Whisky Resolutions for 2022, Anyone?

I always find this thread a good way to reflect on my hobby, how things have gone and the direction I would like them to take. It's also good to look back on my stated goals at the end of the year.

In 2020 I recorded a sharp decline in my consumption by about 40%, but in 2021 things pretty much levelled off, with consumption in the last quarter starting to rebound. This may be due to the fact that we were briefly able to have in-person tastings again.

I’ve noticed that at tastings my pours are now small (5-10cc), and at home if I am enjoying a dram it is usually 15-20 cc, whereas before the pandemic I would usually be a little more generous to myself. I’ve observed I would rather sip a reasonable whisky with others than a great whisky on my own.

In 2022 I will continue to monitor my consumption, but I have no specific goals in mind.

In 2021 I had very modest purchasing goals. I was looking forward to any Canadian CS releases and I purchased a few backups of the 2 AP CS releases that became available that year. Despite having little else on the radar I still accumulated as many bottles as I did the year before (though I bought a couple fewer and got more as gifts. I still managed to increase my total (unopened) bottle count by 6. It would have been more had I not opened so many new bottles. As in 2020, I managed to lay to rest only 4 bottles, and my open bottle count increased by 11. There are still a lot of heels remaining.

What are my goals for 2022?

I want to see if I can finish a lot of the heels to make room for some new bottles that will invariably be opened this year. There are some I simply am not interested in - maybe I should see if any of my friends want them. Others are near the end and need a review before I send them off - I will try to get to that. If they have replacements waiting, I should finish them already.

I would like to finish going through my 2019 advent calendar. I still have about 2/3 of the bottles to review and I will try to do more of them than I got through in the last year.

I can see 9 bottles in my collection that I would like to open. 4 are Milk and Honey expressions and one will depend on a friend visiting from the US, so this may be an ambitious goal.

In terms of purchases, I hope to open any new expression I buy, not add it to the ever-expanding “to do list”. I hope to fight FORO and be very judicious about how many backups I buy. For instance, I currently have 3 bottles of APCS open, and still have almost a third of the 2019 release. The more releases I buy, the more slowly the levels of these bottles will drop. Do I really need a lot of backups?

The ever present paradox - For most of the expressions I own, I do not have enough to last a lifetime, and yet I have more than I can consume in my remaining years.

As before, I’m not looking to expand my collection. if there is a new Amrut or Milk and Honey release that I can get at a decent price, I will pull the trigger. Bottle splits are also a great way to go.

And with a better idea of what I like and what I am likely to consume in the next 20 years, I can start looking at what might make a good gift.

I would very much like to see my collection just a little smaller by this time next year. But I’m more likely to add storage capacity this year than to see that happen, if past performance is a predictor.

I wish you all a happy new year and look forward to hearing what your plans might be.

First, a very happy New year to you, Sir, and all!

I really haven't given this much thought as of yet but your point about consumption chimes with me. I have noticeably drank less the last two years - covid (maybe?), a second child and wider health/gastro issues have meant finding times/days where I can drink and really enjoy the experience has been more challenging.

Liver wise, this is great, but my collection has grown way beyond what I can comfortably store and what I buy outpaces what I currently drink. I'm also dabbling more in malternatives (armagnac and rum) - so something has to give!

I think my 'buying policy' is sound i.e. Buy quality, buy bulk (if possible), look out for good deals and exciting new releases, while only buying those that really scratch my whisky itch, as it were.

In 2022, I will have to show more restraint, I feel, and will perhaps focus on buying less, but especially bottles that I buy primarily due to being well-priced. Still, I sense prices will keep rising so it seems prudent to get the deals while we can ...

In short, I guess even more selectivity in buying and certainly more moderation.

My consumption will likely take a sharp drop off in January and February as I gear up for grad school applications and contemplate my future with all my wits about me. I generally take a break in January to offset the higher consumption in December.

As far as purchases, similar to last year I'll be on the lookout for good independently bottled Scotch, while I'll stick to decently priced mid-shelf bourbons for the daily drams i.e Early Times BiB and OGD 114.

I hope everyone has a prosperous year, and hopefully we can begin to put all the mess of the pandemic behind us and get out in the sun a little bit!

My consumption has dropped significantly since March 2020: doqn to one or two cocktails a week, plus maybe a glass of whisky or wine (or a beer) on the weekend with dinner. My purchasing has not, however, so that's something I need to address before what I have exceeds my storage capacity.

