I don't have the means to do anything more than buy a bottle here and there, so my story involves a much more common whisky, but I like the story. Great idea for a thread Arctic Wolf
About a year and a half ago I was diagnosed with Celiacs disease. Celiacs is an auto-immune disorder, what it boils down to, is even the smallest amount of gluten (found in wheat, rye, barley, and other grains) can really do a very bad number on me. I was constanty sick, lethargic, and while I was thrilled we found out why, it came at a very high cost - no more beer
Seriously, it felt like I had lost one of my closest friends. I loved beer, I loved trying new beers, had group of friends where we would try and discuss all sorts of beers, and in one day that was all taken away. Very depressing!
But, I did discover after awhile that the distilling process removes gluten from a spirit. I did like whisky - well, I liked Jameson when making Irish Carbombs - so to celebrate my discovery I could drink something I went and bought a bottle of Oban 14. The liquor store owner recommended it, so I bought it. I wanted to do a little research to make sure I wasn't going in blind and found out about adding a small amount of water, so that's what I did.
I was absolutely floored that anything could be this fantastic. I never knew whisky could be like this!! Nothing could replace beer, but this opened up a whole new door for me - new experiences, and a way to direct my passion for beer. I was very fortunate to stumble on my favorite whisky right off the bat too - Oban is still my favorite, although a few others come close. I really do miss the social aspect I had with beer, but I am greatful for the new experiences my situation has given me that I would otherwise have never had. Another great aspect is my wife (who never cared much for beer) enjoys whisky, so I can now include her in this hobby, which has been really nice.