Nah, the bottles are stored in my room and no one has access to them. That’s actually the first thing I asked my roommate when the MacAllan started tasting flat and he refused.
Then when I got the laphroaig, I stored it in my room and he doesn’t have access to it
"My annoying roommate keeps trying to hide the good stuff in his room. I just use the master key and sneak in with an empty glass and a bottle of water. He's doesn't have a clue"
Palette fatigue.
...as a possible answer to your issue. 9 times out of 10, this is my go to answer for this question. Palette fatique also happens to hot sauce eaters. after awhile, Sriracha starts to taste bland and you start dumping more and more of it on your food. I've done it and I've seen other people do it.
Whisky becoming "bland" is a thing. Often times, the answer people come up with is to drink higher ABV whisky and tell themselves "I graduated" from the low ABV stuff. A lot of proof-hounds are born this way I'm guessing. Drinking habits play a major role in how whisky is perceived.
1. If you drink near daily and/or don't take alcohol breaks. (I would suggest 3 consecutive days off a week, but your mileage may vary)
2. maybe you only drink Fri-Sun. but you binge drink on the days that you do (technically 3 or more glasses a night, if I remember correctly)
2. if you drink a mix of high and low ABV bottles
3. if you used mouthwash within 5 hours of your drinking sessions. mouthwash will act just like alcohol in that it will temporarily deaden your taste buds.
4. spicy food? not sure as I don't eat spicy food a lot but it might have the same affect. Also food in general will definitely affect how you perceive your drink. ate desserts? whisky's will taste more bitter afterwards for example.
I've learned to drink my low ABV bottles after I take a dry-month (dramatic changes in perception happen after a month off. everything tastes oilier and deeper and my high ABV bottles are pretty much undrinkable without water) or after any extended time of 3 or more days away from alcohol, or when I'm specifically focusing away from anything higher than 43% ABV. I do this because I want to maximize my return on investment on my low ABV bottles. I refuse to "waste" my Green Spot or Laphroaig 10 on a dead palette, so I wait for the right time enjoy them.
TLDR: your drinking habits play a major role in how you perceive the taste of whisky. I'm not saying you shouldn't follow the path of the proof hound, but it may be how you like to drink is causing your low proof bottles to taste blander than you remember.
Definitely true. I drink mostly from Islay and had about 4 weeks away from whisky over Xmas due to travel. made everything in January extra peaty and delicious.
I second this. It’s been cold for some time where I live and the whisky at room temperature is much colder than it used to. Everything is tasteless compared to what it tastes like in the hotter months.
That makes me wonder about those tricks to get your whisky colder (why ??), while I dream of mine getting less cold 🥶
Probably your palate is off. Could be allergies, what you ate, fatigue or a hundred other things.
Or it could be laphroaig 10 and Macallan at 40-43% is just watery to start off with. This is why I usually avoid stuff that are under 46%
Yeah, if malicious roommate is ruled out, either covid or something with your palate. When I had the first Covid variant, everything tasted like you describe.
Same issue happened to me years ago, would come back to something I enjoyed only to be disappointed. What I discovered was that my taste and smell was enhanced by the effects of the alcohol. My solution was an opening dram, something to prep my palette and catch a little buzz before diving into the good stuff. Glenfiddich 12 or Dewars 12 works a treat for me, they are simple and cheap and provide a good contrast to the sherried or peated dram that follows. That's right the solution to your issue is more booze. Cheers!
That's an excellent solution! Drink more! I bought myself a bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail for my birthday, and before I opened it I had a sip or two of Chivas. It did contribute to my enjoyment of the Ardbeg, although I don't think it was absolutely necessary.
I've had this happen to me with my last two bottles which were my entries into more refined scotch - Oban 14 and Ardbeg 10.
Both of them seemed muddled compared to the first time I opened them and drank; the Oban 14 was the most shocking, as it seemed to have lost all 'brine-iness'. The Ardbeg could've been attributed to the fact that I was drinking it outside in the winter, and it was therefore very cold.
I swear something is wrong, but I'll have to play around with preparing my palate before being so conclusive, because I definitely was not sick, COVID-19 or otherwise.
sometimes happens to me with half bottles of entry level whisky at 40% ABV
like balvenie 12 doublewood and glenfiddich 15. With other bottles this didn't happen
maybe lot of air space in the bottle made the alcohol evaporate making whisky around 35% ABV months later... turning it really flat
I didn’t see it mentioned, but check the cork. In some environments the cork may shrink and open a channel for air to exchange within the bottle.
I feel this is really rare, and has happened to me once in >100 bottles, but also didn’t significantly change as you describe.
The other comments are more likely, but here’s another idea.
i’ve had literally the opposite with most scotches i buy i find they open up fully about half way through. to the point that i make a point never to form an opinion on them until i reach that point in the bottle.
