Has anyone else completely changed the way they discover new whiskies?
I was looking at my whisky shelf the other day and realized something. For years I would just buy a whole bottle if someone recommended it or if it had good ratings or even if the label looked interesting. Sometimes it worked out but lots of times I ended up with something expensive that I did not really enjoy.
A few months back I started trying smaller pours instead and tasting flights. It lets me compare different kinds like scotch and bourbon next to each other. That has been better for me. I notice more about the smell and taste and how the barrels affect it and the differences from various places.
This way I get to try more without buying big bottles right away. It seems like I find things I like that I might have missed before. I think the discovery part is what makes it fun now. Maybe some people still prefer getting full bottles each time but samples have helped me avoid stuff that does not work.
Not sure how other people do it though.