At present, an open bottle lasts on average 1.5 to 2 years, and considering that most bottles I do open are opened for tasting events, by the time they actually enter my cabinet they're 1/2 to 2/3 empty.

So, resolution for 2022, buy less, and experiment more with using whisky in cooking, in order to get through bottles faster.

These are mostly unattainable, but here goes: buy less whisky, drink less whisky, stop the endless upgrading of audio equipment, stop buying vinyl records (or find some place to store them), take a bunch of CDs to the thrift store (charity shop @RianC and co.), show a bit more appreciation for what a spectacularly tolerant person my beautiful wife is, get back in the gym, quit moaning about what a drag COVID-19 is and start thinking about what we can do and not obsessing about what we can’t do. Oh yeah, and no booze in January, and get rid of the remaining Christmas baking, which only resulted in a 3/12 pound gain this year, but needs to stop…now…he said while scarfing down a butter tart.

Looks like we won’t be spending February in Mexico this year, but we will probably crank up the blender for some Margaritas. Happy New Year, amigos and amigas and best wishes for health and happiness in 2022.

@BlueNote - same to you! And, yeah, I know thrift stores ... Whilst there, you could pick up some cheap audio gear

(Naughty words warning!)

• I’m planning on purchasing fewer bottles of whisky this year. The ROI keeps diminishing so I’ve got to be more selective.
• I’m going to try to get some more reviews done. I haven’t been very motivated these last 4-5 months.
• I’m hoping to get to Toronto to see a doctor about some whisky that’s been there awhile.
• I’m hoping the savings from not buying as much whisky allows me to get a few guitars I’ve had my eye on for awhile: an Eric Johnson signature Stratocaster, a Gibson ES-335, and a 1950s Les Paul Standard re-issue.

@OdysseusUnbound That sounds like a fair bit of guitar money. The ES is a sweet Gibson.

@BlueNote Yeah I’m not sure I’ll land them all this year. The EJ Strat seems to be a no-go. There’s at least a six month backlog, maybe more, and all the music stores want money upfront. No go for this guy. I have to play it before I buy it. I’ll probably end up getting an American Professional II or an American Ultra Strat.

Happy New Year everyone - much like all of you, consumption has gone down as tastings have gone down - good for the liver & for the wallet. In 2019, I did make a concerted effort to drink less & streamline my collection and continue to make positive strides in those goals.

Bottles accumulated in the last 12-15 months - APCS, Maker's Mark 101 (gifted half to brother-in-law), Wiser's 22 YO Cask Strength (Bday gift to me) & Forty Creek Master's Cut (gifting half to a friend). Outside of whiskey, I converted a couple of LCBO gifts into a Berta 2013 Grappa which I had a 2010 version in Rome a few years back & absolutely loved.

Bottles finished include Talisker 57, the aforementioned APCS & Wiser 22 YO, Clynelish 14YO First Edition, Balvenie 14 YO Caribbean Cask, Glenfarclas 21 and probably a couple I am missing.

Down to 10 unopened bottles however most are 25 YO Heavyweights which are being saved for either a personal special occasion or a Connosr Epic Tasting. Currently have 6 open bottles and targetting 5 to be finished in 2022 (presuming that summer allows for get togethers again).

Was supposed to go to a couple of Broadway shows in late-January although suspect that will be quashed - was targeting a Cognac & Tequila to replace finished bottles in 2021.

By 2024, I aim to be down to a bar of 1 each of the following - Gin, Mezcal, Tequila, Rum, Cognac, Rye, Bourbon; and 2 scotches (1 peated; 1 more smooth & gentle), operating as a JIT inventory.

Good luck in your pursuits - I assure you that it can be done.

@OdysseusUnbound - nice choices! I've been staring at my three guitars for five years now thinking, 'I'll fix them soon!'. And to think it wasn't that long ago youd have had to wrestle me to get them off me. Such is 'Dad life'

I've been thinking on similar lines - not musical but I do need a few upgrades in my golf bag and clothing and less whisky buying would free up the cash nicely. I think your focused approach has some discernable merit ...

@OdysseusUnbound That green Tele's got whisky and blues written all over it.

@BlueNote Green Tele? Which green Tele? Do I have to add another guitar to my wish list?

@OdysseusUnbound I Googled American Professional ll and it came up on several sites. It's a light olive green and there is a Strat and a Bass in the same colour. I think Steve Winwood has an old Strat in the same colour that he's had forever.

Looking Back:

This has been an interesting year for whisky, at least for me. There have definitely been some ups and downs. "Ups" include a couple of great get-togethers where whisky tasting was part of the fun. One "down" was losing my sense of smell and taste for almost 2 months after getting COVID-19 in May.