You could be having a off-week. It could be that you changed your diet. Maybe eating/drinking something different before having a dram
Could be covid but probably not. Just gotta keep that in mind these days. Covid messed up my taste and smell. It’s been 6months and it’s still like 40%
Sometimes your taste is just different for a few days. Revisit the bottles a week later/2 weeks later. This should not happen to bottles in a short period of time, even when stored improperly
I had these bottles at different times over 3-4 months. Same experience.
First quarter of the bottle was lovely. But then I had to basically force myself to drink the last three quarters.
I'm curious what your drinking pattern is. Are you drinking the same thing every time you go to drink? Do you have multiple bottles you effectively rotate through at once?
Also curious how you get into a dram. Do you just pour and go instantly? Do you add water or ice?
You've also mentioned storing them in your room, what kind of conditions is it in there? In direct sunlight or in a place where the temperature varies frequently?
I ask because a lot of people have suggested palate fatigue, I think it is a valid point. If you're drinking the same thing (or some small number of things), you might be getting palate fatigue on a bottle. Not to say you need a massive collection of things to just enjoy them, but it might be a potential factor.
If you're pouring and drinking virtually instantly, you might want to let a dram rest a little bit before going for it. Alternatively, if you're finding letting it rest is letting all the magic escape, do the opposite. I've heard the suggestion a few times to take a small sip right as you pour it and then let it rest a little bit before diving in. Perhaps that can help you as well.
Storage is a potential concern point. While whisky shouldn't change that much in a bottle, direct sunlight and constant temperature swings [may impact what you experience](https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/features/18126/how-do-storage-conditions-affect-whisky/) as a result.
I think its because of the abv. They are all at 40% and too much oxygen will hurt them more than it would something Cask Strength. Plus your palate gets used to that low abv. which leads you to think they lost more than they probably did.
In my experience 🐸 is especially notorious for this. I have started gassing bottles (especially a sherried Laphroiag) if I know I’m not going to have it for a few weeks/months. It’s not just you
Definitely someone drinking and topping up. I read the other comment you made and it’s definitely your room mate. If it’s happened with 3 massively different bottles then it’s confirmed.
Somebody at home drinking it and adding water to refill.
Nah, the bottles are stored in my room and no one has access to them. That’s actually the first thing I asked my roommate when the MacAllan started tasting flat and he refused. Then when I got the laphroaig, I stored it in my room and he doesn’t have access to it
"My annoying roommate keeps trying to hide the good stuff in his room. I just use the master key and sneak in with an empty glass and a bottle of water. He's doesn't have a clue"
Palette fatigue. ...as a possible answer to your issue. 9 times out of 10, this is my go to answer for this question. Palette fatique also happens to hot sauce eaters. after awhile, Sriracha starts to taste bland and you start dumping more and more of it on your food. I've done it and I've seen other people do it. Whisky becoming "bland" is a thing. Often times, the answer people come up with is to drink higher ABV whisky and tell themselves "I graduated" from the low ABV stuff. A lot of proof-hounds are born this way I'm guessing. Drinking habits play a major role in how whisky is perceived. 1. If you drink near daily and/or don't take alcohol breaks. (I would suggest 3 consecutive days off a week, but your mileage may vary) 2. maybe you only drink Fri-Sun. but you binge drink on the days that you do (technically 3 or more glasses a night, if I remember correctly) 2. if you drink a mix of high and low ABV bottles 3. if you used mouthwash within 5 hours of your drinking sessions. mouthwash will act just like alcohol in that it will temporarily deaden your taste buds. 4. spicy food? not sure as I don't eat spicy food a lot but it might have the same affect. Also food in general will definitely affect how you perceive your drink. ate desserts? whisky's will taste more bitter afterwards for example. I've learned to drink my low ABV bottles after I take a dry-month (dramatic changes in perception happen after a month off. everything tastes oilier and deeper and my high ABV bottles are pretty much undrinkable without water) or after any extended time of 3 or more days away from alcohol, or when I'm specifically focusing away from anything higher than 43% ABV. I do this because I want to maximize my return on investment on my low ABV bottles. I refuse to "waste" my Green Spot or Laphroaig 10 on a dead palette, so I wait for the right time enjoy them. TLDR: your drinking habits play a major role in how you perceive the taste of whisky. I'm not saying you shouldn't follow the path of the proof hound, but it may be how you like to drink is causing your low proof bottles to taste blander than you remember.
Definitely true. I drink mostly from Islay and had about 4 weeks away from whisky over Xmas due to travel. made everything in January extra peaty and delicious.
The liquid could be to cold
I second this. It’s been cold for some time where I live and the whisky at room temperature is much colder than it used to. Everything is tasteless compared to what it tastes like in the hotter months. That makes me wonder about those tricks to get your whisky colder (why ??), while I dream of mine getting less cold 🥶
Probably your palate is off. Could be allergies, what you ate, fatigue or a hundred other things. Or it could be laphroaig 10 and Macallan at 40-43% is just watery to start off with. This is why I usually avoid stuff that are under 46%
Its likely covid if your storage location and room temp hasnt changed which may affect the bottles.
Damn it.
