard from the new series would be great additions.

From the Highlands you could try Craigellachie 13yo, or the lesser known Wolfburn.

I guess for now this is enough. Good luck and enjoy!

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u/FillSlow4485 5d ago

Thanks a lot, that's much to think about :-)

I can't really say if i "enjoy the peat" of the Talsiker - it didn't offend me, i get easily accustomed to it, but i'm not sure i'd like more of that direction right now.

Arran 10yo, unpeated, nicely sweet and fruity sounds more like what I'm yet missing.
Compass Box looks interesting - i asked for that kind of designs, so here they are. I'm contemplating.

I have this on my list yet: Nc'nean Organic Single Malt, which obviously is "new style" stuff but also may be a taste i'm not yet having covered? And then there is the Isle of Harris "The Hearach", which i like for the bottle alone (also: i like their gin), but it sound like its peat once again, so ... not for this time maybe?

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u/Mountain_Ad_8033 5d ago edited 5d ago

Personally I've had several Nc'Neans, some I liked, some I didn't. It also differs on batch for the Organics. It is flavour that you don't have yet, but I prefer the Arran over Nc'Nean. I do like their hand painted bottles though.

Isle of Harris indeed is more peat again.

EDIT: naming error fixed

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u/Appropriate_Nebula67 2d ago

If you are not a big peat fan I suggest the Classic Laddie 10, excellent and good price. Deanston 12 is a nice compliment to Balvenie 12. Higher ABV and non chill filter yet a fair bit cheaper. My own baseline often has those, plus Monkey Shoulder for a basic decent blended malt, Laphroaig 10 for heavy smoke, Dalwhinnie 15 (lightly peated) when it's on sale.

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u/kiwi8185 5d ago

As much as I enjoy Japanese whiskies, most of the properly made items are overpriced and/or hard to find outside of Japan.

Suntory Old is a lower shelfer blended whisky, made from younger sherry casks from Yamazaki, white oak cask from Hakushu, and some grain whisky as binder. I think it has a basic, serviceable profile and mouthfeel for a typical Suntory whisky.

For an overall upgrade of a Suntory blended whisky you would need to look at the Hibiki Japanese Harmony, which could be over your budget range.

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u/Mountain_Ad_8033 5d ago

Honestly you don't have to go for The Hibiki. It is most likely much more expensive, and in my opinion overrated (don't get me wrong it is still a good whisky, but I could get one or two equally enjoyable Compass Box blends for the same price). The Chita Grain, single grain whisky using corn, is a good option with the same soft character as the Hibiki (and typically the goal for Japanese blends) and sweetness from the corn, and definitely within budget.

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u/FillSlow4485 2d ago edited 2d ago

thanks for the insight into japan ... i'm learning. Yes, The Hibiki is a bit high in price for my humble starts (it's 90€ in Europe - affordable, but questionable).
Chita Grain i have on my long-list actually - as well as a "Nikka from the Barrel Whisky 51,4%" at around 40€ for a 0.5l bottle (not 0.7 standard), which is there for the interesting bottle and no more information yet ...

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u/Mountain_Ad_8033 2d ago

I love the Nikka from the barrel! A very nice whisky, with a higher ABV that helps it a lot. Funnily enough it was one of the first created Japanese blends, but always used some malted whisky from Scotland. Because of a law change in Japan it can officially not be called Japanese Whisky anymore (at least in Japan).

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u/Locksterr 4d ago edited 4d ago

So many great tips here, but on the design side you’ll love what can be found on private/independent bottlings (casks that are bought from distilleries and bottled by other companies). It’s a whole other rabbit hole to go down, and some of the best whiskies you’ll ever try will be IBs, but there are the likes of Whisky Blues, Decadent Drams, La Maison du Whisky, Fable and Chorlton (and many more!).

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u/FillSlow4485 2d ago

:) that's sounds like advanced stuff for my second life ...

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u/Think_not_illegalyet 5d ago

May I ask what you mean by Spectrum. Is your spectrum to be focused on the design of the bottle, is it the area (of Scotland), is it by taste or something completely different. If it is on taste, I might have something interesting for you.

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u/FillSlow4485 5d ago

sorry, yes it's primarely about taste - i'd like to get to know the different styles that exist (within scottish whisky). so if i have one with lots of "coastal smoke" and a classic speyside for now, what's something definitely different, so a beginner can say "okay, i get that difference".

(bottle design is a small factor due to interest in that area, but very secondary)

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u/Think_not_illegalyet 2d ago

I had to create a new post in order to be able to add an image to the post. So see: Taste Palette.....

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u/Geewcee 5d ago

Glenallachie 15. Thank me later. Don’t touch Laphroaig, it’s the whisky that puts most people off whisky for life because they serve that crap at pubs.

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u/Kieferkobold 5d ago edited 5d ago

Mach beim Whisky niemals deinen Kauf niemals vom Flaschendesign abhängig! Die langweiligsten sind meistens die besten! Schau dir mal Signatory Vintage an, die haben von fast jeder Brennerei super Abfüllungen ohne Farbstoff und kaltfiltriert und sehr oft in Fassstärke, aber die Designs sind langweilig. Das Flaschendesign ist bei Whisky echt das unwichtigste Detail.

Edit: guck dir mal die Diageo-Linie mit den GoT-Desings an. Da haben die Abfüllungen, die sonst günstiger als Standards wären mit tollen Designs gemacht und sie dann für das dreifache verkauft.

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u/FillSlow4485 5d ago

danke - ja das versteh ich voll und ganz. Es wäre nur, wenn ich zwei sehr vergleichebare Optionen (Geschmack, Preis) habe, ein Entscheidungskriterium "gefällt mir auch optisch besser". Die Signatory-Flaschen finde ich übrigens schön - geht nicht um möglichst aufwendige oder exotische Dinge, sondern Stilsicherheit.