A Whisky connoisseur's or collector's life constantly searches for new bottles that promise a unique taste experience. Some people seek out flavor experiences that they want to preserve in fine bottles for the future. Others may seek these taste experiences, but they do not want to treat themselves to these Whiskies but instead make a profit by selling them to connoisseurs in the future.
Many collectors purchase bottles in the hope that their value will rise. Original and independent bottlings of Scotch Single Malt Whiskies, on the other hand, have extraordinary taste qualities that compel other collectors to act. They evaluate bottles based on their taste rather than their potential value increase.
In contrast to value collectors, these individuals are connoisseurs-collectors, aiming for the greatest possible increase in value.
Both types of collectors are motivated to purchase a bottle for fundamentally different reasons. While an increase in value can be expressed in euros or dollars, it is difficult to quantify subjective taste. The problems are illustrated by the following questions: What's palatable? What has an unpleasant taste? Is there a common taste? Can you trust third-party statements about a Whisky's quality?
But, when we open these bottles in the future, will we enjoy the taste as much as we do now?
Taste Memory
With each new taste experience, our taste evolves. When our nose, and thus our brain, 'experienced' a new aroma, we or our brain changed slightly. We become a different person in terms of taste within a few years due to these constant small changes.
As people, we are constantly evolving, and we are surprised when old certainties no longer hold, and unexpected changes occur.
2. Whisky Tastings
When a connoisseur-collector tries a Malt and decides to save a bottle later, an even bigger problem can arise. At first glance, this appears to be a safe bet. "I've tried the Whisky, and it's fantastic! - I can't possibly go wrong." However, this is only true at first glance because our mood influences how we perceive things.
Whisky tastings with a guide are a must-do for connoisseurs and collectors. 6, 8, or even 12 or more samples may be available for tasting during an opulent tasting. Herein lies the danger of erroneous judgment.
3. An Old Trick
An old winemaker taught me a technique for fine-tuning wines for a wine tasting without degrading them. The trick is to influence the sense of taste between each round of tasting. He generously provides cheese and white bread for a good wine tasting. The guests notice the alcohol in their blood after the second glass and eat a slice of white bread with cheese.
What occurs in the mouth? The body enriches the saliva with enzymes that break down the starch in the flour to form sugar to aid digestion. We quickly swallow the bread, but the enzymes in our mouth digest the remaining breadcrumbs in the manner described above. Humans require a small amount of fat and/or salt to enhance the slightly sweet flavor. Both taste enhancers can be traced back to the early stages of our evolution. When a little fat and salt are added to any food, it tastes better. The fat and salt in the cheese quickly shift our taste to ‘sweetish-pleasant' for the upcoming glass.
But wait, there's more: The alcohol begins to numb the nerve ends on the tongue and in the mouth/throat after the second or third glass. At high doses, alcohol is a neurotoxin, and at medium doses, it numbs our nerves, impairing our ability to respond in traffic. Our sense of taste begins to deteriorate as the dose increases, and our sense of taste is severely impaired after the third sample.
Should we, then, refrain from tasting a Whisky before purchasing it? As absurd as this question may appear at first glance, there is some truth. You should be aware of the circumstances surrounding your Whisky tasting.
All tasting events aim for the same thing: to leave you with a pleasant memory. That's exactly what you paid for. You paid for a fantastic, all-encompassing experience that engaged all of your senses. The better it was, the more likely you'd return and possibly bring your friends - that's the motivation for both you and the host.
This wonderful atmosphere can backfire on us later when we overestimate a Single Malt Whisky due to this deliberate positive misperception. Typically, the bottles sampled in the tasting are made available for purchase afterward. At home, you sit calmly in familiar surroundings and don't recognize the newly purchased Whisky.
There are several viable options. Use your knowledge of the distillery and the bottler, or get detailed information from the internet. It's also a good idea to try the single malt whisky brands at different times before purchasing a full bottle.
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