I admit that I'm a whiskey snob and when I see people taking shots of whiskey, I cringe. Most people who drink whiskey shots really are not true whiskey lovers. They just want to consume the alcohol and get it over with. If it's for ceremonial or social reasons like making a toast, it's acceptable. But most whiskey lovers are not into shots. They pour it in a glass and take small sips and contemplate the aroma and flavor. They live in the moment and savor it. So yeah, I'm a snob.
The negative side of being a whiskey snob is the cost of good scotch. I had to consciously decide not to become a scotch snob because I simply can't afford to be one. So... I went back to bourbon. You can be a bourbon snob at 50$ a bottle. Now the question is.. you sip your whiskey neat? Real snobs don't use ice.
Good points. I forgot about the high cost. For the most part I drink it neat. If the whiskey is strong and I'm in a casual mood, I will add a few drops of water. If it's a hot day, I will add ice but that's rare.
I like Monkey Shoulder because it's relatively affordable at around $29 and it's good. If you have a little more money to spend, the Johnny Walker Black label version is a crowd pleaser. If you're on a low budget, Jameson is good. I like Irish whiskey actually. Sometimes at stores, you can buy whiskey samples. Or you can buy a set of 3 small bottles from Johhny Walker to see which variety you like best. Lastly, if you go to a good quality bar, you can try single servings. The bartender may be knowledgeable and be like a mentor. Going to bars can be expensive but I see it as paying for the educational experience.
I just read about a study that applies to us Whiskey snobs. For reference sake: the study, by Hilke Plassmann, John O'Doherty, Baba Shiv, and Antonio Rangel, was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. So they took some people and scanned their brains while they tasted wines. The wine was all the same, but the tasters were told various prices from 10 to 90 dollars. Consistently, tasters were more pleased by the wine they were told cost more. I have no doubt that I would have provided the same results.
