Every once in a while, there is a thread that goes around the internet or Tic Tok about you only need 5 whiskey's. It's a great conversation starter and is hotly debated by many a whiskey drinker on all the socials. Everyone has their opinion of the only 5 whiskeys a person needs.
As a whiskey geek, there is no way I can limit myself to just 5. Just can't do it. But I get the concept. Push come to shove, and you had to pick, what 5 whiskeys would you pick?
There will never be consensus on what the 5 whiskey brands should be because everyone's tastes are different. So, instead, let's look at the concept that is proposed in the context of what are the 5 categories of whiskey that you should keep.
So the concept is this; you need 5 bottles to fill these categories
Every day or daily drinker
Impress your guests
Cheap mixer
Something great (for a Friday or Saturday night)
Special Occasion
This is the basic pitch of "you only need 5".
So, there are a few factors that go into picking the whiskey's for this. Your budget is one and likely a key factor. Can you afford to regularly drink from a $100 bottle? How about a bottle that is normally $50? If so great, more power to you. However many whiskey drinkers I know just can't afford to drop that kind of coin every week on a bottle. So, it's likely going to be something much less expensive.
Your taste buds and the profile of what you are looking for plays a key role. If you are a Rye drinker, you will lean towards the Ryes or High Rye Bourbons. And the same goes for American Single Malt, Bourbon, Irish whiskey, Wheated Bourbons, Scotch, etc... regardless, your taste profile is going to dictate some of this. After all, you are the one drinking it. And, guess what, over time your taste profile might change.
Now, do you need a whiskey for all 5 categories? I think it's a good idea. Even if you don't drink mixed drinks, you might have some guests that do. And having a solid, inexpensive or not too expensive whiskey to put in their drink is a good thing. My wife enjoys a shot of Bourbon in her Egg Nog every year at Christmas. While I won't pour in a shot of my expensive whiskey, I still want to put in a shot of a good solid whiskey that is fairly in-expensive.
Having a whiskey to finish off the week and all the hard work you put in for un-appreciative bosses is a good thing. You deserve it. Yes it's more expensive, but you aren't drinking it everyday. I have several (and I do mean several) bottles that fit this category. It's something you are glad to share with a friend.
Having a whiskey to impress your guests is totally up to you. If you go in for this kind of thing and want to impress, do it. Warning, you might be let down on a really expensive whiskey that you don't like. If you don't really care about this, then add another higher quality daily drinker to your rotation or another Friday/Saturday night drinker.
Having something for a special occasion as a whiskey drinker is a really good idea I think. It's a bottle you just don't get into all that often. Did a friend stop over that you haven't seen in years? Are you celebrating an engagement or the birth of a child or grandchild? Having a whiskey set aside that you get into only for special occasions is a great thing. Especially if you can share with the person you are celebrating.
It could be a very expensive bottle, it might not be. The idea, I think, is that the bottle of whiskey is special to you.
I have a some expensive bottles that I use for celebrations, but the one that is the most special to me right now is a whiskey that was bottled on the date of my sons birthday. It's not expensive. Matter of fact it was quite affordable. But it was a single barrel store pick. When my son graduated Basic Training in the Air Force, I raised a glass to his accomplishment. (Proud Father moment). It makes me think of him. And, it's special to me.
(It's also really tasty and from a Craft Distiller - shocker!)
There you have it. That's how I look at the list of 5. For me, the list is always changing. My answer tomorrow will likely be different than my answer today of what would comprise my list of 5.
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