r/Scotch • u/biznessmen • 2d ago

What gaps do I have in my starter collection?

Just got into Scotch (couple months) when the brainless wonder started with these tarrifs. Grabbed up over the past two weeks the following bottles and was hoping to get some more before tarrifs really hit. I am wanting to have some bottle that represents the majority of flavor profiles of scotch to work my way through while we wait for the circus to end. What major gaps? I have peat covered haha

Highland Park 12

Ardbeg An Oa

Ardbeg 10

Lagavulin 8

Laphroaig 10

Bowmore 12

Talisker 10

Isle of Harris Hearach

Isle of Harris Hearach Oloroso Cask

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13

u/JohnnieNoodles 2d ago

You’re missing some Speyside and interior Highland action.

Lotta stuff that starts with Glen…

Glendronach

Glenfiddich

Glenallachie

Glenfarclas

Edradour

Blair Athol

Glenlossie

Aberlour

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u/biznessmen 2d ago

It's there one 'Glen' that you find represents the style well? I'm going to run out of room or liver function if I get to many bottles

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u/ktatsanon 2d ago

"Glen" isn't a specific style. Glen means valley in celtic. Glenfiddich and Glen Scotia, for example, are two very different animals.

You have a lot of peated/Islays in your collection. I think what the poster above was getting at is maybe try some of the more sherried, or fruity/spicy styles.

There's are as many flavour profiles in Scotch as there are grains of sand on a beach. Try a few at a bar and see what you like. Try different ones that your friends might have. There's cheaper ways to try things out without going all in on an expensive bottle.

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u/biznessmen 2d ago

Will be grabbing one today, thanks so much!

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u/JohnnieNoodles 2d ago

Glendronach or Glenallachie 15 are good introductions to the sherry profile.

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u/Lutembi 2d ago

Good enough start to commonly available Islay but you’re missing so much by concentrating on just this space. 

While at the same time you’re missing some very core Islay too (Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte, Bunnahabhain, Laphroaig Cairdeas, Laphroaig 10 CS, anything Kilchoman, for starters). 

Then there’s the entire rest of the country. 

Arran 10, Ledaig 10, Clynelish 14, GlenAllachie 12, Craigellachie 13, Glen Scotia Double Cask, Edradour 10, Ballechin 10, Loch Lomond 12, anything Ardnamurchan

And that’s just official bottlings (OB), there’s an entire independent bottling (IB) world to get into as well! Where less common distilleries can shine — Ben Nevis, Ardmore, Fettercairn, Glen Garioch, Auchroisk, etc 

Enjoy!!

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u/biznessmen 2d ago

Yeah I am grabbing just what is available easily as I am new at it. I did see some of those you listed at a website store and will grab a couple. Thanks

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u/sideshow-- 2d ago

Don't think of it as a collection, or boxes you need to check that represent different so called styles and regions. Instead, use this as your metric: what do I want to try next and why? It may be something with a very different profile than what you're used to, or it may be a subtle variation of something you have or know well. Whisk(e)y is meant to be something consumed that is intimately connected to a particular time and place (when it was distilled and where), not bobbles where you have to get a range simply because there's a range. If you let your interest (supplemented by research) guide your purchases, then you'll always be happy.

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u/Perfect-Disaster1622 2d ago

That’s why I have been substantially purchasing IBs. Had a tasting with G&M in January, and realized that the expressions were so complex and sincere in comparison to most baseline distilleries.

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u/biznessmen 2d ago

If we were in normal times I'd do just that, for sure. Unfortunately, trying to cast a wide net now and try a tiny bit of everything just to get a rough idea and then go down those now specific paths later. 

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u/Spiritual_Tutor7550 2d ago

Careful not to overpay on Hyped/NAS bottles. Cheaper alternatives exist (campbeltown Loch for springbank, ileach for lagavulin) the cheapest representative speyside is speyburn 10 46% at about 30€ per litre

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u/biznessmen 2d ago

Awesome, will pick up a bottle of that as well. 

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u/Hippi_Johnny 2d ago

But also don't just buy a bottle because it's from a region and it's cheaper than another bottle from that region.. I'd be willing to bet that $30 Speyburn doesn't hold a candle to something like Glenallachie 12. (also note that anyone telling prices in Euros/pounds get greater selection and a much better price then the US).

Glenallachie 12 will run you around $73 in the states but it's worth every penny to me. Most times when I buy the bargain bottles I'm not satisfied. And seeing that you have some quality bottles in your collection like Ardbeg, Laphroaig etc, you would likely be disappointed with a bottom shelfer. Personally I wouldn't go any lower then Laphroaig 10. It's a great bottle and any islay I've tried for less was...less... sometimes you get what you pay for. But definitely avoid Ardbegs exorbitantly priced special releases. They're not really any better than the flagship 5 and cost about 3x as much.

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u/Dons3434 2d ago

I’d definitely grab a Glenallachie 12, Arran 10 and Ledaig 10.

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u/Funny_Delivery_34 2d ago

If you're in the UK I would order the Kilkerran 8yr bourbon cask strength before it all sells out only comes out once a year £65, I bought it recently, once its started opening up it's the best whisky I've had so far I think. It's a good price for the quality, and once its gone will only be able to get in the secondhand markets for triple the price. So that gets you some campbeltown funk into the collection.

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u/biznessmen 2d ago

Unfortunately not in the UK. In the US so I am trying to stock up before our recession/ tarrifs. 

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u/BoPRocks 2d ago

I understand your concerns about tariffs, but I'd still heed much of this advice- there's such a range in expressions, and nuance within each flavor profile, that there aren't really "gaps" you can fill except those from your own personal perspective.

Or, to think of it another way, the thing that brings together a collection of whisky are the stories that you can tell using those bottles. Do you want a collection that highlights the different flavor profiles of the 5* whisky-making regions? A collection that focuses on the extremes of those profiles (i.e. sherry/peatbombs), or the intricacies of just one profile? A collection that goes really deep into the expressions of a couple distilleries? Or simply a collection that tells tales of your travels?

At the end of the day, what you collect should reflect your interests. As you mentioned, you're still rather new to scotch- I'd suggest going to a nicer local bar (or ideally whisky bar if one is available), talking to the bartender, and trying a number of whiskies you're curious about or have had recommended to you. The cost might mean buying one less bottle, but 3 bottles you know you want is probably better than taking a gamble on 4.

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u/biznessmen 2d ago

That makes sense. Like the idea of geographically based collection. I come at whiskey from a cooking perspective so I'm all about flavors but I can see how that would be awesome

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u/skeetskeety 2d ago

Aberlour a’bunadh

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u/biznessmen 2d ago

So I just bought one during lunch hah. That and a Monkey Shoulder 

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u/Hippi_Johnny 2d ago

Glenallachie 12,15,18

Glendronach 15,18

Bunnahabhain 12

If you find IBs ( independent bottlers) like Gordon & MacPhail, Adelphi, Single Cask Nation etc those are usually good gambles. They buy barrels from distilleries and age them themselves and release them under their own name. Usually the distillery will be disclosed. For example I just bought a G&M Mortlach 15yr 46% $99.... Mortlach 16 is typically released under Diageo at 43% for $105 last time I saw it. The G&M has less sherry funk and has some peat notes where the standard 16 does not. The G&M is a fantastic bottle and I will likely buy another if they don't run dry in my area. It's a 2023 release but one of my stores just got some.

Anyway, good luck.