As I prepare my resolutions for 2023, I look up near the top of this page to see how my predictions / resolutions played out.

My decline in spirit consumption will likely continue for a third straight year (since I first started monitoring it in 2019). Unless something strange happens in the next 12 days, I should be 250-300 cc below 2021 consumption, and at just under 50% my 2019 consumption.

I had planned to clear my cabinet of many heels to make room for new bottles. Well, there were definitely new bottles, but the clearing didn’t go so well. I have 14 more open bottles than I did on January 1, and I only finished 6 bottles.

I intended to open and review more of the samples from my 2019 advent calendar, but in fact I got through none of them.

I had targeted 9 bottles from my collection to open, and while I didn’t get to all of them I did manage to open a few nice ones.

I was also able to open most of the new expressions I bought this year, but sadly FORO convinced me to buy some backups. And a store special added another. But for the first time since I have begun keeping track (and, let’s face it, the first time since I began seriously studying whisky in 2011), I have 2 fewer sealed bottles than I began the year with (and no purchase plans for the next few days).

I was happy to see that the number of bottles I bought this year is lower than last, which is 3 years of decline since 2019. May the trend continue.

Bottle splits worked well this year, and this may be something to consider more for 2023.

Overall an interesting year. Now to make my resolutions for 2023…

Long time away due to significant work hours along with not recalling my password & the Connosr password reset does not work (for that matter, you cannot sign up for a new account either). A summary of my year:

Bought * Glenfiddich 21 Gran Reserva (converted a slew of gift cards as a bday present to myself) * Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength (recommended from this site if I recall)

Gifted * Hibiki Harmony * Lagavulin 12 * Bladnoch 15

Opened * Laphroiag 25 * Clynelish 14 * Hibiki Harmony * Bladnoch 15

FInished * Laphroiag 25 (made the mistake of bringing to a Halloween party and 2/3 of the bottle was consumed however at least everyone enjoyed) * Bookers * Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask

Stats * 8 Open Bottles (Willett 6 will be finished on New Years Eve) * 8 Closed Bottles

2022 Summary * Trips to NYC, Portugal & San Francisco yielded some great non-Whisky spirits * Goal of streamlining to 1 of each spirit type is still on track (satisfying my health pursuits, process efficiency & OCD quirks all at the same time) * Laphroaig 25 was a beaut * Continued decline in consumption (common theme across many) not just at home but in Cocktail Bars as well

2023 Whiskey Goals * Purchase 2 bottles (0 seemed unreasonable & will have a Rye & Bourbon to replace soon enough), open 4 bottles, finish 4 bottles) - net decrease of 2 bottles overall * Convert whiskey gifts into gift cards to splurge on 1 (unreasonably-priced) other LCBO spirit * Reduce Cocktail Bar visits to once per quarter (pre-Covid I was once a month & did 8 in 2022) * Use more of my bitters to try various cocktails at home (inspired by Yak Lord) as much for guests as myself (instilled a don't drink alone policy a couple of years ago that works well)

A wonderful 2023 to each & everyone of you,

Jayson

@JayRain Jayson, your report is impressive for both its succinctness and its comprehensiveness. Bravo! Welcome back to Connosr!

My own 2022 report is quite brief: 1) I purchased no new bottles of any spirit, 2) I was gifted no new full size bottles of any spirit, 3) I didn't buy a single drink out, 4) I gifted no full size bottles of any spirit, 5) I consumed a rather small amount of alcohol of any type, at home, alone, especially by contrast to prior years, 6) my whiski high point for the year was November 9-11, when I did consume quite a lot of booze with @bwmccoy and @Nock, and 7) I WAS gifted quite a few excellent samples from both @bwmccoy and @Nock. Thank you, gentlemen! It was outstanding to see you, as I knew it would be.

Small amendment and addition: 2 days after my last post I was gifted 2 full sized bottles of bourbon, just prior to 2022 ending. Thank you Big Sis!

@Victor I as well was gifted a Legent on Dec 30.

My intent was to re-start the LCBO GIft Card accumulation however I've been told that the new LCBO policy is that returns wo receipts have to be spent in the moment & no more gift cards.

Reviews are not particularly great so will likely use as a credit for my next rum (Real McCoy 14 is one evening away from being finished.

A healthy, happy & prosperous 2023 to all

@JayRain FWIW about Legent, most people I've been around who've tried it have loved it. I am not one of them.