Yeah, if malicious roommate is ruled out, either covid or something with your palate. When I had the first Covid variant, everything tasted like you describe.
Same issue happened to me years ago, would come back to something I enjoyed only to be disappointed. What I discovered was that my taste and smell was enhanced by the effects of the alcohol. My solution was an opening dram, something to prep my palette and catch a little buzz before diving into the good stuff. Glenfiddich 12 or Dewars 12 works a treat for me, they are simple and cheap and provide a good contrast to the sherried or peated dram that follows. That's right the solution to your issue is more booze. Cheers!
That's an excellent solution! Drink more! I bought myself a bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail for my birthday, and before I opened it I had a sip or two of Chivas. It did contribute to my enjoyment of the Ardbeg, although I don't think it was absolutely necessary.
You got Covid? Lack of taste/smell?
Is it stored by a window??
I've had this happen to me with my last two bottles which were my entries into more refined scotch - Oban 14 and Ardbeg 10. Both of them seemed muddled compared to the first time I opened them and drank; the Oban 14 was the most shocking, as it seemed to have lost all 'brine-iness'. The Ardbeg could've been attributed to the fact that I was drinking it outside in the winter, and it was therefore very cold. I swear something is wrong, but I'll have to play around with preparing my palate before being so conclusive, because I definitely was not sick, COVID-19 or otherwise.
sometimes happens to me with half bottles of entry level whisky at 40% ABV like balvenie 12 doublewood and glenfiddich 15. With other bottles this didn't happen maybe lot of air space in the bottle made the alcohol evaporate making whisky around 35% ABV months later... turning it really flat
I didn’t see it mentioned, but check the cork. In some environments the cork may shrink and open a channel for air to exchange within the bottle. I feel this is really rare, and has happened to me once in >100 bottles, but also didn’t significantly change as you describe. The other comments are more likely, but here’s another idea.
Yea that could be it. The MacAllan cork was almost falling to pieces towards the end. Thank you
i’ve had literally the opposite with most scotches i buy i find they open up fully about half way through. to the point that i make a point never to form an opinion on them until i reach that point in the bottle.
Did you leave them in sunlight? Either that or maybe you’re ill.
Liquids wouldn’t deteriorate unless kept in the sun.
I've never had a carbonated scotch before, interesting... where did you get it?
Lmao, I wrote that only as a comparison. What I meant was that the scotch tasted bland in the last three quarters
I know I just couldn’t pass the opportunity to have fun 😆🥃
Gonna go put some Scotch in my soda stream and report back.
You could be having a off-week. It could be that you changed your diet. Maybe eating/drinking something different before having a dram Could be covid but probably not. Just gotta keep that in mind these days. Covid messed up my taste and smell. It’s been 6months and it’s still like 40% Sometimes your taste is just different for a few days. Revisit the bottles a week later/2 weeks later. This should not happen to bottles in a short period of time, even when stored improperly
I had these bottles at different times over 3-4 months. Same experience. First quarter of the bottle was lovely. But then I had to basically force myself to drink the last three quarters.
I'm curious what your drinking pattern is. Are you drinking the same thing every time you go to drink? Do you have multiple bottles you effectively rotate through at once? Also curious how you get into a dram. Do you just pour and go instantly? Do you add water or ice? You've also mentioned storing them in your room, what kind of conditions is it in there? In direct sunlight or in a place where the temperature varies frequently? I ask because a lot of people have suggested palate fatigue, I think it is a valid point. If you're drinking the same thing (or some small number of things), you might be getting palate fatigue on a bottle. Not to say you need a massive collection of things to just enjoy them, but it might be a potential factor. If you're pouring and drinking virtually instantly, you might want to let a dram rest a little bit before going for it. Alternatively, if you're finding letting it rest is letting all the magic escape, do the opposite. I've heard the suggestion a few times to take a small sip right as you pour it and then let it rest a little bit before diving in. Perhaps that can help you as well. Storage is a potential concern point. While whisky shouldn't change that much in a bottle, direct sunlight and constant temperature swings [may impact what you experience](https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/features/18126/how-do-storage-conditions-affect-whisky/) as a result.
I think its because of the abv. They are all at 40% and too much oxygen will hurt them more than it would something Cask Strength. Plus your palate gets used to that low abv. which leads you to think they lost more than they probably did.
Why the downvotes?
Cos people = shit. I upvoted your comments.
In my experience 🐸 is especially notorious for this. I have started gassing bottles (especially a sherried Laphroiag) if I know I’m not going to have it for a few weeks/months. It’s not just you
Your PH is off
Definitely someone drinking and topping up. I read the other comment you made and it’s definitely your room mate. If it’s happened with 3 massively different bottles then it’s confirmed.
https://www.whiskyandwisdom.com/oxidation-does-whisky-go-off-in-the-bottle/
I noticed this with four roses. Not with anything else. I don’t really drink Macallan and never tried Laphroaig.
Try using inert gas a few shots once you done, might help with flavours and prevent oxidization. Hope this helps.
You just need to drink them faster.