Do you buy miniatures before buying the big b

Sometimes, but minatures are few and far between up where I am, and those that are available tend to be Glenlivet 12, JW Red Label, etc., and even some of those are being discontinued. I have to trust my wife or my in-laws to pick me up some minatures when they travel overseas...The LCBO does have some 20cl bottles of the various Diageo 'Classic Malts', but they've discontinued most of those as well.

@easygoingthief I feel your pain; wanting to try a new whisky - yet not wanting to plunk down what could be some serious $$$ is always the dilemma...It's totally "hit & miss" when it comes to liquor stores as to what they have in mini's...I got lucky some time ago finding a mini Highland Park 12 yr; been wanting to try that whisky for quite a while, and was very pleased that I did.

If there's not a liquor store available with a "good" selection of mini's - I would then suggest this website:

www.wine-searcher.com

It's primarily used for wine - although I purchased single malts (mini's, 200 ml, and 750 ml bottles) numerous times thru this web site..In the "Wine Name" slot - just type in the whisky you're looking for, and of course the other search criteria (state, distance, etc)...In the "Vintage" slot - I leave it blank.

Good luck!

Thanks FMichael for the link I will check it out, might find a new wine too.

Try master of malt drinks by the dram.

www.masterofmalt.com/samples/

Thanks Captain Tom.

I typically don't as minis aren't readily available to me...I do typically try before I buy most things though, either through bars or sample swaps with friends.

I don't buy minis but I do buy A LOT of samples, mainly from: whiskysamples.flyingcart.com www.masterofmalt.com

This is an excellent service because most independent / limited edition whiskies are not available in minis. In this part of Europe, a lot of stores also sell samples. E.g. www.whiskysite.nl or whiskyhuis.be/catalog/index.php/… They tend to ship internationally.

@WhiskyNotes Thx for posting. We in germany have internet portals/forums where you can get samples by private persons for really good prices. Normally it is the 'real' whisky price plus cost for transport/packaging. Maybe this is not so common around the world, but I guess in europe it is not so hard to find.

Thanks for replying to my post Wills. I am beginning to see that buying miniatures can be a problem for others swell and not just me.

Whisky minatures tend to be aimed at the tourist market mostly. try buying your whisky from loch fyne whisky www.lfw.co.uk as they give away a free wee when you buy a bottle. but I do buy them but its a 15 mile drive to moffat or me if I want a miniature (tourist hotspot good availability of them). my wife usually puts a miniature into my christmas crackers every year as I am sick of bad jokes and jumping frogs, so you can get them just not that easily.

I prefer buying minis when I can especially when the bottles can be $30-40 like the Woodford Reserve and the Wild Turkey Rare Breed I found in an ABC in N.C. while I was there.